Stories and the feeding trough await at the finish of the gourmet rally
Public relations PR has many facets. One of these is so-called product PR, the theoretical and practical classification of which is not entirely agreed upon by experts.
Public relations PR has many facets. One of these is so-called product PR, the theoretical and practical classification of which is not entirely agreed upon by experts.
Why should a multimedia
journalist be interested in a rally through the delicatessens of Zurich? And why should a lifestyle journalist, who otherwise only has celebrities and fashion on his mind, deal with a multimedia computer and its functions? At first glance, the answer is not necessarily obvious: product PR.
While some consider it to be part of classic public relations work and therefore part of the PR department, others see it more as part of marketing and sales. But regardless of which internal or external department is responsible, product PR must always meet the requirements of the brand, market and topicality of the issues.
The latter is particularly important. In contrast to advertising, where you can pay to place the desired messages in the target medium at the desired time, product PR relies on intermediaries, i.e. journalists and editorial offices. And for them, the news value of press releases on products is usually limited.
Added value for companies and the media thanks to product PRThe term "news value" originates from communication science and attempts to explain which specific influencing factors give a news item publication value. The defined characteristics include topicality, proximity, prominence, novelty/innovation, conflict or negativity.
While in the past the work of journalists was seen merely as a reflection of such event characteristics, today the intermediaries between information and publication are seen as having a much greater, instrumental role. Science assumes that the journalist ascribes certain characteristics worthy of publication to an event/information. In other words, journalists select from the flood of information they receive the information that is relevant and interesting at the time. Through the selection itself, they define a news value.
In terms of product PR, it is no longer just objective, fact-oriented communication that plays an important role, but also emotional communication. At this point, journalists become a kind of consumer who needs to be convinced of an information offer on a factual and emotional level. Accordingly, it helps to systematically develop topics and tailor them to the needs of the media.
Emotionalization of product communicationThe identification of topics or the development of a thematic approach in product PR serves to emotionalize factual information and thus create greater news relevance. Which brings us back to the questions posed at the beginning and a practical example.
For the market launch of the new Nokia N95 multimedia computer, the task was to propose PR measures that would appeal to both specialist journalists from multimedia editorial offices and journalists from lifestyle media. For both, the product was to be brought to life and it was to be shown that the versatile functions are relevant to everyday multimedia and lifestyle.
Under the aspects of "multimedia, experience, lifestyle", the thematic hook "sensory experiences" and the idea for the Gourmet City Rally were developed. An exclusive restaurant in Zurich was chosen as the starting and finishing points of the rally, from where the journalists were sent on a shopping tour through the city after a short introduction. Equipped with the Nokia N95 multimedia computer, they were asked to find their way around using the integrated navigation system and to buy specific products in previously defined delicatessens. The completion of the tasks had to be documented with photos and videos and the recordings had to be transferred to a blog along the way - both of course with the Nokia N95.
Back at the restaurant, the participants were shown what the others in the group had experienced with the help of the recordings on the blog. And, of course, the delicacies purchased were sampled during dinner.
The implementation of the gourmet rally made it possible to turn a technology-oriented product launch into a story for journalists from various media categories and to create additional news value alongside the news criterion of "novelty". The lifestyle journalists on the one hand were able to talk about a gadget that enables their readers to find their way to the nearest store on a shopping trip in New York, for example. Or with which they can capture their experiences on the move and make them immediately visible to others via the Internet. On the other hand, the multimedia journalists were able to see the functionality of the Nokia N95 for themselves during the rally and test all the technical features in detail.
By taking part in the rally, the journalists from Germany, Austria and Switzerland became users who use a product in a real-life situation. The integration of an exclusive restaurant, gourmet delicacies and the opportunity to exchange ideas with others over dinner also created an emotional framework for the event.
Planning pays offThe example shows that new products do not just have to be presented in a dry, factual manner. On the contrary, the combination of information transfer and direct application has proven to be an extremely effective communication measure, resulting in over 50 reports on the Nokia N95 and around 4 million potential reader contacts.
Product PR makes it possible to present even more complex issues in detail and create a win-win situation for both sides. By planning topics, companies use their resources efficiently and can place the desired messages. On the other hand, journalists get a story that is interesting and relevant for readers.
However, it is not enough just to have the right topic, the right preparation and the right timing. Successful product PR, like classic advertising measures, requires detailed preparation and coordination. When selecting media, you need to know which media are used by the relevant target groups and what the editorial team's topic plan looks like. For research purposes, you should also make use of your personal network of contacts with journalists and editorial offices, as this allows you to gauge interest at the same time.
To ensure that product PR is not just short-term showmanship, it is important that marketing and communication managers coordinate their messages. This ensures integrated communication that has a long-term positive effect on the image.
Patrick Preuss and Marc Schlittler
> Marc Schlittler is Managing Partner and Patrick Preuss is Project Manager at PRfact AG, a young below-the-line agency specializing in public relations. PRfact specializes in integrated communications and marketing consulting, innovative product and lifestyle PR as well as events.
Why should a multimedia
journalist be interested in a rally through the delicatessens of Zurich? And why should a lifestyle journalist, who otherwise only has celebrities and fashion on his mind, deal with a multimedia computer and its functions? At first glance, the answer is not necessarily obvious: product PR.
While some consider it to be part of classic public relations work and therefore part of the PR department, others see it more as part of marketing and sales. But regardless of which internal or external department is responsible, product PR must always meet the requirements of the brand, market and topicality of the issues.
The latter is particularly important. In contrast to advertising, where you can pay to place the desired messages in the target medium at the desired time, product PR relies on intermediaries, i.e. journalists and editorial offices. And for them, the news value of press releases on products is usually limited.
Added value for companies and the media thanks to product PRThe term "news value" originates from communication science and attempts to explain which specific influencing factors give a news item publication value. The defined characteristics include topicality, proximity, prominence, novelty/innovation, conflict or negativity.
While in the past the work of journalists was seen merely as a reflection of such event characteristics, today the intermediaries between information and publication are seen as having a much greater, instrumental role. Science assumes that the journalist ascribes certain characteristics worthy of publication to an event/information. In other words, journalists select from the flood of information they receive the information that is relevant and interesting at the time. Through the selection itself, they define a news value.
In terms of product PR, it is no longer just objective, fact-oriented communication that plays an important role, but also emotional communication. At this point, journalists become a kind of consumer who needs to be convinced of an information offer on a factual and emotional level. Accordingly, it helps to systematically develop topics and tailor them to the needs of the media.
Emotionalization of product communicationThe identification of topics or the development of a thematic approach in product PR serves to emotionalize factual information and thus create greater news relevance. Which brings us back to the questions posed at the beginning and a practical example.
For the market launch of the new Nokia N95 multimedia computer, the task was to propose PR measures that would appeal to both specialist journalists from multimedia editorial offices and journalists from lifestyle media. For both, the product was to be brought to life and it was to be shown that the versatile functions are relevant to everyday multimedia and lifestyle.
Under the aspects of "multimedia, experience, lifestyle", the thematic hook "sensory experiences" and the idea for the Gourmet City Rally were developed. An exclusive restaurant in Zurich was chosen as the starting and finishing points of the rally, from where the journalists were sent on a shopping tour through the city after a short introduction. Equipped with the Nokia N95 multimedia computer, they were asked to find their way around using the integrated navigation system and to buy specific products in previously defined delicatessens. The completion of the tasks had to be documented with photos and videos and the recordings had to be transferred to a blog along the way - both of course with the Nokia N95.
Back at the restaurant, the participants were shown what the others in the group had experienced with the help of the recordings on the blog. And, of course, the delicacies purchased were sampled during dinner.
The implementation of the gourmet rally made it possible to turn a technology-oriented product launch into a story for journalists from various media categories and to create additional news value alongside the news criterion of "novelty". The lifestyle journalists on the one hand were able to talk about a gadget that enables their readers to find their way to the nearest store on a shopping trip in New York, for example. Or with which they can capture their experiences on the move and make them immediately visible to others via the Internet. On the other hand, the multimedia journalists were able to see the functionality of the Nokia N95 for themselves during the rally and test all the technical features in detail.
By taking part in the rally, the journalists from Germany, Austria and Switzerland became users who use a product in a real-life situation. The integration of an exclusive restaurant, gourmet delicacies and the opportunity to exchange ideas with others over dinner also created an emotional framework for the event.
Planning pays offThe example shows that new products do not just have to be presented in a dry, factual manner. On the contrary, the combination of information transfer and direct application has proven to be an extremely effective communication measure, resulting in over 50 reports on the Nokia N95 and around 4 million potential reader contacts.
Product PR makes it possible to present even more complex issues in detail and create a win-win situation for both sides. By planning topics, companies use their resources efficiently and can place the desired messages. On the other hand, journalists get a story that is interesting and relevant for readers.
However, it is not enough just to have the right topic, the right preparation and the right timing. Successful product PR, like classic advertising measures, requires detailed preparation and coordination. When selecting media, you need to know which media are used by the relevant target groups and what the editorial team's topic plan looks like. For research purposes, you should also make use of your personal network of contacts with journalists and editorial offices, as this allows you to gauge interest at the same time.
To ensure that product PR is not just short-term showmanship, it is important that marketing and communication managers coordinate their messages. This ensures integrated communication that has a long-term positive effect on the image.
Patrick Preuss and Marc Schlittler
> Marc Schlittler is Managing Partner and Patrick Preuss is Project Manager at PRfact AG, a young below-the-line agency specializing in public relations. PRfact specializes in integrated communications and marketing consulting, innovative product and lifestyle PR as well as events.
