What Is Newsjacking—And How Can Your Brand Do It Right?
Last week on The EO Report, we shared how skincare brand The Ordinary made headlines by selling branded eggs for under $4 a dozen in New York City where they were selling for over $5. Why would a company that sells serums and cleansers jump on a PR stunt centering on eggs? Because they knew the price of eggs had become the symbol of every discussion about the state of the economy, and they centered themselves in the conversation in a way that made people laugh, think, and talk about their brand. That, friends, is newsjacking.
So, what exactly is newsjacking?
Coined by marketer and author David Meerman Scott in 2011, newsjacking is the art of inserting your brand or message into a trending news story or cultural moment. Done right, it can win you attention, relevance, and a wave of earned media and social media engagement. It puts your brand in the center of a conversation already receiving a lot of buzz. Done poorly and you risk looking out of touch or opportunistic. Timing and tone are everything.
What does it look like?
Say there’s a national bread shortage (go with us on this one). All the major news outlets are covering this travesty (because it is one). There’s story after story covering every angle: the importing of flour at outrageous costs to meet the demand, the hoarding at Costco, the recruitment of young bakers into the field – you name it.
You own a bakery, and you see an opportunity for some promo. You and your savvy PR team call the local news station to offer up your own experience as a story – how you’ve managed to keep your bread supply steady (though it has been difficult) and that your years in the field have prepared you for this moment – to serve the people the bread they so desire.
The local media is interested because they know people are hungry (literally and figuratively) for stories about the topic, and a local source captures their audiences’ attention. They do an interview, run the story, and you’ve earned some coverage.
You’ve taken a trending topic and leveraged it to capture attention for your organization. Whether through traditional media like in our bread example, or on social channels like The Ordinary targeted with their egg-cellent stunt, this is what the strategy of newsjacking centers on.
Here’s another example.
This one shows just how simple newsjacking can be. As we’ve talked about before on The EO Report, HBO’s The White Lotus is at the center of the cultural conversation right now.
Maria Shriver seized the moment by jumping on the trend. While promoting her new book, she playfully photoshopped its cover into scenes from the show—featuring various characters, including her real-life son who appears in the series. Her Instagram post earned 29.5k likes.
How to do it.
Here’s a quick guide to newsjacking the right way:
1. Do some work upfront to identify future opportunities. Have a strategy ready to rollout. What are some topics that you’d consider chiming in on as an organization? Know your strengths and know what experts you can offer up on a topic.
Likewise, make a list of conversations you’ll stay out of. Is there a controversial topic in your industry you don’t want to be tied to? Make note of it.
2. Monitor. Be aware of the current conversation. Set Google News Alerts or use Google Trends to keep tabs on potential opportunities. Consume content from outlets likely to tap into your expertise.
3. Move fast. Newsjacking has to happen as quickly as news cycles do – that’s why it’s imperative to think through potential opportunities in advance. When an opportunity seems ripe for the picking, have your experts lined up with talking points, pick up the phone, and get pitching.
4. Come with a fresh angle. If your story is the same or similar to one already being told, you won’t capture much interest. News outlets want to share stories that no one has heard before. What new component can you add to the larger conversation?
5. Acknowledge when the alignment isn’t there. If the topic doesn’t connect naturally to your brand, skip it. If it feels forced and like you’re trying to create a connection just for the sake of nabbing some coverage, it’s probably best to sit this one out.
6. Know when to stay silent. Not all news should be seen as opportunities for furthering your brand. Almost always, tragedies or deeply sensitive topics should be left alone.
The best examples of newsjacking feel seamless and timely. When people see your brand chiming in on something they already care about, it builds relevance and trust. It also gives media outlets, influencers, and audiences a reason to share your content, increasing your reach without increasing your ad spend.