Blog

October 2009 – Amy Bullard writes…

Making PR opportunities out of nothing

One of the challenges we face on a daily basis is trying to secure that all-important media coverage for our clients. For some clients this will be easy – the subject matter instantly lends itself to the news pages of publications up and down the country, but what about those clients for whom it will constantly be a struggle to secure press coverage?

Generally newspapers and magazines love to cover hard hitting ‘news-worthy’ stories, but occasionally you will meet a client which is considered too ‘unsexy’ for inclusion in their publications.

Take one of our longest-serving clients, ‘Challs International’ as a key case study as an unlikely news source. Since 2004, we have been working with them on a PR programme establishing the ‘Buster’ range of plughole care products as a vital part of your cleaning routine.

Working with the women’s consumer magazines has proved challenging as we strive to create quirky news stories to establish the brand. Over the past year we have achieved 20+ press cuttings through editorial and promotional features and we have raised the profile of the brand dramatically. A quick analysis shows that these press cuttings have reached an estimated circulation of over 5.5million readers this year alone.

We have even begun creating the news ourselves through national surveys and the creation of National Plughole Week – which aims to raise consumer awareness of how lucky we are in the UK with our sanitation compared to developing countries.

What this has shown to me is that it is vital for a PR practitioner to use creativity to your advantage. There is no such thing as an un-newsworthy client, be it consumer based, public sector, or B2B, but it is how you write your story that will make the difference to your resulting editorial coverage.

The news-hook doesn’t always have to be the strongest story in the world, but if you can create a unique hook which catches the eye of a journalist to make your story stand out, you’re halfway there.

So next time you think you’ve got an un-PR-able brand, product or service, try thinking outside the box. Yes you can link in with charitable fundraising or calendar dates, but that’s an easy option. Think about what really makes you unique. A few brainstorming sessions will often get the creative juices flowing – you never know what quirky storylines will come out.

Alternatively, sit down, have a cup of tea and breathe a sigh of relief that you’re not writing about smelly plugholes!