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INFOGRAPHICS USED FOR PR CAMPAIGNS Client: Clean Wisconsin \| Previous Client: Biodiversity Project Background: When Clean Wisconsin, an environmental advocacy organization, took the lead on working with the Council of Great Lakes Governors to develop a comprehensive water management system for the Great Lakes Basin they turned to Funnel Incorporated for their visual graphic needs. The non-profit organization's challenge was twofold: to quickly bring Wisconsin's environmental, city and opinion editors up to speed and to educate concerned citizens about the various threats to the Great Lakes. Press materials and website content was created to inspire in-depth articles about the issue and encourage public participation in state-wide comment sessions that would ultimately shape the final Annex 2001 draft agreement updating the protection and management of the Great Lakes. Distribution: The infographic was part of a comprehensive press kit complete with press releases and backgrounders on the issue, threats and Clean Wisconsin's recommendations, tips on how to participate in public hearings, a smart water quiz, as well as media alerts highlighting public comment sessions across the state. The infographic was prominently featured in the press kit, used in the Clean Wisconsin membership newsletter and posted on the organization's website. Feedback: The infographic allowed editors and concerned citizens to quickly zero in on the greatest threats to the Great Lakes Basin. It also served as a great conversation starter for editors unfamiliar with the draft agreement and work being done by the Council of Great Lakes Governors. Testimonial: "Clean Wisconsin has used a couple of Funnel's infographics on complex environmental issues. The infographic helps the reader to understand, at a glance, the overall breadth of the issue. We have used infographics in our press kits, newsletter articles and on our website; both for communication consistency across mediums and because they are a terrific way to educate a variety of target markets on complex issues." Shauna Cook Communications Director Clean Wisconsin	PR Newswire - Message from PR Newswire Feature Desk \| May 2004 New York - Picture this. You're an editor struggling to fill a few holes in your feature sections. You have several articles to choose from. All are written well and cover topics that will be of interest to your readers. But there's one that stands out. It tells a story better than others and is easier for readers to relate to. Why? A photo accompanies the article. Editors are more inclined to use features sent with a photo or graphic than one without that crucial element. Such an image can: Help readers understand a complex story. Sometimes, no matter how clear-cut an explanation is, readers may have a hard time visualizing a product and how it works. Don't rely on them going to a Web site to find out. Lend credibility. Show you mean what you say. It's one thing for a resort to say it has beautiful beaches and a luxurious spa. A photo can back up the boasts. Provide an entry point. Readers most often scan pages looking for what interests them. You shouldn't rely on just a headline to grab them. A compelling photo will go a long way toward convincing them to read the copy. Make an editor's job easier. Not only can a photo make your article more accessible, you are engendering the goodwill of editors by helping them fill more space so they don't have to settle for articles of lesser quality. Among the images that tend to be surefire winners are ones with celebrities, young children and animals. Even if your article may not necessarily lend itself to a photo, sending a graphic with an explanatory chart can also help. If you have a story about retirement savings, for example, a chart would be a great way to show how much people at different ages would need to sock away to ensure they can quit work and not land in the poorhouse. A photo can be a small investment that results in a big payoff. It costs just $250 to send a photo, graphic or other image in conjunction with a feature. The image is archived for a year in the NewsCom and AP Archive retrieval services, meaning you could send that image again with another feature for no extra charge. © PR Newswire
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