Brands and entrepreneurs are always looking for ways to stand out and attract new audiences to their products and services. Enter newsjacking! Newsjacking is not a new concept really. Brands and large companies have been embracing it for quite some time now.
So, what exactly is newsjacking? It’s exactly what it sounds like. Using the words of newsjacking’s biggest authority and the person who coined the term, David Meerman Scott, “Newsjacking is the art and science of injecting your ideas into a breaking news story so you and your ideas get noticed.”
Basically, newsjacking is being aware of breaking news and connecting that news to your brand, your products, or your services in some way.
Now the breaking news that you connect with does not have to be some devastating happening in the world and, in fact, using caution around newsjacking those types of events is probably sage advice. No one likes a brand that takes advantage of some devastating event that’s taking place in the world. The only time I would say to newsjack a negative event like a natural disaster, pandemic, or tragedy of some sort, is if what you’re offering can help in some way to make the situation better for the people involved.
However, newsjacking positive or fun events can not only get your brand, products, and services seen, it can also make people smile. There have been some great newjacking by big brands that have really gotten noticed by lots of people and made them laugh at the same time.
Examples:
Charmin: During the 2013 Oscars, Charmin used its product to poke fun at itself and the event but did so in a way that was humorous and didn’t offend.
Oreo: During the 2013 Superbowl blackout, Oreo was quick on the draw when they tweeted this tweet.
Burger King: In 2019, McDonalds lost it’s exclusivity for using the term Big Mac when it was sued by an Irish fast food chain, Supermac’s. McDonalds were still allowed to use the name Big Mac but the court ruled that the term could be used by anyone and could not be trademarked exclusively to McDonalds. Burger King in Sweden immediately responded with this newsjacking gem on their menus.
The key to winning when using newsjacking is that you have to respond right away. Once others have started to really comment on the item it’s more than likely too late to benefit your brand in a positive way. You need to constantly be eyeing the news and looking for ways to use it to promote or bring attention to your brand and jump into action right away.
David Meerman Scott, on his website newsjacking.com offers this graphic on knowing when to use newsjacking most effectively.
As you can see, once public excitement begins to grow it’s too late to newsjack an item or event.
Other points to be aware of are always keep your newsjacking attempts classy, if you can make your attempts humorous that’s always a winner with most audiences, and always be aware of your own brand. You never want to damage your own brand just to be seen. That would just defeat the purpose of newsjacking in the first place.
The technique of newsjacking, when used appropriately and quickly, can be an effective tool for gaining new followers and keeping loyal ones.
For more information on newsjacking, you can check out Newsjacking.com as well as do a search online to find great examples of brands that have used this technique flawlessly. With a little research and creativity on your part, newsjacking can make your marketing more fun and effective and help you and your team think outside the box.
