We totally understand the importance of pop culture. Content from TV, film, music, social media, or the stage – we love it! We just want to make sure you’re thinking broadly. Traditional cultural celebrations – events that honor various cultural traditions – are super important. In fact, we’d argue that these events and celebrations are the literal definition of “pop culture.”
Cultural celebrations and commemorative months provide a positive, meaningful opportunity for communities to come together as well as to share more about any specific traditions and beliefs with others. They’re also timely – and so they’re inherently newsworthy. If you’d like additional ideas on how to grab more media coverage for these kinds of events (and who wouldn’t?), keep reading.
1. Partner with another organization or business.
Whether it’s a panel, an exhibition, or a joint fundraiser, holding an event with a partner enables your organization to reach more people and draw greater attention to your cause. Not to mention, this partner may have media connections you wish to reach (or weren’t even aware of). Don’t forget to regularly shout them out on social media while you’re promoting this event.
2. Big it up online.
Speaking of social media, using social is a great way to create buzz. Is there already a hashtag around a specific holiday or observance? If not, create one. Help it spread by reaching out to other groups and suggesting they use the hashtag too.
3. Newsjacking for the win.
Think about how your celebration links to a larger issue. Is there one that’s in the news a lot these days? For example, celebrating Indigenous Peoples Day could lead to a bigger conversation surrounding land rights and environmentalism, topics that are in the news quite often.
4. Host (or be part of) a festival or parade.
Just as you can work with partners to create an event (or join them in theirs), there is no newsworthy event quite like a festival or a parade. For instance, in New York City, the West Indian American Carnival and the Puerto Rican Day Parade are very well known. If you’re going to be a participant in a local festival or parade, don’t hesitate to inform your local media!
5. Become familiar with the demographic makeup of your area.
Is your neighborhood home to many people who are part of a specific religion? Cultural background? Speak the same language? Many older or younger residents? If so, and you hold cultural celebrations or commemorative holidays that include this group, then let the media know. For instance, if your community has a large Sikh community, then springtime would be an ideal time to get in touch with media reps about Vaisakhi celebrations.
6. Find the human-interest angle.
At the end of the day, cultural celebrations are about people. And the media love a human-interest story, especially an inspirational one. Are your co-workers aware of a heartwarming story that aligns with a celebratory day? Putting a face with any story helps to “humanize” it. This elevates the story from being strictly informative (and perhaps less memorable) to one that really gets to the heart of a particular tradition.
Cultural celebrations and commemorative events cover a lot of what is defined as newsworthy. Linking an event to a timely issue provides a natural “hook” to entice a media coverage of your organization. And don’t forget, if there’s something extra that makes your event newsworthy, such as an anniversary of some sort, or a famous person attending, disclose it! If you want to learn more about how to reach out to the media, check out this post. Do you have a celebration that is especially important to you? We can help you incorporate it into your marketing plan. Give Twanna a shout.