PublicSource launches ‘We The Public’ campaign
PITTSBURGH, May 1 — PublicSource, a nonprofit newsroom in the Pittsburgh region, has launched a campaign to inspire Pittsburghers’ support for local journalism.
The campaign is called “We The Public.”
The hope for the campaign is to raise awareness of the work that PublicSource has been doing in the Pittsburgh region through investigative journalism and powerful storytelling. Those who are unfamiliar with PublicSource will learn of it, and those who know and read PublicSource will hopefully want to take part in building a next-generation newsroom committed to the community, loyal to the best journalistic principles and dedicated to getting as close to the truth as possible.
“We, at PublicSource, believe that you — the public, our neighbors — deserve local journalism you can trust,” said PublicSource managing editor Halle Stockton. “This campaign is not only about local journalism, but also about participating in democracy and exercising the rights afforded by the First Amendment.
“For our part, we work diligently to cover issues that matter most to you. We offer PublicSource as a platform to make sure your story is being told. And we hold people and institutions accountable so you can, too.”
The “We The Public” campaign, produced by Red House Communications, captures the spirit of journalism that PublicSource delivers locally. “The most effective advertising campaigns are always building and reinforcing the brand, while simultaneously delivering a message about the product. For PublicSource, that meant digging in deep to their style of journalism and bringing the public-service element to the forefront of our work,” said Matt Blint, president of Red House. The campaign, which will run until the end of June, includes a digital plan, billboards, posters and digital engagement elements, some of which are going to be interactive. The interactive component includes a photo station, where readers will be able to take their own photo with “We The Public” tagline and use it on social media platforms.
Some of the elements of the campaign directly include stories and people featured in PublicSource stories.
The concept statement for the campaign reads: “PublicSource believes journalism is a public service. They don’t just report facts. They get to the bottom of who’s being affected and how. The stories they tell keep the public informed — making the city a better place for its citizens. PublicSource is for the people because PublicSource is of the people.”
PublicSource’s engagement with RedHouse came about as a result of the Facebook Membership Accelerator Program, designed to help nonprofit news organizations and local, independent publishers with membership models to build sustainable businesses that fuel our journalism. The marketing campaign was made possible through a grant from the Facebook Journalism Project and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism to continue developing PublicSource’s membership program in 2019. Tax-deductible membership donations can be made online here: https://www.publicsource.org/donate-to-publicsource/
