This time of year makes me happy. The days are getting longer, rain and snow will be behind us soon (OK, maybe not rain), and NCAA college basketball playoffs are underway.
Coates Kokes is not alone in sponsoring a Bracket Challenge competition: 70 million people filled out March Madness brackets in 2016. USA Today says that embracing March Madness at work “will create a happier, more cohesive, more positive workplace.”
Getting ready for a trip to the Big Dance has some similarities to the work we do for our public relations clients at CK:
- We help our clients plan for the unpredictable. This is key to a company or organization knowing they’re prepared for an issue or crisis that might otherwise take them out of the game.
- Sometimes our clients spend all season working toward one big moment—whether that’s an event, a conference or an announcement. Peaking at the right time, with teamwork and practice, can make all the difference.
- Often, connecting to your audience on a personal level makes it more interesting for the viewers. That’s why video profiles about the March Madness stand-out players are fun to watch. Similarly, feature stories we pitch about our clients to the news media connect with an audience on a human level.
Despite the odds of filling out a perfect bracket (1 in 9.2 quintillion—or 9,000,000,000,000,000,000), March Madness is still worth it.
That includes the Boss Button, my second favorite part. It’s a feature that allows you to flip between the game you’re watching on your computer at work and something that looks work-worthy. This year it’s a PowerPoint slide.
My favorite part? That’s the highlight reel that plays after the NCAA champion is crowned, as Luther Vandross sings “One Shining Moment.” As happy as March Madness makes me, the end always makes me cry.
