Publicising White Ribbon in your community
Newspaper community notices
Your local newspaper may have a free events calendar as well as a Public Notices section. Many of these newspapers publish only once or twice a week and need the material well in advance, so get in early – at least two or three weeks before 25 November or the date of your event.
Make sure you’ve included all the important details, ie venue, date, time, purpose, and any event-specific information. Try to keep it as brief and informative as possible.
Eg:
Support efforts to end violence against women at a White Ribbon Day evening picnic in the park
Where: Marilyn Park, 14 Queens Drive, No Town
When: 25 November, 6.30pm
BYO picnic. Free sausage sizzle and entertainment. All ages welcome.
Staging a photo opportunity
The media is always interested in things that are out of the ordinary, particularly if it involves a good photo opportunity. To get some advance publicity, try doing something a week before your event and invite the local reporters. For example, you could begin tying white ribbons around lamp posts or trees as part of the lead up to White Ribbon Day (ask for your local council’s permission first!).
Sponsored newspaper advertising
Newspapers depend on advertising. It’s common for them to arrange whole page advertisement features based around a theme. Why not suggest to your local paper that they find businesses within your local community to place ads on a White Ribbon Day theme. You may be able to persuade them to also write news articles about violence against women and activities taking place in your community to prevent family violence.
Radio community notices
Many radio stations broadcast a free community noticeboard. Contact your local station to list your event. Often stations prefer at least 10 days notice. The wording could be something like:
25 November is international White Ribbon Day when people, particularly men, wear a white ribbon to show they won’t tolerate, condone or commit violence against women. Pick up a ribbon from (place) and join us at (time, place, date) to celebrate efforts to end violence against women.
Call your local radio station
Call the local radio station and ask for the station manager or the promotions manager to discuss how you can work together to promote White Ribbon Day messages and your event. If you get them on board with the message they may do it for free.
Send a media release
See our guide on how to write a media release for advice on getting your messages and/or event covered by your local newspaper or radio station.
Library displays
Public library displays are a great way of promoting your event. Usually you need to book in advance, so get in quick!
Circulate posters, ribbons and information
Free posters and ribbons are distributed within a wide range of community and government agencies and can be ordered in bulk by other groups from the website www.whiteribbon.org.nz. The website also has a guide for ordering resources through other organisations. These resources are sent out late/October early November but need to be ordered well in advance.
Contact your networks
Using your social or work networks to prompt word-of-mouth publicity can be very effective. Email or phone people you know and ask them to wear a white ribbon, put up a poster, and talk about how to challenge behaviour or attitudes that are abusive or condone violence towards women.
Shop windows and supermarket noticeboards
Your local businesses may be happy to put up posters or notices supporting your event in their window or on their own public noticeboards – thousands of customers see these every week.
School newsletters
Call all your local schools and ask whether you can put a notice in their school newsletters. If teachers and students know about your event they can get the word out to parents.
Letter to the editor
Two weeks before your event you could write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper to promote White Ribbon Day and raise issues related to violence against women that are of concern to your community.
