10 to 1 Blog

Deepfakes: The End of ‘Seeing is Believing’

by james

Deepfakes: The End of ‘Seeing is Believing’

When a story appears too good to be true, you might have heard the saying “seeing is believing.” The notion implies that if you witness something happening, even in a video or picture, it must be real or truly occurred. Not anymore. AI technology has advanced and Deepfakes (images, audio and video) are getting better and harder to detect.  

The challenge of detecting Deepfakes is growing as their usage rises, especially when celebrities and high-profile politicians become targets. While certain instances may be easy to spot due to video or image quality concerns, others are more inconspicuous, like a politician endorsing a cause that contradicts their beliefs, such as the video of Hillary Clinton endorsing Ron DeSantis for President or the picture of the Pope in a stylish white puffy coat.

Deepfake attacks against companies are becoming a looming concern, and consumers are highly susceptible to believing their content. Imagine encountering a video apparently from a company leader, announcing a product delay or a serious defect recall – you’d likely believe it, as there seems to be no motive for someone to fabricate such content.

Disreputable business competitors have compelling reasons to create doubt, even if it’s only temporary. For instance, imagine a scenario where a business competes for a major contract, and a video surfaces seemingly proving the company’s deception and inability to deliver as promised. This undermines their chances of securing the contract, ultimately benefiting the competitor who may have orchestrated or promoted the fake video to win the sale.

Prepare For An AI Crisis Now

It is crucial for businesses to proactively prepare for potential attacks and enhance their crisis communications plans by incorporating Deepfake-related scenarios and strategies for safeguarding their reputation.

The good news is that many existing crisis communications plans and internal structures will still be relevant. However, it’s important to note that defending against an AI and Deepfake-related crisis requires a different approach from what most companies have traditionally prepared for. When dealing with a Deepfake Crisis, two significant changes come into play within the traditional PR crisis plans:

  1. Acknowledging and responding quickly during a crisis has always been crucial, but when dealing with Deepfakes, mounting a rapid and comprehensive defense becomes even more essential. Deepfakes have the inherent ability to spread rapidly, particularly through social media, leading to exponential growth. Unlike traditional media outlets, which offer more time for investigation and providing thorough responses, Deepfakes demand immediate action to mitigate their impact effectively.
  2. In countering Deepfakes, mere denial of their authenticity falls short. It is imperative to provide substantial evidence and proof that discredits their validity. Third-party, independent verification significantly enhances the credibility and strength of your defense.

Take action now and arrange your team and Deepfake Detection software or forensic experts. Waiting until you’re in the midst of a crisis leaves no time. 

10 to 1 Blog

Companies will face a new type of crisis because of AI. They aren’t prepared.

by james

Companies will face a new type of crisis because of AI. They aren’t prepared.

Companies aren’t prepared for the risk they may face from AI-generated Deepfakes. These scenarios aren’t farfetched, and they’re quite easy to produce and create chaos.

  • A fake AI-generated video showing your company leader stating that your big new product is going to be delayed by months, leading your stock price to drop so that short-sellers can make a killing before you even start to mount a defense.
  • A fake AI-generated image of key staff committing a crime appears just as the selection committee is choosing the winner of an important bid, creating enough doubt that they select your competitor instead.
  • A fake AI-generated audio recording where your company President appears to be on the phone making racist and inappropriate comments, creating a staff and customer uproar.

AI has created an entirely new category of crisis for companies, but few have a plan in place to deal with it if they come under attack.

In an AI crisis, quick response and defense remain crucial, but now, providing verifiable proof is equally essential. Mere denial won’t suffice, as the content appears incredibly realistic. Demonstrating evidence is a vital component of your defense strategy. However, trying to explain the falsehood on your own can be time-consuming and ineffective during a crisis. Instead, opting for an independent, third-party forensic review or a formal report from a reputable Deepfake Detection software company can bolster your defense significantly. An AI expert’s independent explanation carries undeniable weight and credibility.

The challenge lies in the limited availability of companies working on Deepfake Detection software. Additionally, many of these companies restrict their products to government or university research, while others focus on enterprise clients, like insurance companies, for fraud identification.

Our team invested significant effort in researching and securing agreements with highly reputable Deepfake Detection software companies capable of conducting immediate reviews. We also managed to find AI Deepfake industry experts willing to provide their personal insights to the media and the public, exposing the deception.

Take action now and arrange your team and Deepfake Detection software or forensic experts. Waiting until you’re in the midst of a crisis leaves no time.

10 to 1 Blog

How to Leverage Community Outreach Initiatives for Positive Brand Awareness

by Erica

How to Leverage Community Outreach Initiatives for Positive Brand Awareness

Written by Annie Appleton, PR Executive at 10 to 1 Public Relations

Corporate social responsibility, such as community outreach and charitable work from a business, has long been a tool used by public relations professionals to help bolster an organization’s reputation. There are a lot more benefits that can come from performing community outreach projects other than being a positive story to feed to the media. We’ll run through some of those benefits, plus how to turn a community outreach initiative into a PR win.

Why Community Outreach Matters

Performing community outreach is a great building block for positive brand reputation and recognition. Having strong community outreach initiatives also helps build trust between the business and the community. It shows that the business cares about its community and the people in it, thus helping to create a more loyal customer base. This also reigns true internally for the business or organization.

“Roughly 82% of U.S. consumers actually consider corporate social responsibility when deciding what services and products to buy and from where. Similarly, a survey of millennials’ work habits indicates that 86% of Generation Y workers greatly value their companies’ corporate social responsibility programs and would quit their jobs if those programs started to slip.”

Forbes

We are seeing more and more from both an external and internal standpoint that people care about what values a business stands on. People are choosing where to work and shop in businesses that align with their own core beliefs. With the rise of social media, audiences can determine by one post if they will support a business or not.

How to Identify Relevant and Timely Causes

The first thing we look at when start to think about a community outreach initiative is the calendar. We review what holidays are coming up, what time of year it is, and what is timely. For example, in June, a community outreach effort could be centered around Father’s Day, Pride Month, or summertime.

The next thing to consider is the who, what, and why:

  • Who in the community needs help
  • What are we going to do to help
  • Why we chose this particular problem to solve

Finding a cause or organization that is relevant to your business is a good place to start when it comes to deciding the “who.” Here in Phoenix, AZ, it gets hot in the summer. For those who haven’t experienced it, imagine walking into an outdoor wood-fired pizza oven. It is like that, only hotter, from May – October. Homelessness is a big issue here, caused in part by not enough affordable housing and an unstable economy. Here is why the who, what, and why come into play:

  • Who: People with little to no access to shelter from the heat
  • What: We will host a water drive by donating cases of water to an organization
  • Why: According to reports at least 130 people experiencing homelessness died from heat-related deaths in 2021

Getting PR Recognition for Your Community Support

Our client Air Pros collaborated with their local Big Brothers Big Sisters organization on a donation to support kids in the community.

Once you have identified your cause and how you are going to help, there are several things you can do to leverage the work you are doing for positive public relations. Consider:

  • Creating an event around your community outreach project.
  • Make sure to take photos with your company’s logo visible
  • Invite the media to your event and offer interviews about the cause
  • Send a post-event story (along with your photos) to the media
  • Add how your company practices corporate social responsibility to the company website
  • Post your photos and community outreach projects on social media

The Big Picture: Impacting the Community

We worked with our client FirstBank to create the ‘Give it Forward’ campaign to raise awareness for donating to local nonprofits for Coachella Valley Giving Day and Arizona Gives Day. For this year’s campaign, FirstBank surprised local residents by covering their gas bills and encouraging them to ‘give it forward’ by donating to a nonprofit of their choice.

Most importantly, community involvement helps the community at large. When performing acts of service there are real people in real need that are the most important beneficiaries. Think about a back-to-school supply drive. Those who benefit the most will be the teachers that often have to buy supplies for their classrooms out of their own pockets, and the children who will have the supplies they need to learn. That should always be the main focus of a community outreach project, not how it benefits the business doing the service, but how it benefits the community.

The internal benefits of community involvement are vast. These programs and projects are wonderful for team building and unifying employees. They get the whole team to work on one goal – helping others. It can help raise employees’ morale as well. If employees are given a voice on what projects and issues are important to them, it can leave them feeling not only more professionally fulfilled but also fulfilled on a personal level. Many businesses and organizations choose to schedule volunteer days where, instead of going to work, they volunteer at an organization for the day. This gives the employee more control to choose a cause close to their heart.

Takeaways

Taking part in community outreach programs is a wonderful way to practice corporate social responsibility. Community outreach can help to build brand recognition and reputation, foster trust with customers and the community, and bring a team closer together. But when we look at the bigger picture practicing corporate social responsibility by helping the community around us is invaluable to the community and the individuals that are at the receiving end.

We should all try to leave the world a little better than when we arrived. Companies are no exception. There is so much good that can be done in the world, so many people that could use a helping hand, and not enough people that are willing to extend that helping hand. I encourage you to go out and be involved in your communities, and strive to be the good in the world, you will be surprised how even the smallest of things can make an enormous difference in the lives of others.

10 to 1 Blog

What’s Next in Public Relations: Four Takeaways from the PRSA Western District Conference

by Erica

What’s Next in Public Relations: Four Takeaways from the PRSA Western District Conference

By: Erica Fetherston, Director, 10 to 1 Public Relations

The PRSA Western District Conference is an annual opportunity for public relations professionals from across the West to gather and discuss opportunities, trends, and challenges within the industry. With this year’s event in Tucson, it was just a short trip down I-10 to immerse myself in everything PR for a few days. 

While there were some incredibly impactful and thought-provoking sessions throughout the conference, there are several key points that stick out to me now that I’ve been back to work for a few days. Here are four things that I’ve been thinking about: 

1. AI will have a huge impact, but we aren’t sure how yet

Everyone is talking about ChatGPT and how it will change the public relations industry forever. We all agree there will be a huge impact as we learn how to leverage this new technology, but there are some major warnings to keep in mind. AI can be a useful tool to spark creativity or help with brainstorming, but it should not be trusted to create original written content that is completely factual and free of bias. Public relations professionals should not fear the integration of AI into our daily lives, as its rise will make our jobs as strategic advisors and critical thinkers will become all the more significant for our clients and organizations. If organizations are going to integrate it into their use, however, they should create clear policies to dictate how it should and can be used. 

2. Understanding and checking biases is constant work

As strategic communicators, it is our daily role to ensure that the messages we are distributing and the language we use avoid bias. Everyone has biases, no matter their experience or background, so the first step is understanding and recognizing what biases we may possess ourselves. Then, we must constantly review our own work and messaging to ensure that our biases do not have a negative impact on our intended goals. One tool we learned about was ‘asset framing,’ or defining by assets rather than deficits, problems, or challenges. Additionally, if we aim to communicate with a specific audience or group that we do not belong to or have experience with, it is recommended to reach out to that group to confirm what kind of language they prefer. This can be helpful as language and preferences are constantly changing, so it is always better to get those confirmations than to make assumptions. 

3. Thought leaders are leveraging LinkedIn more and more 

LinkedIn isn’t just for entry-level job seekers. There are millions of senior-level executives in every imaginable industry on the platform. Increasingly, these executives are using LinkedIn more frequently as part of their thought leadership strategy. They use the platform to share news and insights while engaging with their network to solidify their reputation as a thought leader in the industry. If a robust LinkedIn strategy is not part of your thought leadership campaign, it should be! 

4. Measuring the impact of PR continues to be a challenge

All public relations professionals know the challenge of reporting the impact of public relations wins and campaigns. We may secure an amazing earned media feature in a top-tier outlet for our client or organization, but what is the measurable outcome that we can report? The answer seems to be that it depends on what metrics matter most, and what metrics are achievable. There may not be a one-size-fits-all solution, as measuring impact changes from campaign to campaign or client to client based on the underlying goals. It is important to ask: What metrics matter? What metrics/data do we have access to? 

Many things may change but one thing will be true: Public relations professionals are often at the forefront of periods of transition and innovation due to the nature of our roles and responsibilities. Having to create and execute strategic communications around a global pandemic, social justice movements, an up-and-down economy, and so much more has prepared us to be some of the most adaptable and resilient pros out there. Opportunities like the PRSA Western District Conference only help us stay further ahead of the curve so we can deliver the best possible services to our clients and organizations. 

10 to 1 Blog

How to craft a compelling holiday campaign

by Erica

How to craft a compelling holiday campaign

Written by Katie Geraghty, PR Executive at 10 to 1 Public Relations

It feels like each day in our calendar year has been deemed a holiday in some capacity, allowing a perfect opportunity for your company to capitalize. Whether it be celebrating Veterans Day or Talk Like Shakespeare Day, holidays come in all forms each with its own potential audiences.

Identifying and amplifying holidays that relate to your organization’s mission or values allow for meaningful, relevant, and strategic media opportunities. As media relations experts, holidays of any kind give our team an opportunity to showcase clients through local promotions or events. Planning and executing these media campaigns keeps our creative juices flowing while gaining positive, local media attention for our clients.

Try it for yourself, here are 5 tips for your next holiday-based media stunt:

1. Identify campaign goals

Identifying the solid goals of the campaign as well as the target audiences are the key first steps to planning a successful campaign. Meeting with your team and all involved to clearly identify the goal for the holiday campaign is essential to its success. What’s that overused saying, ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day’. Go ahead and apply that logic here. Laying a solid foundation will allow you to reach new heights, heights being audiences of course.

2. Research, research, research

Investing quality time into understanding what the holiday represents is essential to avoiding any PR blunders. Identifying the true meaning of the holiday will better allow creativity to flow throughout the process of developing the holiday event.

After identifying an appropriate holiday to center a media event around, it’s important to identify how this ties directly to your client’s business goals and PR strategy. The final component of researching for the event involves identifying the appropriate markets and audiences, without the appropriate targets, the event will carry less impact and relevance!

3. Collaborate

Working together with your team to identify a few tie-ins to the holiday provides a great springboard to create better, more relevant ideas. In a creative field such as PR, we see the benefits of collaborating every day.

Bringing together a diverse team for a brainstorming session can be extremely helpful to hear various perspectives and develop an idea everyone can support.

4. Plan every detail

For every media event you coordinate, planning is truly at the core of ensuring the success of a campaign. Establishing clear timelines, deliverables, and roles will allow everyone involved to feel much more relaxed and comfortable throughout the process.

Nailing down the nitty gritty ahead of time will relieve stress points. We recommend working with your team to identify potential roadblocks and develop solutions ahead of time, so everyone feels prepared.

5. Evaluate the Results

Execution is a direct result of your planning efforts, but you’ll need to be flexible in case something doesn’t work as expected. Each event is a great opportunity to learn about the needs of the media and community, so allow yourself to be present and observant!

Taking the time to reflect on the event directly after will allow your team to better understand the successes and identify any missed opportunities. Reflecting, adjusting, and implementing these ideas will make your next event even easier.

If you ever need help, the team at 10 to 1 PR would love to help!

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How to Better Personalize Your Story Pitch for Media

by Erica

How to Better Personalize Your Story Pitch for Media

By Madeleine Williamson, PR Coordinator at 10 to 1 PR

From an outsider’s perspective, pitching the media to cover a story may seem easy. After all, anyone can email a reporter information about a story. Right? However, only 8% of stories pitched to reporters make it to publication. In the public relations industry, it can be argued that pitching the media is one of the hardest tasks to do. 

Public relations professionals specialize in pitching. One strategy PR pros use to help their pitches make it to publication is building relationships with reporters. Building relationships with reporters benefits PR efforts in the long run and ultimately leads to successful storytelling for both the client and the media. 

So, how do public relations professionals build a relationship with a reporter? The first step is to better personalize your pitch. Personalizing a pitch for a reporter makes the story more likely to run while also building a relationship that will increase the likelihood that future stories will run, too. 

Here are 5 tips on how to better personalize your pitch:

  1. Do your research

You can’t pitch unless you know who you are pitching, and you certainly can’t personalize a pitch without learning about the reporter. Decide who you want to pitch your story to and why. Ask yourself the question: why would my pitch be relevant to this reporter? After you’ve decided that the pitch is relevant, then get a grasp on who the reporter is. This is what will help you to better personalize your pitch later. What topics do they cover most? How long have they been reporting on that industry? Do they write quick summaries or long articles that require weeks of research? Find out as much information about the reporter and their style of writing as you can.

  1. Recognize media complaints about pitches

Be aware of past complaints or requests from reporters you may be targeting. Common complaints from reporters include frustrations with the lack of imagery in pitches, or receiving irrelevant story topics when on tight deadlines. Make sure you are listening to these complaints and adapt your pitch accordingly. In fact, the next time you pitch that reporter, say that you remember them mentioning they are on a tight deadline and ask what more you can do to help, include photos in the original pitch, or give a specific example of how your pitch relates to the topic they report on. 

  1. Personalize the subject line

The subject line of any pitch is key to getting your pitch read. Reporters have to want to open your email. Luckily, personalizing the subject line of your pitch doesn’t have to be difficult. Remember, personalizing a pitch means making the reporter feel that you specifically chose to pitch to them. More personalized subject lines could reference past work done by the reporter, or specific sections the reporter covers in the publication they work for.

  1. Reference social media 

Social Media is a great tool to use when trying to personalize a pitch. Mention that you follow the reporter on Twitter and saw their tweet about a certain topic. Point out that you and the reporter are alumni from the same university if it’s listed in their bio. Most reporters appreciate when people engage with their content on social media. Showing a reporter that you see the work they are doing and care enough to reference a post will help your pitch stand out. 

  1. Keep in touch

Personalizing a pitch doesn’t stop once the pitch is sent. To keep in touch with the reporter and to continue to build a connection, follow-up is required. Thank the reporter for their hard work, ask the reporter if they are looking for any other story topics, or tell the reporter you read their story and enjoyed it. Just be sure that if you are sending a follow-up to the pitch it has a purpose. There is a difference between keeping in touch and bothering a reporter. 

Remember that building relationships with reporters by personalizing pitches will take time. Nothing happens overnight. Feel inspired to try some of these tips and see what works for you. Who knows, you might begin the start of a great new connection. 

10 to 1 Blog

The Trick to Winning Business Awards

by Josh

The Trick to Winning Business Awards

“It’s not bragging if you can back it up.”  This Muhammad Ali quote is excellent, but for a company, it only goes so far.  For a company it’s better if someone else says you’re good, compared to saying it about yourself.  It means even more when someone says nice things about you when you’re not in the room when it’s said!

Testimonials from existing customers are a fantastic source of third-party credibility to potential new customers but have little effect on current customers, existing staff, or potential new hires.  In comparison, awards provide excellent third-party credibility to all your target audiences.

Here are some tips and tricks to improving your odds of winning more awards.                                                                                                                                       

Open Your Options.

You don’t need to win the Nobel Prize.  There are a lot of award opportunities, from local community groups, media organization-sponsored awards, industry association awards, and internet award-centered companies.  Your gain a lot more credibility among potential customers when listing several lesser-known award logos on your website vs one highly recognized, big-name award logo.   

Answer Every Question in the Nomination Form.

In the early rounds, it’s about points, not prose.  Award judges are counting points to help identify the finalists and winners.  Make sure you get every point. 

When looking at the nomination questions, the judges tell you exactly what they want you to tell them. For example, many awards for individuals ask in the first question that you share the person’s name, title, age, City where they live (and sometimes where they were born), and where they attended school.  A lot of people to save time just cut and paste the person’s bio in this section- but they fail to realize there are five specific questions that need to be answered, and leaving one item out (for example, the age of the person), you automatically lose a point. 

Have an Internal Judge Review Your Work before Submitting it.

Have a co-worker review your planned submission, but have them literally check off each question you answered.  Using the example above one again, have the co-worker check off in the question each requirement (age, City, etc.).  If anything is left unchecked, add it to the final answer before submitting. Again, you’re going for points, not prose.

Examples Matter.

Often in a nomination, they ask for specific examples demonstrating your excellence.  Be descriptive in your answer and try to share a more unique story or result. Adding some color to an example makes it more award-worthy.

For example, saying bought lunch for employees or created a newsletter is nice, but not that interesting. Instead say how the lunch was a potluck or themed where you had people vote on which homemade salsa was the best.  Talk about what sections are in your newsletter, including any “personality sections” like a recipe or that you highlight individual employee milestones like work anniversaries, births, etc.

Improve Your Chances by Meeting the Award Presenter’s Expectations.

Different award presenters have a goal in mind for holding the contest.  A local organization like a Chamber of Commerce may host annual awards to support a yearly event that raises needed funds for the organization. They’re counting on finalists to buy tables for the event, and to encourage others to pay to attend as well.  If your organization grows a reputation for buying tables for awards events, other award organizers may notice.  While it won’t guarantee you a win, if there’s a tie or close vote in choosing the final finalist, it can make a difference to judges and organizers if they know they can count on you to buy a table vs the other potential finalist where they can’t count on the extra dollars.  

Look at the Award Schedules.

Many awards list their full timelines.  This includes early submission deadlines for reduced entry fees to late submission fees.

Many local organizations also include dates for interviews of finalists and the awards event.  Make sure the schedule works for your key participants. Don’t nominate your CEO for a CEO of the Year award if she won’t be available to participate in interviews or will not be able to attend the awards event to accept her prize. Local awards groups expect top leadership participation, and if they think you won’t be participating they’ll disqualify you for someone else that they think cares more about winning.

Spend Your Money Wisely- Part 1.

Some award submissions cost money just to apply.  An example would be the Inc 5000 list. Before submitting, do the math.  That award list is completely based on numbers, based on the percentage of growth over the last three years.  Do the math and see where you’d place on last year’s announced list had you submitted.  Will you still make the list at all? Would you place in the top 500, or be listed lower in the 4000s?  This might influence if you should pay the money to make the list. 

Spend Your Money Wisely- Part 2.

If you do win, will you be buying a statue/plaque to hang in your office? There’s often a cost for that physical award. Factor this cost when deciding if you want to submit your nomination, as the awards are sometimes more expensive than the entry fee. You may also want to look up what the award looks like, as this might factor in if you want to display it.

Being a Finalist Is A Win.

If you’re named a finalist or honorable mention, consider that a win!  As soon as they name the finalists, put out a company press release and promote the award to the public and your employees. Add it to your website, and treat it as a win.  Don’t wait for the reception announcing the top winner to start talking up your success. If you do ultimately win the top award, you get to put out another press release. If you came in third, you don’t need to say anything because you already put out the announcement a few weeks earlier announcing yourself as a finalist.

No-Name Awards Have Benefits too.

There are a lot of online awards companies where their entire business is to run their own awards contests. They have hundreds of categories, and their goal is to give out as many awards as possible because it encourages future nominations (with their entry fees). They sell the statues/awards on the back end so the more awards they give out, the more money they can potentially get.   Some of these “lesser known” awards end up having the most visually interesting statues. While these awards may not be as newsworthy or as attention-grabbing to potential customers who look at your website, it’s still impressive.  Especially when the more visually interesting statues are visible in your office to visitors.

Embrace Not Winning the Top Prize.

Sometimes it’s better not to be the top winner. If you’re the top winner, there is often a 5-year ban on you from applying again for that award.  Alternatively, if you’re a finalist, you can apply again next year.  From a PR perspective, it’s better to be a finalist for a year or two before winning.  Not only do you get to add numerous logos to your website, but you also get to stretch your excellence over a few years instead of a one-time-only announcement.

Reuse What Your Learn.

Keep the answers you create for different award submissions.  Often these narratives work for future submissions too, or at a minimum might provide additional details and ideas for other story opportunities.  Similarly, pull from past press releases or articles from key executives to create your submission answers or to identify interesting examples to include in your application.

In conclusion, rather than bragging or selling yourself, let awards serve as proof that you really are good.  Awards are an excellent way to highlight your company, as well as individual leaders where it doesn’t come across as biased or self-serving. Since it’s often time consuming to submit nominations, the key is being strategic to improve your odds of winning.  

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Lessons from Vin Scully, the Greatest Storyteller

by admin

Lessons from Vin Scully, the Greatest Storyteller

Written by Tristan Chavez, PR Coordinator, 10 to 1 Public Relations

Public relations is storytelling. Sure, there are technical definitions that capture everything that public relations (PR) is – but at its core, PR is just telling stories about companies and their people. Storytelling is an art. Good storytellers can elicit the imagination of their listeners, inspire others to make a positive change, and can shape the way people interpret the world. There is a powerful influence that good storytellers hold, and no one was more influential in his craft than Vin Scully.

Vin’s Legacy in Baseball

Vin Scully was a long-time sports broadcaster, most known for his 67 years of calling Los Angeles Dodgers baseball games dating back to 1950. Vin had a way of calling games that brought baseball to a different level. Watching the Dodgers wasn’t as simple as just watching a baseball game. When Vin was in the booth, he was in the game and in the moment. It was a shared experience between him and the fans. Not many people get to experience what it’s like to play in Major League Baseball, but Vin had a special talent that brought fans into the game.

Over his long, hall-of-fame career, Vin had a plethora of legendary calls. On plays that would already be engraved into baseball history, Vin could take that moment and make it iconic. His use of metaphors and puns, the way his words would flow, and his ability to tell a story entangled within the game combined with a strategic use of silence that would allow fans to feel the excitement of the crowd made some of the best moments in baseball history.

From the impossible game 1 walk-off in the 1988 World Series to Hank Aaron’s 715th record-breaking homerun to Clayton Kershaw’s no-hitter in 2014, Scully was a master at capturing the moment and translating it into words for fans to enjoy. Now, as a New York Mets fan, I grew especially fond of his “Behind the Bag” call that ended game 6 of the 1986 World Series (a call that would be engraved into the history of a franchise Scully wasn’t even a part of, and is still adored by fans more than 35 years after the call was made).

Vin’s Impact on My Life

I grew up in southern California, in a classic Dodgers, Lakers, and Raiders fan house. Hearing Vin Scully call baseball games was almost part of our daily routine. Without even realizing it, Vin would play a part in what I would aspire to be and make an impact on how I write stories in my career.

I knew early on that I wanted to be a professional communicator. Although, I spent a long time trying to figure out how exactly I would fit into the communications world. Of course, I would eventually find myself in organizational communications and public relations, I did consider broadcasting and journalism in hopes to tell stories the way Vin did. After listening to him call games day after day, I was able to pick up on some things that I hope to use in my professional career.

What Communicators Can Learn from Vin

There is a lesson that public relations professionals (PR Pros), and anyone who writes for that matter, can learn from Vin Scully. In the same way that he spoke in the booth, writers can share experiences, not just stories, with their readers. PR Pros can show empathy in their writing, connecting with their audience rather than just giving them information.

Of course, everyone remembers the iconic calls Scully had in his long career, but it was his ability to take an otherwise boring game on a random day and turn it into something worth watching that made him special. Likewise, PR Pros can take an everyday story and turn it into something exceptional. Consider different angles in your stories and how they might fit in with relevant topics. Be creative and think about how a regular news release might have a fun twist to it.

There will never be another Vin Scully. His impact on baseball and its community will live on forever. His storytelling was unmatched and his way of bringing fans into the game was indescribable.

There may never be another Vin Scully, but the next great storyteller might just come from the lessons he left us.

Honorable Mentions

There are too many iconic Vin Scully calls to include them all in an article. There are plenty of articles that cover Scully’s calls of some of baseball’s greatest plays, although none of them cover some of his best stories told throughout games. Here are some of my favorites.

10 to 1 Blog

Truth: I Wasn’t Expecting This.

by Josh

Truth: I Wasn’t Expecting This.

by Mayra Vasquez Chavez, PR Executive at 10 to 1 PR

Let’s play a quick game of two truths and a lie:

  • I was the first person in my family to go to college
  • I have been in the same room as First Lady of the United States, Dr. Jill Biden
  • I helped secure over 50 local broadcast and print features for one announcement in under 48 hours

Could you guess the lie? I’m sure you’ll get it by the end of your reading.

Since joining 10 to 1 PR just over one year ago, I’ve gotten to support or lead campaigns that make a positive impact on our clients across the country. Seeing the results has always been my favorite part of the job. I knew it was going to be no different when Intel and Maricopa County Community Colleges District partnered together to build a skilled, diverse workforce through their new semiconductor manufacturing Quick Start program at Mesa Community College. Through the accelerated program, students are prepared with important career-ready skills in two weeks.

I felt especially connected to this project because I’ve experienced the benefits of community college firsthand. When I was in first grade, I got to see my older sister walk across the stage and get her diploma. She was the first person in my family to earn a bachelor’s degree because community college made it possible for her to get there. I even sacrificed my summers during high school to take classes at Chandler Gilbert Community College and earn credit through a scholarship program so it would also be possible for me to earn my bachelor’s degree. Community colleges deserve more credit (no pun intended) for their affordability and accessibility.

During our previous meetings it was decided that the press release announcing the program would be ready for distribution in late March. But suddenly late Friday afternoon, we learned the process had to be rushed through because an extremely special guest came into the mix. Here’s a hint: She’s the most famous community college professor and married to the President of the United States of America.

Although I always feel confident in my talent and writing skills, I would be lying if I said I was not absolutely terrified of sharing my draft with Intel and MCCCD which would also be reviewed by the press team at the White House. 

Before the White House sent their formal invitation to media later in the night, I was tasked with calling every station in Arizona and highly recommending that they should set aside a crew for Monday afternoon for an event they would not want to miss… without revealing exactly what or who that was. Saturday was filled with editing the release and getting closer to a final version to be distributed on Monday after the event. I also got to attend a meeting working through the logistics on Sunday. Because of the late weekend notice, I called stations again Sunday morning to ensure they did not miss this incredible opportunity. I also worked closely with other PR teams to assist with media who wanted to RSVP after the deadline or did not receive the information they need to get to attend. 

When the day of the event finally arrived, I was tasked with helping check in media and continue editing the draft. Finally, after numerous versions we had our finished product hours before the distribution was set to happen. Lastly, I got to witness Jill Biden’s empowering speech and hear Intel’s Quick Start program be announced to the world live before finally distributing the release and images moments after.

If you told me a year ago that I would write a press release for one of the biggest companies in the world, I would not believe you. If you told me a year ago that I would be in the same room as the First Lady of the United States promoting her involvement at a media event I helped coordinate, I would also not believe you. But after March 7th, I can now say that both statements are indeed true and the experience was incredible.

And now I have a fun ice breaker at parties!