Publicity is the outcome of securing unpaid media exposure designed to generate widespread awareness for an individual, company, or cause. Unlike promotional activities that involve direct payments, this communication relies on the inherent newsworthiness of the subject matter. Gaining this third-party validation helps shape public perception and build trust. Examining the varied forms successful publicity takes across different media platforms illustrates how this awareness is achieved.
Defining Publicity and Earned Media
The term publicity is often used interchangeably with earned media, which describes favorable coverage generated without direct payment to the publisher or broadcaster. This distinction separates the credibility of a third-party endorsement from a self-serving commercial message. Advertising, by contrast, is paid media where a company purchases a guaranteed spot, such as a magazine spread or a television commercial, giving the advertiser complete control over the message, placement, and timing.
Earned media is secured by convincing a journalist, editor, or content creator that the story is relevant and interesting to their audience. While the resulting coverage carries credibility, the brand has less control over the final narrative or publication date. This credibility often outweighs the lack of control, making earned media a powerful tool for building reputation and trust.
Examples of Traditional Earned Media Coverage
One recognizable form of publicity involves securing a feature story in a prominent print or broadcast outlet following a strategic announcement. This typically begins with a press release distributed to journalists detailing a company’s new product launch, expansion, or major hiring initiative. For example, if a technology firm announces a plan to create 500 new manufacturing jobs, a major newspaper or local news affiliate may cover the economic impact of the story.
The resulting publicity is often a deeper dive, where a reporter interviews the company’s CEO or a spokesperson to provide context. This exposure might be a detailed article analyzing market implications or a televised segment showing the factory floor. Traditional earned media provides an authoritative context for the business, leveraging the news organization’s reputation to validate the company’s actions.
Examples of Digital and Social Media Virality
The contemporary media landscape offers a rapid path to publicity through spontaneous online attention, often termed virality. This earned media occurs when content, created by a brand or a consumer, is shared exponentially across social platforms without paid promotion. For example, a food brand might design a visually striking packaging update that prompts thousands of users to post “unboxing” videos or photographs on platforms like TikTok and Instagram.
Successful social publicity relies on a brand creating a post that is timely, humorous, or emotionally resonant, sparking widespread discussion. An unexpected tweet from a major airline responding humorously to a customer complaint, for instance, can be screenshotted and shared by hundreds of thousands of users, generating organic mentions that reach millions. Shareability is the primary mechanism for accumulating this valuable online attention, even through small-scale organic mentions by specialized micro-influencers within niche communities.
Examples of Thought Leadership and Expert Positioning
Publicity can be generated by positioning company executives as authorities in their fields, a practice known as thought leadership. This approach leverages the individual’s reputation to reflect positively on the organization, establishing credibility beyond product features. A CEO might secure an opportunity to write an opinion piece, or op-ed, for a nationally recognized publication like The New York Times or Forbes concerning a new regulatory challenge or economic trend.
This earned media focuses on the executive’s expertise and foresight, not the company’s services. Executives are frequently quoted as independent industry experts in trade journals, providing market analysis where their company holds specialized knowledge. Participating as a speaker or panelist at major industry conferences also generates publicity, as these appearances are often covered by trade media, reinforcing the leader’s status as a respected voice.
Examples of Corporate Social Responsibility and Community Events
Positive publicity is often an organic result of corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives and community involvement. This strategy involves actions that benefit the public, with media attention serving as a secondary reward. For example, a regional bank might sponsor a local marathon or organize a volunteer day where employees refurbish a public park, actions local news outlets are inclined to cover.
The resulting coverage focuses on the positive impact on the community, framing the sponsoring company as a good corporate citizen. Releasing a transparent annual impact report detailing sustainability achievements or charitable giving can also garner positive press coverage in business and environmental publications. In these cases, publicity is earned because the company has taken tangible steps to contribute beyond its commercial goals.
Examples of Attention-Grabbing Stunts and Guerrilla Tactics
Some organizations intentionally seek publicity through unconventional and provocative actions designed to surprise the public and media into coverage. These attention-grabbing stunts, sometimes called guerrilla tactics, are temporary, non-traditional installations deployed in visible public spaces to generate immediate buzz. A common example involves a flash mob performing an elaborate, unexpected dance sequence in a busy train station to promote a new entertainment product.
Another tactic involves placing a massive, highly visual temporary sculpture or installation in a city park designed to be photographed and shared instantly. While effective at generating rapid media attention and social discussion, this approach carries an elevated risk. The publicity can backfire if the stunt is perceived as manipulative, offensive, or disruptive, requiring careful ethical consideration before deployment.
Examples of Industry Awards and Third-Party Endorsements
Publicity can be secured by achieving external validation from respected third-party organizations and industry bodies. This involves actively pursuing and promoting accolades that lend objective credibility to a product or service. A software company might submit its product for review and subsequently win a “Best in Class” award from a technology trade association.
Similarly, receiving a positive, independent review from a respected testing organization, such as a high rating from Consumer Reports for a household appliance, provides earned media. The company’s subsequent publicity efforts then focus on announcing and highlighting this unbiased endorsement, using the third party’s authority to reassure potential customers about the product’s quality.