In June 1886, the German newspaper Neue Badische Landeszeitung published an article about a new product launched by a local entrepreneur. The journalist described the machine as ‘highly appealing’ and ‘extremely practical’, writing that there was ‘no doubt’ it would ‘soon attract a large number of friends’.
The entrepreneur was Karl Benz, and the product was the world’s first motorcar.
In the years after its development, the Benz Patent-Motorwagen received significant press coverage across local, regional, and national media in Germany and beyond. Far more than Mercedes-Benz or any other car brand would get nowadays for a new product launch. What made this car was so newsworthy back in 1886 was that it was the first of its kind.
Knowing what will hit the headlines is a crucial part of media relations. The truth is that many of the day-to-day developments at your company won’t be newsworthy. Sending these stories out to the press is unlikely to result in coverage.
That being said, lots of updates from your brand can fit into the news agenda. Examples of potentially newsworthy stories could include the launch of a new product, company financial results, or interesting data that shines a light on a wider industry trend.
To help you decide whether or not a story is right for the media, we’ve put together a brief guide to newsworthiness…
Who cares?
What’s newsworthy to one person might not seem relevant to another. The values and interests that matter to people vary between different time periods, places, and industries. Mechanics might be particularly keen to hear about a new type of spark plug. Residents of a small village would want to receive updates about their local fete. But these aren’t stories that appeal to a wider audience.
To understand whether something is newsworthy, you should first consider the question: Who would be interested in this? If the answer is “My friends and family” or “People who work at my company” then the story probably isn’t right for press.
Of course, different publications will cover different types of news. Developments that interest trade media probably won’t be right for local press, or vice versa.
Here’s a set of example news stories and where they would land (note that the list is far from comprehensive!).
- Product or service launches – sector press for your industry; tech press; ESG press (if your new product or service has a sustainable slant); regional press (if the business is local) and national press (if your brand is well known by the general public and the product is novel)
- New clients, partnerships, or markets – sector press for your industry; business press
- Senior hires – sector press for your industry; HR press; business press; regional and national press (only if your brand is well known by the general public)
- Financial updates – sector press for your industry; business press; regional and national press (usually only if your brand is well known)
A bigger picture
One way to increase the newsworthiness of your brand’s stories is by tying them into the broader news agenda. For example, a new car is unlikely to make the headlines in national papers, but a new type of electric vehicle might. That’s because EVs are a big topic of conversation at the moment, fitting into larger debates around sustainable transport, global warming, and the future of travel.
But even if your brand won’t change the world, it could have a big impact on your industry. Maybe you’ve launched an industry-first product. Or you might have completed new research that reveals a trend in consumer behaviour.
Before deciding to pitch a story to the media, ask yourself a few questions:
- Timeliness: Why is it important now? How does it relate to broader industry trends?
- Relevance: How will it affect your own sector or a target industry?
- Unexpectedness: What makes your story unique or surprising?
- Credibility: Do I have any data or other evidence to prove these points?
Answering these questions could help to secure you media coverage.
Human interest
Sometimes people want to read a piece of news not because it affects their lives, but because it moves them. Whether it’s an inspiring interview with a company executive who grew their brand from nothing, or a heartwarming story about how a charitable organisation is helping individual lives – human interest stories can be just as media worthy as hard news.
Looking back at Mercedes-Benz, it’s worth noting that although the Benz Patent-Motorwagen received solid coverage around its launch in 1886, its real moment in the limelight came two years later.
Frustrated with the initial lack of sales for the motorcar, Karl Benz’s wife Bertha decided to take matters into her own hands. As the story goes, one morning in August1888, Frau Benz woke up at the crack of dawn and, without telling her husband, drove the Patent-Motorwagen 100 miles across Germany on what would go down in history as the world’s first long-distance car journey. The newspapers went wild. Here was the story of an exciting new product, yes; but it was also the story of an intrepid, spirited woman, taking on a dangerous challenge for the sake of her husband’s great invention.
There won’t always be a human angle to your story. But if you can find a way to present your news in personal terms, it’s well worth doing so. Not only are human interest-led news stories more likely to land in the press, but they’re also more memorable than hard news. A person-led article can be a great way to capture readers’ attention and impress your brand on their memories.
Every story is different of course. But there are some considerations you should always bear in mind before you reach out to the media. Will my news interest a wider audience? Is it relevant right now? And how can I make it as interesting as possible?
We can’t all invent the world’s first car, but that shouldn’t stop you from getting world-class news coverage.
