Posts Tagged ‘creative pitches’

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Holiday Hot Tip: Create a Big Bang Through 4th of July Media Opportunities

Posted By Stacey and Regina, Your PR Pilots on June 15th, 2010

Ahhhh, holidays! Most people get excited for a day off work; we get excited for all the public relations opportunities holidays provide. Don your red, white and blue brainstorming hat and come up with a media angle that resonates for your business. Here are a few to help jumpstart the process:

  • 4th of July Safety Tips - Have you ever heard of the expression, “If it bleeds, it leads?” This is a common cliche used among the press, meaning that the top news stories are typically not the “feel good” philanthopic stories of the day. Those are saved for the second half of the news. This may seem a bit extreme, but the media will even cover the “dark side” of the holidays. The 4th of July is particularly fraught with dangers such as drinking and driving; fireworks; boating safety; fire safety…the list goes on and on. Even something like staying out in the sun too long can be a news hook for a dermatologist, or parenting expert or sunscreen company. Can you leverage your product or expertise to speak to these issues?
  • 4th of July Parties - Nutritionists: whip out those eating tips for a delicious and healthy holiday. Party planners: what are the hot trends for an innovative 4th of July? What are some inexpensive things people can do in this economy to still create a festive environment? Chefs and restaurants: here’s a prime opportunity to get your dishes covered. Same with food products.
  • 4th of July Festivities - Is your store or company doing something to celebrate 4th of July that’s a bit different, family-friendly and fun? For example, one year we had a hair salon chain host “Patriotic Hairpainting” at various 4th of July events across the country. The stars and stripes were temporary (think face painting - but for your hair); and for every person that got their hair painted, a donation was made to a charity. Can you implement a similar visual activity on a local level in your own community that will help your company get noticed?

With these ideas to start, you can blast into the media in no time. Have a safe, happy and press-filled 4th of July!

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The Creative Bird Gets The Worm

Posted By Stacey and Regina, Your PR Pilots on June 3rd, 2010

If you think business is all about nuts and bolts, the bottom line and the “net net,” then you are missing out on one of the most enjoyable and effective aspects of having a business: creativity.  Creativity is not just for “the creatives”…artists, designers and so forth.  Creativity and creative ideas can help distinguish your business from the crowd, turn your customers into fans, and get you attention from the media - and thus the world at large - that will make you money.

Think about it: it’s why journalists will often take a strange, sensational or unique spin on the “same ol’ story.”  It’s also why the wacky and the wonderful can spark attention.  For example, The National Railway Museum in the UK hired a six-year old as their “director of fun,” and was covered by the BBC.  Or when Southwest Airlines wanted to hire an internal blogger, they turned the candidate search into a competition where applicants had to submit a one-minute video, finding a qualified candidate and securing great publicity at the same time.

One example from our own experience is while launching the Princess Diaries 2 DVD for Disney, we pitched the news on a princess room makeover for two young sisters, just like what happened to Anne Hathaway’s character in the movie.  With the media interest in place, we easily secured an interior designer and retailer Pottery Barn Teen to participate in the segment, garnering free media coverage for all.

If it’s been a while since you’ve put on a creative hat for your business, pretend that you are going to the Kentucky Derby and don the most fun and fantastic one you can find.

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