As SHIFT and the entire industry continues to evolve there is always the question… Is traditional media relations dead? From the perspective of the consumer team in the Boston office the answer is a resounding, NO! Each member of the team has a particular hit that they are extremely proud of purely based on the fact that good old creativity, industriousness and smarts resulted in a hit that wowed the client and broke through.
Take a look….
Julie Staadecker, Account Director
Client: McDonald’s
Huffington Post, Elyse Wanshel, Beloved McDonald’s Fry Cook Honored With Huge Retirement Party
“PR people often talk about ideas to make news go viral, but there is no way to predict or plan for when something will be a hit. So when a colleague and I pitched a local McDonald’s news story, little did we know what was to come. A long time McDonald’s employee who has Down Syndrome was celebrating her retirement, and we wanted to share the good news with her local community – both to show everything people with disabilities can take on, and that McDonald’s supports them. After an aggressive media relations push, we began to pick up traction in the local market. On the day of the woman’s retirement party there were four broadcast stations and a number of print/online reporters on-site. They were able to capture her special story and the memories her McDonald’s family had with her. The news quickly picked up across the nation, and even internationally, finally culminating with inclusion in one of Hillary Clinton’s campaign stop speeches. The story generated millions of positive news impressions for the brand and this truly special employee.”
Taylor Smith, Account Manager
Client: Blink
Business Insider, Brandt Ranj (UVM: 36,612,814): I highly recommend this security system that’s perfect for bigger homes
“I initially connected with Brandt via Twitter, asking if he’d be interested in reviewing a Blink system firsthand. He agreed, and I reached out directly over email to arrange using “Per our Twitter Convo” in the subject line and highlighting the features I thought would be of particular interest to him after looking at past coverage and his Twitter feed. After the piece above went live, I sent Brandt a handwritten thank you note which went a long way with him – because of this, he ended up including Blink in an additional two articles (here and here)”
Ali Parisi, Account Coordinator
Client: Rockport
Travel Channel’s blog Roam, Felicia Feaster: Travel Gift Guide
“I am proud of this hit because I knew the client wanted to break into the travel vertical and I remained tenacious in uncovering new writers. I originally reached out to a different writer for TravelChannel.com in mid-September with comfortable shoes for traveling during the busy holiday season, including three options each for men and three for women. By building a relationship I was able to convince the writer to share the pitch with her editor who loved one of the women’s choices and ended up including that and along men’s option in her travel gift guide.”
Cassandra Faro, Account Executive
Client: Blink
The Verge, Thomas Ricker (UVM: 16,157,798): Blink wireless security cameras run for two years on a pair of AA batteries
“Knowing that The Verge is one of the most popular and top-tier tech publications, I scoured the site in search of contributors writing in the smart home tech space. I came across Thomas, and knew he would be a great contact to reach out to given his previous coverage of home tech products similar to Blink. After initial interest off of a security pitch I sent via email, I stayed in touch with Thomas for all future company and product announcements, and sent him a Blink system for review. After two months of continuous conversations, Thomas’ review coverage finally went live, and he has continued to cover additional client announcements such as Amazon Echo. “
Christine Blain, Account Manager
Client: ERA
REALTOR Magazine online, Erica Christoffer (UVM: 297,478): Meet ERA’s New Leader
“I first pitched the news of ERA Real Estate’s new president & CEO to Erica Christoffer in July, and she quickly expressed interest in connecting with Sue Yannaccone for a video interview. However, for a variety of reasons, the process of securing the video stalled as quickly as it had begun. Finally, three months later, we got the interview on the books. We worked through technology glitches, changes in plans, changes in schedules and more in the home stretch, as this format was a first for both client and reporter. Ultimately, the result was a comprehensive, 16-minute video interview published on YouTube and one of the industry’s most valued publications. The client was thrilled, and our relationship with the reporter was greatly strengthened.”
Brittany Joyal, Account Executive
The Client: The Shebeen
The Shebeen in Forbes (UVM: 46,723,944): For St. Patrick’s Day, How About Your Very Own Irish Pub On Wheels?
“To secure this particular opp, I really committed myself to finding the exact right contact – even moreso than usual, scrolling through pages of coverage. From the jump, I knew getting an Irish pub on wheels in Forbes was a stretch, but with the number of contributors over there I had a hunch there had to be someone that covers the intersection of lifestyle and food and drink. When I came across Tara, I did myself one better as she covers the lifestyle vertical with a focus specifically on beer. I spent some time on her Twitter feed and reached out with more of a casual vibe (beer mentions, etc.) and included a ton of photos of The Shebeen because I realized that a reporter can’t really understand the uniqueness of the pub without seeing it. We chatted back and forth, admittedly e-mailing as late as 10PM (lol way past my bedtime but important to be available to answer any of her questions) and voila! There it was J. Very long story short, finding the right contact who covers the exact niche was key – Tara even reached out to me months later asking for information on renting The Shebeen for a tailgate she was having for a big upcoming football game. “
Eliot Marcus, Account Executive
Client: Print Syndicate
Marie Claire, Jen Ortiz – Long Lead
“Print Syndicate had just launched their new greeting cards and we were tasked with landing a splashy hit. I thought Jen would be a good fit, but wanted to be sure given the brand’s edgy products. While scrolling through her Twitter feed, I noticed she had complained about receiving a pitch about ways to prevent itchy skin so I tailored up a pitch of my own with the subject line: “Not a pitch about itchy skin, I promise.” The pitch matched the brand’s voice and served as a reminder that journalists need a laugh as much as we do. Jen responded in thirty seconds, ended up meeting with Print Syndicate’s CEO and fell in love with the company. She featured the greeting cards in the February print edition of Marie Claire and continued to look to Print Syndicate as a source.”
Online, print, broadcast – it all still matters. And, this team has created the perfect recipe for success – tenacity, creativity, and a dash of data!
Annie Perkins
Vice President
Watch some great coverage in 2017? Contact us today!
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