The Ultimate Guide to Getting Media Coverage for CPG Brands
In a recent episode with CPG Launch Leaders, I had the opportunity to discuss setting up CPG brands for success through cutting-edge PR strategies.
In a competitive consumer landscape, PR can be a powerful tool for Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) brands seeking media coverage, especially for startup founders launching new products and looking to connect with their audience in meaningful ways.
With the global consumer packaged goods market projected to reach approximately USD 244.92 billion by 2030, brands that use innovative storytelling techniques to stand out from the competition will remain memorable over time.
In this article, we will explore how brands can differentiate themselves from others in the industry through strategy-driven PR and how they can build brand awareness through engaging stories consumers will love to read.
Spreading the Word About Your CPG Brand Through Proactive PR
In PR, timing is everything. If you’re planning on launching a new product in the next three to four months, now is the time to start working on a proactive CPG marketing strategy to sell your product and build brand awareness.
Chances are, if you are a small business owner or a startup founder of a CPG brand, you may still be in the initial stages of bootstrapping and may not have as big of a marketing budget compared to a much larger, well-established brand with more marketing dollars.
The good news is that whether you need a long-term PR strategy or a one-time CPG marketing campaign to launch your product, a PR team can craft a customized go-to-market PR strategy that aligns with your budget and helps you reach your target consumers.
For example, we’ve collaborated with clients well in advance by proactively reaching out to media outlets to offer an embargoed preview of our client’s product. This means the media outlet agrees not to publish any coverage until the official launch day.
We’ve supported our clients in launching press releases on their product launch days, maximizing impact, and connecting them with audiences who are actively seeking their products.
This is crucial because press releases are a powerful proactive PR strategy; they ensure that when consumers or buyers search for products relevant to your industry, your product's launch announcement reaches the right audience and potential buyers.
Riding the Media Wave by Staying Relevant
There are many challenges related to climate, AI regulation, and health, but there are also remarkable, innovative companies tackling these issues. These clients are among our favorites to work with, as collaborating with them provides valuable opportunities to connect them with consumers seeking their products to fulfill their needs.
When launching your product, think about optimal times of the year when announcing the launch of your product will be beneficial to attracting the right audience.
As a founder of a CPG brand, ask yourself:
Why am I launching my product during [particular season]?
What makes my product newsworthy for journalists at this time of year?
How does my product align with current events or trends in the news?
For example, from August to October, journalists are busy compiling “Best of” lists for the holiday season. By collaborating with a PR team in advance, you can identify the right media outlets that are eager to feature products like yours in their gift guides.
The holiday season isn’t the only time to launch a product or market an existing one. There’s a lot of seasonality to consumer media. Throughout the year, journalists are seeking responses to questions related to various themes, such as summer travel, back-to-school preparations, and holidays like Valentine's Day.
By incorporating seasonality into your product launch, you can effectively differentiate your offering from the competition.
Getting Your Products into the Right Hands
While it may be tempting to simply send your product to journalists in hopes of getting featured, it's essential for startup founders to take a step back and strategically evaluate how they are using their inventory.
At TaleSplash, we help our clients gain valuable media coverage by connecting them with journalists who are genuinely interested in our clients’ products.
Inbound requests. AI-powered technology makes it easy for our PR team to respond to journalists requests for new products to review. This tactic is the best case scenario for gaining coverage.
Editorial influencers. Many journalists also act as influencers themselves; freelance writers can serve as a gateway to a publication and may feature your product on their social media platforms, given their contributions to the publications they are a part of.
Your Product Is Launched—What's Next?
Although a press release has built-in SEO value, it is just one tactic in a larger toolbox. Building a strong CPG brand requires ongoing effort.
The work continues to be about different seasonal angles that are a fit for your brand and makes sense because other journalists are thinking about the same angle, too.
What ultimately leads to coverage is having a PR team equipped with effective pitching strategies, consistently reaching out to journalists to secure media coverage on platforms where audiences can discover your product and connect with your brand story.
Don’t Forget to PR the PR
Media coverage is great, but what you do with it after matters, too.
Feature Your Media Coverage. Not every customer or potential buyer will be monitoring the media for articles on your brand. Once you get media coverage, showcase your media mentions on platforms like LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and TikTok.
Feature Your Media Mentions on Your Homepage. Highlighting reputable media mentions on your website’s homepage adds third-party validation and builds trust with your audience.
Thank the reporter. Always thank the reporter who writes your story as they will appreciate it. Tagging them in your posts can encourage them to reshare your content, benefitting their professional visibility as well.
Remember, building a strong CPG brand is more than just launching your product with an announcement. Achieving effective CPG brand media coverage requires a consistent, robust PR strategy that engages your audience and ultimately drives sales for your business.
