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Case Study
Diego Valley Charter School
The Challenge
Diego Valley is a charter school that offers a non-classroom-based learning model for students at risk of dropping out of traditional high schools. The local school board did not understand Diego Valley’s model or the demographics, causing them to perceive the school as a threat.
Our Strategy

Madaffer Enterprises developed a strategy that put the true stakeholders — charter school students and their parents — front and center through grassroots organizing. Madaffer Enterprises provided numerous briefings to groups of students and parents, encouraging them to get involved and share their stories with the school board. Outside a school board meeting, Madaffer Enterprises organized a rally and press conference that featured over 120 students and their family members explaining why Diego Valley was important to them. Madaffer Enterprises also organized a “Civic Engagement Day,” an event that brought politicians, political clubs and motivational speakers to campus to inspire students to get involved in local government. Madaffer Enterprises assisted Diego Valley’s principal in authoring op-eds and securing positive local media coverage. Finally, Madaffer Enterprises supplemented grassroots and media activities with individual, private briefings and tours for local elected officials.

The Result

Public awareness of the school increased significantly, and members of the school board were encouraged to see the charter school not as a threat, but as a complement to the district’s existing programs and services.

Frequently Asked Questions
What is Public Affairs?

Public Affairs is about building trust and often includes creating a strong brand and great reputation to allow you to build relationships with the public. For your company, those relationships might be with the general public; consumers – potential customers and clients; investors; employees; government officials, agencies and regulators; and the media. Great PR creates mutually beneficial relationships and incites change. Great PR can help you change behaviors and opinions in your favor.

What is Media Relations?
Media relations is such an important and well-known component of public relations that people often mistakenly believe that PR is media relations. Our media relations professionals work with members of the media to publicize companies and their products through what we call "earned media coverage." Earned media coverage happens when the news features your company, brand product, service or spokesperson. Unlike advertising, which sponsors the news, public relations uses earned media coverage to integrate you into the news content, not leave you a separate entity from that content. Earned media coverage appears in print, broadcast and online media. Madaffer Enterprises can show you how to maximize your media relations efforts.
Why should I use PR instead of advertising?
No one tunes into the news to see who's advertising; people switch to news channels and visit news websites because that's how they ensure they're informed, educated and entertained. Do you regularly turn to any website, TV show, newspaper or magazine for the advertisements?

Studies show that people are far more likely to believe a news story than an advertisement, and the ROI on public relations leaves advertising's ROI in the dust. People have trained themselves to ignore advertising. For less cost than advertising, PR creates a more credible message.

Will I be buying articles, advertising or space?
No. We will be working to acquire earned media placement of stories about your company. With earned media, unlike advertising, companies do not pay for placement of news stories. One of the key advantages of public relations over other marketing channels is that earned media helps establish credibility for a company and its products or services. PR is not instant or overnight, but it is a very powerful way to build your company's brand and reputation.
Why choose Madaffer Enterprises?
Because our clients love us. According to a survey, nine out of 10 Madaffer Enterprises clients are either “highly likely” or “extremely likely” to refer us to their colleagues and friends.