I’ve been working on the latest iteration of our Bank of Mum and Dad campaign, which landed in the national press this morning. ‘BoMaD’ is now an established part of the media calendar and – in this wave of activity – our client @Legal & General sought to demonstrate the impact that becoming a lender for ‘BoMaD’ might have on customers’ own retirement outcomes. Here’s my top tips for making sure a powerful consumer campaign like The Bank of Mum and Dad lands in the media with maximum impact:

 

1. A good story has a problem and an answer

Negative stories still take precedence over positive ones, but a good PR story will do more than just scare the audience. If you’re seen to be providing a solution, journalists will want to hear what you have to say and consumers will be able to take action off the back of your campaign.

 

2. Use public holidays to your advantage

Even in Brexit Britain, public holidays mean pages to fill for journalists. Like most of us, journalists often won’t be working on the Monday. That means many will be keen to file next week’s stories before the weekend comes around. If you are using the Bank Holiday, a lot of activity to confirm broadcast opportunities will take place on the Monday before your campaign launches. Giving up a bit of time to answer calls or respond to journalists can put you in the good books of broadcast journalists and it also gives you the chance to pitch any remaining targets that might be looking for a story.

 

3. Be flexible and responsive

If the story starts to really take off, you’re going to get lots of short notice media requests (this is a good thing!). Being as flexible as possible with timing and location can make the difference between getting that big broadcast interview or not.

 

4. Use case studies

This weekend we’ve had more journalists asking for Bank of Mum and Dad case studies than ever before. Human interest stories are a great way to make any research as relevant as possible to the audience and when it comes to broadcasters they’ll often give much more airtime to your campaign if it’s supported by a real life story.

 

5. Offer your expert

Don’t assume that journalists will know you have a spokesperson that’s available for interview. If it’s good story, journalists will come to you, but always ask if they want someone on the show to talk about your story. You might just secure that national TV or radio opportunity you’ve been after!