&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Air and Radiation
EP/ 120-R-97-005
Sep. -Tiber1997
Tips on Developing
Effective Transportation
Air Quality Public
Outreach Materials
**tr
> Printed on Recycled Paper
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&EPA
United States
Environmental Prelection
Agency
Air and Radiation
EPA 420-R-97-005
September 1997
Tips on Developing
Effective Transportation
Air Quality Public
Outreach Materials
> Printed on Recycled Paper
-------
Tips on Developing Effective Transportation
Air Quality Public Outreach Materials
United States Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Mobile Sources
2565 Plymouth Road
Ann Arbor, MI
September, 1997
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction 1
Tips on Developing Effective Public Outreach Materials 1
Determine Goals/Objectives
Identify Target Audience
Develop Overall Theme/Messages
Choose Outreach Tools/Products
Printed Products
Graphics Products
Video Products
Testing Your Product 5
Tips On Producing Outreach Materials 5
Fact Sheets
Brochures
Posters
Videos
Audio
Reproduction 14
Conclusion 15
Public Outreach Resource List 16
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Introduction
Public information campaigns are essential
for the success of voluntary programs
intended to reduce air pollution through
transportation alternatives. These efforts
are largely dependent upon public under-
standing and acceptance of the health,
environmental, and economic benefits
which may result from utilizing transporta-
tion alternatives contingent on individual
travel choices. The success of these com-
munication efforts relies on the careful
development and presentation of a message
to an intended audience. This document
has been created to help State and local
transportation-air quality professionals
develop and produce effective public
outreach and education campaigns. It
covers the fundamentals of creating a
variety of informational materials such as
fact sheets, brochures, posters, videos, and
public service announcements.
Basic information is included on how to
analyze your needs, identify your audience,
and develop a theme that will best serve
your purpose, while engaging and inform-
ing your audience. Guidance is also pro-
vided on message development and presen-
tation for optimum impact. A resource list
begins on page 16. You may find additional
useful information on these websites and in
the articles and books listed.
Developing Public Outreach
Materials
Public outreach materials are typically
used to describe programs or organizations
and create a more knowledgeable citizenry.
They are sometimes used to educate,
sometimes to inform or create awareness,
and/or cause an action or change in behav-
ior by the recipient. One of the first steps in
the decision making process to develop
public outreach materials is to conduct an
information needs analysis. A public
outreach program or campaign can't be
very effective if you aren't familiar with
the knowledge level and information needs
of your audience members. Ask yourself:
• What do they need to know?
• Do they know about the program/
topic?
• How much do they know?
• Are they interested in learning more?
If your intended audience already knows
everything about a particular program or
topic, there is not a need to produce any
additional materials. Don't get into the
habit of producing materials on a regular
basis just because you think you need to.
Make sure there is an information need in
your community which matches your
outreach goals.
Determine Goals/Objectives
To create a communications program,
determine what you are trying to accom-
plish. Decide on your overall goal and the
objectives needed to meet that goal. This
could be part of a strategic communication
plan or an extension of your public affairs
mission. For example, the primary goal
might be to educate your public about the
relationship between air quality and trans-
portation and the resulting impact on
public health. The secondary goal might be
less specific, such as creating awareness
about the state of the air quality in your
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community. Now, what do you need to do
to accomplish this goal?
Identify Target Audience
Prior to producing public outreach materi-
als, it is very important to specifically
identify your intended or "target" audi-
ences. You may have a variety of public
outreach materials or just a few, but your
public outreach campaigns will be much
more effective if you focus each particular
piece (whether written, visual, or video) on
a specific audience. For instance, you may
identify a need for a fact sheet on the
effects of driving on air pollution. Who
needs this information? Children, teenage
drivers, and adult drivers could all be
identified as potential target audiences.
Each of these target audiences, however,
will require a very different approach in
order to effectively communicate a mes-
sage. Therefore, you would need to pro-
duce three different types of public out-
reach materials for these three distinct
audiences.
Identifying and analyzing your audience
will help determine the components of
your outreach campaign. For example, if
you are promoting a vanpool program in a
large urban area with a history of pollution
reduction efforts, your primary audience
will be adult commuters who have experi-
ence with significant traffic problems and
have a good basic knowledge of the effect
auto exhaust has on air pollution. If,
however, you are in a mid-size western city
that has experienced recent growth and has
recently become a non-attainment area for
smog, you have a very different situation.
Your audience will likely be less informed
on the issue and perhaps harder to con-
vince of the benefits of altering long-time
driving habits to correct a problem with
which they aren't familiar.
You may have more than one audience.
After determining your primary audience,
try to identify secondary audiences. For
example, if targeting suburban drivers who
could use a park-and-ride option and a new
city-center bus shuttle when they commute,
a secondary audience could be commuters
who need their cars but could use the
shuttle for inner city trips during the
workday, or students attending a college
located downtown.
Develop Overall Theme/
Messages
Once an information need and audience
have been established, you can begin to
formulate a theme for a public outreach
program. Your theme will be the
overall approach that sets the
tone for all the public outreach
materials developed throughout
your communications program.
If your problem is haze, your
goal could be reduction of
airborne particulate matter. This
would be the subject around
which you build your theme and
subsequent messages. A theme
could be "Less Haze, More Fun
Days!"
The messages
you develop to
support your
program.should
be specific,
easy to remem-
ber, and mean-
ingful to your
program goals.
If you are promoting a park-and-ride bus
program for commuters, your messages
could be about the benefits to the com-
muter or benefits to the community and its
resources. By showing drivers options to
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reduce the number of single occupant
vehicles on the roadways, you can create a
more knowledgeable and conscientious
citizenry. Messages can have many compo-
nents. For example, your broad message
could focus on the adverse effects of air
pollution and the benefits realized from
pollution reduction. But, you might also
present more personalized messages
relating to reducing the individual's costs
of commuting and the benefits of not
having to deal with driving in traffic and
the hassle and expense of parking. The
important thing to remember about mes-
sage development is to keep it simple.
Choose Outreach Tools/
Products
When you have analyzed your needs,
identified your audience, developed your
theme, and created messages, begin brain-
storming on what types of materials you
want to use. At this point, be creative and
don't confine yourself to budget or capabil-
ity concerns. Let your imagination be the
driver. When you have developed a wish
list of potential public outreach materials,
you can go on to investigate the practicality
of each component and prioritize them
based on budget, schedule, and what has
the potential of the greatest impact.
Determining the types of materials to
develop is dependent on a variety of fac-
tors, including budget, need, and past
successes. Usually States and local agen-
cies are familiar with what works in their
communities. Some agencies or organiza-
tions with substantial budgets have the
luxury of hiring consultants and marketing
firms to develop materials. Smaller organi-
zations and agencies with modest budgets
may have to figure out a way to produce
everything themselves.You will need to
determine how much money you have to
spend on materials and determine how
much outside help you can afford. How-
ever, even if your needs are great and your
means are modest, ingenuity and imagina-
tion can greatly broaden your horizons.
Even though most commercial marketing,
public relations or design firms do not
donate time and materials to government
agencies, some will work out discounts.
Some might even donate services, depend-
ing on whether they can get some free
advertising or name recognition from the
program. It never hurts to ask. Also, com-
munity access television studios and local
colleges can be sources of free or low-cost
assistance with video and audio production
for television and radio advertisements, or
for general public relations activities.
Contests for poster art can be an effective
and popular way to get your graphic work
at a low cost. EPA's Smart Travel Resource
Center has examples of how some organi-
zations have managed to get an amazing
amount of bang for their bucks.
Types of public outreach materials fall into
three categories, printed products, such as
brochures and fact sheets; graphics prod-
ucts, such as posters and exhibits; and
audio/video products, including public
service announcements (PSA). Determin-
ing which materials to develop to commu-
nicate your messages depends on your
specific goals, your community needs, and
your budget. It is important to first deter-
mine your abilities and budgetary con-
straints, and then ascertain the needs of
your audience. Once this is accomplished,
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Smart Travel Resource Center
The Smart Travel Resource Center is an electronic
depository of transportation-related air quality public
outreach and education information established by the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Office of
Mobile Sources.. The database facilitates the exchange of
information via the world wide web (www.epa.gov/
omswww/strc.htm ) concerning outreach efforts that
provide the public with the information they need to
become active partners with all levels of government in
protecting the environment. It will aid State and local
officials in realizing their goals of mobile source air
pollution reduction through public outreach and educa-
tion.
The Smart Travel Resource Center contains information
on transportation-related air quality community-based
public outreach and education resources and materials.
Interested transportation practitioners, air quality
regulators, public decision makers, industry representa-
tives, consultants, and public interest groups who support
alternatives to driving alone can utilize this resource to
access information on established and developing
programs that relate to their needs.
you can determine the most effective
method for delivery of your message
within those parameters.
Printed Products
Brochures, fact sheets, and other printed
materials, such as news releases and
newsletters, are typically the backbone of
an outreach program.. They can be infor-
mative and inexpensive and allow you to
leave your message with the recipient.
Choose a printed product if your audience
needs lots of information or if the message
needs background information in order to
convince the audience to support a pro-
gram or change a behavior. You will want
to produce the type of product that invites
or encourages people to pick up and read.
Printed materials are typically easy to mail,
hand out at various meetings, public
places, or events. However, you must
carefully plan your method of distribution.
If you don't have effective mechanisms to
reach your audience members or can't
afford postage, printed materials can be a
waste of money. If this is the case, an
option might be to use a paid advertise-
ment in the local newspaper. Although the
costs of ads are high, you may find you can
reach more people for less money overall
than producing and printing materials that
are then mailed.
If you decide to use printed products, make
sure you follow accepted practices for
designing and producing materials so that
they are readable, visually interesting, and
apt to be retained by the reader. Consider
investing in a professional design using
color and graphics to ensure effectiveness.
Graphics Products
Posters, exhibits, and other graphics are
useful for reinforcing your message once
you have established your theme and have
begun educating your audience. They
typically attract a wide audience and, if
well designed and appealing, can easily get
a message across. The drawbacks can be
cost and distribution methods. Make sure
you identify how the graphics products will
be displayed, where they will be displayed,
and who will be likely to see them. Use of
graphic design and color on posters is
almost essential. People are so bombarded
with visual messages on a daily basis that
your graphics product will not even be
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noticed if it is not striking in some way to
the intended audiences.
Audio/Video Products
Video can be the most effective medium
because of the use of music and action, but
it is also likely to be the most expensive.
Production costs for a 30-second video can
run from $600 to as much as $15,000 or
more. However, remember that ingenuity
and imagination can prevail if video is
identified as your most effective alternative.
PSAs are typically much less expensive
because they are meant to be very short and
are usually carried by local TV stations at
no cost to the agency or organization
sponsoring them.
Audio spots for airing on radio are much
less expensive to produce than video. A 30-
second spot with a single voice and no
music can be recorded for about $300 to
$500. Multiple voices and music add
interest and emotion to your ad. An effec-
tive ad can be professionally produced for
about $1000 (more information on audio/
video techniques and placement costs
begins on page 11).
Testing Your "Product"
When you have completed your printed or
recorded projects it is a good idea to test
them for clarity and effectiveness. You can
get useful feedback by submitting the final
product for review by a team composed of
technical experts, editors, public outreach
specialists, and representatives of your
target audience. Ask for a critique based on
how easily the message is to understand
and how effective the message was pre-
sented. You can present it to neighbors or
friends if your product is intended for a
general public audience. Public outreach
practitioners from other government
agencies or industry can be asked to offer
critiques. Teachers can offer insight on the
appropriateness of your message for
students in their grade level.
Another option is to hire a market research
consultant to conduct an evaluation for
you. This is typically done by soliciting
individuals from the public via phone
solicitation or by seeking responses with
advertisements.Participants are chosen
either at random or by following specific
criteria for selection. Participants can be
surveyed individually, usually through a
written questionnaire, or by assembling a
focus group to review your material in a
moderated discussion. The fee for these
services will include your consultant's
expenses and charges for their services as
well as a fee given to each participant.
Because the quality of an evaluation
depends in part on the size the audience
polled, this option can be quite expensive.
Tips on Producing Outreach
Materials
Fact Sheets
A fact sheet is typically a one- to four-page
publication that provides information on a
particular program or issue. Not as detailed
as some brochures, fact sheets can be an
effective means of providing basic infor-
mation. In its simplest form, a fact sheet
contains only text, but the use of color,
photographs, and graphics add eye appeal
and reinforce the message.
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Fact sheets are widely used as a mechanism
for public outreach. Their size and presen-
tation promote ease of distribution and
accessibility of information. Available in
black and white or multi-color formats, fact
sheets are relatively inexpensive and easy
to reproduce for a variety of uses.They are
usually cost-effective to produce and can
be economically shipped in bulk quantities
to meeting sites, distributed through mass
mailings, posted on bulletin boards, or
uploaded to an Internet site. They are an
efficient means of delivering information
that changes frequently and can easily be
inserted in information packets to meet
special needs. If a fact sheet fits your
particular informational requirements, the
following may be helpful in its preparation.
Develop the concepts to be presented
before beginning the draft and identify
the main theme and messages that are to
be communicated.
This process could be facilitated through a
group discussion. Brainstorming sessions
aid the development team in identifying the
auduience and establishing a basic outline
of topics to be discussed.
Focus on the main message and keep it
simple.
Try to deal with only one topic per fact
sheet. Confusing the readers with
unneccassary information will only detract
from the point you are trying to make.
Design fact sheets for formatting as
Internet Web pages.
When developing the fact sheet format,
consider the possibility that it may later be
reformatted as a Home Page on the
Internet. Select a software program that can
be readily converted. Computer specifica-
tions are constantly changing, so consult a
local specialist. Choose graphics and
photographs that will project well on a
computer monitor and use color wherever
possible.
Keep the paper size manageable.
An 11 x 17-inch sheet, folded and printed
on both sides, yields a 4-page fact sheet.
Many topics can be covered sufficiently on
a single 8 x 11-inch sheet. The shorter the
fact sheet, the more appealing it is to the
potential reader and the cheaper it is to
reproduce.
Maximize the use of graphics, photo-
graphs, and color to enhance visual
appeal and enforce the message.
Use captions and color images liberally in
place of text. Human nature is to look at
pictures and captions first. Visual aids
improve the mind's power of retention.
They also make a complicated or technical
issue or process easier to understand.
Minimize text and use significant
amounts of whitespace to maintain user
interest and readability if possible.
Avoid technical jargon and maintain a
simple writing style and language to
promote understanding, but avoid talking
down to your audience. Aim at an 8th-
grade reading level whenever possible and
have several editors review the fact sheet
for readability and understanding. Avoid
statements that will "date" the material
being presented.
Be objective and convey the necessary
message.
Be aware of cultural and political sensitivi-
ties and make sure to cover all points of
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view. State only facts from credible
sources. Verify all statements and docu-
ment your sources. It is also important to
obtain any necessary releases for copy-
righted material and photographs and credit
sources where appropriate. Time invested
here is well spent and can help avoid legal
and public relations problems later.
Obtain technical review.
Submit the initial and final drafts to a team
composed of technical experts, editors,
public outreach specialists, and representa-
tives of your target audience for a thorough
review. This step will reduce the likelihood
of mistakes and misrepresentation of facts,
as well as enhance the overall readability of
the publication.
As with any informational material, the
services of a professional graphics designer
will give your fact sheet a polished and
professional look. Professional graphics
services cost about $35 to $50 per hour. As
with any other creative endeavor, the hours
required are directly related to the com-
plexity of the project. You should expect an
estimate of hours required with a minimum
and maximum range. If the budget is too
limited, however, there are a number of
commercial desktop publishing software
programs, available from local office and
computer supply stores, that can be used
for in-house production of fact sheets.
Brochures
A good descriptive brochure is just as
important in communicating a message as
is letterhead paper and a business card. The
basic brochure introduces your organiza-
tion or program and can call the reader to
action. It tells a story and is usually more
detailed than a poster, fact sheet, or public
service announcement. A well-written
brochure should answer most of the
reader's questions about a particular topic.
Once printed and distributed, it continues
to convey your message.
A basic brochure does four things:
• it describes your program or idea,
• points out why your program is of
interest and/or benefit,
• describes your organization, and
• identifies sources of information.
Brochures have many uses as information
pieces and they are easy to use. They can
be enclosed in letters, press kits, presenta-
tion folders, or placed in public areas for
display.
There are a wide variety of fonts, divided
initially into serif (with "tails", such as this
Times New Roman, or without, such as
this Univers font). Varying the font and
style/size of type breaks up the text blocks
and help identify new sections and impor-
tant information. Using a variety of styles,
like white space, helps present your mate-
rial in a visually pleasing manner.
They can be distributed at meetings and
through mass mailings to reach larger
segments of your audience.
To obtain maximum readability, keep the
brochure simple and straightforward. Use
white space to breakup the text and draw
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the eye to important material or graphics.
Use 12 pt type in a variety of fonts and
styles. A common brochure format is an
8.5" x 11" sheet of paper folded in thirds.
This size is popular because it is inexpen-
sive to print and distribute and can often be
produced in-house. It
can be easily en-
closed in a regular
business size enve-
lope (number 10) or
mailed without an
Type size/style and
Fonts
The text and layout of this
document offers a good
example of proper use of a
variety of type and fonts. The
main text is printed in a
Times font in size 12 pt type.
Notice that the headers and
sub-heads are in a different
font, Helvetica, and size, 14
pt and 12 pt, respectively,
while also presented in a
varied style (style refers to
normal, bold, italics, bold
italics, and underline text).
envelope. However,
brochures can come
in a variety of sizes,
shapes, and can be
long and still effec-
tive.
Do your homework
before you begin a
brochure and it will
be much easier to
complete. You'll
need to identify the
purpose and audience. Answering the
following questions early in the develop-
ment process will help you stay focused.
• What is the current situation or
problem being faced by your
organization?
• What ideas are you promoting?
What is your solution or program?
• What makes your program unique?
What are its features?
• Why is the program of interest to the
reader?
• What are the benefits of the pro
gram?
• What is the history of the organiza
tion or program?
• Why are you promoting this pro
gram?
• What action do you want your
readers to take?
• What related services or programs
should you highlight?
• Who can the reader contact for more
information?
Keep the design simple. One great graphic
or photograph is worth a thousand words.
When designing the cover, remember that
you'll only have a few seconds to grab the
reader's attention. Use an interesting photo
or graphic on the cover and a catch phrase
(teaser), or maybe an intriguing question
or stimulating fact about the topic. Your
organization's name and/or logo can be
included on either the front or back cover
of the brochure, or even the last page.
Closely examine brochures printed by
others. They can be a good source of
inspiration in developing a creative layout.
Experiment with the use of white space
and different sizes and font styles. A
typical rule is that the more white space,
the better! There are few hard and fast
rules for choosing fonts, although typically
sans serif works well for the larger fonts
used in headlines or titles and serif works
best for the smaller fonts used for text and
narratives. Fonts can create moods just like
colors can, so try various options in creat-
ing drafts.
Production costs can vary widely depend-
ing on design, size, use of color, graphics,
quantity to be printed, etc. A small budget
and tight production schedule do not mean
that your brochure will be less successful
than one published by someone with
unlimited time and money. A well-written
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and attractively designed brochure will
attract readers.
A professional graphic designer or printer
can offer useful advice at the beginning of
your project. Fees for services ranging
from minor assistance to full production
may surprise you. They are often very
affordable, and the professional look that
results could prevent your brochure from
being confused with junk mail.
If your budget is restrictive, don't become
discouraged. If you are inexperienced but
computer literate, there are a number of
desktop publishing software programs,
such as Microsoft Publish and PageMaker,
that can be used for in-house development
of brochures. Many word processing
programs also allow you to design simple
brochures and may be easier for beginners
to use. Both Word Perfect and Microsoft
Word have built-in brochure templates.
High-quality color papers imprinted with
computer templates are available from
several manufacturers. With a few simple
clicks of a button, you can insert informa-
tion into the predesigned formats. This
method is very affordable and produces
good results.
If you don't have access to desktop pub-
lishing software, local quick-print and
retail copy shops offer these services for
reasonable fees.
Posters
Posters, displays, and other graphic materi-
als are effective media to communicate
messages about a particular program or
project. Typically a poster uses multiple
colors and graphics with minimal text to
create a visual image that attracts attention
and conveys a specific message to the
viewer. As Marshall McLuhan said, "The
medium is the message!" and, in the case
of posters or other graphic display materi-
als, one can easily understand what he
meant. From the "Wanted" posters at the
post office to movie posters at the theater,
the human eye is typically drawn to the
large graphic elements usually reflected on
a poster.
Posters can serve as a learning tool by
supporting written materials, such as
education curricula in classrooms or fact
sheets at an exhibit or conference, or can
stand alone and be posted on bulletin
boards or in public meeting places.
Start the poster development process by
synthesizing your intended purpose,
audience, and key messages. In one sen-
tence, you should be able to state the
message you want the viewer to walk away
with. Once you've decided on the purpose,
audience, and messages, sit down with a
team and brainstorm creative ideas for the
poster.
Keys to producing effective
posters.
The key to producing an effective poster is
to focus on the graphic elements, since our
society is so conditioned to billboards and
advertisements that constantly compete for
our visual attention. A poster can help
cement an idea in the viewer's mind.
Research shows that people have a ten-
dency to remember more about a topic
when it is presented with graphics and also
retain the information longer.
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A good poster should be visually
striking (make you stop!), interesting
(make you read it!), and memorable
(make you remember!).
Use of color
The effective use of color is especially
important in posters. Be familiar with the
typical reactions to colors and the moods or
feelings they evoke. When choosing a
background color for your poster, for
instance, the use of red or orange heightens
emotions and causes excitability and
tension in the viewer, gray represents
neutrality, blue
has a calming
effect, green
stimulates inter-
action, black
represents power,
and brown can
create a more
passive response. Don't overwhelm or
confuse your viewer by combining too
many colors.
Graphics
Graphics should be uncomplicated and
easy to interpret. With the exception of
some children's posters like the "Where's
Waldo" series in which tiny, intricate
graphics are used to help create the excite-
ment of finding Waldo, graphics should be
striking, visually appealing, and simple.
Poster Size
Posters vary in size depending on the
production process used and the vendor's
equipment. Typically, production costs for
a multi-color poster can range from less
than $50 to more than $500. For mass
quantities, costs go down incrementally.
Posters can be produced on regular paper,
laminated, or dry mounted for ease of
display. Poster designs can be quite versa-
tile and can be used as exhibit display
panels or as overhead transparencies to
accompany a presentation.
A poster-should be as large as possible for
the intended placement and should commu-
nicate no more than 3 messages. One
message is preferable, since the focus
should be on the graphics. A professional
graphic designer should be employed to
either create an original
design, or to use an
existing design in a
new, creative way.
Poster size can cause
distribution problems.
There are several
mailing options. Posters
which have not been laminated can be
folded for mailing, however, this will cause
creases along the fold line that will be
apparent even if laminated or dry mounted.
Creases can be avoided by rolling the
poster and shipping it in a mailing tube, a
more expensive method. Laminated posters
should either be rolled or shipped flat like
mounted posters to avoid damage to the
finish.
Text
Text should be kept to a minimum and
should be easily readable from a distance
of 6 feet. The message should be simple,
concise, and memorable. Font size should
be the largest possible for the headline or
title of the poster. Don't use all capital
letters, since this is more difficult to read.
Several editors and a few representative
members of the intended target audience
should review the text before printing. This
is usually easy to accomplish. If the poster
is intended for a general public audience,
10
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get the reaction of a few neighbors or
friends. Public outreach representatives
from various government agencies or
industry are usually happy to review and
give feedback on something as universal as
a poster, especially since it doesn't take
more than a few seconds to get their
reaction. Local teachers know whether or
not a particular poster will work for their
grade level.
Technical jargon
Technical jargon and acronyms should not
be used unless they are so commonplace
that all intended audience members would
understand them. For example, in promot-
ing the use of bus transit in a metropolitan
area, the acronym for the transit authority
would probably be familiar to most com-
munity members.
Videos
Although typically more expensive to
produce than other education and outreach
mechanisms, video provides an active and
interesting medium. A short video is a
good alternative to a static text and/or
graphic poster. It offers more opportunity
for creativity and can provide more infor-
mation in a relatively short time frame.
Public service announcements
Short video PSAs for television, ranging
from 10 to 60 seconds, and brief educa-
tional videos with a run time of under 10
minutes are typical options for public
outreach and education videos. PSAs are
time slots provided gratis or at a discount
to promote worthy causes or as notification
of public services. They offer a relatively
inexpensive option for communicating
with a large segment of a community. They
can enhance an outreach or education
program by raising the level of local
awareness. Although no longer required
by the Federal Communications Commis-
sion to broadcast them, most television
stations still discount or donate time to air
high-quality PSAs of local interest. These
announcements typically run in increments
of 10, 15, 20, 30, and 60 seconds. How-
ever, 60 second PSA's may be hard to place
due to the reluctance of broadcasters to
donate that much air time to a single ad.
The shorter versions (10 to 20 seconds) are
effective in reaching children or advertis-
ing specific events. These are usually text
only or text over a video image accompa-
nied by a voice over (an announcer reading
the text and/or additional information).
These spots can be professionally produced
starting at around $300.
Longer PSAs can be used to communicate
broader messages about ongoing programs
and their potential benefits. A 30-second
PSA can be professionally produced for as
little as $600 or as much as $15,000 and
up, depending on the complexity of the
production.
An effective attention-getting method for
your PSA is to enlist the services of a
local celebrity or well known public figure.
Celebrities may charge a fee for their
services, but you should be able to find
high-profile citizens willing to donate their
time and efforts as a public service. Most
communities have a well-known sports
figure, either professional, collegiate or
even high school, who is visible and well
liked in the community. Other examples
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can be popular elected officials, renowned
business leaders, or a respected president of
a local college or university. Try to find
someone with experience before the cam-
era. If a number of takes are required, your
cost will increase. Like wise, if your
spokesperson appears nervous and is
clumsy in the delivery of your message it
will diminish the effectiveness of your PSA
or ad.
Television meteorologists also can make
effective spokespersons. They are profes-
sionals, known to your audience, and their
work is a natural tie-in to air pollution
issues. In addition, a relationship with a
popular meteorologist can lead to a mutu-
ally beneficial relationship as described
later in this section.
Short Videos
Videos that run from 5 to 10 minutes can
be effective when combined with displays
at special events or used in the classroom
or at special presentations before civic or
business groups. Professional production
costs for such videos range from $50 per
hour for preproduction (writing the script
and planning for the budget, locations,
actors, and props), $900 per day for shoot-
ing the video, and $175 per hour for post-
production activities (editing, special
effects, graphics, and/or text and credits).
Another way to project cost is to use the
general $2,000 per minute measure which,
in most cases, provides a good estimate.
Video News Release
A video news release (VNR) is another
common type of promotion. This is a short
(20 to 60 seconds) video that promotes a
particular event and is distributed to televi-
sion news organizations. However, most
news directors prefer "B rolls" or "B
clips," which present video footage that
can be voiced over from an accompanying
fact sheet. Although costs vary with pro-
duction values, B clips are generally
cheaper to produce than video news re-
leases.
Another advantage to VNRs and B clips is
the opportunity to team with other pro-
grams in your area. If your video is shot
using generic backgrounds, it could be
appropriate for use by a number of pro-
grams in one region. Specific program
scripts can then be written and used by
multiple agencies who share the production
costs.
Production and Air Time Logistics
Smaller communities may not have the
budget to cover professional production
costs. Although some companies will
donate time to local governments, it is not
common. However, local community
cable-access channels typically offer
training and production assistance for little
or no cost. The audience for cable-access
channels is limited, but if you supply your
own video tape, a copy can be made for
airing on commercial stations.
While a professional or community access
producer can offer assistance in scripting
your message, it is best to have a clear idea
of the message you want to convey, as well
as the audience you want to reach before
going into preproduction. Also, have a
budget range in mind as well as a list of
production requirements from the televi-
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sion stations that will be running your
finished video. Requirements for such
things as tape size and restrictions on
product placements in your PSA vary from
station to station.
While commercial television airtime rates
are prohibitive to many government agen-
cies, paid advertisements offer benefits
over PSAs. Time
slots for PSAs are
controlled by the
stations and typi-
cally are scheduled
for low-viewer
periods (early
morning and late
night) so the impact
of your PSA can be
limited. When you
pay for your ad, you
can control the time
slot(s) that it will be
aired. The cost for
air time is directly
related to the ratings
of the program
during which your
ad is being aired.
Because advertisers want their message to
reach the largest audience possible, the
station charges a premium for the largest
viewing audience. In a large market (ap-
proximately 500,000 residents) rates can
run from several hundred to several thou-
sand dollars per minute based on the time
slot that the spot is aired.
Because you will be running ads of public
interest it may be possible to negotiate for
reduced rates. You may even find that the
station is eager to form a partnership with a
What Do Ratings Mean And Who
Determines Them?
Ratings are the percentage of the potential
viewing "universe" that a particular show
is reaching as determined by a rating
service (typically Nielsen for television and
Arbitronfor radio). Each percent is equal
to one rating point which determines adver-
tising rates. Ratings are further divided by
demographics like age, gender, income,
education, etc. Demographic figures can
also affect ad rates, especially in radio.
Because viewing and listening habits vary
with the seasons, ad rates are also valued
differently during different calendar quar-
ters. Typically, spring and summer are the
lowest-rated quarters and ads are the least
expensive during these times.
high-profile public service effort such as
an ozone alert program. You can use this to
your advantage by proposing a mutually
beneficial relationship with a local station.
Innovative communicators in some areas
have successfully negotiated deals with
news directors where the station becomes
the sponsor of an ozone alert program.
They are given
"first notification"
of ozone develop-
ments and are
allowed to identify
themselves as a
sponsor or partner
of the local pro-
gram (this is a very
high-profile method
of showing civic-
minded support on
the part of the
station). In return,
the station agrees to
run PSAs or
deeply-discounted
paid ads during the
news, frequently
immediately before
or after the weather report.
Some agencies have developed close
relationships with meteorologists and keep
them well informed of developments. The
meteorologists, in turn, provide daily
segments on the ozone readings during the
ozone season. A station in Missouri offers
extensive support to the local ozone pro-
gram. The program receives good coverage
during the weather cast and through four
daily ozone reports. It provides air time for
300 PSAs per year. The station produced
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and broadcast an hour-long special on the
local ozone program and related air pollu-
tion issues and donated copies of the
program, to be loaned free-of-charge, to
local video-rental outlets.
Audio
While many of the rules for videos (length
of spots, placement of ads and PSAs,
ratings-to-cost figures, etc.) also apply to
ads recorded for radio air play, there are
some differences. Generally, these spots are
less expensive to produce. As previously
noted, production prices depend on vari-
ables including number of voices, music,
and the complexity of the soundtrack.
While professional actors along with music
and sound effects add to the production
costs, they also add value to the finished
product. A single voice spot read by an
amateur with no background music or
effects will lack impact and could even hurt
your program's credibility.
Audio PSAs are likely to be aired at off-
time hours when the audience is smaller.
Prices for a 30-second spot during morning
or evening drive-time, the highest ratings
periods for radio, in a large market range
from $125 to $400. Mid-day rates during
the week can run between $75 and $150.
Weekend day rates are about $50 to $75 per
30-second spot.
It may be possible to find a professional
firm that will be willing to donate their
services for a public service project. Firms
that have contracts with other agencies
affiliated with your local government may
be willing to donate time as a courtesy.
Always contact all the appropriate firms in
your area before agreeing to pay for profes-
sional services.
Reproduction
Be aware that your costs for reproduction
or printing will vary greatly depending on
an array of factors. The number of colors of
ink used, the size and type of paper, bind-
ing (if applicable), and the reproduction
method used are some of the items that
determine the cost of reproducing your
product.
Black-and-white, on 8.5x11" 20# bond
(plain copier paper), single sided, repro-
duced from a master layout on a copier is
the most economical process. Full-color, on
80# or heavier, glossy paper, and printed
on an offset press would represent the high
end of the cost scale. The size of the poster
or number of pages in a fact sheet or
brochure, along with photos and graphics
will also affect your cost. Be aware that the
bulk of your reproduction costs will be
represented by up-front or setup fees. This
covers the difficult and labor intensive
process of preparing your product for
actual reproduction. Once a document or
poster has been setup, actual reproduction
is a relatively simple matter. Therefore, the
difference in cost between reproducing 100
and 1000 will be negligible in compari-
son—often, only a matter of $20 or $30.
This is a prime reason for not dating your
product if possible. This way you can order
enough copies to last an extended period.
Also, once the setup has been accom-
plished, and the printer is informed that
there will likely be additional copies
ordered, they can save the original setup
work, making reprints without revisions
inexpensive compared to the original
printing costs.
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Conclusion
The development of an outreach program
may seem as complicated as formulating
your regulatory strategy, but remember that
a few basic guidelines will help your
efforts:
•Define your goals.
•Identify your audience and their needs.
•Determine your capabilities and limita-
tions.
If you follow these guidelines and think
creatively you should be able to develop
effective communication materials regard-
less of your past experience or current
budget restraints.
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Public Outreach Resource List
50 One-Minute Tips to Better Communication. Phillip E. Bozek, Ph.D., Crisp Publica-
tions, Inc., Menlo Park, CA, 1991.
Better Brochures. Catalogs and Mailing Pieces. Jane Maas, St. Martin's Press, New York,
NY, 1981.
Communication Briefings. Blackwood, NJ, 1994.
Communication Concepts and Processes. Joseph A. DeVito, Prentice-Hall, Inc.,
Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1976.
Create the Perfect Sales Piece: How to Produce Brochures. Catalogs. Fliers and Pam-
phlets. Robert W. Ely, John Wiley & Sons, 1985.
Designing Direct Mail Pieces. Daniel R. Harding, The Center for Direct Marketing,
Westport, CT, 1976.
"Educating through PSAs: Public Service Announcements." http://www.ncpc.org/
7publdc.htm.
Effective Business Communication. American Heritage Dictionary, Houghton Mifflin
Company, New York, NY, 1992.
Effective Public Relations. Scott M. Cutlip and Allen H. Center, Prentice-Hall, Inc.,
Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1971.
The Elements of Business Writing. Gary Blake and Robert Ely, Macmillan, New York,
NY, 1991.
Everyone's Guide to Successful Publications. Elizabeth W. Adler, Peachpit Press, 1993.
Fundamentals of Successful Newsletters. Thomas H. Bivins, NTC Business Books,
Lincolnwood, IL, 1993.
Graphic Design School. Alan Swann, Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, NY, 1991.
The Guerrilla Marketing Handbook. Jay Levinson & Seth Godin, Houghton Mifflin
Company, New York, NY, 1994
"Guide to Film and Video Resources on the Internet." http://www.sa.ua.edU//Public/fvl/
film.html.
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Handbook for Public Relations Writing. Thomas Bivins, NTC Business Books,
Lincolnwood, IL, 1995.
How to Understand and Use Design and Layout. Alan Swann, North Light Books,
Cincinnati, OH, 1993.
"I Can See You Naked". Ron Hoff, Andrews and McMeel, Kansas City, MO, 1988.
In Print: Text and Type. Alex Brown, Watson-Guptill Publications, New York, NY, 1989.
Lesly's Handbook of Public Relations and Communications. Philip Lesly, Probus Pub-
lishing Company, Chicago, IL, 1991.
Looking Good in Print - A Guide to Basic Design for Desktop Publishing. Roger C.
Parker, Ventana Press, Chapel Hill, NC, 1990.
Marketing with Video: How to Create a Winning Video for Your Small Business or Non-
Profit. Hal Landen, Oak Tree Press, Slate Hill, NY, 1996.
The Newsletter Editor's Desk Book. Marvin Arth, Helen Ashmore, and Elaine Floyd,
Newsletter Resources, St. Louis, MO, 1995.
Persuading on Paper. Marcia Yudkin, Plume/Penguin, New York, NY, 1996.
Promoting Issues & Ideas. M Booth & Associates, Inc., The Foundation Center, 1995.
Purpose Movement Color: A Strategy for Effective Presentations. Tom Mucciolo and
Rich Mucciolo, MediaNet, Inc., New York, NY, 1994.
Strategic Marketing. David T. Kollat, Roger D. Blackwell, and James F. Robeson, Holt,
Rinehart arid Winston, Inc., New York, NY, 1972.
Transportation and Air Quality Public Information Resource Guide. U.S. Department of
Transportation,
http://www.bts.gov/NTL/DOCS/taq.htrnOTOP
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