Baking a pie for the fair using the RPIE PR framework
By Leah Hauck-Mills, APR, PRSA Madison Programming Chair
All big plans require proactive strategic planning. In fact, it takes Research, Planning, Implementation and Evaluation (RPIE), the same components that make up a thorough PR plan. This summer I used the RPIE process for submitting baked goods to my local county fair. Let’s walk through the steps to see how it can be as easy as pie!
Let’s talk research. Research can be acquired in a variety of ways. My method for the project included gathering informal information from blogs/websites of submitted pie entries from past fairs: what worked, what didn’t. Then, I conducted secondary research for recipe development. Based on the time of year and ingredient availability, I decided to avoid fruit pies because I was unsure if I could consistently replicate the same outcome. Also, from my research, the rules stated the pie slice needed to be delivered the day before tasting, so I needed a pie that could “sit” for at least 24 hours without deteriorating in flavor, texture and structure. Based on my research, I concluded that a custard pie would be the best option.
Next is the Planning (goals, publics, objectives, strategies and tactics).
A plan is necessary to implement any campaign; it can vary in complexity, but it serves as the guiding light through the various stages. So, my goal was simple but meaningful to me. Remember, goals are long-term, broad and future-oriented statements.
Goal: Become more engaged in my local community and start a new family tradition through meaningful involvement.
Next up, who’s my audience (or public)? I had a preconceived notion of who my public was—a panel of matrons who could spot an underbaked bottom crust from a mile away. This did turn out to be true but always make sure to check your assumptions.
Ok, time for an objective. To note, objectives are short-term and should be SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-specific). I had an output objective to successfully submit a pie (in the open class category) on July 8 for judging at the 2025 Sauk County Fair. Along with an *outcome objective of becoming more confident in my baking ability during the 2025 county fair to resubmit for additional categories in 2026.
*Note, outcome objectives that measure awareness, opinions, behaviors or support are truly the gold standard for a PR campaign. The only outcome I measured was my own. Measuring others' awareness/opinions was not realistic in this case.
Time to talk strategy. This is the overall approach—the strategy connects your goals to your tactics. Think big picture! For me, the county fair didn’t seem like the time to go crazy with flavors. County fairs are rooted in generational tradition, so I wanted to evoke that feeling in my pie, but with the flavor kicked up a notch. My strategy was to highlight warming spices to evoke a sense of comfort. This was my guiding light.
Time to bust out the tactics/tools. These are the “little things” or specific actions needed to implement. Just like a press release, pitch dec, or social ads in a campaign—all in service of a single strategy—the tactics are all the little things you do to bring it to life. So, for me, there were several tactics I implemented. Here are some samples:
Use high-quality ingredients: Use farm-fresh eggs, Irish butter, local dairy and maple syrup from my family land.
Test and tweak: baked my two test pies to receive qualitative feedback from friends/family to make changes.
Perfect the crust: Practiced rolling, cutting and crimping the crust to ensure a golden, flaky finish.
·Transportation: Find the vessel I’ll use to transport my pie for the very windy and bumpy 20-minute car ride.
Implement
Crank up the oven—it’s time to bake (or in RPIE terms, implement the plan). After all the research, planning, practice bakes and grocery runs, it was finally go time: the day I would make my official fair pie.
That meant a full morning in the kitchen—cooking down the syrup, blind baking the crust, cracking eggs, whisking up the custard. Then came cooling time, packing it up carefully, the drive to the fairgrounds and, finally, checking in at registration.
And like any real PR plan, flexibility was everything. On this day, my toddler was home sick, so I had to shift my whole timeline to work around her schedule. Was it ideal? Not even close. But did I stick to the plan and get it done? Absolutely.
The real world rarely sticks to the ideal timelines so building in “cushion” spots can help when this comes up.
Evaluation
Evaluation is one of those steps that's easy to breeze past — especially when you're already thinking about what’s next. But taking the time to reflect on what worked, what didn’t and how it all played out is essential, whether you’re running a PR campaign or, in this case, submitting a pie to the county fair.
So, did I meet my objectives?
I got my pie on the judging table — intact and on time.
I had a great first-time experience and didn’t back out.
Everyone at the fair was so kind and welcoming. I left feeling proud, encouraged and—unexpectedly—hooked. I’ve definitely caught the county fair bug.
Beyond the pie, this experience checked an even bigger box: it helped me feel more connected to my local community, and it sparked what I hope will become a new family tradition.
Oh, and the second-place red ribbon? That is definitely going on the refrigerator.
