Sometimes the media needs a little help to see that a potential story really is a story. Often clients will present us with a potential story or event that they’re really excited about and may have expectations of making front page news - when the reality is that it may struggle to make a ‘brief’.
But all is not lost. The skill of the experienced PR practitioner is to take the raw elements of the story idea, analyse their potential and work out what can be done to strengthen the news angle. Think of it as adding a little magic dust.
Take ASB’s recent home loan promotion that saw the bank give away a brand new home to a lucky customer. At face value this is a straight marketing initiative aimed at promoting ASB’s home loans. Network PR was challenged to turn this into a news story that would attract genuine media coverage.
ASB had partnered with Jennian Homes to build the giveaway home at Anselmi Ridge in Pukekohe – New Zealand's first fully future-proofed development. Herein lay the bones of a good news angle.
Network PR recommended holding an on site 'open home’ once the house was complete, bringing together all the key people involved in the build including ASB, McConnell Properties, Jennian Homes, and representatives from the local Franklin District Council. Of course, the media was also invited to view the home and the opportunity was positioned as a good chance to interview all the key people on site at one time – with the future proof angle adding extra interest.
The result was a successful media event that resulted in valuable coverage – without appearing too staged.
Another recent example of a media event with a highly successful twist was the launch of The Warehouse’s new Republic Revolution homewares range. This top secret collaboration between the two Republic Home designers, Peter Reid and Graham Dickie, and New Zealand’s best known retail chain was also a highly commercial initiative and presented a challenge in terms of securing media coverage.
The trick in turning the launch into an attractive media event was in sending personal invitations from Peter and Graham to a launch party at the Republic Home store in Ponsonby. After a welcoming drink, we then unleashed the element of surprise by inviting the guests to board a luxury coach to a mystery destination. The secret was revealed when the coach stopped on the way to pick up a ‘hitchhiker’ in the form of Warehouse Chief Executive Ian Morrice.
The coach then continued on to The Warehouse Head Office where Peter and Graham’s home staging skills had been used to set up a glamorous showroom, complete with bar and canapés. The Republic Revolution product looked stunning and the guests marvelled at the price tags, hardly able to believe New Zealanders would soon be able to purchase such stylishly desirable homewares at Warehouse prices. The result was very positive media coverage including a front page story in the New Zealand Herald’s business section.
|
