1. How to Use Research to Generate
Terrific Media Coverage
ADM Marketing & Research Consulting

2. What is “Research for Ink?”
 A study conducted in order to generate
information that will be used for publicity, or “ink”
 Trade publications
 General business or
consumer publications
 Online media
 Broadcast media
 Internal publications
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3. Why conduct this research?
 Generate or increase awareness
 Company
 Brand
 New product
 Activity
 Counteract bad publicity or negative
perceptions
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4. More Reasons
 Support positioning strategy by associating the
company or brand with
 new knowledge
 positive activities/behaviors
 a well-known company or non-profit organization
 Introduce company/brand to new market
segment
 Reporters/editors love “news,” especially in
trade or industry publications
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5. Getting Started
 Set goals/objectives
 Determine the target
 Consumers
 Trade
 Business-to-business
 List desired media
 Vertical publications
 General business or consumer
 Print, broadcast, electronic
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6. Next Steps
 Confirm that your story is newsworthy
 Decide how you would like the headlines to read
 Design questions that can lead to the desired
headlines (no guarantees!)
 If possible, get a co-sponsor or independent
authority
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7. Conduct the Research
 Telephone survey
 Probability sample
 Omnibus
 Domestic only or global
 Online survey
 Appropriate audience?
 Omnibus
 Domestic only or global
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8. Dealing With the Media
 Prepare to defend your research
 Beopen about the methodology
 Qualitative research is of limited use
 Prepare a report
 Does not need to contain every detail
 Hold press conference or event to unveil
findings
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9. Additional benefits
 Research for Ink can have many legs
 Send tear sheets of articles to different stakeholders
 Create an event around the release of findings to
increase their impact
 Have the company’s expert appear on news and talk
shows
 Use the results to create seminars (or webinars or
blogs) with customers/clients, investors or end-user
groups
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10. Traps
 Make sure the survey is done properly
 Make sure you are creating “news”
 Don’t overstate or misstate your case
 Make sure your co-sponsor or expert
consultant is legitimate and credible
 Don’t allow the articles or press releases
to be self-serving
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11. Case Study
and

12. Objectives
 To show how small industrial companies use
search engines to buy products and services
they need
 To promote the use of Search Engine Marketing
(SEM) through ThomasNet and Google
 To generate publicity for both companies and
position them as resources for small industrial
companies
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13. Methodology
 Online survey of target audience
 590 Internet buyers
 331 Internet sellers
 About two-thirds of the respondents came from
ThomasNet subscribers; the rest were from
purchased lists
 Extensive questionnaire which asked all about
purchasing and marketing online
 Budget: $52,000
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14. Results
 Press release published in general and trade
magazines and newspapers (print) and online
 Placements appeared for a full year
 Findings used to create a seminar on how to
market effectively online, given to small
businesses in several cities
 Findings also used for ThomasNet newsletter
and a white paper for customers and sales reps
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15. Case Study
and the Home Safety Council

16. Objectives
 To raise awareness of potential safety
hazards in garages
 To call attention to the safety benefits of
having an organized garage
 To allow GarageTek® to develop the
platform that organization enhances safety
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17. Methodology
 Omnibus telephone survey of 502 homeowners
nationwide
 Random probability sample
 7 questions
 Partnered with the Home Safety Council
 Analysis segmented the sample by region, age,
and other demographics
 Budget: $5,800
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18. Results
 Findings showed a relative lack of concern
about potential dangers in one’s garage (about
29% were concerned), giving the client an
opportunity to educate the public
 Press release yielded 45 million impressions
 Video featured on CBS Early Show
 Results continue to be used in client’s
communications
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19. Additional Case
Studies

20. Highlight Unmet Health Needs
 Situation:
 Maker of prescription lenses wanted to extend
the brand by drawing attention to pediatric
eye care
 Solution:
 Survey of parents showed children’s eye care
is underserved
 Supportive statement by expert positioned
client as concerned
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21. Product Introduction
 Situation:
 Data storage device manufacturer was
introducing a new product line
 Solution:
 Quantify a problem in client/server
environments which the new product
addresses
 Press conferences and coverage in six
countries
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22. Upgrade the Brand Image of an
Old Product
 Situation:
A 100-year-old food industry directory wanted to be
viewed as a cutting edge resource
 Solution:
A survey of the marketplace, conducted at a trade
show, to determine new trends in foodservice
 Press conference at end of trade show highlighted the
profile; media coverage increased visability and
upgraded the company’s image
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23. Provide a Halo for a Healthcare
Company
 Situation:
 Reinforce
brand positioning of a biotech
company as caring about patients
 Solution:
 Survey of breast cancer patients regarding
impact on the job
 Co-sponsored by Working Woman magazine
 Survey received ancillary coverage
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24. Highlight a Common Health
Problem
 Situation:
 Promote the brand by highlighting leg health
problems for an herbal supplement manufacturer
 Solution:
 Consumer survey to determine behavior and
attitudes toward crossing legs, which is bad for leg
health
 In conjunction with “Great American Cross-out”
campaign
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25. Change a Negative Brand
Image
 Situation:
 Tradeorganization for international auto
manufacturers responding to negative
imagery of their members
 Solution:
 Consumer study showed significant
ownership of foreign brands and positive
attitudes toward them
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26. Increase Brand Awareness
 Situation:
 Position PR Agency as being “on top of”
trends
 Solution:
 An in-house omnibus study of current issues
in several categories
 Press releases written for each section and
placed in both vertical and marketing
publications
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