To maximize the coverage of MaggieMoo’s Ice Cream and Creamery’s Tax Day “Sundae Stimulus” free product giveaway, Ogilvy PR Worldwide worked to identify its story as part of a larger Tax Day trend. “Sometimes clients and brands simply aren’t large enough or reputable enough to carry a feature story, especially in the top national outlets,” says Chris Potter, account executive at Ogilvy PR. “Developing a trend story can help deliver earned media in high-profile outlets that would normally be unattainable.” Here are two key considerations if you’re thinking of linking to a trend:
- Trend-spotting: Trends occur when three or more clients/brands have similar programs, initiatives, events, etc., says Potter. Think about the brand’s ecosystem, which may include some of your fiercest competitors, and seek out similar events or campaigns that have been done on an annual basis, or are part of an exploding topic area.
- Theorizing: Once those similarities are identified, put yourself in the mind of a journalist and try to determine why all these brands doing the same thing. “Work to develop a newsworthy theory that may or may not be correct,” says Potter. “Being correct, however, isn’t the goal. It’s piquing the interest of a journalist enough for them to develop their own opinion, which hopefully leads to a story that includes the client.”
PN News subscribers can read more about Ogilvy PR Worldwide's trend story pitching efforts in the case study: "Two-Scooped Media Effort and Co-Pitch Partnership Produce Sweet Tax Day Returns for Ice Creamery."