Public Service Announcements
Writing and distributing your PSA's
Public Service Announcements (PSAs) are non-commercial advertisements that are broadcast for the public good. Media outlets regularly allocate free time or space for public service announcements. In the United States, health and public safety issues receive the most PSA air time.
The competition for PSA space is fierce. A variety of worthwhile organizations vie with one another for what is essentially free advertising, a valuable commodity. So, what determines whether a particular cause or organization receives media support? According to surveys, broadcasters use three primary criteria in selecting PSAs:
- Sponsorship
- Relevance of the message to the community
- Message design
Winning messages must be clear and well-executed. They should be interesting to the general public and lend themselves to brief delivery. The It All Adds Up program meets those criteria. With It All Adds Up materials, you'll have what it takes to succeed in securing media support, namely:
- Relevant subject matter—cleaner air and less traffic congestion benefits everyone.
- A local program—something highly desirable to the media—with national support.
- PSAs that are well-executed and proven effective. They are based on careful, thorough research and have excellent production value.
It All Adds Up offers a variety of free, commercial-quality, professionally-produced public service announcements (see below):
Radio Ad Scripts (DOC, 27K)- These ads can be easily customized with local information and then taped or read live by community leaders or radio personalities
- Radio Ad Scripts (DOC, 28K)
- These ads can be easily customized with local information and then taped or read live by community leaders or radio personalities
- Radio Ad Scripts (DOC, 28K)
- These ads can be easily customized with local information and then taped or read live by community leaders or radio personalities
- Radio Ad Scripts (DOC, 28K)
- These ads can be easily customized with local information and then taped or read live by community leaders or radio personalities
- Radio Ad Scripts in Spanish (DOC, 26K)
- These ads can be easily customized with local information and then taped or read live by community leaders or radio personalities
Alternate Choices TV Ad in Spanish (View the Script) - Professionally produced TV ad to promote walking, bicycling, and mass transit
Alternate Choices TV Ad (View the Script) - Professionally produced TV ad to promote walking, bicycling, and mass transit
- Trip Chaining TV Ad in Spanish (View the Script)
- Professionally produced TV ad to promote trip chaining
- Trip Chaining TV Ad (View the Script)
- Professionally produced TV ad to promote trip chaining
- Vehicle Maintenance TV Ad in Spanish (View the Script)
- Professionally produced TV ad to promote vehicle maintenance
- Vehicle Maintenance TV Ad (View the Script)
- Professionally produced TV ad to promote vehicle maintenance
Tips on Writing a PSA "Pitch Letter"
Even when you have high-quality, relevant ads, you must 'sell' them to the media to ensure that your story gets the attention it deserves. A well-written letter to radio and television stations and to local newspapers and magazines promoting your program, and requesting placement of your PSAs, is called a "pitch letter."
The pitch letter is an emphatic letter that tells your story and sells it to the media. It is a key step in bringing the program to your community and gaining the support of the media. A sample PSA pitch letter is provided in this section. Whether you adapt this sample or write your own, be sure to cover the following points:
- Keep it brief, no more than one page.
- Get to the point quickly but engagingly.
- Show how and why the issue is important to the people in your community.
- Demonstrate support for the program (e.g., sponsors, coalition members, partners).
- Indicate that it is timely (e.g., the program is timed to coincide with "clean Air Month," the beginning of summer ozone season.
- Indicate the creative strategy and execution were guided by careful market research conducted in 17 pilot and demonstration communities.
- Underscore the simplicity of the actions suggested in the broadcast and print PSAs.
- Ask that the ads be aired/printed.
- Mention that you will be contacting them to follow up on your request.
Placing Your Public Service Announcement
- Determine who should receive the PSAs and in what form they want the materials sent.
- Request a personal meeting with the public affairs director. A face-to-face meeting offers the best opportunity to present your case.
- Encourage coalition members to contact the media outlet. Sponsorship by a diverse group of well-respected organizations and individuals in the community can have a great effect on a public affairs director's decision to run a PSA.
- Monitor response, and archive broadcast ads.
- Maintain contact. Continue to forward relevant information to the complete list (not just those who have agreed to air your PSAs.)
Detailed information about securing paid and discounted placement of the It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air PSAs can be found in the "Marketing Materials" section of this toolkit.