Hey up, this is Unbottled, the Liam Neeson of PR:
We hunt down the latest news so you don’t have to.
Here’s what we’re serving up today:
-
Google’s the new librarian in town
-
The best of April Fools’
-
How to pitch to journalists, from journalists
Not only that we’ve got Children’s Book Day, the US jobs report and the Super Mario movie being released. Sharpen your press releases, it’s going to be a busy week.
GOOGLE’S NEW AD LIBRARY
Get those library cards ready, the big dog of the advertising world is launching a searchable ads library.
The catchy named Google Ads Transparency Centre will let you see which ads brands are running, where they are running them, and the dates those ads ran.
We just love seeing what our competitors are doing
Unfortunately for now the library is limited to creative, so we can’t spy on who the advertisers are targeting just yet, but it may only be a matter of time.
If you want to browse some ads, head to the Transparency Centre directly or click the three-dots menu that is next to an ad.
Although new for Google, this is something that should have been done years ago. Meta and Twitter have been doing this since 2019 and 2018. Why are you always late to the party Google? First AI, now this.
Either way, we just want to see more creative PPC as part of integrated campaigns.
Old but gold from Ann Summers:
THE BEST OF APRIL FOOLS’
From a vibe-checking wine bottle to an Easter egg made from pizza. Brands around the world got in on the April 1st action with a whole host of stunts. Let’s check out some of our favourites.
Faustino launched their AI-powered wine bottle called Faustino Futura. With a vibe check that self-opens the bottle when the vibe is right and a gen Z translator that helps the boomers at the table use the lingo. This was a stunt that most of us wish actually existed.
Combining Easter and April Fools, Pizza Express launched the world’s first pizza egg.
Move over chocolate, Easter just got a whole lot cheesier, crispier and more delicious.
Thanks to the latest dough technology we’re launching the world’s first… Pizza Egg.
Available now in two iconic flavours, the Padana and American Hot 🍕🥚 pic.twitter.com/4a8kw4Isvj
— PizzaExpress (@PizzaExpress) April 1, 2023
But sometimes, it is the people you least expect to get involved in the fun that stands out. Step up the Republic of Singapore Navy, introducing their new Frontline Reconnaissance and Operations Group (FROG).
According to Instagram, FROG comprises highly trained amphibians who have undergone specialised training to be able to communicate and work alongside their human counterparts.
The FROG comprises of Knowledge Enhanced Reconnaissance and Maritime Interdiction Teams (KERMITs obviously) which can conduct underwater interdiction operations to prevent or disrupt illicit maritime activities, such as piracy and terrorism.
As we know stunts can be great for earned media and brand awareness, but the challenge lies in coming up with an idea that is original and on brand.
So here’s a little resource to get your cogs working, or just some Monday entertainment.
HOW A JOURNALIST PREFERS TO BE PITCHED TO
PR has changed slightly. The days of taking journalists out for meals, and calling them up to cover your client are diminishing. If everyone pitched their stories to a journalist via their mobile it would ring every second of the day. Seriously.
A few weeks ago Muck Rack released their State of Journalism report.
Here are the take-homes:
Of course, this isn’t gospel. Some journalists operate differently from others, and you can still build up relationships via email.
But if you ever get asked why you aren’t on the phone all day, you can now show them this email with the data.
But above all, the story wins. Even if the journo is your best mate they still aren’t covering a sh*t story.
That’s all for this week folks. Stay thirsty & see you next week! If you want more, follow us on LinkedIn
– The Bottled Imagination team
