Newsjacking

Newsjacking is the tactic of inserting a brand or executive into a breaking news story to earn coverage that would not otherwise have been available. Coined and popularized by David Meerman Scott in 2011, the term describes a discipline that has always existed in PR but rarely had a name — the fast pitch built on top of someone else's news cycle.

How It Works

The mechanics are simple: monitor the news, identify a story where the client has genuine expertise or relevant data, get a comment, statement, or thought piece in front of reporters within hours — sometimes minutes — of the story breaking. Get there first and the client becomes a named source. Get there late and the window has closed.

Famous Examples

Oreo's 2013 Super Bowl blackout tweet ("You can still dunk in the dark") is the canonical newsjacking case study. Arby's livestreaming Pharrell's Grammy hat in 2014, Hertz's response to the JetBlue Hawaii apology tour, Slack's takedown of Microsoft Teams' launch — each turned a competitor's or an unrelated event's news cycle into earned reach.

The Risks

Newsjacking goes wrong fast when the news being attached to is tragic, sensitive, or politically charged. The DiGiorno #WhyIStayed tweet in 2014 — joining a domestic violence hashtag for pizza promotion — is the canonical disaster. The rule: newsjack moments where the brand has something to add. Stay out of moments where the only motive is opportunism.