Keeping an eye on the news agenda is a key part of being a PR or marketing professional for a number of reasons – whether it’s so you know the right time to sell in, or ensuring you’re mindful of any news stories that would affect the tone of what you’re pitching.
The news agenda can also form a crucial part in your press office strategy. The art of reactive newsjacking *is* a strategy in and of itself, and one that PRs need to master to help make their brands relevant, use trends to their advantage, and ultimately increase brand awareness.
Here, we’re taking you through what it is, why you need it and how to do it well. Let’s get into it!
📰 What is newsjacking?
Think of it as high-jacking a trending news story or event to make it all about your brand. The trend itself has done the work of cutting through the news agenda and is a topical situation press will want to cover – and your job lies in dragging some of that spotlight across to your client.
The key difference between proactive and reactive newsjacking is time. Proactive refers to news events that we’ve already anticipated and have planned to piggy-back on – Valentine’s Day, Christmas, the Olympics, for example.
Reactive is the art of reacting (duh) quickly to a breaking news story or a trend that’s unfolding in real time. Journalists will be under pressure to cover the story quickly before the next thing inevitably comes along and as such, you’re under pressure to turn around something of use to them while keeping your brand at the forefront of the conversation.
📈 Why do I need to bother with newsjacking?
When done well, newsjacking can lead to increased brand awareness and relevance, build a better brand reputation by positioning them as thought leaders, and allows you to insert a brand message into an existing media conversation.
It can be tricky to always know exactly what journalists are looking for – but a trending news story that they’re actively writing about takes the guess work out of it. Newsjacking helps us to drive the narrative instead of passively waiting for press opportunities and without creating a standalone campaign.
A perfect example of this was the number of brands that capitalised on the hype surrounding the release of the Barbie movie – from Crocs’ Barbie collection to Xbox’s Barbie-themed console.
📱 Okay, I’m convinced – how do I do it well?
There are some generally accepted dos and don’ts which you can master to make newsjacking a strong part of your PR strategy.
DO:
✔️ Act quickly: if you can sense a story is on the up, jump on it before it becomes old
✔️ Keep it relevant: not *everything* is an opportunity to pitch your client, it’s about knowing when the story is right for the brand and the media – Hubspot and Spotify are absolutely not the same thing, but Hubspot knew how to make ‘Spotify Wrapped’ its own
✔️ Add value: the insight or commentary your client provides should add something new or newsworthy to the story that the journalist might not have
✔️ Monitor the news: it’s a given, but set aside time each morning and afternoon to take a look at the news and what people are talking about to stay on the pulse
DON’T
❌ Shoehorn a message in: the trend you’re newsjacking should feel like a natural connection to your brand, not an opportunity to plug a key message
❌ Keep it in good taste: it should go without saying – avoid tragedies or sad stories, don’t exploit misfortune, and respond to news opportunities tastefully (basically, don’t be like the Pepsi x Kendall Jenner ad)
❌ Gauge public sentiment: consumers can often tell when a brand is using a pop culture moment for their own gain, so always keep an eye on sentiment to avoid potential backlash
❌ Miss out the research: don’t rush into a reactive opp without fully understanding why a story is trending and the wider context
At Prohibition, we work with various brands across all sectors, B2B and B2C, to create innovative PR and social media campaigns that deliver real ROI and help meet business goals. Get in touch with us today to find out how we could support you with your Public Relations. Drop us an email: hello@prohibitionpr.co.uk or give us a bell on 0113 430 4160.
For more interesting blogs check out:
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- The impact of working with the wrong influencers in marketing campaigns
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