Portland-Vancouver Metro Area Smokefree Housing Project

Thank you to our funders: American Legacy Foundation Kaiser Permanente Community Fund at Northwest Health Foundation Oregon Tobacco Prevention and Education Program Washington Tobacco Prevention and Control Program Steps to a Healthier Clark County/ Community Choices 2010

Media StrategyEarned media & media advocacy

Target Audiences: 1. Property owners & managers2. And those who influence them:

- Professional associations- Government bureaus (housing & community development,

fire dept’s)- Nonprofit agencies serving renters

3. Renters4. Policy Makers 5. General Public

Reaching Primary & Secondary Audiences

• Local & National landlord magazines and newspapers

• Landlord Trade Association newsletters & websites

• Non-profit & Government newsletters & websites (i.e., Fair Housing, Fire)

• Local business journals & TV

Reaching Renters, General Public & Policy Makers

• Traditional Outlets (newspapers & TV)– Local & state: The Oregonian (front page)– National: USA Today; MSNBC

• Nontraditional Outlets– Multnomah County Commissioner Blog – Blogging: www.apartmentmarketingblog.com– Article on Apartments.com website

Getting Coverage: Process

• Press release via media contractor• Collected smokefree landlord quotes• Developed press packets:

– press release– national articles– samples of project materials– smokefree landlords as media contacts

• Personal visits to media outlets

Highlights of Coverage Achieved• 13 front-page articles in landlord newspaper,

The Apartment Manager (20,000)

• 3 landlord trade association articles (7,700+)

• 3 articles in Fair Housing Council’s newsletter & e-newsletter (14,400)

• Portland & Vancouver business journals (12,000+)

• TV news segment “Your Money, Your Business”

• The Oregonian front page• Article in USA Today (5 million)• MSNBC interview with Jim Wiard

Lessons Learned• Have key talking points ready to go• Ask smokefree landlords to serve as media

contacts—get quotes ahead of time• Work closely with property managers’ PR firm• Keep track of circulation numbers of

media outlets for reports• Sometimes you get lucky with timing!

(Portland Business Journal story)

Colleen Hermann-FranzenAmerican Lung Association of Oregoncolleen@lungoregon.org

Diane Laughter, MPHAmerican Lung Association of Oregondiane@lungoregon.org

Kylie Meiner, MPHMultnomah County Health Departmentkylie.a.meiner@co.multnomah.or.us

Theresa Cross, MS, RD, CDClark County Public Healththeresa.cross@clark.wa.gov

www.smokefreehousingNW.com