The Message of Messaging

At one of my favorite coffee and pastry shops, near the entrance there is a wall of news clippings and magazine food reviews. The sign for a restaurant in the city where I grew up has a map of the state of Michigan and mastheads of the different newspapers it has been featured in (including the New York Post). Peculiar, yes, but I didn’t design the sign.

When shopping during a trip to Boston this summer, I’ll never forget this binder that sat on the counter of a boutique near the register. It contained jagged-edged magazine and newspaper clippings of products (including a top-rated eyelash curler) available in the store. None of these articles mentioned the particular boutique; rather they were simply a hodgepodge of news clips that spotlighted products.

Somewhere along the line, it seems everyone got the message of messaging.

The good news is that entrepreneurs and large companies alike regard media coverage as a great way to reach targeted audiences.

The better news is companies that recognize this trend and reach out for help are undoubtedly ahead of the curve. With an agency, these companies are developing meaningful marketing and public relations campaigns that have longevity and provide direct impact.

So, nothing against the binder of news clippings, this boutique was certainly on the right track. But, if I would have read in those articles that celebrities frequented the boutique and it was the only place I could get the lauded eye lash curler…well, as those who know me are well aware, I would have been the first in line to purchase.