Seven tips for PR that packs a punch

If you’re looking to make sure your hard work gets the attention that it deserves, you’re going to need to learn how to harness the powers of PR through earned media.

Earned media is just that, when you do something that creates so much buzz or hype that it can’t help but be talked about, without you having to buy advertising space. In this way, a small budget doesn’t mean a small reach. But first you have to get past the journalists and convince them that your story or idea is more important than anyone else's.

It can be easy to get ahead of yourself and only tackle PR as an afterthought, but when you bake it in from the start, it can make the difference between falling flat and achieving that elusive “fame”. Armed with a respective twenty years of industry experience, Jo Carr, Co-founder and CCO of Hope&Glory and Chris Bamford, Creative Director at Kindred know a thing or two about making some noise. Here, they share 7 tips for ensuring your ideas ever see the light of day.

It’s no coincidence that many of the best ideas are the simplest ones, so keep that in mind. As Jo puts it, “If you can’t explain it in an elevator pitch now, then you won’t be able to explain it to a journalist later”.

For Chris, this one is all about harnessing an emotion. “Emotion is a powerful tool, identify what it is you want your audience to feel, and run with it”. This might be pulling on the heart strings, or even playing a provocative card and leaning into a taboo. “If you can get people to feel something, the chances are you’ll get them talking too”.

Root your idea in a real insight and it’ll ring true. “If you can show that you understand your audience and tap into the cultural context then it will feel genuine”, explains Chris. And if it feels genuine, it’ll be genuinely attention grabbing as a result.

“Ask yourself “will people care”, and if the answer is no, then journalists aka, the gatekeepers of media, won’t either”. But if you can conjure a feeling of jeopardy, your idea will be immediately newsworthy. For Chris, the simplest way to achieve this is by “pointing out a problem, and then solving it with your brand”.

If you’re looking for talkability, why not take your idea to a place where people can directly interact with it. Building social into your idea invites conversation in a space where conversations happen naturally - “just make sure your idea is water tight” adds Jo, or people will have something to say about it.

If you’re going to stand for something or align yourself with a cause, make sure it’s genuine and feels true of your brand. “If you’re piggybacking just to gain traction, it will seem hollow and your audience will spot it a mile off” warns Chris.

We’ve all been there, thinking our idea is rock solid, only for it to fall at the first hurdle. “Making sure you’re testing your idea from the get go means you’ll find out if it's flawed, before anyone else does” advises Jo. Put together a statement that announces your idea to the world, making sure to keep it under 30 words. “If your idea feels too complicated, that’s probably because it is”.

D&AD’s Impactful PR: How to Embrace Earned Media Masterclass delves into the rich world of PR, covering everything from the social and political impact of PR, to developing a toolbox of methodologies and hooks that will help you and your brand make some noise. Sign up here. You can also explore do at your own pace courses here, as well as upcoming in-person and online teaching here.