Top PR strategies for automotive brands to boost media coverage

The media landscape is increasingly challenging, with increased commercial pressures and shrinking newsrooms, placing an even greater emphasis for automotive brands to implement top PR strategies to boost media coverage. 

In our latest blog we explore how to approach journalists, and offer them valuable information that gets you to the top of the news pages. 

Offer new insights into industry data 

Journalists can receive hundreds of press releases per day, so standing out from the crowd is essential. 

One of best, and possibly most obvious, ways to grab the attention is by offering insights that are relevant for the target publication’s audience. 

Analysing industry research around a relevant topic is a good way to do this, and there are plenty of sources of information that can be used as the basis. 

For example, the government publishes informative reports that are packed with interesting statistics to be referenced, such as advising motorists on road safety issues at a particular time of year or on upcoming possible changes in legislation.  

Top PR strategies provide unique angles 

Another tactic is to supply an original asset that enhances a planned press release.  

Surveys are a very useful tool as they can provide a variety of stories depending on how the survey questions are written and, importantly, they can provide a valuable insight that gauges the mood of the nation. 

Once the results have been analysed and trends identified, then the new stories can be crafted and shared with relevant publications, including the mainstream media if it has widespread appeal. 

The size of the audience, the number of questions and any screening questions will affect how effective the survey is. If done well, this can offer a huge return on investment, with original data and insights that can be split by age, gender and region, potentially offering multiple news angles or stories. 

Solve problems through your PR strategies 

In a rapidly changing automotive sector, think how a product or service solves an industry problem that journalists will find interesting and want to share with their readers, listeners or viewers. 

For instance, if it’s an industry first that has real world benefits, then the news story is likely to find a receptive audience, such as our recent media outreach highlighting the first infrared heating systems fitted in ambulances in the UK.  

This development clearly has multiple advantages, including saving energy, cost and weight, that perfectly suits an interesting article. 

Keep up to date to be a help to journalists 

Staying abreast of what’s happening in the relevant industries, and providing expert comment, can pay dividends as it shows expertise. Position yourself as help to a journalist who needs data or insights to finish their piece before a deadline. 

Some sectors have recurring hot topics that provide a wealth of news opportunities, so keeping an eye on developments and providing timely insight will be welcomed by news desks. 

Does your automotive PR strategy need a boost? 

If your PR strategy is feeling flat and lacking ideas, then perhaps it’s time to seek assistance from a trusted PR partner. 

To find out more about our PR and media relations work, and for a no obligation chat, please get in touch.