With the death of Bin Laden overwhelming the news cycle, trying to get anything done in New York this week on national TV is certainly a challenge for any PR professional.
We are in New York City showing the adidas Outdoor spring line to consumer editors and bloggers and talking to the business media. We are finding that some crucial advice outlined by a number of fellow PR experts is right on the money:
– Be patient.
– Go with the flow of the news cycle; it will run its course, but there is nothing you can do about it.
– Media are overworked (we saw no less than 12 satellite trucks next to Ground Zero yesterday) and this will only increase with the president coming to town tomorrow.
– The news cycle on this story will be extended for the next week, at least.
– Be prepared to have meetings or segments cancelled completely or rescheduled.
– Be sensitive and realistic when pitching a consumer product. There is no need to abandon your efforts, just be smart about when and where.
Aside from the fact that the worldâs most famous terrorist is no longer with us, smaller less important stories thankfully are taking a back seat: Donald Trumpâs musings about the Presidentâs birth certificate and how he got into Harvard, not to mention the Royal Wedding.
The best advice of all is to use basic common sense when pitching to the media, even at a time when current events make the current state of affairs seem quite complicated.