The technique I call newsjacking, the art and science of injecting your ideas into a breaking news story to generate tons of media coverage, get sales leads, and grow business, is a great way to generate attention for any brand.
As the story develops in real-time, buyers become interested in products and services based on what’s happening now. Newsjacking generates sales leads and adds new customers for free.
By direct tie, I suggest not just jumping on any meme for the sake of it but rather only engaging with stories that have something to do with your expertise or products.
So, for example, when thieves broke into the Louvre and stole jewels a few months ago, an insurance company could have done some newsjacking around jewelry coverage. That’s a direct tie.
I love that Bocker, the company that made the ladder truck that the criminals used did respond to the story and generated tons of attention.
As a rule, I always recommend avoiding politics. Always. Unless there is a direct tie to the story, but even that can be interpreted in the wrong way.
Always remember that with politics there are people on both sides. In the USA, your customers and potential customers play for both the red team and the blue team.
Some brands do take a stand on political stories, but it’s a risky move. It becomes a strategic decision if you come down on one side or the other. Don’t make a mistake and jump into politics without thought.