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The Phelps Group is Los Angeles' only agency on the Advertising and PR charts.

Pitching journalists in the wake of disaster

Oct 01 2005  • 

Considering the recent hurricane and fire disasters, here are some tips from Penelope Dunham, producer for ABC-TV's Channel 7 in San Francisco, on how to pitch in the wake of a disaster.

  1. Step back — and review your idea in light of the disaster."I did not see any greedy or insensitive releases after [the disaster]," Dunham says. But stories [and PR pitches] like 'Breakthroughs in Rosacea Treatment' should have been held. Plus, any press release that uses the word 'breakthrough' gets an automatic black mark from me. It is the most overused word in medical pitching and should be banished unless they really do have the CURE for cancer.
  2. If your idea isn't completely relevant — then advise the client to hold it. "My advice is educate the client to wait [with non-relevant ideas right now] - unless it's a major drug that got FDA approval that day and HAS to go out," Dunham says. "Even though this story will go on for months or even years, the media has a very short attention span. Tell the clients to be patient and pitch it two or three weeks from now," she suggests.
  3. Timing is everything — so know when the news hole will open up."Timing is just as critical without a disaster, i.e., during sweeps," Dunham says. "Educate clients with cosmetics, plastic surgery and even sleep products or migraine cures to do their PR campaigns about two to three weeks before February, May and November." She advises, "Producers planning for television sweeps are dying for product. Save the boring products for dog days of summer or Christmas or March when not much is happening."


Reprinted by permission from Bulldog Reporter's newsletter. . 

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