There once was a time when public relationships (PR) did not have a seat at the table when planning marketing strategies. During that time, and prior to her current position as CMO of National Cinemedia, Amy Tunick ran the department in charge of non-traditional marketing at Grey Group. In her conversation with Ben Kaplan for TOP CMO, she recalls the breakthrough moment that shifted the tide in her favor: Project Imagin8ion. Here’s some exclusive insight on how Amy got her agency’s attention.

Waiting in the wings

PR, or the art of controlling how others see and feel about a brand, seems like an indispensable part of marketing nowadays. It has become essential to ensure people recognize and distinguish you in the sea of media presence. However, this was not always the case, especially for non-traditional marketing. In the 2000s, Amy’s division was, in her own words, an afterthought. Campaigns would be fully fleshed out and pitched, and only then would they be sought to “get some PR out of it”.

Instead of thinking strategically to get the most out of campaigns, the traditional-media ad would be crafted with only that medium in mind and then sent to Amy’s team to adapt it for non-traditional –talent requests, events, sponsorships, partnerships–. It always helps working with interesting companies, talent, influencers, or charities that get a lot of buzz, but the best outcomes come when they stem from true strategic planning, and not just for the sake of doing it. It wasn’t until 2011 that change would come.

Imagining the project

In an attempt to promote new ways of doing marketing, a campaign for Canon, the camera giant, was approached with the involvement of Amy’s team from the beginning. With “What if consumer photos could inspire a Hollywood film?” as a starting point, a partnership with Hollywood director Ron Howard was established, and a call for consumers to submit their photos was made. Nearly 100,000 photos were amassed in 22 days, and the high-profile director granted some buzz. It was already a success.

After the eight winners had been selected and sewn into a script, the short film was made (with a Canon camera), premiered at the Museum of Natural History, sponsored by the Tribeca, SXSW and Sundance film festivals, and paired with experiential activations. The project was, of course, also turned into an ad for TV and the cinema.  The PR was strategic, well thought out, and intentional. The team was going all out.

With total media impressions surpassing 3 billion, a 30-point swing in unit share over Nikon, and a shortlisting at the Academy Awards for the live-action short film category tying it all with a ribbon, the victory was undeniable. Canon had gotten incredible PR and Amy had proven the value of her team and its creativity.

A seat at the table

Project Imagin8ion was the breakthrough, the pivotal moment, the game-changer. It consolidated the shift Grey had been leaning into of trusting teams of creatives who understood the value of baking ideas with the PR in mind. The idea behind it was simple, but it was the careful consideration and planning of the role every channel played that brought it to life.

Other brands started looking to the agency for their own projects of that scale, and the PR department started getting invited earlier into the briefs. They had proven their worth and shown they had what it takes. They went on to create more campaigns that won more awards, which, in turn, got others to raise their eyes and ask, “How do we get that?” The virtuous cycle had been initiated, and there was no turning back for Amy.

Playing the long game

It could’ve been easy for Amy Tunick and her team to just accept their place and remain the afterthought of the company. But, instead, they strived to show what they had in them and used all their assets and expertise in their favor. They crafted a simple concept and were smart in their allocation of resources to achieve maximum results. All it took was the right project coming along and someone putting faith in them. Their patience and trust yielded results.

The takeaway

No matter what industry you work in, your talents may be overlooked. The world may not value your area of expertise just yet. But never let that take away your spark. Stay creative. Stay hungry. Raise your hand and use every chance you get to show what you’re made of. If you’re a leader, encourage your team to feel the same way. Just don’t give up, you could be the mastermind behind the next film shortlisted at the Oscars.

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