With an election year now upon us, and all indications that it will be called sooner than expected, it’s time for organisations to roll out their pre-election communications, much like pre-budget messaging ahead of the annual Federal Budget.
At Medianet, we’ve already seen a surge of pre-election media statements in January, reinforcing the fact that it’s never too early to communicate your organisation’s stance, and what you would like to see from any incoming government. If your organisation’s position statement is already circulating before an election is called, there is a greater chance that the topics you raise will be incorporated into journalistic commentary.
Notably, we have seen pre-election press releases from major health associations The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) and the Public Health Association of Australia, along with higher education institutions The Independent Tertiary Education Council of Australia (ITECA) and Monash University, all adding their voices to hot-topic election issues.
Pre-election messages don’t need to be in favour of or support a particular political party, rather it is a focus on key election topics that are important or align with an organisation, i.e. cost of living, healthcare, housing, crime rates, climate change, healthcare, interest rates, immigration, population growth etc.
A stand-out example is the Australian Koala Foundation for pushing the bar even further with the re-launch of their Democracy Booklet initiative - designed to educate the public, particularly first-time voters, about Australia's democratic process and voting system. Timing is always key to any noteworthy PR campaign, and the AKF putting out a press release in the first week of January shows initiative and forward planning ahead of their 10-week awareness campaign to remind Australians of their democratic voting rights, while subtly reinforcing its election stance on Koala conservation and habitat protection.
Now is the time for organisations to refine and distribute their pre-election messages to ensure visibility in the media landscape. Want to amplify your organisation’s pre-election PR strategy? Contact Medianet today.