Since late last year, and more so this year, we’re noticing a decline in traditional media placements.  They are fewer, much more selective and harder to secure.  As a result, with Facebook and Twitter now completely mainstream, good old magazines and newspapers (at least those surviving) are struggling to adjust to this new wave in publishing.

As a result, I think that the print that survives will become much more valuable in public relations, in terms of branding and editorial.  However, we’re finding that breaking through editors’ mailboxes is insurmountable nowadays.  Persistence is still key, but creating sharp and timely angles is more important than ever.  It doesn’t matter if your product is new.  Why would the editor want to write about it?  Your hotel package might be amazing in luxury and dripping with freebies, but why would a travel writer want to do a story.  These are things that necessary to think through before you get on the phone or start blasting off emails.

My client, the Hotel Heritagein Bruges decided to do a 9.9.09 rate for 99EUR next month for one day.  The purpose of the promo was exposure and momentum, not so much the number of bookings for that rate.  I pitched it creatively, and here is a great placement in the Wall Street Journal’s Travel Watch section.

Finding value in the pitch and aligning it strategically so that it helps not only the client, but also the editor, is key to great media relations.

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Tags: breaking through the media clutter PR, creative PR thinking, hotel heritage, Media Relations, wall street journal pr

This entry was posted on Thursday, August 27th, 2009 at 5:14 pm and is filed under European Destinations, Hospitality, Integrated Marketing Communications, Media Relations, PR, Top Accommodations, social media. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.