Brands that have successfully made themselves known among their target client bases have, at one point or another, used these two public relations strategies.
- Telling their story
Founders or executives have chosen to reach their potential clients by telling their story thousands of times to journalists and influencers.
- Using an ambassador, spokesperson or brand icon
This strategy can be used simultaneously with the first one. Telling one’s story and using ambassadors can be a great strategy. However, if the company’s creator is unknown or not alive anymore, it is in the brand’s interest to partner with celebrities and/or influencers. This strategy enables brands to be more visible in traditional media and on social media.
Making yourself known is exactly what we teach at NATA PR SCHOOL. Our clients who want to use this public relations tool, which is extremely powerful when combined with social media, also benefit from NATA PR’s expertise.
Telling your story and partnering with ambassadors are two of the most widely used strategies. They have certainly been used since people began buying and selling. For example, Marie-Antoinette is a personality who comes to mind to illustrate the second strategy. She is known in history for being an early ambassador of the fashions of her time. Perfume creators, jewellers and hat makers rushed to court to offer her their products and services. Imagine how these merchants could expand their client base by telling people that the queen is now wearing their new hats, clothes or diamonds.
Today, major brands hire celebrities, artists, athletes or Internet personalities to get their brands known, like the Chanels of the world that offer paid partnerships to represent their products. This strategy helps bring traditional brands back to centre stage. For example, Chanel No. 5, which, since Marylin Monroe’s famous “I only wear Chanel No. 5” quote, has consistently renewed its image by partnering with a series of iconic stars. This is a perfect example of the icon strategy. More recently, Billie Eilish, the young singing prodigy who got her start online, became the voice of the latest James Bond movie (No Time to Die) and has renewed the public’s interest in the mysterious double agent. She also appeared on the cover of British Vogue and was invited to the Met Gala. All these events aim to stimulate conversation about their brands, products or good causes.
By making these partnerships more accessible, the Internet is enabling new brands to get people talking about them and get themselves known by partnering with current-day influencers.
It’s possible to tell your story in press releases and on social media. First, you have to be able to answer one simple question:
Why would people talk about you? And that’s the first step of the NATA PR model. Try to define what will capture the attention of journalists and influencers.
I hope you enjoyed this episode, and that this PR/marketing moment stimulates your creativity.
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