Generating publicity is one of the best ways to gain public interest in your brand or product. However, to develop the right amount of buzz, your product will have to stand out. Luckily, planning a media event is one of the easiest ways to draw attention to your product. In this helpful guide, we cover how to plan a press conference and other events.

Types of Media Events

A media event is an event designed to boost the publicity surrounding an upcoming product, activity, or event. It can also refer to an event that garners a large amount of coverage by mass media, even if the media coverage was unplanned.

Often, a media event takes place during a news conference, a planned speech, an anniversary, photo ops, an award ceremony, or a product launch. Media launches, press conferences and pseudo-events are three examples of media events.

What Is a Media Launch?

A media launch, or press launch, is a form of media event where something like a product, event, or exhibition first gets introduced to the public. Journalists will receive invitations to cover these events. One popular subset of media launches is product launches, which we'll describe later.

What Is a Press Conference or Event?

A press conference is an event organized to distribute information and answer questions from the media. Sometimes a press conference is held in response to public relations issues or questions. A company or organization hosts this event, and the speaker is usually a press liaison, one of the executives, or a communications officer. The media then attends the conference. The speaker addresses the media by sharing information, after which reporters can ask questions. Organizations also often release statements preceding a press conference,

With so many events happening worldwide, a press conference is only ideal for noteworthy news. Press conferences allow the company to present its news favorably, encouraging reporters to attend the press event.

Here are a few reasons to host a press conference:

Make a response to public news or controversy.
Announce the addition or leaving of an executive.
Opening of a new facility or store.
Launch of a new product or service.
Celebrate a merger or acquisition.

What Is a Pseudo-Event?

Daniel J. Boorstin coined the term "pseudo-events" in his book, "The Image: A Guide to Pseudo-Events in America." The terminology used to describe pseudo-events and later media events is derived from the perception events were planned and incited instead rather than spontaneous.

Though Boorstin invented the term in the '60s, pseudo-events have been occurring since the media began. These events intend to promote specific interests or needs. An example of pseudo-events is award shows. By releasing the nominations, these shows create a buzz among reporters and fans, leading to more sales. With the rise of digital media, media events receive more attention than ever.

Companies carefully strategize and script every detail of their pseudo-events, leaving nothing to chance. This careful planning maximizes the success of the event. They also schedule reporters and media in advance to ensure they get broad exposure on the event day. In fact, companies often design these events specifically to make them as accessible as possible for the media. Organizing the event according to the schedule of the press ensures that companies get the exposure they need.

Creating drama is the purpose behind pseudo-events. This ensures that the event grabs the media's and public's attention. You can make it newsworthy by inviting celebrities or influencers or adding drama to the presentation or announcement. These events can include press conferences, advertising events, speeches, and other similar occasions. The events focus on gaining as much media coverage as possible and generating followers and likes on social media.

Creating media events that feel natural and generate a buzz about your company is essential today, as many other companies are media-savvy. You'll need to know how to make media events work for you to stand out.

Types of Media Events

The success of media events over the years has led to their continued usage by companies, organizations, and individuals looking to garner attention for their company through public relations. Below are some of the most common media events in practice today.

1. Product Launches

A product launch is a media event that debuts a product to the market. After a product launch, consumers will have the ability to use a new product or service.

There are soft and hard product launches. A soft launch will be when a company only provides a targeted, smaller user base within the market a chance to use a product. Companies typically do this to see if the user base runs into any problems before they release it to the public, allowing them to make any changes before a large customer base has it.

In contrast, a hard launch will release a product to the entire marketplace. Often, a company will put all its energy into marketing efforts surrounding the release day and build anticipation, culminating in a product launch event.

2. News/Press Conferences

A press or news conference is typically an event organizations or individuals use to officially distribute information to the media and answer any questions they might have. Organizations will often host press conferences in response to a public relations issue, but they also come with several other uses, such as:

Presenting a scientific breakthrough.
Opening a new ad campaign or marketing strategy.
Announcing the acquisition of a new player for a sports team.
Revealing a company's financial statements or other financial records.
Garnering attention for a new charity event.

As there are several uses for news conferences, it's clear that variousfields can take advantage of this type of media event. One of their most significant benefits is allowing organizations or individuals to control their message.

3. Photo Ops

Another popular media event is a photo op, which is an arranged opportunity for people to get their photograph taken with a celebrity, politician, or another notable individual in a particular environment. Photo ops rose to prominence in American politics to reach voters and get them to trust a candidate. Now, companies use photo ops to showcase new products or prominent figures in the company in the best light possible.

4. Award Ceremonies

As the name suggests, an award ceremony is an event where individuals or organizations receive accolades for achievements related to their field. These events are usually anywhere between semiformal to formal and will often offer trophies or memorabilia to winners to memorialize the occasion. One company can host these ceremonies to honor their employees, or employees can receive awards at larger industry conferences where many companies are attending.

How to Get Media Attention and Organize a Successful Event

Whatever type of media event you choose, companies should use some principles to ensure their event is as successful as possible. Below are the top tips for planning a media launch or press event.

1. Craft an Exciting Message

The key to any successful press conference is a message that resonates with people and gets them interested in whatever your event is showcasing. It's best to plan what you or a representative say before they go out and share your message with the public. Speakers should walk the line between sounding conversational and relaxed without coming across unprepared.

One way companies make others pay attention to their message is through storytelling. People connect with stories, so many companies know to incorporate narratives into their messaging at a media event to grab an audience's attention. In addition to storytelling, you'll want to change your message depending on what members of the media you are speaking with. For example, a TV reporter will likely have different questions than a newspaper reporter, so you'll need to stay on your toes and adjust your messaging.

2. Set Goals

While developing your message, you should also set goals for your media event. Whether you're selling a new product or spreading brand awareness, it's important to have a clear plan in mind. With a goal, your media event will begin to take shape, and you can hone your message.

3. Choose a Venue

Location is at the heart of any successful event. You want your chosen venue to fit your brand and be in a location accessible for everyone to get to. Businessesoften work with a company that offers venue scouting to find the perfect location. With this service, a venue scout will find a location that fits your needs completely. Since securing the right venue can be overwhelming, many companies enjoy the direction venue scouts give.

Sometimes, you find a venue in the perfect location — beautiful scenery, convenient, facilities to meet your needs, and just the right amount of space — but the decoration doesn't match your company's aesthetic. Instead of abandoning the venue, you can employ a company offering event venue transformation. With this service, you canadjust the interior and exterior to a space that matches your brand.

If you host an event at one of your facilities, consider restricting parts of the venue. Many companies want to keep cameras from rolling everywhere in their building. If your company is similar, it is vital to clarify where members of the press should and shouldn't be. At a media event, presenting a consistent image of your company is crucial, and choosing the right location with the right parameters does just that.

4. Consider the Experience at Your Venue

In addition to your venue's physical location and appearance, you should consider what kind of experience your participants will have. One of the first obstacles they must overcome to access your event is finding a place to park. Will a parking lot be available for the event, or will you offer street parking? You may also want to consider putting up signs to direct guests to the parking areas and then to your venue.

Another element to think about is the catering situation at your venue. Is there a kitchen available for a caterer to make food on-site? Or will they have to make everything ahead of time and keep it warm during transport? Regardless if you plan some light finger food or a sit-down meal, the food at your event plays a vital role in the overall experience and ensuring you have the proper facilities to handle these needs is essential.

5. Create a Theme and Visuals

When you prepare for an event, focus on what your speaker is saying and what the environment is saying. Think about what message the setting is sending.

Once you decide on a theme, you'll want to ensure the rest of your décor, food, and games or other entertainment at your event complement each other. For example, if you want your product to promote calmness, you should opt for similar colors or décor instead of aggressive options.

You will also want to consider your audience when creating your aesthetic. As an example, if your audience is younger, you will want to keep your aesthetic light and fun instead of more serious.

It's also best to give guests a hands-on experience, especially if you're launching a product. Give them brochures with key points you'd like them to take away after they've left your event. In addition to materials like brochures, you can let them try new products to showcase their use and generate images of trusted members of the media enjoying your products. Most importantly, remember the media will be sharing your company's image with potential consumers.

6. Elevate With Branded Backdrops and Flower Walls

One key element of your media event production should be branded backdrops. Say, for instance, a representative is giving a press conference, answering questions, getting their picture taken, and appearing on video. While the rep answers questions, you'll want them to have a branded backdrop behind them, as videographers and photographers will capture your logo or message throughout the entire press conference.

On top of standard backdrops, step-and-repeat banners are another common backdrop you can use to encourage people at an event to take pictures in front of. These step-and-repeat backdrops should be attractive and branded appropriately for your business. You can have a photographer stationed at the step-and-repeat area to get pictures for your website or social media pages while also letting guests have fun taking pictures of themselves in front of it.

You can also use beautiful flower walls throughout your event to give the space a unique, natural aesthetic. On top of making your space memorable and visually appealing, a flower wall will also encourage people to take pictures in front of it. It will then spread your media event's message if guests share the images on social media.

7. Plan a Precise Schedule

Finally, to make your and your guests' experience as stress-free as possible, you'll need to develop schedules for your staff and media members. For the press, you can put together a packet that includes information about the event, such as who will be speaking, when an event is occurring, and where they need to be to see critical parts of the event. This packet can also include relevant background information you think they would benefit from knowing.

If you're managing the event, you'll also want to craft a schedule for yourself. In that schedule, you should include the following:

Event schedule that details speaker notes and AV/technical information
Any info on what speakers require — do they have any needs you need to facilitate?
Equipment and task checklist — with a list like this in place, you'll ensure you don't forget to test sound quality or other necessary elements of your media event.
A photography shot list, which will help your photographer know what kind of photographs to take. You can use these pictures later in marketing or in-house materials.
A food and drinks list that details the various offerings and records who is handling the distribution of them
The phone numbers and emails of anyone taking part in the event — make sure to notify your entire team when there is a change or update to a plan. Having contact information readily available ensures everyone stays on the same page as an event approaches.

8. Write a Press Release

Once you've locked down the details for your event, you can begin writing your press release that will alert the media to your event.Your press release will garner your event attention and coverage if done successfully.

There are six elements of a successful press release.

Title: You'll want to grab the reader's attention by starting with an eye-catching title that immediately piques their interest. A strong headline will draw traffic to your press release, so it's worth crafting a compelling one.
Summary: After the title, you'll want to write a summary of the article between one to four sentences.
Lead paragraph and dateline: In this section, you'll let readers know all the event's information, including the who, what, when, where, why, and how.
Body: Next, in the body of the release, you'll tell your event's story and include details about the event. It can also include information about target audiences, featured guests, and the benefits of attending the event.
Boilerplate statement: Following the body of the release, you should include a generic boilerplate statement you can use multiple times for other releases. In this statement, you can include company details like your company's products or services, your mission statement, or other enticing information.
Contact information: After the boilerplate statement, you'll want to give readers an option to contact your company.

9. Put Together a Press Kit

Since the press will be taking an opinion of your company with them after they leave the event, you'll want to do all you can to leave them with a positive impression. To do so, you can prepare a press kit containing background information and other relevant information to help them during the event and stay with them as they head home.

The most successful press kits will often have the following materials in them:

Event agenda that includes the name and titles of speakers
Biographical information on speakers or other notable individuals
A press release describing the event
Relevant information that provides background material on the subject of the event, like press clippings, photographs, summaries of reports, and other material of potential interest

Press Kit Examples

One of the best ways to ensure the media sees your company in the right light after they leave your event is to make a press kit readily available. Some examples of press kits include:

Airbnb

Instead of the traditional press kit, Airbnb uses its online newsroom to tell a story. The result is a website that is simple to navigate and offers valuable information for reporters and other media members.

Kickstarter

Kickstarter's press kit emphasizes simplicity and keeps the information easily accessible while remaining fun in its design. Unlike most other press kits, Kickstarter's kit offers information for clients and journalists because the company realizes that both groups will be visiting this page.

Start Planning Your Next Press Event Today

A press event is the perfect way to announce exciting changes in your business and maximize your media exposure. With careful planning, you can host a successful media event that ensures your company impresses the media and your customers. If you're ready to start planning an event in New York City, B Floral is here to help. We can take the following types of events to the next level:

Corporate events: We take care of the details of your corporate event while you mingle with clients or teams. There's little time to plan an event when you're busy running a company. You can trust us to bring your vision to life.
Product launches: Introducing a new product to the market requires an unforgettable event. Create excitement about your newest addition by planning a product launch in New York City that will impress customers and investors.
Branded event planning and production: We plan brand-focused events that reward your current customers, attract new clients, and inspire them to get involved with your brand in person or online.
Public relations event management: Whether you need a press review or editor gifts, we help you put your best foot forward and create messaging your target audience understands.
Corporate conferences and trade shows: We bring professionalism and event planning expertise to execute a successful conference. Design a booth that makes you stand out from the rest and encompasses your brand personality.
Sports and media event planning and design: From decorating a suite at a sports event to organizing an Instagram-worthy premier, we ensure a stunning layout and manage your event from start to finish.

We can bring your vision to life for your upcoming event with our dedicated customer service and brand-driven design expertise. Contact us today to see how we can help your company craft a memorable event and make an impression on your audience.