10 Insider Tips for Pitching Your Story to the Morning News

Now that branded content is part of media agency’s remits as well as PR agencies, here are some interesting thoughtstarters for you to consider to improve your chances of getting a network to cover your brand story.

Beyond PR

Chicago’s morning news shows air earlier and earlier, and local producers have to fill a combined 15 hours of news each morning. However, that doesn’t mean they are an easy sell, since these decision-makers tend to reject 95-98 percent of ideas sent them. What separates stories that air from those that don’t?

A panel, moderated by WGN’s Bill Moller, included Platform Manager Michael Batkins of WMAQ; Producer/Booker Emerald-Jane Hunter of WLS’ Windy City Live!; Supervising Producer Tracy O’Brien of CBS/WBBM; and Executive Producer Sandy Pudar of WGN, offered PR pros insider tips on the pitches that wake them up.

Pitch according to the station’s interests and reference relevant topics that were previously covered

Lackluster pitches showcase little knowledge of the person who is being pitched, the station being pitched and, worst of all, blanket generic pitches. Media experts expect PR professionals to be familiar with their shows and what they are looking for…

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How to create perfect social media posts for blogs, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and youtube.

 

 

 

My Clever Agency have published a simple tool that shows you how to create the perfect post on just about every platform including facebook, twitter, youtube and pinterest.

 

Gotta run, I’m on an 11am deadline (yes, they tell you the best time to post too!).

 

How To Create Perfect Posts for Blog, YouTube, Tumblr, Vine, Google+, Facebook & Twitter: Version 4 [Infographic] is an infographic that was produced by mycleveragency

Purpose with Pleasure- Aesop does the Myer windows

Aesop stores and windows have always been more like theatre sets than stores.

Always unique.  Always intriguing.

With the Nasotheque, an event happening in Myer store windows in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane they have taken intriguing to a new level with a combination of theatre, art, exhibitionism, humour and visual merchandising

A troupe of impassive mad scientists, create plaster casts of noses which go on display on a trophy wall for all to see.

The noses are cast from passersby in the casting lab.

People are able to touch and smell six nose casts, which have been infused with Aesop’s signature essential oils.

Touching disembodied noses is really cool.

“Some people think it’s marvelous, some people think it’s really strange. We are happy as long as it is intriguing, that has been our intent from the very beginning.”

Aesop’s visual merchandising manager, Carolyn Jackson

Friday Fun Fact: Shopping overtakes banking online

Lunchtime.

Australia, 2013.

“The number of consumers who shopped online in 2013 was actually higher than the number of those who did online banking. In fact, if you’re a retailer, chances are that nine in 10 (89%) of your consumers purchased a product online last year.”

– Nielsen Insights

 

The Lego Universe really is taking over

The Lego Movie.  It’s doing great box office in Australia and giving the Lego brand a great boost.  I’m a fan.

In the movie, the lego universe is real.  And on ITV, they promoted the movie in an ad break on ITV where all the other ads were reimagined using lego.

That’s what I call a takeover.

Agency: PHD

 

People Watching: Digital Natives

Pity the poor parent, 8.30am a crowded trainline.  No, not crowded, packed.  Like sardines.

And you have to take your 2 year old to day care before work.

Thank God you are bringing up a kid who was born digital.

This 2 year old she swiped her way into iview, back to ABC kids and then into a game complicated enough to have me wondering what you were supposed to do.

Fascinating.

Born Digital

 

Leaving mum completely free to indulge in her old school medium of choice.

Intergenerational media consumption

Digital and physical- merging soon at a supermarket near you

This beautiful bag available in my favourite digtial market place: Etsy (The Fox in the Attic)

Grocery Buyers.  Oh eternal mystery.  We all do it.  But who understands it.

Mi9 have just brought out a new piece of research on the Modern Grocery Buyer and I loved some of the examples they showed to illustrate the blurring of digital and physical that is defining the future of grocery purchase.

12% of consumers are still searching for recipes in store.  So what if your digital shopping trolley gave you recipe suggestions as you cruised around the store?

Hellman’s have already done it.  In Brazil.

In the supermarket space, Tesco’s seem to be leading the way.  What if consumers could scan their groceries as they go through the supermarket?  What if facial recognition technology could help identify when the broccoli needs refilling? What about digitising shelf edge labels?  Donn’t worry.  Tesco’s are onto it.  And more besides.

 

My personal challenge: extend every FMCG idea in store digitally.  Possible?

 

A Handy little thought starter courtesy of McKinsey by JanBorunda. Explore more visuals like this one on the web’s largest information design community – Visually. Discovered on the twitter feed of @JoeDLunn.