Shining in the Summer Media Spotlight

As summer arrives, many professionals shift into vacation mode, but what about your media relations? Does everything really have to wait until fall? In this post, we share our best practices for summer media outreach, because yes, summer is good for PR (though not just any kind of PR).

Where Are the Journalists?

Like everyone else, journalists take vacations. While some of them enjoy time by the pool, they typically hand off their beat to colleagues who cover their area of the news. It is worth identifying and familiarizing yourself with the stand-ins working across different media outlets, whether television, print, or radio, to avoid running into a flood of out-of-office replies.

A Lighter, More Positive Tone

During the summer, the pace slows down and political news along with other breaking stories leave room in the media agenda. Journalists are always looking for interesting topics throughout the year, but summer brings a breath of fresh air and many opportunities to introduce new angles into their coverage. More inclined to gravitate toward innovative and uplifting stories, this is your chance to pitch unique angles and captivating summer events that will catch their attention.

It remains true that summer can also be a period of relatively lower public interest due to vacations and outdoor activities. That does not mean your message will get lost in the noise! On the contrary, it is precisely the moment when you can stand out thanks to an unusual subject, while adopting a light and friendly tone that invites discovery.

Falling Flat

But beware, one element that is far too often underestimated plays a crucial role: the weather. A topic that works its way into vacationers’ daily conversations, it also influences media coverage. Even if Mother Nature is unpredictable, stay on top of forecasts, especially when your public activities and media events are planned outdoors, otherwise they risk literally falling flat. Always have a backup plan sheltered from bad weather. The same goes for your news: a good story has competition on sunny days.

In short, in summer you need to adapt the angle of your news and know how to position yourself quickly. The opportunities are plentiful; you just need to be ready to seize them and have the right people by your side to advise and support your public relations efforts. With that, have a great summer!