How to successfully newsjack?

Newsjacking is an effective PR strategy in which you capitalize on current events, legislation, or trends to generate media attention. Discover how to use savvy newsjacking to spotlight your brand and strengthen your PR strategy.

By responding to developments in society, politics, or the news, you make smart use of the momentum. In fact, you 'hijack the news' to 'steal' the spotlight for yourself. Here are two common ways you can create reactive news:

1. Create a Contrast: Disagree with something or someone. Such polemics score well in the media because there is a contrast that can be amplified.

2. Highlight Developments: Naming, interpreting, criticizing, or applauding a specific development also generates media attention.

Disclaimer: When doing reactive news, it’s important to ensure your message doesn't come across as too commercial. We all still remember the corona scandal of RUMAG. 

A successful example of newsjacking a trend was from the Dutch company HEMA at the end of 2023. HEMA cleverly capitalized on the hype around the 'crompouce' - a combination of a croissant and a tompouce. HEMA, the most iconic tompouce seller in the Netherlands, saw the hype and responded with a strong reaction on their socials: "why make something curved that is straight?" The responses were laudatory and the press loved it. 

Another example is an opinion piece in Parool where lawyers Nadia Adnani and Kim Deelen criticize the new Balanced Labor Market Act. They argue that the law does not promote the desired balance between flexible and permanent work. By criticizing legislation, they create a contrast with the government. This is attractive for the media because they are tasked with holding power accountable.

There are countless recurring events each year that you can leverage as a brand, such as King's Day, Budget Day, summer vacation, winter sports season, and major sports tournaments. For this last category, we warned in this blog already. Shortly thereafter, Jumbo followed with its EK campaign, Heineken launched its campaign simultaneously with an extension of its KNVB partnership, and the same went for Albert Heijn.

With the above tips, you can start with newsjacking yourself. By cleverly responding to current events, legislation, or trends, you can attract attention and put your brand in the spotlight. You can find a handy overview of all news facts on the site issuekalender.nl. Start leveraging this powerful PR strategy today to make your company more visible.