Posts in category: Blog

Ramadan, which began this week, is one of the most significant religious events in Southeast Asia – and is often considered a great time to reach consumers who are on the lookout for great deals during this period. Less tangibly, it is also a great time for businesses to strengthen their media relations by embracing the values and spirit of this sacred time. 

In this piece, we delve into the strategies and approaches that can help businesses effectively build media relations during Ramadan, fostering trust, understanding, and meaningful connections, bringing it to life with actual case studies. 

Curate themes and content

One of the key aspects of building media relations during Ramadan is tailoring content to resonate with the themes and values of this holy month. During this time, brands must consider incorporating themes of compassion, community, and reflection into their media pitches and content. 

Highlight how your organisation’s values align with those of Ramadan, whether it’s through seasonal campaign initiatives, community projects, or promoting unity and togetherness. By weaving these themes into your messaging, you can create content that not only captures the spirit of Ramadan but also resonates deeply with your audience and the media.

Build long-term relationships

Building authentic relationships with journalists and editors is essential for effective engagement all year long, but especially during Ramadan.

To achieve this, brands and businesses must take the opportunity to learn more about our media friends and be more relevant. Rather than having a generic media list, create one that’s targeted and relevant to your business – and then reach out to them with thoughtful Ramadan-related hampers, and meaningful story ideas.

We can learn so much from other markets, which successfully pulled off media gatherings and strengthened friendships in the wake of the fasting month.

For example, in Indonesia, JobStreet seized the opportunity to connect with the media through an intimate media gathering during Ramadan. By having the company’s CEO and top executives share important news updates while breaking their fast with the media, the company was able to greater camaraderie and open new doors. To build on those relationships, JobStreet also curated special PR hampers as a token of the company’s appreciation. 

COO of Jobstreet by SEEK, Indonesia, deep in conversation with Indonesian media friends

In Malaysia, Pavilion Bukit Jalil hosted an experiential event where members of the media were given a food tour through the mall’s delectable dining options, featuring nutritious options for them to break fast with. The mall also took this opportunity to showcase Ramadan promotions, and journalists had a chance to revel in stunning festive décor.

With this media event, Pavilion Bukit Jalil created unique, culturally relevant stories for the journalists to tell. To further enhance their relationship with the media, Pavilion Bukit Jalil prepared special goodie bags as a token of appreciation.

Pavilion Bukit Jalil held a lively launch event to celebrate the month of Ramadan with members of the media

This Ramadan, businesses and organisations have a unique opportunity to build media relations while embracing the values and spirit of this sacred time. By tailoring content to resonate with Ramadan themes and building meaningful relationships, businesses can effectively embrace the spirit of Ramadan and nurture meaningful connections that endure beyond the holy month.

Need a PR agency to help you get media relations right during Ramadan? Hit us up by emailing [email protected]

Most marketers are struggling under pressure to outperform, even as they navigate budget cuts. They’re unable to hire more people but are expected to produce more content and media coverage than ever before. Past conversations with clients show that allocating budgets strategically is crucial and that one wrong move can prove costly. One marketer, for example, was forced to ditch their SEO budget in favour of a splashy, one-off event, which we’re not sure generated the expected results. 

Public relations (PR) and content marketing offer distinct value propositions — but work best when brands take an integrated approach. While PR focuses on earned media and reputation, content marketing involves creating and distributing valuable, relevant content to attract and retain your target audience. However, neither can be done in a silo. But understanding the strengths and limitations of each approach will help you better allocate resources for your specific goals. 

If you’re torn about how to spend your budget, consider doing these four things:

1. Research matters

Before diving headfirst into a full-blown marketing strategy, take the time to conduct thorough research. Many brands skip this crucial step because of historical bias or assumptions they’re making about their target audience. 

By understanding your potential customers’ needs, interests, and preferences, you can tailor your messaging and positioning to resonate more effectively. Research can also uncover data that validates your communication plans and identifies new growth opportunities. Ultimately, investing time in research can lead to more informed decision-making and a stronger, more impactful marketing strategy.

2. Align your objectives to outcomes

Many businesses are tempted to be all things to everyone. Often, this means being everywhere, churning out content that most people aren’t even going to see. While there’s no magical number to content and coverage cadence, the key is to ensure you’re creating high-value content on a regular basis across key distribution channels. 

To get started, identify your primary goal and allocate budgets and efforts accordingly. For example, if your goal is to gain greater visibility and reach a broader audience, consider a well-thought-out public relations campaign and use coverage to create content on your LinkedIn and website. But if you want to focus on lead generation , concentrate your efforts on more blog content, email marketing, case studies, ebooks, etc. Regardless of our efforts, we recommend repurposing content and tailoring it to fit the channels of your choice. 

3. Measuring performance and ROI

It’s crucial to set clear goals and track how your PR and content marketing efforts are doing. This means deciding what success looks like for you, whether it’s getting mentioned in the media, driving more people to your website, or lead generation. By regularly checking your performance data, like how many times your brand is mentioned in articles or how many visitors your website gets, you can see what’s working and what’s not. For instance, if you’re running a content marketing campaign, you might measure success by tracking how many leads it generates through downloads of a gated ebook. This helps you understand where to focus your resources and proves the value of your marketing efforts.

4. Embracing innovation

When used well, generative AI can help businesses preserve budgets. For instance, the right prompts can quickly assist in pulling together the first draft for a press release or a blog’s structure. Marketers, however, still need to do the heavy lifting when it comes to campaign ideation and original storytelling. 

The arrival of transformative technology can be challenging and confusing. Overall, human connection remains important for communications professionals as no AI solution can conceive stories, liaise, pitch, and land coverage with the media in quite the same way. 

Let Mutant amplify your marketing success

Understanding where to allocate your budget is key to maximising your marketing efforts. Whether you’re aiming to enhance your brand’s visibility, engage your target audience with valuable content, or generate leads, finding the right mix of PR and content marketing efforts can significantly elevate your strategy.

At Mutant, we specialise in crafting integrated marketing strategies that align with your business goals, ensuring your budgets work harder and smarter. With expertise in PR and content marketing in Singapore, our team can help you make informed decisions, measure ROI effectively, and innovate with the latest technologies while keeping the human touch in storytelling and media relations.

Ready to optimise your marketing budgets and drive results? Let’s talk about how we can bring your marketing strategy to greater heights. Reach out to our communications and PR agency at [email protected] to unlock your company’s full potential.

No matter where you look, it’s hard to avoid Taylor Swift. Whether it’s a new album announcement, her romance with a professional athlete, or the economic impact of The Eras Tour, there’s no denying that the singer-songwriter dominated headlines in 2023 – and it doesn’t seem like that’s going to change anytime soon.

But what is perhaps most impressive about this is the fact that Swift is doing it nearly two decades into her career. Her first album was released in 2006, and since then she’s put out 13 more albums, won 14 Grammys, and successfully changed genres, going from a country chanteuse to an international pop star. This continuing success is in large part due to Swift’s talent and hard work. But crucially, she has remained relatable to people the world over, even as her fame has risen to incredible heights.

Swift’s boundless appeal

Despite the fact that she’s a superstar with wealth, accolades, and access to a lifestyle that most of us can barely fathom, Swift doesn’t often feel untouchable. She is endearing, but not cool; she’s sharp, but not intimidating; she’s witty, but not uproarious; she’s poised, but not graceful. And that means she’s someone many people can relate to – the kind-of awkward friend who sometimes tries a little too hard and is more than a little self-deprecating.

And on top of all that, there’s her songwriting. Album after album, her work captures the minutiae and nuances of life and love in a way that makes listeners feel as if she perhaps looked into their brains and watched memories about a first kiss or a toxic friendship or a slow heartbreak or a particularly wonderful weekend play out.

But beyond penning songs that successfully communicate nostalgia and angst and rage and joy in ways that are universally understood, Swift and her team have pinpointed ways to keep her fans engaged and not just hungry, but ravenous for more.

In examining her career, there are several lessons brands can learn from the enduringly relatable Swift.

Don’t be afraid to evolve

It’s called The Eras Tour for a reason: Swift has very effectively changed genres, styles, sounds, and attitudes from album to album, creating different “eras” throughout her career that reflect how she – and her audience – have grown and changed over the years.

Take the temperature of your vertical and audience regularly and consider whether you are still relevant. If the answer is no, then identify what you need to change, be it a complete rebrand, new messaging pillars, a shift in strategy, or tweaking your brand voice – because it’s time to enter a new era.

Allow your failures to make you stronger

Several of Swift’s public embarrassments loom large in pop culture. “I’mma let you finish” became a catchphrase after Kanye West interrupted Swift’s acceptance speech during a live awards show; her unrestrained reactions when winning awards turned her into a punchline (and a lot of gifs); photos of a boyfriend wearing an “I ♥ TS” shirt at her Fourth of July party made both of them internet punching bags; and her statement about the rights to her masters being sold (which was the catalyst for the “Taylor’s Version” re-recordings of her first six albums) led many people to question the veracity of her claims.

Rather than pretending these moments never happened, Swift usually confronts them head-on after a period of reflection. Whether it be through songwriting or even merch, she often works these moments into her narrative, owning them, and making them part of her brand.

It’s an interesting consideration for brands. Though not every crisis scenario or company failure is something that businesses will want to shine a light on or remind people of, addressing public missteps can be beneficial. It could bring a sense of humility, humour, or levity if done correctly, and even go to show how much a company has reflected and grown.

Inject fun into your strategy

Something that Swift has become synonymous with is her use of clever hints and Easter eggs, which keep her fanbase puzzling over what might be coming next. Most recently, Swift performed a mash-up of three songs during one of her Eras Tour concerts in Melbourne that has many fans speculating on social media that she was hinting “reputation (Taylor’s Version)” will be released in August.

Incorporating playful ideas that tease new products, services, or offers, or that simply engage customers between campaigns, is a great way to strengthen your marketing strategy, and keep you top of mind.

Proclaim your values

For years, Swift stayed out of politics. But in 2018, she publicly endorsed a Democratic politician in her home state. Since then, she has continued to be vocal about her political opinions, beliefs, and values, supporting the LGBTQ+ community, defining her stance on abortion, releasing a political anthem, and encouraging voter registration.

As value-based marketing becomes more crucial for businesses, it’s important for brands to define their values, and incorporate them into their key messages and mission statement. From there, brands can then determine how to create marketing campaigns, communications strategies, and crisis plans that consistently and seamlessly reinforce their values.

Surprise your audience from time to time

Despite Swift’s penchant for hints, she often still manages to surprise fans. During her Eras Tour shows, she reserves time to play two “surprise songs” that change from show to show, and in years past, she’s referenced memes of herself, hosted intimate, in-home listening parties for fans, and sent fans gifts during Christmas, which was quickly dubbed “Swiftmas.”

By finding ways to delight fans – either as a collective or individually – Swift forges a deeper bond with them. Brands, too, can do this, creating opportunities to foster a sense of community and genuinely bring joy to their audiences, while also boosting engagement and brand loyalty.

Taking a page out of Swift’s playbook can help your brand find ways to remain self-aware, connect with your audience, create community, and grow, when needed. And if it doesn’t go exactly as planned? Then just shake it off and move on to the next era.

This article first appeared in Marketing Interactive.

Whether you want to deep-dive into important conversations about global pop stars or need help with a solid content strategy, we’ve got you covered — [email protected]