The main story for (seemingly) the last hundred years or so has, of course, been Claimsgate – the media in general, and The Daily Telegraph in particular, have had their hands full trying to fit in anything that’s not expensed iced gems, moats and duckhouses.
Sensitive to the media agenda, agencies have been holding back stories that aren’t time-sensitive, in the hope that they don’t get swallowed by the monopoly Claimsgate has on the media.
This could be a very wise move: in PR, as in everything, timing is crucial. It is possible to do everything right: a story can be newsworthy, and the press release perfect, but get the timing wrong and weeks of hard work can vanish into the ether.
For PRs, the news agenda has felt a little like a conspiracy for much of this year, with big-issue stories claiming column inches for weeks at a time. First (and still) the recession makes the headlines, bringing with it banks’ nationalisations and bankers’ golden goodbyes; and anyone in the healthcare sector of the industry will tell you that whilst swine flu might not have become the global catastrophe predicted, the media coverage was pandemic.
But here at Van, we’re not afraid of a challenge. We also know that by the end of a week, people are definitely amendable to something a little more light-hearted than a flipping MP and the rock-bottom price of their house. This was borne out today when a piece of research we released revealing secrets in the way you hold your drink became the BBC News site’s most emailed story.
It goes without saying that success is dependent on a variety of factors, and when placing a story, swimming against the media current can be dangerous thing to do. But examination of the signals that are out there can be the key to success, whether that’s in the office – or the pub.
