December 9, 2020
Media relations remains a key offering at LCWA. Over the years we have keenly observed and adapted to the changing media landscape and the many technologies that allow us to track media coverage from all over the world. Long gone are the days of receiving hand-cut paper clippings, as we did when I started my career. My, how times have changed!
Times changed again dramatically this year. As extensions of our clients’ internal brand and marketing teams, we were called upon not only to maintain our media monitoring and social listening, but also to observe and report on the pandemic and its potential effects on clients’ business operations. COVID-19 has disrupted personal and professional lives, of course, and it also has taken its toll on supply chains and staffing, requiring large and small companies alike to pay attention to data like never before.
- How many hospital beds are available in the location where a major client facility processes orders?
- Will the local, state or federal government shut down activity where our client’s factory is located?
- Can people travel to/from a particular region?
- How will local shutdowns affect restaurants, events and destinations relevant to our clients and audiences?
Thanks to extensive resources – including local departments of public health, major media coverage, universities and our own Public Relations Global Network (PRGN) partners on the ground, we have been able to deliver extremely meaningful reports to clients as they navigate the COVID-19 crisis and pivot operations accordingly.
This level of information has been of the utmost importance to leadership and operations teams as they determine business strategies, and the LCWA team is thankful for its ability to play a role in this effort.