Maximising seasonal hooks and the news agenda:
We pride ourselves on how closely we’re tapped into the news agenda and it’s important for your brand to do the same. If you’re trying to reach a broader audience then take the time to map out the year ahead and ensure your PR strategy marries up with your marketing one. Seasonal moments like the summer and Christmas holidays and major retail events such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday provide a fantastic opportunity to introduce your product to new audiences via the national and consumer lifestyle media. We prioritise this for all our clients, and it’s been particularly successful for dryrobe, who we’ve been able to position as the must-have outdoor accessory at various times of the year, through journalist reviews, product and shopping pages and seasonal features and gift guides. Whether that’s as the perfect beach buddy for winter cold water swimmers, or as the ideal camping companion for keeping warm during the cooler summer evenings.
Onboarding and activating brand ambassadors:
Onboarding an authentic brand ambassador that has the ability to connect with your existing core audience while having broader appeal is an effective way of introducing your brand to new audiences, and giving it the kind of trusted, aspirational seal of approval that resonates with consumers. Taking our client dryrobe as an example once again, they work with some of the biggest and most exciting names in water sports, from Olympic medalist Keri-anne Payne, to double world record paddle boarder Cal Major. Established names in their sports – and well-known to fellow swimming, surfing and paddle boarding enthusiasts – delving into their backgrounds can help unlock new followers for the brand. Away from their sports, brand ambassadors are also parents, activists, advocates and fitness lovers – all of which increase profiling opportunities within the mainstream press.
Getting under the skin of founders and owners:
Every brand has a story behind it and so do their founders. Getting to grips with their backstories can open up the business and broadcast media and, in some cases, the front and back pages of the national press. Our client Freetrain was founded by two former youth footballers released from Premier League academies, who went on to create one of the UK’s leading fitness accessories – a ‘success from adversity’ story that the UK business and sports media looks for. Meanwhile dryrobe’s humble beginnings as a makeshift towel/dressing gown given to the founder by his mother after a surfing session, in turn sparking the idea for a multi-million-pound business and outdoor fashion phenomenon, was crying out to be told. Doing so has increased awareness of both brands both within the business press and the lifestyle media, with dryrobe named by multiple national newspapers this year as the most sought-after coat in Britain.
Implementing an effective influencer strategy:
Getting your products into the hand of influencers who resonate with different audiences is a crucial step in educating and exciting consumers. Whether it’s through an influential journalist, a social media star or a blogger with a smaller but engaged following, implementing an effective influencer strategy is a must. When it comes to traditional media, our contacts book is second to none and has helped us get our clients in front of the UK’s most prominent lifestyle journalists, either through gifting products in exchange for reviews or inclusion within ‘best of’ round-ups or wider lifestyle features, or through hosting events that allow journalist to get up close to a brand. And for clients like dryrobe, freetrain and Monterrain, we’ve managed a network of paid and unpaid influencers who provide brands with positive exposure on their channels in exchange for gifted products that appeal to them and their followers. This kind of third-party endorsement is a great way of driving consumer interest – and ultimately sales.
If you’re interested in how we can run an effective Fitness PR campaign to help introduce your brand to new audiences, get in touch with our team of experts today.