News

The California Association of Public Information Officials (CAPIO) is looking for 2020 Annual Conference speakers and session leaders to share their knowledge and experience in communicating effectively to target audiences. Our 2020 Conference will be held in beautiful Santa Barbara April 20-23, 2020.

CAPIO was excited to unveil its new brand at our conference in April. As we all know, the world around us is changing. The demand for information is at an all-time high, and attention spans are at an all-time low. We’re in an era where meaningful community engagement has to be carefully balanced with powerful outside pressures. Communication is moving faster than ever, meaning what’s worked for us in the past won’t continue to work in the future.

We’re professional communicators, so we all know the reason why the traditional media have experienced a slow and painful descent: Advertising revenue has gone elsewhere, or purely DIY for business owners. That’s left little funding to pay for good journalism. I don’t see this turning around. Do you?

I started my career as a filmmaker and storyteller because I like exploring relationships between people and explaining how things work. After working in the public sector for a few years, many of the myths that I had learned about public relations (that it was all about marketing or that it was “spin”) were dispelled. I learned that PR was about helping my organization foster better relationships with the community. Since I wanted to do a better job of fostering those relationships, I decided to pursue the APR.

Why APR?

I chose to earn my Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) to grow my leadership function in my agency, contribute to the professional field of public relations and improve my confidence and strength in public relations program development. Being accredited helps me contribute more to our team and elevates the value of what we do in the industry of government communications. 

By Robin Rockey, APR

APR — Those three little letters communicate a powerful message about the public relations practitioners who earn them. The brief, yet mighty designation signals that a practitioner is committed to the practice of public relations at the highest level and is motivated by a quest for lifelong learning.

Feature article by Cassandra Popli, vice president, Agency ETA

When storytelling comes to life, an immersive experience is created. When done right, immersive marketing transforms an ordinary event into an unforgettable experience and makes engaging with a brand feel natural. This type of outreach has recently gained popularity because of its strong appeal to the younger generation, especially coveted millennials who have been raised to expect interconnectivity everywhere they look. However, immersive also relates to a much wider audience; it can capture and transport attendees into an entire world centered around your overall vision whether that be a showcase, education goal or sharing of information.

Article by Bill Nash, public information officer for Ventura County and CAPIO’s Central CA Director At-Large

The best communications materials are useless unless someone reads, watches or looks at them. When it comes to written material, a good headline is essential to capture a reader’s attention.

Longtime government crisis communicator Frank Potter Cowan was recognized with the first-ever “Frank Potter Cowan Crisis Communication Leader Award” from the California Association of Public Information Officials (CAPIO) at the organization’s April Awards of Excellence event.