Media and Public Relations
ECO works with clients to ensure their messages resonate with the desired audience through the appropriate channels. We are a full service shop, focused on deploying “earned media” strategies. ECO is proud of its in-house media distribution system. We specialize in distributing clients’ press releases to targeted networks through email, specialty news wires, fax, pitch calls, and Google News optimization.
Media Release Distribution
ECO develops and distributes media releases and advisories over 500 media advisories and releases each year. Our in-house distribution system guarantees your media release reaches its intended audience. Custom built databases and specialist knowledge of trade publications and their markets means that whether you are reporting to shareholders, voters or donors, your message will get results.
Unlike the large, international news distribution companies, ECO focuses on the regions and markets where your message will resonate. We have an in-depth understanding of the political, economic and social considerations that are necessary to develop regionally tailored messages and effectively disseminate them. We want to know how we can apply our expertise to your ideas and objectives, and how to work with you on an individual basis to craft a media distribution plan that doesn’t just send out a press release to the national papers.
ECO maintains North America-wide and overseas databases for daily and community print news outlets, radio, TV, magazines, trade publications, news websites and blogs. ECO can distribute media releases into any community or media market in Canada and the United States.
Backed up by our very own Media Manager, distributed media releases are automatically posted on Google News within 5-10 minutes of distributing, increasing the circulation of your release. ECO also manages more than 25 propriety newswires, all designed for specific environment related topics. RSS feed subscribers and general web users who are interested in the specific topic will be able to access your message.
Click here to see the most recent of ECO’s 1600+ media releases that have been distributed in the last five years.
ECO can also help communicate your message using emerging social media platforms such as Twitter.
Regional Media Specialists
Many environmental issues relate back to the grass roots. As a result, ECO focuses not only on delivering media to big cities, but also to smaller communities and specialty publications.
ECO staff appreciates the importance of media release distribution. Our media analysts develop approaches to your target audience by delivering your message to the right people, from mainstream media outlets to small but significant community news outlets.
Media Monitoring
ECO believes earned media can be more valuable to organizations than advertising. What is earned media? It is a term used to describe publicity gained through newspapers, TV and radio news stories, web news, letters to the editor, op-ed pieces, “fast polls” on TV and the Web, and blogs.
To measure your organization’s earned media success, ECO offers comprehensive 24/7 media monitoring services. We find news stories that mention your organization, projects and interests to support your environmental advocacy, while providing the metrics required to calculate the value of your media outreach.
ECO monitors daily and community newspapers, radio stations, TV stations, magazines, specialty and industry publications, websites and blogs. Media monitoring is valuable to all ECO clients, as many find it a valuable way to touch an issue’s evolution and resonance.
Media Events
ECO understands that in order to have a successful campaign, names and issues need to be inserted into the public realm. By combining our many years of event planning and state-of-the-art skills, ECO designs the logistics of your campaign, provides strategic advice and establishes strong voices so your message is heard.
ECO coordinates events such as press conferences, as well as product and program launches. Media advisories and releases are distributed before and after media events, to make sure your messages, products and programs are delivered to all media outlets, not only to those who attended.
Previous events coordinated by ECO include:
- A press conference for the Save Our Salmon Initiative and the Kwicksutaineuk/Ah-Kwa-Mish First Nation, in a class action lawsuit against the BC Government and wild salmon farms.
- Awards of Excellence event for EnerQuality, celebrating leaders in energy efficient and green buildings.
- ExpoCycle 2008 for the Bicycle Trade Association, a bicycle trade show held in Montreal between September 6-9.
- Eighth Annual Wood WORKS! Awards which celebrate excellence and innovation in wood buildings, as well as recognizing people and organizations dedicated to pioneering and preserving the use of wood.
- Annual Christmas Bird Counts, a conservation program run by Ontario Nature, to monitor the status of all bird species across Ontario. The Annual Christmas Bird Count is also supported by Bird Studies Canada and other international conservation organizations, creating the world’s most significant citizen science-based conservation effort.