Embracing AI: In a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, CRAFT is keeping pace by launching our own proprietary AI model specifically tailored to our business needs.

Our AI Approach: The platform, CRAFT GPT, falls under CRAFT’s broader AI initiative to support our agency in enhancing key business functions. As we continue to explore AI’s potential, CRAFT GPT is just the beginning of our evolving AI strategy.

Our Philosophy: The communications industry is constantly evolving, and so are we. Innovation drives communications excellence—CRAFT adapts to cutting-edge tactics, trends, ideas, and technologies. AI is no exception.

A Powerful Ally: AI enhances every aspect of our work, helping us deliver more effective outcomes for clients and pushing the boundaries of what we can achieve in communications and public relations.

Why CRAFT GPT Is Different: We’ve trained it on the entirety of CRAFT’s 14 years of communications learnings, encompassing our wealth of experience and expertise. To top it off, we’ve incorporated data on media consumption trends, including available insights on audience behaviors and emerging digital trends, making CRAFT GPT a one-of-a-kind tool for our work.

How We’re Using It: CRAFT GPT elevates our work more effectively than any generalized language model. It provides unmatched utility to support our specific needs and client work, such as:

• Drawing on 14 years of CRAFT’s award-winning work to provide instant access to valuable insights.
• Tailoring solutions for corporate public relations and public affairs campaigns that deliver wins for our clients.
• Enhancing work tailored to CRAFT’s signature voice and output formats. 
• Integrating past successes with projected future media consumption trends.

The AI-Human Balance: While AI’s role is growing, human insight is irreplaceable. At CRAFT, we safeguard the integrity of our work, ensuring all AI-assisted work is governed by our high standards and rigorous oversight and guaranteeing that it reflects our expertise and upholds our values.

What’s to Come: CRAFT GPT marks the start of our AI journey. We look forward to sharing more news on how AI is improving our services, products, and team. Stay tuned…

The post CRAFT BREAKS GROUND WITH PROPRIETARY AI FOR PR AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS appeared first on CRAFT Media | Digital.

Sweden’s clever campaign to address confusion between the two nations follows a series of blunders by world leaders, including President Joe Biden. It delivers a straightforward message: “Don’t Confuse Sweden with Switzerland!”

We may be biased — but what came next is our favorite part. 

The Embassy of Switzerland in the U.S. produced a light-hearted video, where from his office Swiss Ambassador Jacques Pitteloud acknowledges the differences and similarities between the two countries.

Driving home a message that goes beyond cultural differences, Ambassador Pitteloud cites key economic data featured on the Embassy’s “SWISS IMPACT” site, which CRAFT designed and developed.

The SWISS IMPACT initiative emphasizes the profound bilateral partnership between Switzerland and the United States, while highlighting the importance of global collaboration in addressing international challenges.

Ambassador Pitteloud highlighted this in his response to Sweden — a perfect example of how to join the conversation and generate awareness for SWISS IMPACT. 

Our key takeaways: 

• You can own your contrast messaging without being antagonistic: Both videos deliver positive messages about their nations. Collaborative, civil, educational, and productive messaging is something everyone in Washington can aspire to.
   
• Education and entertainment: Humor is a powerful tool. The videos combine light-hearted fun with education. And the Swiss Embassy was prepared to engage because SWISS IMPACT is a ready resource to amplify their message.
   
• Don’t be afraid to respond: Switzerland’s quick and clever comeback takes advantage of the viral spotlight and generates awareness for its campaign. The timely response is key and keeps the buzz going for both countries, maximizing impact. 

Thanks to the beautiful countries of Switzerland and Sweden for this week’s marketing inspiration. 

One last thought: When it comes to our misnomer, we acknowledge that Kraft Mac & Cheese makes an excellent snack. But CRAFT is the brand you want for your advocacy and advertising campaigns. 

Instagram 

In a world of mistaken identities, the recent Sweden vs. Switzerland mix-up led to a clever exchange highlighting the power of positive contrast messaging. Ambassador Pitteloud’s playful response emphasizing #SWISSIMPACT – a website project designed by CRAFT – is a lesson in impactful advocacy. Let’s learn from this engaging diplomatic exchange.

Linkedin / Facebook 

The mix-up between Sweden and Switzerland sparked a delightful exchange that combined humor, education, and national pride. Switzerland’s response, led by Ambassador Jacques Pitteloud, showcased the power of quick, clever messaging and emphasized the impactful #SWISSIMPACT initiative – a website project designed by CRAFT. Let’s take notes on impactful advocacy and positive engagement from this diplomatic masterclass.

Twitter 

Mixing humor with education, the Sweden-Switzerland confusion turned into a lesson in diplomatic finesse. Ambassador Pitteloud’s response cleverly highlighted #SWISSIMPACT, – a website project designed by CRAFT – proving that positive contrast messaging can be powerful and engaging. Let’s take notes on impactful communication.

The post Don’t Confuse CRAFT With Kraft appeared first on CRAFT Media | Digital.

Why it matters: Passion alone isn’t sufficient to create something exceptional (skill and teamwork are significant factors, too). But, there are few examples of inspired work done by uninspired people. 

What we do: CRAFT finds spirited professionals who can bring our clients’ stories to life through powerfully creative content and programming. 

Why it works: Creative storytelling creates value. Whether it’s revealing the latest consumer trends and their impacts on retailers or explaining how the auto industry will shape the future of personal mobility, our work enables our clients to communicate in more interesting, unique, and effective ways. 

Why we’re excited: This year, CRAFT won 12 Telly Awards – a special recognition of outstanding media work. We are grateful to our team for the award-winning efforts and to our clients for the opportunity to do what we love. 

Complete list of awards: 

American Petroleum Institute: 

Silver Telly (Hybrid Events)

Silver Telly (Branded Content) 

Bronze Telly (Virtual Events and Experiences) 

Association of Equipment Manufacturers: 

Silver Telly (Informational Video)

Bronze Telly (Web Series)

Auto Innovators: 

Silver Telly (Branded Promotional Content)

Silver Telly (Automotive Video)

National Retail Federation: 

Bronze Telly (Regional TV, Public Awareness)

Bronze Telly (Virtual Events and Experiences)

Bronze Telly (Hybrid Events)

Bronze Telly (Branded Content) 

The Mosaic Company: 

Silver Telly (Sustainability Video)

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Why it matters: Communicators have finite resources, and every campaign depends on creative strategy. By focusing on activities with outsized impact, communicators can achieve more—regardless of budget. 

The two biggest leverage points for advocacy campaigns are creativity and speed.

Mary Barra, CEO, General Motors: “When people ask me that question, ‘what keeps you up at night?’ – I always say speed.” Speed is the ultimate competitive advantage in business and communications. Getting the message right is essential. Getting it out quickly is win or lose. Here’s a recent example:

• The situation: Looking for revenue to offset increased government spending, Congress threatened a major tax increase on American manufacturers.
   
• What happened next: The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) called on CRAFT to push back quickly – before the proposals gained momentum. We moved from concept to placement on airwaves, TV sets, Twitter feeds, and newspapers in less than a week.
   
• The result: A tax provision that would have disproportionately harmed manufacturers was removed from the bill – a major victory for NAM.
  (Video coverage from CNBC.) 

Howard Gossage, Advertising Legend: “Nobody reads advertising. People read what interests them, and sometimes it’s an ad.” We’d take this a step further: it’s rarely an ad. The only way to get them to engage with your ad – and to have any shot of affecting their beliefs as a consequence – is to prioritize creativity in both strategy and execution. 

A winning campaign requires new, unanticipated ways to connect with your audience with content that inspires or intrigues and makes them feel. Here’s an example of creativity at work: 

• The situation: American retailers were doing everything they could to keep prices down despite record-high inflation and Congress wasn’t taking action.
   
• What happened next: The National Retail Federation (NRF) partnered with CRAFT to publicize the effects of inflation and Congressional actions that would reduce economic pressure on consumers. We conceived and produced a creative, tension-building video about inflation (literally and figuratively) that fueled a digital, TV, and out-of-home (shout-out DCA) advocacy campaign.
   
• The result: NRF established itself as a leader in the fight against inflation with a creative promotional video that was seen more than 15 million times in just a few weeks, and on August 16, the Inflation Reduction Act was signed into law. 

The bottom line: Creativity and speed make or break an effective advocacy campaign. These are key to better, faster, stronger advocacy.

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Effort is rewarded. Excellence is recognized. Every award and every winning campaign grows out of the collaboration between our team and our client partners. We love to win together. And we love recognition for our work. Twenty-two industry awards in 2021 endorse a winning formula. A few of our proudest moments:

• A PRNEWS Top Woman in PR: BECKY BOLES, Managing Director and SVP of Accounts, was recognized by PRNEWS as a Top Woman in PR for the invaluable mentorship she provides to our agency.
• Campaign Media Awards for Most Effective Media Plan: CRAFT and Child Care Aware of America won Campaign Media Awards for Most Effective Media Plan for our “No Child Care, No Recovery” campaign.
• A record-shattering 15 Telly Awards: CRAFT and our clients took home 15 Telly Awards, an all-time best for the team.

Our full list of 2021 awards: 

PRNEWS’ TOP WOMEN IN PR – CRAFT’s Becky Boles | Top Woman in PR by PRNEWS in the Mentor category.

CAMPAIGN MEDIA AWARDS – Child Care Aware of America’s “No Child Care, No Recovery” Campaign | Gold Winner for Most Effective Media Plan

PRNEWS’ DIGITAL PR AWARDS – The Association of Equipment Manufacturers’ Equipped to Vote Campaign | Gold 2021 Campaigns & Products Winner for Contest / Game

4 COMMUNICATOR AWARDS

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers’ Equipped to Vote Campaign

• 2021 COMMUNICATOR AWARDS EXCELLENCE (Gold)
  General-Causes & Awareness Websites
• 2021 COMMUNICATOR AWARDS DISTINCTION (Silver)
  General-Association Websites

BBMA: Partnering with a Preschool Franchise to Drive Enrollment

• 2021 COMMUNICATOR AWARDS EXCELLENCE (Gold)
  Campaign-Business-to-Consumer for Integrated Campaign

Washington Examiner Brand Advertising Campaign

• 2021 COMMUNICATOR AWARDS DISTINCTION (Silver)
  Campaign-Integrated Campaign for Marketing Effectiveness

15 TELLY AWARDS

• CRAFT | Media/Digital’s We Are CRAFT
  Telly Winner in Non-Broadcast: Corporate Image (Gold)
  Telly Winner in Branded Content: Corporate Image (Bronze)
  
• The Association of Equipment Manufacturers’ Equipped to Vote
  Telly Winner in Non-Broadcast: Internal Communications (Gold)
  Telly Winner in Branded Content: Public Interest/Awareness (Silver)
  Telly Winner in Online: Political/Commentary (Silver)
  Telly Winner in Branded Content: Campaign: Promotional (Bronze)
  Telly Winner in Branded Content: Editing (Bronze)
  Telly Winner in Non-Broadcast: Employee Communications (Bronze)
  
• American Petroleum Institute’s State of American Energy Livestream
  Telly Winner in Branded Content: Virtual Events & Experiences (Silver)
  
• Autos Drive America’s Unwavering Resolve
  Telly Winner in Non-Broadcast: Automotive / Vehicles (Silver)
  
• National Retail Federation’s New Traditions
  Telly Winner in Online Commercials: Social Responsibility (Silver)
  Telly Winner in Online Commercials: Campaign – Business-to-Consumer (Bronze)
  
• International Paper’s Join the PAC
  Telly Winner in Non-Broadcast: Employee Communications (Bronze)
  
• Big Blue Marble Academy’s COVID Safety Protocol
  Telly Winner in Non-Broadcast: Educational Institution (Bronze)
  
• The Washington Examiner’s Get Better News
  Telly Winner in Regional TV: Campaign – Business-to-Consumer (Silver)

The post CRAFT WINS 22 AWARDS IN 2021 appeared first on CRAFT Media | Digital.

Organizations that don’t effectively communicate the depth and breadth of their social impact will be left behind.

A recent global marketing study by Deloitte found that 55% of consumers believe organizations today “have a greater responsibility to act on issues related to their purpose.” The study also found that a whopping 80% of consumers are willing to pay more for products made by socially and environmentally responsible brands. 

In Washington, brands that fail to effectively communicate their CSR, ESG, and DE&I efforts miss an important opportunity to demonstrate to key stakeholders and policy makers that they are committed to social and environmental causes and, in turn, struggle to advance their policy agendas. 

Becky Boles, CRAFT’s Managing Director, helps clients communicate about their social impact efforts within the nation’s capital. Through thought leadership, social media, earned media, events, and more, CRAFT helps organizations across the country build brand affinity and consumer trust.

We know from our work in this space that in today’s cultural environment, social impact messaging is challenging to get right. However, companies that effectively frame their social impact stories, and then communicate those efforts year-round, will have an edge on their competitors.

In the coming weeks, CRAFT will facilitate a social impact communications panel featuring Becky and other industry experts to discuss what works, what doesn’t, and what communicators must be prepared for in the months ahead. Don’t miss it. More details to come soon! 

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CRAFT’s 3 Takeaways for Advertising Now 

Unprecedented. Disruptive. Industry-altering. The common denominator? You guessed it: COVID-19. We all know that the pandemic changed our “normal,” but as we mark the first full year of lockdown, we’ve reflected on how this new environment impacts advertising. 

As the global health crisis spread across the nation, the NATIONAL RETAIL FEDERATION enlisted CRAFT to launch a national consumer education campaign in the lead up to the holiday shopping season. We developed our “Shop Safe, Shop Early” campaign to support retailers, encourage consumers to shop early, and promote safe shopping practices in the face of the global pandemic. 

Here are some of our learnings for advertising in a post-2020 world:

• CREATE CONNECTIONS: In a year of quarantine and social distancing, people are eager to embrace “normal” traditions and build connections with loved ones. In the “Shop Safe, Shop Early” campaign, we encouraged consumers to check holiday shopping off their to-do list early to avoid last-minute stresses and to enjoy a healthy holiday season with family. Meet consumers where they are — provide solutions and express shared emotions.
  
  
• GET CREATIVE WITH ONLINE MEDIUMS: The virus continues to keep people at home and audiences’ consumption habits — primarily online — have changed. Our days are consumed with video, so leverage shorter content on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and pre-roll. The highest performing creative for the NRF campaign was this 15-second ad. Take advantage of connected TV options like Samsung and Hulu or placements around live events happening via on-demand channels like ESPN. 
  
  
• SAFETY, SAFETY, SAFETY: Audiences will be unforgiving to brands that fail to demonstrate a commitment to health, safety, and COVID protocols. The NRF campaign featured retailers and shoppers wearing masks, social distancing, online shopping, and connecting with loved ones virtually. These themes underscored the importance of consumer safety and the fact that traditions can live on amid the pandemic. 

Messaging strategies must evolve to meet the changes presented by our current environment—is your advertising keeping up? 

The post 2020 Changed Everything—Advertising Included appeared first on CRAFT Media | Digital.

CRAFT’s Brian Donahue recently participated in a PRWeek panel on strategies for communicating in this new political era, alongside the American Petroleum Institute’s Rhonda Bentz, and the Consumer Brands Association’s Katie McBreen. The leading takeaway is the new administration will be anything but traditional. While talking heads and journalists are hailing the administration’s approach as “traditional” or “boring,” it’s important to understand that your messaging should be anything but. 

Here are CRAFT’s recommendations for impacting the new administration’s movers and shakers:

• MAKE THE NEWS THAT MAKES BIDEN’S CLIPS – According to Politico’s Daniel Lippman, Biden begins each day with a clips package featuring articles from The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post. He also reads local Philadelphia papers such as The News Journal and The Philadelphia Inquirer. His go-to columnists include Thomas Friedman and David Brooks of The New York Times. The takeaway: the value of print hits is on the rise. 

• NO SILVER BULLETS – HEDGE NEWS PUBLISHERS – President Biden gets much of his news via the Apple News app, too. Many publications partner with Apple News, including The Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times, Time, and Forbes. Worth noting — two of the President’s go-to news sources, The New York Times and The Washington Post do not partner with Apple News. Their articles will still appear in the free version of the Apple News app, but you won’t find content from these publications on the subscription-based Apple News+ app.
  
• DON’T FORGET ABOUT TV – According to Politico, Biden starts his day with MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” and often tunes into Fox News. MSNBC reports that “Morning Joe” delivered its strongest audience performance ever in 2020, finishing the year as the number one cable news show in the 6:00am time slot, surpassing Fox News’ “Fox & Friends”.

• USE EFFECTIVE MESSAGING TO CONNECT THE DOTS – The Biden administration circulated a memo to journalists conveying their intentions for addressing issues specific to social change. Communicators will not be successful in impacting policy unless they illustrate their contributions to society and their involvement in social issues.

• BE SMART WITH MESSAGING AND CREATIVE WITH DELIVERY – Communicators must adapt alongside their audiences. The Consumer Brand Association’s Katie McBreen shared an important reminder of the new environment in which we are operating. “People aren’t commuting to work or spending time in cars anymore,” said McBreen. “We need to think creatively about reaching people when they are doing their new habits and what that looks like when we enter the post-vaccine era.”

• PAY ATTENTION TO BELTWAY INSIDERS’ MEDIA HABITS – Organizations must think creatively to reach DC’s influencers. For instance, use non-traditional platforms like Pandora and Spotify. Over 20% of the DC population (1.1 million individuals) is actively listening to Pandora on a monthly basis, many of them political influencers and government officials. Spotify is 45% larger than Pandora, so we can assume that Spotify has ~1.6 million monthly listeners in DC. And don’t underestimate Twitter, which was practically built for DC influencers. 67% of DC opinion leaders consider Twitter a critical source of news and information, and 54% use Twitter multiple times a day. 
  
  Digital advertising budgets exploded last year, thanks to more people spending time online. Search, social, and connected TV (CTV) all saw double-digit year-over-year growth. 2020 was the worst year on record for old-school linear TV — and TV advertising in 2021 is expected to be 15.2% lower than in 2019.

As with any new administration, the way organizations and brands communicate must evolve. CRAFT works to meet each of these unique challenges presented by the changing policy landscape.

How are you planning on reaching DC influencers in 2021? Share your thoughts with us on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn. 

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Each year, PRWeek reveals its Annual Agency Business Report, considered the top source covering the PR agency world and, by extension, trends shaping the communications industry.

This year, CRAFT has the honor of being profiled among an elite list of 40 agencies worldwide including APCO, Ogilvy, Burson, Cohn & Wolfe, Edelman, Ketchum and Hill + Knowlton. CRAFT is specifically recognized among only six agencies in the Up and Coming Agency category.

PRWeek’s profile highlighted CRAFT’s growth, holistic approach to communications strategy, and how it brings political rigor and thinking to leading companies and association clients.

Congratulations to our entire team for helping us achieve this recognition.

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