Propaganda

Once you have the basics of a clan set up, you need to develop a name for yourself. This means that you want to be known by the people who matter. You also want to make sure that everything you say and do gets a lot of coverage. For this you need to set up a Public Relations or a Propaganda unit. This unit will develop all contacts to the outside, and make sure that people know your clan and its members.

1. After having set up a propaganda unit, you need to be strict. The spokesman of your team is the only one who should come out to make statements for your team.

This spokesman is also responsable for updating your website (or at least the public part of it). The spokesman answers only to the clan leader. It must be ensured that whenever the person is dealing with propaganda the leadership makes all the decisions on what is allowed and what not.

2. The first thing that should be done is the determination of the clan colours, clan logo, motto and the clan house style. On the clan colours you should opt for the colours that fit together, and colours that have a military feel to them. This will appeal to the viewer and determine the setting in which. Pink and yellow will definitely not do anything for a clan: swampgreen and steelgrey will. On the clanlogo I can say the following: the best logo�s are those which are abstract enough to be drawn by anyone with a pencil and a piece of paper. A logo should be powerful and give expression to a core idea of the clan. The motto of the clan should be something heroic: try to avoid things like �we kill for pleasure� or �Home of the Killer Zombies�. Put it visibly on to the website. Try to inspire everyone who visits, including your own clan members. The clan house style is a combination of graphic design, logo and clan colours. This house style can be used for the setup of webpages, press releases and printed documents.

3. Of secondary importance, but also good for the coherence of the group, is the development of an MS Theme, background, screensaver, icons, etc. Your clan members should be able to �immerse� themselves with their clan, up to the extent that they can really identify themselves with that clan/logo/motto/colours. And why not have t-shirts printed for your clan members? Distinguish yourself from everybody else at LAN-parties.

4. The first public task of a spokesperson is to identify the relevant news sites. These newssites should be divided into three categories:

A-sites: Sites for all statements. These would be sites devoted to specific clan news, fora, etc.

B-sites: Sites for selected statements. These would be the real �news sites�

C-sites: Sites for �special statements�These would be the sites devoted to TF in general

After having identified these and the email to send news to the spokesperson should set-up distribution lists with the email addresses for press release purposes. The specific news sites require a more personal approach. Therefore, the spokesperson should introduce him/herself and the clan to the �newsie� in question.

5. Furthermore, make sure you are represented on the various fora on gamesnet, etc. Devise a roster whereby at any given moment somebody is online and logging conversations. If any mention is made of either one of you clan members or your clan react as soon as possible with a positive message.

6. Lobby with the various sites (lobbying is different then nagging and begging) for a �special focus� on your clan

7. All other clanmembers should be prohibited to make any public statements without prior knowledge and agreement by the spokesperson, or the clanleader. This will prevent leakage of internal issues, and might also prevent people taking a public stance opposite to your clan�s spirit.

8. When organising a match against another clan, make sure you give it lots of publicity. Present the other clan as incredibly strong. Ascribe the enemy god-like powers. Going up against them is suicide. The result of this is that when you win the match you can speak of a �crushing victory�, and when you lose you can describe it as �valiant defense�. Outsiders reading this will believe you and the clan in question will, after having being praised into heaven, be flattered. Therefore always praise the enemy before the match.

9. Praising the enemy before the match will also have as a result that the enemy, when it sees your writings, will become convinced that you are scared of them. Furthermore, he will presume that you are not as strong as he thought you were, so he will be going into battle with a wrong idea about your clan. Read the strategy guide on the effects of this.

10. Keep moral high in your own clan by honouring your team members and giving publicity to outstanding work. Do not go for the �player of the month� type of things, as they have a sort of junkfood idea around them. This is a military game, so do military things: create a hall of fame. Create a �heroes� corner on your website.