Marketing World Opinion
Media darling Playtime PR specialises in toys and games, and MD Lesley has over 20 years’ PR experience including in the entertainment and travel sectors. Here, she looks at how agencies can adapt to provide a service tailored to the current situation for their clients.
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arlier this week, I saw a tweet poking fun at the way media advertising has so listlessly reacted to Covid-19. It noted that many companies have simply switched from saying, “Buy our product” to saying, “These are uncertain times. Buy our product.” In truth though, many have done well to change their messaging at all while Covid-19 continues to rob them of their usual resources. Similarly, some areas of the toy industry have been able to respond more swiftly than others. When I mentioned to Toy World’s publisher, John Baulch, that I felt PR agencies needed to quickly change attitudes and processes in order to better serve toy companies, he was interested to hear more. Specifically, with regards to media relations – which is just one of many comms strands we handle – I went on to suggest that Covid-19 might forever change the way some PR companies work, as journalists indefinitely adopt their current work patterns. Of course, that raises the question as to how such changes would alter the media landscape. Right now, however, there is no question about what companies need their PR people to do. Their goal has to be one thing: make journalists’ lives easier. I say that because many journalists are facing tremendous upheaval: from their friends and colleagues being sick or furloughed, to the suspension of magazine production, and – in some cases – switching medium entirely to become digital only. To an extent, the severity of the media’s main focus might’ve given toy and game companies the idea that all PR bets are off. This is simply not the case. In fact, some stories are easier to place than they were before, providing agencies understand which keys turn which locks, and, of course, providing they are able to respond at all. At Playtime PR, the team was well-positioned to avoid a great many of the logistical upheavals that have cut a swathe through other companies. As a virtual agency, our workforce was already set up with flexible hours, remote-collaboration and adaptable-communication tools. That means the changes we made at Playtime
were to focus, not logistics, so our work would remain ready, reliable and relevant. For the most part, they are simple changes that make journalists’ workloads lighter and their lives easier. For toy and game companies that do their own PR, here are some areas in which journalists might appreciate your help… Provide page-ready content Now more than ever, journalists are struggling for time. Whether they’re just keeping up with fastmoving news or covering staff absence, journalists currently have a higher turnaround of stories. This is especially true for digital media where many outlets are seeing massive spikes in website visits. One national newspaper reports a YOY traffic increase of 250%. This raises demand for fresh content tremendously. For this reason, Playtime PR is giving journalists completely ‘ready-to-go’ pieces; our contacts may not have time for followup questions or anything that needs heavy editing. Follow the news cycle It’s always vital to understand your target media’s editorial agenda. Right now, though, these change like quicksilver. Some targets are closely following the Covid-19 news itself, while others are looking at the many smaller stories springing up in its wake. By keeping your finger on the pulse, you can support contacts with more relevant angles, products and expertise. Find clear angles After running similar-looking headlines for several weeks, journalists are now increasingly after new angles. PRs can help prevent reader fatigue by thinking of ways to provide fresh perspectives via client brands. Of course, we must all be mindful: anything that looks or feels even vaguely like it’s cashing in on Covid-19 will at best annoy the journalist and at worst, will negatively impact the brand. Ask: is it business as usual? Some media outlets are noticeably less focused on Covid-19. As a result, they still need to fill their usual features. As one national journalist said: “People are still buying things; they still want information about other events in the
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Lesley Singleton MD of Playtime PR and co-founder of Board Game Club. Tel: 01908 032 700
world.” This is why we’re still executing some planned campaigns with very few changes, especially seasonal work. Those things are going ahead, albeit with a careful tone check to make sure nothing jars in the current climate. Watch comms trends The way people are consuming media has now become a challenge for some outlets. For instance, one national newspaper reports a 55% uplift in podcast listeners. Being aware of this lets us better tailor campaigns, suggesting guests and stories as journalists scramble to accommodate the trend. Of course, PR doesn't all boil down to media relations: it’s about developing stories that sit well with the audience as well as the brands, and finding the most appropriate channels to communicate them. That might be with trusted partners, ownbrand newsletters, social posts, etc. Establishing or growing an audience through own-channel platforms should also be given added focus now so that brands can communicate directly with customers as well as through third parties. Look at what’s working While the media industry is undoubtedly suffering, there is some good news; many outlets have seen huge rises in subscriptions. One kids’ magazine has seen annual subscriptions rise 350% YOY and is benefiting tremendously from this strange renaissance. Since Covid-19 hit, it’s been said endlessly: we’re living in unprecedented times. Nevertheless, many of our contacts still have pages and pages to fill. For that reason, PR agencies can better support journalists by adopting an approach that’s verymuch precedented: think less about what was planned – and more about what contacts need.