With the promise of an uber-nasty election season taking shape, PR pros may feel like it’s going to be harder than ever to earn media and break through the political clutter to get their brand or spokesperson featured in a positive news story.
How can your organization become more visible and be seen as more authentic in 2020?
A key element is getting your executives in the media. D S Simon Media recently surveyed 366 journalists across television, print, online and radio to find out how journalists use video and what they think is critical to success during a busy news cycle.
Journalists are using brand video:
The firm’s new report provides insight into how the media is using brand content, the role of video in increasing media coverage, and preferences among reporters to increase the chances of your story being covered in a positive way.
Among the key findings:
- 85 percent of TV stations and bloggers use brand video
- More than 4 in 5 journalists use brand video as produced
- When given the choice, 86 percent of journalists prefer to interview a brand representative than a third-party spokesperson
- More than 4 in 5 journalists said interviewing an in-house spokesperson for a positive story made a brand more authentic—nearly twice the number that said that about third-party spokespeople
- Only 26 percent of local news broadcasts in 2020 will be devoted to politics—creating a significant opportunity to reach key audiences
Local TV news isn’t obsessed with politics:
The findings show that by producing their own content, brands are able to get their videos picked up by broadcasters keeping the message intact.
Additionally, there is an opportunity to get an organization’s own leaders and employees on media outlets as a tool not only to increase exposure, but to increase authenticity in the marketplace.
Finally, despite what seems like wall-to-wall election coverage on television, there are significant opportunities to book brand executives on local TV news and morning shows.
