Ah, the ubiquitous survey… According to a recent article in The Independent they are dumbing down the news agenda, but nevertheless, they remain – when used effectively – a powerful PR tool and can provide genuine news content that gives a great platform for a campaign message delivery.
So don’t dismiss surveys as redundant, but do take the time before you embark on finding out what the nation has to say, to consider some important factors.
What do you want to achieve?
Think about the headline you want to generate before you commission the survey and then the questions you need to ask to achieve the right consumer insight that delivers that headline.
Subject Matter
Keep it in line with your brand; ask yourself why you’re doing it and work towards an outcome that gives you interesting insight that in some way naturally links back to your brand/message.
Keep it Simple
An overcomplicated angle won’t provide the media with an interesting article nor will it effectively deliver your message, it’ll end up in the bin.
Branding
Remember a journalist isn’t interested in providing free advertising, keep the branding minimal and at an appropriate level that ensures it doesn’t dominate the story.
Newsworthiness
- Can you be the first to demonstrate a national trend that is emerging?
- Can your survey reveal a societal issue that needs addressing?
- Does your research highlight a growing phenomenon amongst your client’s target audience?
Be Punchy
Give the hard-hitting stats up front – not the overt brand/campaign message; this should be weaved in and made relevant.
Collaborate with an Expert
Give your survey added credibility by working with a respected third party such as a University research department or psychologist, who can provide comment on the findings and act as a spokesperson.
Regional Media
To give your survey regional legs, make sure you gather data from those areas and ideally focus on city-specific stats rather than broader regional stats; to allow you to provide strong angles for local media –
When a survey works well, it can yield incredible results. Our recent campaign to announce Lactalis Nestlé’s Munch Bunch storytelling competition delivered three national newspapers hits at launch; by communicating our message alongside a survey to find out the nation’s favourite bedtime stories. Simple, connected to our campaign message, and news-worthy enough to grab media interest, the survey added interest to our brand communication and gave us a platform to spread that message effectively.
