Brand Archives - Jennie Holland PR

As one would soak and baste a turkey before the big day to ensure it’s as its best, businesses that want to showcase products and services in the run up to the festive period also need to prep – starting Christmas PR and marketing campaigns as early as possible.

With journalists eager for Christmas content, starting your efforts straight after summer will only serve you well; putting your products and services to the front of the media queue – which gets longer and longer with time – as every business tries to claw for attention in an over-saturated Christmas media storm.

At Jennie Holland PR, we know a thing or two about getting your products and services noticed and when it comes to Christmas, we’re plotting plans whilst the summer sun is still hot.

We’ve put together five tips to consider if you want to ‘sleigh’ PR this Christmas:

1. Get in first

Journalists looking to plan festive features or fill Christmas gift guides will be working way ahead of December to secure relevant products for pages, so looking into planned media features and jumping on journo requests on social media is so important. If you’re looking to secure quality media coverage for products, be sure to send information/content and images in a clear format to journalists so it’s as easy as possible for them to use in the lead up to the big day.

2. Be proactive with Christmas PR

As well as reacting to media requests, it’s just as vital that you contact journalists proactively to see what opportunities are out there and make your products or services known. Proactive and regular sending of product information is also crucial for getting the key messages of your business and its offering in front of the right audiences. Whilst journalists can indicate what they want, they are just as happy when you send relevant ideas and information to them.

3. Be as informative and visual as possible

When contacting journalists, keep content short, simple and clear in the form of a press release or product pitch. If possible, include as many images of the product or service as you can so journalists can get an overall visual representation of your offering. For retail items – it goes without saying, always include product prices and list stockists details.

4. Have plenty of samples prepared

Often journalists will want to sample products in order to feature them and they will ask for samples to be sent to them. It’s advisable to ensure that stock is available specifically for the Christmas period.

5. Be ready

If you’re generating some great PR around your products or services, then it’s important to ensure that stock is available to buy and there is capacity in the team for a spike in demand of your services. There’s nothing worse than not being able to deliver when you have interested customers.

If you need help with your Christmas PR, you know where we are…

For business leaders, there has never before been so many resources available when it comes to shouting about your brand, products and services.

But in this competitive digital multiverse of content, social media platforms, celebrities and influencers, it is easy for your brand to become lost in all of the noise without a clear personality that shapes all of your online presence.

All brands have an identity – defining it depends on how you want to interact with your target audience, the products and services that your company offers and where your specialisms lie.

Do you sell advice, technology or something you’ve created?

Do you use specialist skills, rely on your industry contacts, or invest heavily in research and development to stay ahead of the competition?

How should consumers feel when they see or buy your product or service?

The answers to these questions are a good place to start when defining your brand’s personality – in the early 20^th century, Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Carl Jung developed a list of universal brand archetypes that can be identified in all aspects of life, from our dreams and religions to our art and fairy tales.

Now, these brand archetypes have been adopted by advertising professionals all over the world as a way of visualising and summarising a brand’s identity, helping it to connect more effectively with the consumer.

Brands can fit broadly into one, sometimes two, of the following 12 Brand Archetypes:

The Innocent – pure, simple, trustworthy and safe

Example: Coca Cola

The Sage – wise, understanding and truth-seeking

Example: Trip Advisor

The Explorer – adventurous, free, ambitious and spiritual

Example: North Face

The Outlaw or Rebel – free-spirited, brave, agent of change and unconventional

Example: Virgin

The Magician – making dreams come true

Example: Disney

The Hero – determined, skilful and ruthless

Example: Nike

The Everyman – relatable, reliable, empathetic and connects with others

Example: PG Tips

The Jester – playful, joyful and carefree

Example: Paddy Power

The Lover – passionate, romantic and committed

Example: Chanel

The Caregiver or Nurturer – compassionate, generous and strong

Example: Johnson & Johnson

The Ruler – in control, confident, firm but fair

Example: Mercedes

The Creator – innovative, imaginative and expressive

Example: Lego

Which archetype best aligns with your company’s products, industry reputation and specialities?

Once you’ve decided, have a look at globally renowned brands and see what they are talking about on social media, on their website and in their adverts. You’ll begin to notice the consistencies and patterns in the language they use and the images they portray – and you can do the same with your brand’s online presence and marketing materials, to build an identity that your customers will come to recognise and trust.

Interested in learning more about our social media services? We can help. Get in touch with Jennie Holland PR for all things social on 0115 998 3048 or hello@jenniehollandpr.com