Media Relations is Always in Style

Trends come and go, but strong media relations and a smart strategy is always in style. We are often asked to talk about the ROI of media relations, and here is a quick story of how working with the media can result in new business opportunities in unexpected ways.

A leading fashion industry publication reporter was on a short deadline and needed a comment from a lawyer on brand licensing. The lawyers I work with love the opportunity to talk to the media, but in this instance, the reporter asked for comments via email rather than a phone interview. While our clients prefer the phone, the upside is it can be much easier to write comments, and there a nearly 100% guarantee the lawyer quote will be accurate.

Knowing one of our clients represents celebrities, athletes and other high profile individuals who seek to license their names and products to companies such as fashion houses, retailers and manufacturers, we reached out to him for responses to the reporter’s questions. Under a tight deadline we got specific comments the reporter found useful. Our client was quoted several times and the story ran both online and in the publication’s special issue distributed during New York Fashion Weekww., THE premier industry event for anyone who is anyone in the fashion industry.

A week later our client shared with us a note he received from the president of a NY-based company that specializes in representing “top flight wholesales and retailers to secure prestigious brand and celebrity licenses.”

This type of direct result does not happen with every media interaction and placement but it proves the value of PR in generating new business opportunities and new client engagements.

And buyer beware: the next time you choose to ignore a reporter’s request or brush off the interview opportunity brought to you by the PR firm that you have partnered with, remember this example. What may seem like a waste of time could be a one-of-a-kind opportunity. Media relations is always in fashion.