| If your company is the publicly-traded market leader | | | | industry. |
| in your industry you can stop reading this because | | | | Here's one that was just reported the other day. |
| even the most mundane press release about some | | | | 'Man Gets Arrested for Stealing Internet at |
| boring event at your company will make the major | | | | Café.' Okay what are the elements? |
| media news outlets. For the rest of you, you will | | | | Café offers free internet. So what, many |
| have to be more creative if you want to get the | | | | others do these days. Not much has changed in |
| media to cover your news. | | | | coffee products so not much to report there. But |
| Publicity is just one aspect of an overall integrated | | | | what happens when a customer comes in to the |
| marketing campaign and something that we at take | | | | café, uses the internet but doesn't buy any |
| very seriously, and not so seriously, because it's part | | | | coffee? Arrest him! Without the arrest there isn't a |
| art and part science. When we put together a | | | | story, but now you can have debates about |
| publicity campaign for our clients, we strive to report | | | | freedom and what's moral, etc. Was it a publicity |
| on populace aspects of their news stories that will | | | | stunt? You better believe it! Why would the story |
| have a better chance of gaining media attention. | | | | include a picture of the guy smiling while sitting in the |
| What do I mean by populace aspects? They are | | | | very café that arrested him? |
| twists to your plain vanilla news story that will help to | | | | Creating the Unusual or Outrageous Story |
| get media coverage - the story around the story | | | | Creating unusual or outrageous stories isn't as hard as |
| that impacts the general public. Unless you | | | | you think. Yes there are times when something so |
| incorporate one of the 5 twists that make a story | | | | unusual happens in real life that it becomes news. Like |
| compelling to a reporter, you're sunk. Most companies | | | | the time I wrote a press release about a kid that |
| aren't big enough to command news coverage. What | | | | found several thousand dollars outside of a |
| do I mean by big enough? Their news doesn't affect | | | | well-known department store. Within 5 minutes of |
| the majority of the population. That's why your press | | | | faxing out a one page press release, calls started |
| release about hiring a new Vice President of Sales will | | | | coming in from all the different media outlets - TV, |
| make the local paper at best, and that's if it's a slow | | | | Radio and print. There was so much coverage that |
| news day and they have room to print it. | | | | the story worked its way all the way up to the Jay |
| The fact of the matter is that the media just doesn't | | | | Leno Show and the Ellen Degeneres Show where the |
| care about your news. You have to have a story | | | | boy went on national TV to tell his story. It also |
| that will affect most if not all of the readers of the | | | | generated major coverage for the department store. |
| publication. Just think about how hard it is to get an | | | | The minute any of your employees have something |
| appointment with your prospects. If they don't care | | | | unusual happen to them and you can tie it into your |
| about your products or services, what makes you | | | | company you should alert the press. |
| think the media is going to fall in love with your | | | | Here are some other publicity stunts that I'm sure |
| story? | | | | you have heard about: |
| We've uncovered 5 twists to look for in your news | | | | "Found in NY Taxi: Jewelry Salesman Forgets |
| angle if you want to get media coverage. The | | | | $275,000 Dollars in Jewelry" |
| reporter is interested in pleasing the editor and the | | | | "$40 Dollar Hamburger" - secret Kobe beef (from |
| editor is interested in printing stories that will sell their | | | | Japanese cows that get massages) |
| magazine or newspaper. That's it. They don't care | | | | "Hotel's $1,000 Martini" - comes with real flakes of |
| about your company. And if you continue to create | | | | gold and a diamond in it |
| vanilla press releases and uneventful publicity | | | | "$500,000 Honeymoon Suite at Chicago Hotel" |
| campaigns you are guaranteed not to get any media | | | | included trip to Harrods and twin Mercedes cars |
| coverage for your company. | | | | You guessed it - all publicity stunts that got media |
| You have to give the media something to write | | | | attention for the client. |
| about. Today, the media's idea of what is | | | | Creating the Celebrity Story |
| newsworthy is a little different than what you think is | | | | Creating events that draw in big crowds and media |
| newsworthy about your company. | | | | can help your business in many ways. Here's the |
| Year after year, here are the five most frequently | | | | quick breakdown of an event that generated great |
| written news stories:o What's already hot in the | | | | buzz for an auto dealer group that sells Acura, |
| media.o The controversy story.o The unusual or | | | | Mercedes, Infinity, Toyota, VW, etc, here in Chicago. |
| outrageous story.o The celebrity story.o The | | | | This auto group dealer wants to sell fleets of cars to |
| under-dog or David-and-Goliath story. | | | | Chicagoland corporations. We decide on holding a |
| If you can create a story with any of these story | | | | fundraiser for a leukemia charity. A well-known |
| angles you're going to capture the attention of the | | | | beauty salon has models highlighting the latest hair |
| media. Create a story that packs two, three, or four | | | | styles along with dresses from local designers. Who |
| of these angles all at the same time and you've hit a | | | | gets invited? Executives and their spouses, past and |
| media grand slam. | | | | present salon customers, as well as local celebrities |
| Creating a Story That's Already Hot in the Media. | | | | and the media show up. It became such a hip event |
| For the last year and a half gas prices have been a | | | | that even Chicago Social Magazine covered the story. |
| major news topic. The media reports gas prices at | | | | Creating the Under-Dog Story |
| the pump along with the commodity futures prices | | | | This angle is very effective if your business is up |
| almost every day. You can't pick up a paper or turn | | | | against a major competitor. I could go on and on |
| on the TV without being bombarded with news | | | | about ideas in this category but instead I'll just list a |
| about gas. | | | | few to give you some ideas.o Web-based sales |
| leveraged this hot topic for a client that generated | | | | force application company against giant sales force |
| national news. We capitalized on National Bicycle | | | | software company: company pickets in front of a |
| Week and the high price of gas by making the | | | | national sales exposition with signs saying "Down with |
| company executives buy a new fleet of cost-saving | | | | Software"o We had a software company client |
| vehicles (yes bicycles). The headline: "In This Time of | | | | picket in front of their own building with signs saying, |
| Gas Guzzlers, Executives Splurge on New Fleet of | | | | "We'll pay more rent, but we need more." Story |
| Vehicles." We invited both TV and print media to | | | | talked about how the client was growing and they |
| cover the delivery of the new fleet and we won | | | | couldn't get building management to make changes to |
| major coverage for this Midwestern company. The | | | | accommodate the growth, resulting in news about |
| company makes gears for industrial equipment. We | | | | how quickly our client was growing.o created a |
| crafted a story about health benefits for the | | | | contest for one of our technology clients. Their goal |
| employees, cost savings for the company, plus a | | | | was to get noticed for new clients and possibly sell |
| beneficial impact for the environment is a twist that | | | | their company. They knew that they had some of |
| is much better than a press release about how they | | | | the best and brightest software programmers. We |
| are now making gears with 451 teeth instead of the | | | | went on the attack with a challenge of programmers |
| old ones with 450 or that they have been in business | | | | from the biggest web development companies. The |
| for 17 years! | | | | contest pitted our client against others in a challenge |
| Creating the Controversy Story | | | | to build the best web application for an actual client. |
| People in the entertainment business use this all the | | | | Yes we invited a bigger competitor to work on an |
| time. Stories like mega female singer wants to help | | | | actual client. Our smaller client won the challenge and |
| two up-and-coming female pop singers get more | | | | was subsequently bought by the bigger competitor. |
| media so she kisses them on stage - bingo press | | | | The truth of the matter is that news just isn't news |
| coverage. Girl-next-door actress needs to change | | | | unless it has one of these twists. Look at how the |
| image so she dates hot bad boy - bingo press | | | | morning national news looks more like a variety show |
| coverage. You see the real reason something is done | | | | than an actual news cast. At first TV anchors just |
| is always there, it's just not the part that makes the | | | | read the news to you, then TV news had two kinds |
| news. What's so newsworthy about 3 women singing | | | | of anchors; the warm fuzzy talking heads that would |
| on stage? | | | | then send you over to their more serious news desk |
| One of our clients wanted to generate attention for | | | | people and now both groups of anchors are getting |
| its business. put together a publicity strategy that | | | | all cozy on the morning news couch. |
| focused on controversy. We decided on a bold | | | | You don't want your company to create a stunt just |
| move. They work in an industry that already has a | | | | for the sake of it. But you do want to create a |
| tarnished image. We carefully crafted a campaign in | | | | catalyst that has substance and relevance to what |
| which they exposed the dirty little secrets within | | | | your company does and will catch the attention of |
| their industry. Risky? Yes. Effective? Unbelievably. | | | | the media. Creating a buzz about your company is |
| They are now know as the honest guys in their | | | | what we do best. |