Impossible is an illusion: The magic of public relations
Aug 23, 2017
Category: PR tactics
Services: Community Relations and Grassroots Advocacy, Digital Media, Media Relations, Strategy and Planning, Visual Storytelling, Writing
A floating table. Snow falling indoors. A flying bunny. All those are impossible! Or so it may seem. In my world, these things happen all the time. Allow me to explain…I’m an illusionist (no really, I am). I get to travel all around the country to entertain people, and I love it.
Since joining the Piper & Gold team, I’ve realized that my two jobs aren’t all that different. Both involve making magic happen for people. We take something ordinary and use it to do something extraordinary. And here at P&G, story is our medium. As a matter of fact, one of the #truths that we live by is “story is the heart of it.”
So what is the method behind our magic? I’m here to give you a closer look.
- Start with the story. Experts have analyzed and theorized about the power of story. Everyone seems to agree. It’s as if our minds are hardwired to engage information as it fits together in the context of a narrative.
One specialist puts it this way: “In the last 15 years we have developed the brain imaging technologies that help us shed light on what it means to ‘get lost’ in a good story. Studies are suggesting that, when reading, listening, or watching a good story, we activate brain regions used to process the experience as if it were our own. In other words, we are wired for stories."
That’s why your story matters. We strive to help our clients tell their story in a way that engages people. Whether it’s through strategy and planning, writing or digital media, we come alongside you to help articulate just what it is you want to say.
- Do the work. In my favorite movie, The Prestige, there is an old, stooped Chinese magician who performs an amazing routine where he holds up a cloth in front of a table, and drops it to reveal a giant fish bowl sitting on top with goldfish swimming inside. The main character, who is also a magician, is obsessed with trying to figure it out. He discovers that the secret is holding the fish bowl between his legs. The Chinese magician’s stooped appearance was all maintained to keep up the act.
The moral of the story is, there is no magic behind the magic, just a lot of hard work. In order to create magic for your audience, you have to do the work. And it isn’t easy. But that’s where we come in. Consider us your “stage manager” who hustles behind the scenes to make sure your performance is spectacular.
- Wow your audience. One of the things I love most about the art of illusion is that it suspends reality, even if just for a few moments. It connects with people on a deeper level than just what the eye can see. This is what good public relations does for your audience. And one of the ways we accomplish this is by making sure every detail is covered.
A couple months ago our team had the privilege of producing the media event for the grand opening of a new water exhibit at Impression 5 Science Center. As the project strategist, I knew that I wanted to create an immersive experience for people as we unveiled the exhibit for the first time to the public. And I knew we needed some impressive lighting to accomplish that.
The only problem was that it wasn’t in our budget. So we crossed it off the list, and I felt a little deflated as a result. But luckily we are committed to the creative process, put our heads together and came up with some solutions. And guess what? We got the lighting! It was such a special touch, and the audience was wowed. Mission accomplished.
So what are some ways that you can create magic for your audience? Let us know how we can help.
Caleb Johnson
Project Strategist
