Definition:
Newsjacking is a digital marketing and marketing technique consisting of taking advantage of a fact or news of great relevance to generate useful and viral content for our brand. Doing newsjacking implies being at all times aware of the news and the latest news to take advantage of the media pull of them in our favor. From a fact of great relevance and that transcends media, we create a content that relates our brand with the current news (this can be a musical or sporting event, events of great social or political interest, etc.). This content must be as fast as possible, at the same time coherent and original, and once launched it is time to promote it to go viral, contacting journalists, via social networks, interacting with consumers, etc …
Advantages of Newsjacking
Correctly executing Newsjacking can affect our brand very positively; however, we must also bear in mind that if it is applied incorrectly the consequences can be disastrous for our brand. Among the main advantages of newsjacking we highlight:
- It generates notoriety: Taking advantage of the exact moment implies being on people’s lips, the more commented and sounded our movement is, the longer we will remain in the mind of the consumer.
- Virality: It is the main objective that is pursued through newsjacking, to create content that taking advantage of the strength of the news with which it is related transmits the name of our brand quickly through all places.
- Economic: It is a technique that does not require large economic outlays and yet provides spectacular results, so a small investment can translate into a huge return.
Newsjacking Examples
- Heineken:Taking advantage of the election of the last Pope, the Dutch beer brand launched a social media campaign in which it simulated the opening of one of its beers as if it were the smoke of the famous white smoke.
- Ford:Coinciding with the news of the change of legislation in Saudi Arabia that allowed women to drive for the first time in this country, Ford published a series of emotionally charged tweets in which he supported the decision and celebrated the empowerment of women.
- Oreo:it is undoubtedly the most notorious case of newsjacking. In 2013 there was a blackout in the middle of the Superbowl final event. The cookie brand acted quickly by launching an original and funny tweet in which it said that there was no problem with the blackout since people could continue to eat Oreo cookies.
Frequently asked questions about Newsjacking
What does Newsjacking mean in digital marketing?
Newsjacking refers to the concept described in this glossary entry: Definition : Newsjacking is a digital marketing and marketing technique consisting of taking advantage of a fact or news of great relevance to generate useful and viral content for our brand. Doing newsjacking implies being at all times aware of the news and the latest news to take advantage of the media pull of them in our favor. It gives teams a shared vocabulary for analysing digital projects.
When should teams pay attention to Newsjacking?
Teams should review Newsjacking when it affects acquisition, measurement, user experience, content, automation or campaign performance. The important step is to connect the definition with a real decision.
How is Newsjacking used in a digital strategy?
Newsjacking is used by translating the concept into practical checks: where it appears in the funnel, which data or channel is involved and whether it needs optimisation, monitoring or documentation.
What is a common mistake when interpreting Newsjacking?
A common mistake is using Newsjacking too broadly. It is better to verify the context, the tool or the metric involved before making strategic or technical conclusions.