Radio Survey Results

In the third edition of COVID-19 Media Guide for PR Pros we share the first results of our radio survey. 25 radio stations responded.
 

According to Nielsen, radio audiences are increasing substantially as more people work from home.
92% of the stations were interested in a coronavirus related story.
88% of the stations were interested in interviewing a brand expert in a general story unrelated to the virus.

Radio is the fastest and lowest cost way to reach millions of people. It’s convenient as the spokesperson and communications team never have to leave home. It’s also crucial to include radio because employees listen to radio and you can easily target specific markets while you are creating your crisis communications plan.

TV Survey Results

In this edition of COVID-19 Media Guide for PR Pros we share the first results of our TV station local news survey. 52 stations responded.
 

87% of stations said they would take a story related to the virus from brands or non-profits.
77% would take a health story not related to the virus.
75% would be open to a story on a general topic.

 
Station demand is there for interviews with brand spokespeople and they want the interviews via satellite. Technology is helping brands adapt as spokespeople can Skype in to our control room and be connected with stations across the country limiting unnecessary human contact.

Welcome to the COVID-19 Media Guide

Given the enormous economic uncertainty and the need for brands and non-profits to continue to communicate with the public, we’ve started this guide as a way for you to keep track of what the broadcast media is open to covering.
 
There are two-parts to this equation. First, what are local news outlets open to covering. We’ll be surveying them on a weekly basis and reporting the results back to you. The second aspect needs to be judged on a case by case basis. Simply, is the message you are trying to convey appropriate during this pandemic and will it benefit your organization and the public in general. Clearly, hard sell messages don’t make a lot of sense right now and you need to be educational in tone or communicating how you are making things easier for customers and importantly, your own employees.
 
We welcome your feedback as well as what you are hearing during your media communication.

PR Industry Survey: Is the Satellite Media Tour Comeback Real?

After finding out that there was a 21 percent increase in use of satellite media tours and a 38 percent increase in using in-house spokespeople by both brands and the agencies, we conducted a survey to find out if these trends were unique to D S Simon Media or industry wide.

 

Here is what 70 PR professionals (brand and agency communicators) had to say:

 

Nearly 1/3 are increasing or considering increasing their use of SMTs. Close to 90 percent are either increasing their consideration of SMTs or staying the same. Those findings align with the growth that we have been seeing. In terms of featuring in-house spokespeople in satellite media tours, the industry is evenly split. Whether they are increasing or decreasing featuring in-house spokespeople in their satellite media tours, both of those numbers are 23 percent.

 

The most important finding is that the satellite media tour comeback seems to be real and sustainable.

 

 

PR Prepares to Tackle Coronavirus: Olympics Spotlight

This year’s Olympics have 13 worldwide partners and hundreds of other brands engaged in sponsorships at multiple levels. Brands who have invested time and money in these partnerships have to be thinking the same thing:
What will be the effect of the coronavirus on the games and on their brand sponsorship?
The number one thing they need to be communicating is their continued support of and commitment to the athletes. Whether the games move forward or not or reschedule they should use the period of training leading up to the Olympic trials to promote their participation and their commitment to the athletes. They need to be thinking about moving up their Olympics promotions calendar to deal with the uncertainty caused by the virus.

 

 

Kate Huyett, CMO at Bombas on the Rapid Rise of the DTC Sock Brand

Kate Huyett tells D S Simon Media CEO, Doug Simon, the story of Bombas, the brand that boasts in making “the most comfortable socks in the history of feet.” She touches on the charity mission of the DTC brand, and its importance to the company’s appeal. Kate also discusses the rising importance of television in building your brand’s message authentically.

 

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