For the next 10 Tuesdays, PR Flex will offer a slice of advice on how to make news.  There are a lot of media channels out there, but breaking through the clutter is essential to make your story count and to generate conversation around your brand story.

We’ll begin with#10… Albert Clifford, Drum Roll, Please

10.) Produce a groundbreaking survey or newsworthy report and gain credibility.

• Sponsor a survey or report tied to current news trends or commission a group to research and develop your industry idea.

A couple of effective examples include:

a.) In anticipation of the Democratic and Republican National Conventions and the forthcoming election, Beam Global (parent   company to brands including: Maker’s Mark, Jim Beam and Sauza) conducted a “Who Sets the Bar When it Comes to Cocktails: Democrats or Republicans?” survey. The findings were fun, non-partisan and kept their brands front-of-mind.

b.)  To educate the media and consumers on the importance of sleep and to position their brand team as industry experts, Select Comfort, creator of the Sleep Number beds, partnered with Dr. Nancy Etcoff and Massachusetts General Hospital to show that “More Sleep Results in a Better Quality of Life.”  This was longer-term, as it required intense research and development.

Don’t sleep on surveys.  The media and the public are sure to drink your company’s “kool-aid,” if you can provide results that are fun, educational or cutting-edge… or - better yet - all three!