Event CPR: why it is important to breathe the PR into your events

In part one, Lucie talked us through how social media is shaping the lifespans of Guernsey’s events. For this sequel blog, we are going to unpack why it is essential to give your events the kiss of life with a PR campaign as well.  

 

Back in the day, you would rely on word of mouth, email marketing, or postal invitations to promote events. Nowadays, you have the fast-paced, constantly updating world of social media. While the world of traditional media has been questioned in terms of its pace of news and popularity, it remains the most credible source for spreading the word.   

 

According to the 3rd Global MARCO News Consumer Report, 65.4% of UK respondents trust journalists over influencers (12.6%) as reliable sources to provide in-depth or critical information.   

 

With this in mind, event PR is strategically used to manage perceptions for your function, generate awareness, and engage both target audiences and those beyond attendees, thereby building credibility and trust. It provides an authoritative voice in the media, complementing your personal social media campaign, and ensures the event is more reputable.   

 

Guernsey’s population might be small, but following a PR campaign for your event can ensure that it doesn’t happen ‘quietly’. We are fortunate enough in the Bailiwick to shout about events loudly. PR pushes your event to the masses, whereas a social media campaign reaches its followers first and foremost. Therefore, PR and social campaigns combined equal a thorough and personal targeted approach for the most successful event possible.   

 

From press releases and interviews with journalists to listings in newsletters and calendars, event PR encompasses every medium of traditional media, which can also be attractive to stakeholders. Sponsors or partners, for example, appreciate seeing public recognition, and the consistent use of PR builds recognition over time, creating a legacy and momentum for future editions of your event, if needed.   

 

A well-planned PR campaign turns a sponsorship from simply a logo on a banner into  real market impact. It extends a sponsor’s reach beyond the event day through earned media and social amplification, adds credibility via third-party coverage, targets the right audiences and generates reusable content that can be deployed for months. Crucially, it lengthens the exposure window (pre-event buzz, live moments, post-event recaps) and ties activity to measurable outcomes, such as referral traffic and conversions, making the sponsorship easier to justify and repeat internally.  

 

For PR deliverables, sponsors value clarity and certainty. Think named inclusion and a quote in press releases, pre-booked media interviews or a co-authored thought-leadership piece, to name a few. These elements translate sponsorship into a coherent story and a set of assets your sponsor can point to with confidence before, during and after the event.   

 

Take Liberation Day, for example. We were grateful to our sponsors who helped bring the 80th anniversary event to life. In return, they featured throughout our 100 pieces of coverage secured from December 2024 to May 2025 – the month of the event. Such exposure and connection to a crucial community event lend credibility and authority to both the event and its sponsors – an ideal for all parties involved.  

 

Similar to post-event social media, online PR assets, such as articles or mentions, have a life after the event concludes, helping to boost the digital footprint and increase discoverability. Audiences appreciate the opportunity to connect in person and online, so PR helps bridge the physical and digital worlds.   

 

PR is the kiss of life that converts buzz into belief. In short, PR is your event’s CPR: credibility that reassures people it’s worth their time, profile that lifts it beyond your own channels, and reach that circulates the story to new audiences. You give the event a strong pulse, momentum and a life beyond the room.   

 

If event PR support is something you are interested in or if you are keen to sponsor one of our upcoming events, please visit our website or get in touch with us at hello@black-vanilla.co.uk / 01481 729229.