Creative pivoting: What to do when things do not go to plan

In the world of PR, even the best laid plans can come unstuck. Product launches can be delayed or scrapped, and sometimes major international news flips the media landscape on its head, leaving little room for manoeuvre. It is therefore vital for a PR campaign to be agile.

Here are three things you can do to pivot your approach and find creative ways to sustain media interest when a spanner is thrown in the works.

1. Thought-leadership campaigns

Even if a launch is delayed, the issue a product or service seeks to resolve still exists. By focusing on creating engaging content that explores the latest trends and issues, and placing these in key media outlets for the desired target audience, you can showcase the scale of the problem before supplying the solution.

2. News hijacking

The news agenda has shifted and suddenly your story is no longer part of the zeitgeist. How can you throw your hat back in the ring? Providing expert commentary on breaking news, trends, data or reports can be a great way to maintain journalist relationships and keep media coverage flowing. You need to monitor both the news agenda and your target outlets closely and be quick to react, keeping your commentary free from sales message by positioning your organisation as an expert with invaluable insight to share. It may not result in a long-form piece dedicated solely to your story, but it can help keep media interested until the news landscape turns in your favour.

3. Change the landscape

Spend the unexpected downtime honing your campaign plans and monitoring for new opportunities to tell your story. Invest in research to help reinforce your key messages, enlist an independent voice to support your message or campaign launch, or work on hard-hitting case studies that grab attention of both journalists and their readers.

PR is a fast-moving industry where you can never sit still. Use every avenue to maximise the impact and reach of your campaign and you will reap the long-term benefits.