Good deeds are so commonplace that they’re not newsworthy on their own.

But when wrapped around newsy elements and conveyed with the right timing, they can draw significant media interest — and reinforce a brand.

Such was the case with “good deeds” initiatives launched in recent months by two Youngstown-area organizations.

• Harrington Hoppe & Mitchell, the region’s largest law firm, drew heavy news coverage here and across the Midwest when nine of its lawyers showcased the growth of their beards to raise awareness and funds for prostate cancer during “Movember.”
• Youngstown Orthopaedic Associates, the area’s largest orthopedic surgery practice, attracted attention with its physical therapy services for a boy from Russia who learned to walk with two artificial legs.

“Like any other pursuit of news coverage, a pitch involving good deeds has to aim high above the bar,” said Dan Pecchia, a Youngstown public relations consultant and president of Pecchia Communications.

“A proposed story has to be unusual enough that newsrooms won’t have to worry about others seeking coverage for essentially the same story a week later.”

Youngstown Lawyers Grow Beards for Movember

HHM, steeped in community involvement since 1834, was willing to be a little over-the-top with its recent observance of Movember, the worldwide movement to grow beards to raise awareness of prostate cancer and other men’s health issues. Nine HHM lawyers not only grew beards, but posted pictures of themselves weekly on the firm’s website to chronicle their facial growth.

Local print and broadcast coverage was heavy, with virtually every local newsroom posting at least one story. Vindicator editor and blogger Todd Franko celebrated the “good sports at HHM” in his blog. He wrote, in part:

But it will be fun to watch the guys from Harrington, Hoppe and Mitchell take part.

True to form, they’ve embraced one aspect of Movember that sets apart this effort from the many other worthy health awareness campaigns.

Movember uses a lot of irreverence and humor to get attention….

HHM’s story was picked up by the Associated Press and published by dozens of AP member dailies and broadcast news stations. (See news archive on HHM’s site here.)

The pitch was built around HHM partner Patrick K. Wilson, a cancer survivor who lost a father and father-in-law to the disease. He wrote about his battle with cancer on the firm’s Solutions@Law blog.

“We became spokespersons for a very important health issue,” Wilson said. “Getting tested and following through on treatment are serious matters, and we were very pleased to bring those into the spotlight.”

YOA Therapy Helps Shape ‘Kolya’ Story

YOA, widely respected for its surgery and sports medicine expertise, has been seeking more attention for its physical therapy capabilities.

The Canfield-based practice was one of several local organizations that donated services in 2010 for Nicholai “Kolya” Deykin, the orphan boy from Russia who visited the United States and became somewhat of a celebrity here.

When plans materialized recently for Kolya’s return to Ohio, YOA offered its physical therapy department as the site for a media reception for the lad and his host, the Rev. Kathryn Adams. As part of the reception, Kolya and YOA physical therapy manager Ron Santiago briefed the media on Kolya’s considerable progress.

“We became a focal point for the media to tell the Kolya story,” said Beth White, director of marketing at YOA. “We were also able to showcase the physical therapy expertise that helped this amazing little guy learn to walk on two prosthetic legs.” 

The story landed extensive local coverage in The Vindicator, WFMJ-TV, WKBN-TV and WYTV-TV, including footage of Kolya walking up and down stairs with Santiago’s guidance.

“We sometimes hear comments that the media aren’t interested in good news, but that’s not our experience,” Pecchia said. “The operative word, though, is ‘news.’ Good deeds imbued with news value make good stories that reporters want to cover and editors and producers want to showcase.” 

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Dan Pecchia is a public relations consultant and president of Pecchia Communications. He likes good news … but only if it’s newsworthy.  

YOA's content slider comprises the bulk of its new site (click it to visit the site).

 If you’re smart, like Youngstown Orthopaedic Associates, you use a content slider. Also called a carousel, or a rotator, such a device helps organizations make the most of the prime internet real estate “above the fold.” 

YOA, the region’s largest orthopedic surgery practice with nine surgeons, had a lot of information to pack in. The practice treats virtually every part of the body, but typically identifies four major areas – the joints, the spine, hands and arms, and feet and ankles.  It is also a sports medicine specialist. 

Moreover, YOA has its own therapy center and imaging lab, both of which serve not only its own patients but those of other local doctors. 

Even a cogent summary of those seven elements would crowd a typical home page. And that’s before any discussion of doctor bios, a blog, a news section, a patient education center, patient information forms and a tool for scheduling appointments by email. 

Solution = content slider

That’s why a content slider made sense for YOA. 

“We had a lot of ground to cover, and we wanted to cover it in an attractive way without overwhelming our users or discouraging interaction,” said Beth White, director of marketing services and specialty imaging at YOA, located at Route 224 and Tippecanoe Road. 

“We used the carousel to accommodate our four primary anatomical areas, as well as sports medicine. That freed up room to adequately cover therapy, imaging and ways for patients and referral doctors to interact with us.” 

The content slider’s panels change every 7 seconds. Each panel includes a feature photo, a header, a few lines of text and a link to “read more” on another page about that subject. 

Below the slider is a stripe that includes small versions of each slider element, and the one currently portrayed in the slider is highlighted. 

“As a result, users can quickly understand all of our offerings without scrolling or clicking,” White said. 

Others use sliders, too

YOA built its new website with Pecchia Communications, a public relations and marketing firm led by Dan Pecchia, an advocate of content sliders. 

Pecchia Comm’s own site uses a slider to showcase its work for marquee clients. Similarly, a new website from Ohio Valley Energy uses a carousel to showcase the advantages it offers. 

“The jury is still out on whether internet users like to scroll,” said Dan Pecchia, president of Pecchia Communications. “Older studies confirmed that they certainly do not. More recent research suggests scrolling is OK.  We encourage our clients to get their primary content above the fold so the matter is not in doubt.  Content sliders help make sure that happens.”

The Aim NationaLease brochure is a pocket folder that cogently conveys Aim's solutions for tough situations.

New brochures from Aim NationaLease and Aim Integrated Logistics point up the advantages they offer to companies that want to lose the headaches related to managing transportation activities “in house.” 

Both brochures center on Aim’s new positioning as a technology-driven provider of customized transportation services.

“This was the first major investment in materials that carry our new branding,” said Jeff Manion, vice president of marketing at Aim NationaLease. “We want to show the marketplace how we’re well equipped to support customers in terms of technology and other aspects of the leasing and logistics businesses.”

Aim NationaLease leases and maintains trucks for customers nationwide, freeing them from the expense and liability of maintaining costly vehicles, properly equipped garages and well-trained staffs of automotive technicians.

The Aim Integrated Logistics brochure, with a pocket in the center and two flaps, required more detail.

Aim Integrated Logistics offers complete transportation services. Its customers rely on Aim for all aspects of their transportation systems, from drivers, dispatchers and technicians to maintenance centers and the growing suite of technology tools that make transportation safer and more efficient.

“Although there are many large and small companies in this space, none of them really emphasize their technology capabilities,” observed David Gurska, vice president of business development at Aim Integrated Logistics. 

“More importantly, technology is an area where Aim excels. Even more importantly, technology is becoming very important to our customers and prospective customers. Many do not want to invest in technology that can sharply enhance their transportation performance but may not make sense for one organization to buy and maintain on its own.”

Aim has invested in new technology for years and has developed a highly advanced information technology staff. It can spread the cost of that investment over its entire base of customers nationwide, while also enjoying greater economies of scale in buying vehicles, oil, tires and the hundreds of other elements needed to keep a fleet of any size efficient and safe.

Both brochures prominently include the tagline that expresses Aim’s new positioning: “Precision solutions that keep you moving.” 

Aim developed the branding strategy and brochures with Pecchia Communications, a Youngstown public relations and marketing firm that has supported Aim since 2006.

Channel 33/27's story the day of the event.

When it comes to pursuing the publicity that is so important for their success, many nonprofits, especially faith-based groups, fall into sin.

They tend to advance messages about their causes and their leaders ahead of information that media professionals consider newsworthy.

Fortunately, the organizers of the recent Men’s Rally in the Valley in downtown Youngstown didn’t fall into that temptation. Although their cause – building a Promise Keepers-style event that would challenge Christian men to live up to their faith – was noble enough, their approach relied on strategies and content that scored with the secular media.

As a result, the first-time event drew a huge volume of print, broadcast and online publicity en route to what organizers and the Covelli Centre considered an extraordinary success. Some 3,500 men from diverse Christian backgrounds packed the downtown arena on Saturday, May 8, for a day of challenge and commitment.

Tribune coverage the day after the event.

(Pecchia Communications led the event’s nine-month campaign, pro-bono, leveraging its own handiwork and that of five other northeast Ohio companies that also donated all their time: American Sign Co., Bob Popa Entertainment, Gregoryfilms, On the Brink Creative and Ten29 Productions).

The team effort involved capitalizing on real news hooks:

Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams. An outspoken Christian, the mayor agreed early to give the opening remarks for the May 8 event. In addition, he spoke in a compelling video (produced for free by Ten29) about what the Mahoning Valley would be like if Christian men commit to “walk the walk” of their faith. His involvement was a media magnet, and the video played in dozens of Valley churches and on YouTube.

Rally speaker Dave Dravecky. The Boardman native’s name and inspiring story are huge among sports fans and the Christian community. Dravecky’s picture in articles and on the Rally website, posters and fliers gave the event more credibility than a first-time effort typically deserves. His live interview on WYFM 95.5 The Fish in Cleveland was replayed twice.

Newton and Moncrief in front of the Covelli Centre.

Covelli Centre. In Youngstown, the rebounding downtown and its flagship entertainment venue are news. Far before the Rally took place, we invited media to interview event leaders in front of the arena. We secured the Covelli’s community room for a press conference four weeks ahead of the event.

Diversity. The large and diverse volunteer team that planned the Rally reflected extraordinary unity. That resonated with the media, and our handout picture of Bing Newton and Rev. David Moncrief in front of the Covelli Centre was published prominently in several papers.

The marketing effort went far beyond publicity. The team also developed a website, television commercials, radio spots, billboards, yard signs, two videos, an email newsletter and much more. It’s amazing what can be accomplished when not one, not two, but six communications companies donate heavy volumes of time.

Media publicity, though, is achieved not with time but with news value. Non-profits that can objectively apply an editor’s mindset to their activities and create that value can expect answers to their prayers.