Year End Review of AIA-NJ Public Awareness

December 17, 2014

As we close the books on 2014, the AIA-NJ Public Awareness Committee is pleased to report yet another successful year in the evolution of the organization’s public relations campaign.

Each year, the Public Awareness Committee – chaired by Bruce Turner, AIA, along with representatives from each local Section and leaders of the State Chapter – teams with Beckerman Public Relations to build and sustain exposure for our membership and the architectural profession at large. Our committee has been able to consistently achieve this goal through an “earned media” campaign, in which we publicize specific projects, awards, events, and trends using a comprehensive media relations strategy. We regularly pursue coverage through distribution of press releases, event advisories, and bylined pieces submitted by AIA-NJ members. This earned media effort positions AIA New Jersey as an expert resource to the media, and we are, therefore, often called upon by them when specific news stories arise or to comment on feature articles these journalists are writing themselves.

This year, the committee approached the campaign with a renewed focus on where we were promoting AIA-NJ in the media. Our goal was not only to raise awareness of architectural practice in the general public, but also solidify the AIA-NJ brand among key stakeholders, industry influencers and potential clients. To this end, we targeted a wide variety of local general news publications (Times of Trenton, Asbury Park Press, Nj.com, and Courier News, to name a few) along with more specialized industry trade press (NJBIZ, GlobeSt, Commercial Construction and Renovation, Real Estate Weekly, and, of course, AIArchitect). In total, we issued upwards of 35 press announcements throughout the year, securing approximately 120 media placements!

Additionally, AIA-NJ maintains an all-volunteer social media campaign to complement this digital and print media presence. Not only have the AIA-NJ Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn pages been increasingly active in promoting the organization’s core messages, but our members have also maintained their own active social media presence, benefitting both their own firms and the practice as a whole.

Now, with repositioning in mind and on the heels of the recently launched AIA national “I Look Up” campaign, we’re asking all members of AIA-NJ to get involved and take advantage of the opportunity to market themselves while helping to promote AIA’s central goals here in New Jersey. Together with Beckerman, we’re working on a series of educational initiatives to make sure that our members have the tools that they need to make a splash in the press. Stay tuned!

By admin | Posted in AIA-NJ News, Architecture in NJ, Business, NJ Architect Newsletter | Tagged: AIA New Jersey, Asbury Park Press, Courier News, NJ Biz, Times of Trenton | Comments (0)