Media Relations

Shopping for a 2017 wall calendar for my office over the holiday break, I had a hard time deciding between the zoo animals in yoga poses, all things Tuscany, or an adult coloring calendar.  My… Continued

Social media provides a great opportunity to connect directly with journalists, who often turn to platforms like Twitter to find sources, track breaking stories and promote their work. But how can you best use social media to get their attention? Michelle LeBlanc, social media strategist with Industrium, offers up this quick checklist of do’s and don’ts.

Every brand under the sun wants influencers to act as ambassadors, but as with any partnership, the right fit is key. Influencers should have more than a large following—they should be able to lend an authentic voice to your brand’s story. But how to find the right match? John Walls, director of brand PR, luxury and lifestyle brands at Hilton Worldwide, makes use of influencers regularly, and notes that authenticity is all about understanding potential influencers’ aesthetic and tone. He discusses influencer relations with Doug Simon of D S Simon Media in this brief video.

When it comes to framing news in a flattering light to the right audience, Boeing has just pulled a deft PR judo maneuver that’s worth studying. On Dec. 11 Boeing signed a deal to sell 80 aircraft to Iran for $16.6 billion, a deal only possible because of the nuclear deal framework the Obama administration negotiated in 2015, which lifted economic and financial sanctions against Iran. But there’s a huge obstacle that could cause trouble come Jan. 20: Donald Trump.

Kellogg Co. is between a rock and a hard place. On Nov. 29 the cereal giant announced it was pulling advertising from Breitbart, the right-wing news outlet that rocketed to wider recognition after its executive chair Steve Bannon was tapped for the position of senior counselor to president-elect Donald Trump.

So you’ve snagged an influencer for your brand’s next campaign…Now what? According to John Walls, director of brand PR for luxury & lifestyle brands at Hilton Worldwide, maintaining good relations with influencers is more complex than one might think. Walls will be speaking as part of PR News’ Media Relations Conference on Dec. 8 in Washington, D.C. He shares four points to keep in mind as you begin to correspond with your next industry influencer.

Recently it was a PR rep from a huge government organization. He said, “This is all great, but I don’t have any problems getting media attention. They’re calling me every day.” What a huge opportunity he is missing! Whether you’re at a big brand or a small one, it’s not solely about the volume of stories that include you. It’s whether you can place the stories you want told.

When some hear the word “influencer,” they may picture a celebrity with millions of followers. But influencers don’t always need to be famous to be effective brand ambassadors—take it from Amisha Gandhi, senior director of influencer marketing at SAP. She’ll be speaking as part of PR News’ Media Relations Conference at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 8.

Well before Tuesday brands knew that this was an unusual election. Its surprising conclusion in the early hours of Wednesday morning confirmed that thought many times over. Obviously there are so many emotions to deal with and questions to answer; however, this brief essay will confine itself to the election’s implications for brands.

In the months leading up to the Nov. 8 presidential election, the PR bombs that have been dropped on (or by) each presidential candidate would have kept even the most seasoned PR pro up at night if it were their own brand dealing with media fallout. Here’s how each candidate has remained standing after a number of media firestorms, with quick takes on PR tactics they’ve used for each crisis.