Newsjacking: Balancing Relevance and Sensitivity in Real-Time Marketing
Newsjacking, a term coined by David Meerman Scott, refers to the practice of leveraging current news stories to draw attention to a brand. When done correctly, newsjacking can be a powerful tool for increasing brand visibility and engagement. However, when executed poorly or insensitively, it can lead to negative public relations and damage a company’s reputation.
Newsjacking: The process of injecting your brand into the day’s news, creating a twist that grabs eyes when they’re open widest.
The key to successful newsjacking is ensuring that the content is relevant to both the news story and the brand. For example, when a major cable company faced backlash for poor customer service and unauthorized fees, competitors with exceptional customer service and no hidden fees could capitalize on the trending topic by highlighting their own strengths. This approach allows brands to join the conversation in a meaningful way while showcasing their unique value proposition.
On the other hand, some companies have faced criticism for attempting to news hack – a term used to describe the practice of exploiting news story for personal gain, even when the content is irrelevant to the brand.
News Hacking: the process of taking a huge news story that’s drawing a lot of attention and writing content about the topic to try and capitalize on the traffic and notoriety – when it’s totally irrelevant to your brand.
This was evident in the wake of a celebrity’s tragic death, when some content marketers published articles like 5 Lessons Your Business Could Learn from [insert celebrity name]. These attempts to capitalize on the tragedy for short-term gains were seen as insensitive and inappropriate, leading to a loss of respect and followers for the brands and individuals involved.
Newsjacking Gone Wrong:
- In 2014, a Malaysian airline posted a promotion asking customers what countries were on their bucket list, just months after the tragic disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. The insensitive post led to significant backlash and negative press for the company.
- During the 2011 Egyptian uprising, a fashion designer used the hashtag #Cairo to promote their spring collection, drawing criticism for exploiting a serious political event for personal gain.
Successful Newsjacking:
- In 2013, when a power outage occurred during the Super Bowl, Oreo quickly tweeted an image with the caption, You can still dunk in the dark. The timely and witty response generated significant positive attention for the brand.
- During the 2015 #TheDress debate (about whether a dress was blue and black or white and gold), several brands, including Lego and Dunkin’ Donuts, successfully joined the conversation by sharing relevant, humorous content that tied the viral story to their products.
Keep in mind that newsjacking isn’t always an intentional strategy. In 2013, a clothing company used the hashtag #Aurora to promote a dress named Aurora unaware of the Aurora, Colorado, movie theater shooting. The insensitive tweet led to significant backlash and negative press for the brand.
To effectively leverage newsjacking, brands must carefully consider the relevance and sensitivity of the news story to their target audience and brand identity. The content should add value to the conversation without exploiting or trivializing serious issues. When executed thoughtfully, newsjacking can be a powerful tool for increasing brand visibility and engagement. However, brands must be prepared to face the consequences if their attempts are perceived as insensitive or inappropriate.
