Nearly Everyone Uses It, and So What?

by Marcia Yudkin 

Occasionally a prospective client comes to me very gungho 
about getting publicity and declares that they envision 
coverage in every major newspaper in the country and on 
every network broadcast. After all, their logic runs, our 
product is something everyone uses -- we have close to 150 
million customers a year in the U.S. alone.

"Whoa!" I reply. "That's not enough of a reason for the 
media to do a story. Nearly everyone uses a toothbrush and a 
wallet of one sort or another, but how often do you see 
stories about either of those items in the papers or on the 
nightly news? Prevalent doesn't mean interesting or timely. 
So let's brainstorm about what would entice the media to 
consider something about your item newsworthy."

By putting a spin on something ordinary, or identifying some 
unusual aspect of something ordinary, you have a good chance 
of getting major media hits. For instance:

* Create a controversy. E.g., claim that 90% of Americans 
use each toothbrush far too long.

* Give an award. E.g., a prize for the world's rattiest 
wallet.

* Offer surprising facts about your product. E.g., how long 
ago people were using toothbrushes surprising similar to 
today's.

* Show an unexpected clientele using your product. E.g., 
wallets for toddlers or for nudists.

* Piggyback on the news. E.g., play up the connection if 
there's a toothbrush scene in a new feature film or a 
popular sit-com.

* Do a survey. E.g., what percentage of people never leave 
the house for any purpose without bringing their wallet.

* Compile a set of useful tips. E.g., ten ways you should 
never use a toothbrush.

* Donate your product or a gift certificate to a good cause. 
E.g., a new wallet for every high school graduate in your 
home town.

* Offer a freebie. E.g., a free call-in line for questions 
about dental hygiene.

* Invent a new use for your product. E.g., wallets designed 
for efficiency at security checkpoints.

* Tie your product to economic trends. E.g., what toothbrush 
sales reveal about recessions and economic booms.

* Do something anachronistic. E.g., create wallet carriers, 
which a butler can hold out for the man in the house when he 
comes home from work.

* Sponsor a charity event. E.g., the Toothbrush Ball.

* Do something about your environmental impact. E.g., 
recyclable wallets.

* Celebrate an anniversary. E.g., your 10 millionth 
toothbrush sold.

* Create regional variations. E.g., the Tall Texan wallet, 
the Seattle Surprise, the Plains Packer.

* Get offbeat endorsements. E.g., from a punk rocker, a 
bartender, a has-been politician for your toothbrushes.

* Feature employees with stories. E.g., an over-80 wallet 
designer, marketing vice-presidents who are twins.

* Run an event for kids. E.g., develop a show that travels 
to day-care centers on how to brush teeth.

Once you have a newsworthy angle, then the ambition to get 
your story into every household in the country makes more 
sense!

Marcia Yudkin <marcia@yudkin.com> is the author of the 
classic guide to comprehensive PR, "6 Steps to Free 
Publicity," now for sale in an updated edition at Amazon.com 
and in bookstores everywhere. She also spills the secrets 
on advanced tactics for today's publicity seekers in 
"Powerful, Painless Online Publicity," available from 
www.yudkin.com/powerpr.htm .