#5. Barbiecore madness, getting to grips with Threads and slow news days
Not every client wants to follow Barbie and Ken into Barbie World....
Barbie mania has officially hit, after over a year of drip-feeding us pictures and videos of Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling we’ll be able to see the film in all its pink glory in just a matter of days, and I can’t wait - who’s with me?
But just because something is popular should you try and leap onto its coattails? If you follow my Instagram account or you’ve been to one of my workshops, you’ll know that my usual advice is to jump on the news agenda, and I love how some have embraced the Barbicore trend (I love the below Barbiecan sign - how clever?!). However, there’s jumping on a news agenda and finding a very very loose connection. I’ve had 100s of press releases in the last months with brands trying to get aboard the Barbie bandwagon - and, if I’m honest, it feels a little contrived.
From pink sofas to nail varnishes, I’ve had it all, some work and some really don’t. So, how can you diversify? Be the brand that thinks outside of the box, be the Sindy to their Barbie - there is so much else going on outside of Barbie World, and if you embrace them, you won’t be trying to splash around in an, already, full inbox of press releases.
Another social media platform
From Barbie world to another imaginary world; social media - and unless you’ve been living under a rock you’ll know that Threads (Mark Zuckerberg’s Twitter alternative) launched last week and to date, there are said to be 100 million people on the platform - but will it be as short-lived as Clubhouse? Does anyone remember that app, the audio app promised to be the next big thing and just as quickly faded into oblivion when everyone went back to their jobs post-pandemic - I was obsessed with getting invited, but after using it a few times got bored with it.
I’m by no means a social media expert, but I would suggest that you sit back and wait to see how Threads develops - yes, follow your journo contacts on the platform and see what they have to say, but most will be in the same boat as you - trying to figure out how to use it!
Slow news days
Summer is the ultimate slow news day - it’s when the royals, celebrities and everyone on our Instagram feeds decide to flee the country - aka the perfect time to pitch a story. Yes, you may get someone’s OOO but with news desks desperately searching for stories, and fewer emails clogging up our inboxes, they may be more likely to read your pitch email.
If all your clients have decided to flee the country too, and you’re stuck twiddling your thumbs perhaps it’s time for a refresh? I’ve brought back my popular online pitching masterclasses, which I’m running every Tuesday evening through the summer - they are capped at 6 people so you get a chance to ask all those burning questions and figure out why a journalist could be ghosting you. Alternatively, you can even book a 1-2-1 session/ workshop with me. DM me with any questions…
Loved reading this? This is a newsletter where I’ll discuss how you can get ahead in the PR world and into the inboxes of the journalists and editors that matter. Need more advice? I’m a freelance journalist and started PR Secrets 2 years ago - a consultancy where I teach PRs what journalists want. For more information on how I can help you visit my Instagram account or slide into my DMs.