Developing a brand launch strategy
How to create a PR campaign for a product launch
When launching a new product or collection, creating and implementing a PR campaign to promote this launch should be a key part of your brand strategy in order to achieve success. But, it can be difficult to know where to begin.
Develop a brand launch strategy
A successful brand launch strategy for a product or collection will be built on your broader business aims and objectives. In the case of a new product launch, there is a clear additional aim; to introduce a new product to its target audience. Consider also, whether there are new or alternative aims and objectives for this specific launch. For instance, are you launching a new product type to reach a slightly different target market and therefore aiming to broaden your audience?
Your overarching brand launch strategy will likely consist of a broader marketing strategy with several areas of focus, including a PR campaign. For the PR section, there are a few key areas to consider, from PR objectives and tactics to messaging and target media titles. Think about how this launch is different from existing collections and ensure you have a clear PR strategy in place. It may also be helpful to review what your competitors have launched and where they have achieved media coverage. This will give you a broader understanding of the wider market.
PR objectives
When creating a PR campaign for your brand launch strategy, consider your PR objectives. For most brands, this will include securing media coverage in key target titles in order to reach their target audiences, but you may have additional PR objectives too. These could include the broader aim of raising the profile of the brand and its founder, or it might be to secure online media specifically with the objective of driving traffic to your website. PR campaign objectives should always hinge on your wider business aims and objectives, but these will evolve over time, so make sure that you’re always revisiting and reviewing these regularly.
Messaging and narratives
When developing a PR campaign for a new launch, revisit your core brand message and consider additional narratives that are relevant to the new launch. For instance, this could focus on how the collection was manufactured, the design inspiration behind the product or the sustainability credentials. This messaging will inform your press release and should be included in any media pitches. Remember to take a step back and consider why a journalist, and your target audience, could be interested in the brand and the launch. Timing is everything, so think about why a journalist should include something now. Is it a seasonal launch, for instance, outdoor furniture, that is more likely to be featured in spring and summer features?
Target media titles
Consider which media titles you want to secure coverage in. This will depend on the type of media your target audience reads and engages with. It will likely be a mix of online and print titles and, depending on your product and audience, could be a combination of national, consumer and trade media publications.
Familiarise yourself with all relevant media titles, even if you already have a good idea of target publications for your brand. Research each title, explore all available opportunities within them and make a note of the journalists who have compiled these features. You will then be in a position to build a comprehensive media list that includes all key target publications. Include details such as journalist names and notes on what they’ve previously published. Remember, that even if you’ve previously done some PR, not all media titles will be relevant for everything you launch, so make sure that you create a specific media list for each new launch.
Note that different media titles have different lead times. Whilst online titles might publish a story the same day it receives a press release, consumer glossies work at least three months ahead, so make sure you factor that in when developing your communications plan.
Of course, a PR company dedicated to the design industries such as ourselves would have all these elements to hand and will have already established relationships with key media titles. By bringing a PR expert on board, you can free yourself up to focus on other essential elements of a the launch such as your sales strategy.
Product assets
One of the most important things to consider is asset creation for the new product or collection. As the design industry is very visual, good lifestyle photography that showcases the product and is styled editorially will be an important brand asset and vital to securing media coverage. Journalists often make decisions about whether to include a story based on the available imagery. For this reason, it may be worth considering investing in a good stylist and photographer who are familiar with what editorial titles are looking for and can help you to build a strong visual identity. In addition to good lifestyle photography, cut out images can also be valuable assets for new products.
Written assets are also important. For a launch, you will likely need a press release about the new product but it can be useful to have a comprehensive press pack which includes a company biography and notes about the founder. This will be helpful for journalists to learn more about your brand.
Once you have agreed on the PR objectives, created brand assets, crafted a newsworthy narrative and compiled a comprehensive press list, you will be in a good position to pitch your new product to the media.
These strategies will support your broader marketing plans and ensure you have a good foundation when sharing your product(s) with as wide an audience as possible, driving awareness, consideration and ultimately purchase if your approach is right!
If you need help developing a brand launch strategy for a new product, please get in touch. We’d love to help.
