What’s Your PR Hook? 5 Ways to Make Your Brand Newsworthy
If you’re trying to get your brand in front of the right audience without a PR hook, you’re shouting into the void. Journalists need a reason to care. Editors want a story, not a sales pitch. And your audience? They’re skimming fast and clicking faster.
At Down at the Social, we live for making brands media-ready. Here are five proven PR hooks we use to turn brand stories into headlines and sales.
1. 🎤 Start With You: People Stories That Stick
A compelling founder story is media gold. Whether you’re building a niche community or going after global domination, your why matters.
Take Nicky, who launched a dating app for widows after losing her husband to Covid. By sharing her journey, she created instant emotional connection—and landed coverage that resonated far beyond her core audience.
🔥 Hook it: Be raw. Be real. Start with your story, and you’ll find others want to share it too.
2. 🛒 Product Coverage: Right Place, Right Time
Product PR isn’t about spraying links - it’s about showing up where it counts. That could mean being featured in a seasonal roundup, a gifting guide, or the pages of the right foodie mag.
We nailed it for Macknade by placing their Christmas hamper in The Independent’s Best Buys. Smart targeting = serious clicks and conversions.
🔥 Hook it: Match your product to the moment. Media placement + timing = ROI.
3. 📰 Newsjacking: Ride the Wave
If it’s trending, it’s an opportunity. Jump on relevant stories, cultural moments, or surprising stats to earn fast media attention.
Like TLC linking their mission to an EastEnders storyline about parental abuse. Clever. Relevant. Unmissable.
🔥 Hook it: Ask, “What’s everyone talking about today—and how can we add value?”
4. 🎓 Expert Comment: Be the Voice of Reason
When you’ve got something meaningful to say, say it loud. Journalists want opinionated experts who can simplify complex issues and shift narratives.
Michelle Hill of TLC did just that, writing on sustainable charity funding. Her voice? Strategic, solution-driven—and media-ready.
🔥 Hook it: Use your platform to lead conversations, not follow them.
5. 🌟 Celebrity Power: Sparkle Sells
Whether it’s a shout-out, a selfie, or a collab, celebrity involvement can catapult a brand into the limelight.
Like Gemma Collins and her gin partnership - instant visibility, massive reach, and product sell-outs. The partnership and the story told retailers that Zymurgorium were serious about marketing and knew their audience, leading to conversations with national multiples that turned into listings.
🔥 Hook it: Think smart about celeb fit and audience alignment. One photo can change everything.
So, What’s Your Hook?
From founder stories to newsjacking and seasonal round-ups, the right hook turns your message into media gold. And if you don’t know where to start - we do.
💌 Slide into our DMs. Let’s make headlines.