Have you ever wondered why blockbuster movie reviews, news coverage of certain announcements, and major tech-product reviews tend to be published on the exact same day and time across the media landscape? The answer is embargoes.
While the majority of news and product coverage is reported in real-time, a sizeable portion of it stems from embargoed briefings with members of the media. There’s a reason for that: Embargoed announcements and briefings provide the companies being covered (and their PR teams and partners) a greater sense of control over when news breaks, who covers it, and some of the key messages included in the coverage.
Welcome to Embargoes 101: In this post, we’ll cover the basics of news and product embargoes, why they make sense in some cases, why many reporters have a love/hate relationship with them, and why you’ll need some expert help in optimizing and executing your embargo strategy.
What is an embargo?
An embargo is a news announcement, product demo or product review unit shared with journalists before the announcement goes public. It usually involves a signed non-disclosure agreement (NDA) between a journalist or news outlet and a company: The journalist gets some potentially cool information, but they have to agree not to publish it until a certain date and time.
When is an embargo strategy a good idea?
It’s usually a good idea for major announcements, as it increases the chance of coverage. It gives journalists more lead time to do background research and work on a story, which they usually appreciate. In general, it keeps the writers happy because they’re getting an advanced look at things, and it keeps their editors happy because they have coverage on brand-new stuff. If the company making the announcement has concerns about how the media or general public will react to the news, there are benefits there, too: An embargo strategy can limit the “first wave of news” to reporters and outlets that have covered the company and its products favorably.
What’s the best amount of lead time for an embargo?
Depending on the context of the announcement, you should pre-brief the media at least a week in advance. More time helps the reporter be more proactive. For a major event like CES, it’s wise to give reporters a month or so of lead time, because there are so many things to cover at the show under embargo. The extra time helps reporters get all those CES stories done, and it also helps them have an actual holiday break.
Are there bad times for an embargo strategy?
Unless you’re launching at a major trade show, do your best to avoid competing with other big news announcements. If your embargo lift falls on the same day as a huge event or competing announcement, your news can get overshadowed or ignored. A good PR partner or team will make sure the embargo lift doesn’t conflict with anything major in the industry. You’re still going to be competing with breaking news that day, which is impossible to predict. That makes it important to eliminate competing with events and announcements you may know about in advance.
What are the benefits of an embargo for reporters and news outlets?
Reporters have more time to do competitive research and analysis, test the product thoroughly, contact you with follow-up questions, and write the story without having to juggle daily assignments. Ultimately, it gives them more time to get creative with their coverage and helps them fact-check their coverage without being pressed for time. For certain pieces of news, the lead time can boost the probability of a story being promoted on the homepage, because their editors know they can fill the slot in advance.
What are the potential drawbacks of an embargo?
The short answer is “leaks,” either to competitors or to the web at large. There is always the risk that a reporter may post a story before the agreed-upon date and time or otherwise break an embargo. But that is rare, and when it happens, it’s usually an honest mistake. The reporter may have gotten the time zone for the embargo wrong, or there may have been an auto-publish error in the content-management system. Reporters generally don’t break embargoes on purpose, because they usually want to maintain positive working relationships with the companies they cover.
Does an embargo guarantee positive coverage? Or coverage at all?
Nope on both. An embargo doesn’t mean favorable coverage, and it doesn’t guarantee coverage at all. It can just boost your odds a bit. Remember, reporters don’t know a single thing about your announcement until they agree to the embargo. That means they don’t know if they’re interested in covering the news until you give them that information. This is one reason why some reporters hate embargoes: They don’t know if the embargoed briefing is a waste of their time until it’s over with.
How can you increase the odds of positive coverage for embargoed product news?
The product itself needs to be good, interesting, and ready for scrutiny. It also needs more than just a press release at launch. Great visuals, well-produced videos and fully functional review units are all necessary. You’ll also need to target the right reporters: If the product isn’t relevant to a reporter they’re not going to cover it. And if the product isn’t ready for prime time, you’ll get negative coverage everywhere.
Deciding whether an embargo strategy is the right fit for your announcement is just one of many crucial decisions to make when planning your next product launch. If you go the embargo route, a monumental amount of work goes into making things run smoothly, including developing a content strategy, partnering with influencers, conducting a media tour, and effectively measuring the results of your efforts.
If you need expert product-launch help on demand, Airfoil will set you up for success. From strategy to execution, our cross-functional team has helped dozens of companies in various industries conduct successful product launches, news announcements, and content marketing programs.
Contact us, and let’s talk about how we can bring your product launch to the next level. No NDA required.
