Making News is Better Than Just Making the News

Understanding the Gap Between “Making the News” and “Making News”

When you hear the phrase “making the news,” most people picture a glossy press release, a scheduled interview, or a press conference that fills a newsroom’s inbox. They see a one‑off event that a journalist covers, a headline that flashes for a few minutes, and then the story fades. That approach is like pulling a shotgun blast out of a shotgun: the blast is wide, it spreads everywhere, but it rarely finds the target it was meant to hit. In contrast, “making news” is a slingshot. You pull back a single thread of an idea, aim carefully, and let it launch into the air with precision. The result is a focused, resonant story that lands squarely in front of the audience you care about and stays there.

Amateurs love the shotgun approach because it feels easy. They can ride a wave of curiosity, ride a trending headline, or ride the next big trend by piggybacking on someone else’s story. A charity event, a product launch, or a local accolade will get a single mention in a morning show or a local paper. A few words in a trade magazine may feel like a win. Yet those brief flashes rarely stick. Think of a flash of light at a concert – it dazzles for a second, then it’s gone. For a business, that fleeting attention is like a quick splash in a stormy sea; the water washes it away before you can even grab it.

The core difference lies in intent and execution. “Making the news” asks: What story are we telling? Who cares about it? How does it fit into the audience’s worldview? It starts with a clear narrative that aligns with a larger conversation and then finds the right journalists to tell it. The audience already has a problem or a curiosity. Your brand offers a fresh angle or an unexpected twist. That’s why Apple’s iMac didn't just launch in a press release; it launched as a conversation about color, design, and how computers could become a lifestyle statement.

By contrast, “making the news” often involves reactive tactics: a PR stunt, a viral video, or a sensational headline. The narrative is thin. The audience has no hook that pulls them deeper. They see a headline, they click, they skim, and then they move on. The brand is left wondering why the story didn’t generate more leads or why the buzz faded so quickly.

One of the biggest pitfalls of the shotgun approach is that it doesn’t consider the long‑term relationship with media or audience. The next time a journalist covers your brand, they’ll think of the last story, which might have been a stunt or a one‑off. They won’t see you as a trusted source or a thought leader. Without that credibility, each new story becomes another attempt at a fresh headline, and you’re stuck in a cycle of “making the news” instead of “making news.”

To break out of that cycle, you need to shift from chasing headlines to crafting narratives that matter. That means starting with the question, “What story will people want to read about me, and why?” The answer should be clear, compelling, and align with the audience’s needs and aspirations. The narrative then becomes a magnet that draws journalists in, turning a single piece of coverage into a springboard for future stories.

Remember, the slingshot doesn’t fire every time. It requires precision, timing, and a keen understanding of the target audience. But when it lands, the impact is far greater. That’s why most high‑performing brands invest in long‑term storytelling rather than one‑time stunts. They build a narrative ecosystem that journalists can revisit, and audiences can trust. That is the difference that turns a brand from a one‑off headline into a lasting conversation.

Why Quick Media Tricks Fall Flat: The Taco Bell Lesson and the Cost of “Making the News”

In the world of public relations, a quick win looks attractive. It’s easy to score, it’s cheap, and it feeds the ego of a manager who wants to see a headline on the front page. The problem is that these wins rarely pay off in the long run. A prime illustration is a Taco Bell stunt from a few years back that aimed to capture headlines by tying itself to a space‑station crisis. The Space Shuttle SkyLab was on a trajectory that could have brought debris into the Pacific. Taco Bell hired a boat to tow a giant, bright target out over the ocean. The idea was simple: if the debris struck the target, every American would get a free taco.

That stunt was a masterclass in creating a visual hook. The media had a dramatic, science‑fiction‑style story, and the brand inserted itself as a playful participant. The resulting coverage was unmistakably Taco Bell – the tagline, the photo of the boat, the mention of free tacos. It felt like a clever marketing move, and the brand did get a headline. But the deeper question is: did that headline translate into new customers or repeat engagement? The answer is no.

There was no follow‑up story that built on the initial buzz. The public saw a one‑time image and moved on. Without a sustained narrative, the headline became a footnote. The media’s story focused on the spectacle, not on Taco Bell’s value proposition. It did not establish the brand as a problem solver, a trendsetter, or a credible voice in the fast‑food arena. For most consumers, it was a one‑off piece of trivia that did not influence their next meal choice.

From a financial perspective, “making the news” like this is essentially an expense with a negligible return on investment. The costs – hiring a boat, paying for media time, producing a stunt – add up. The benefits – a headline, a few social media shares – are fleeting. By contrast, a well‑crafted news story can generate inbound leads, improve search engine rankings, and create a pool of press coverage that can be leveraged for years.

There are two reasons why many PR teams keep focusing on these quick hits. First, they’re easy to achieve. Media outlets are constantly looking for fresh angles, and a stunt offers an instant angle. Second, leadership often does not connect the dots between headline coverage and bottom‑line revenue. If a new employee sees a headline on the company’s website, they might think it’s a win. They won’t see the long‑term cost of chasing that headline if it doesn’t bring in paying customers.

That is why the most successful brands treat “making the news” as a stepping stone rather than the end goal. They understand that the headline is just a door opener. The real work begins after the headline: building trust, delivering on promises, and staying relevant. The Taco Bell stunt reminds us that a headline can be a blip if it’s not part of a broader narrative that keeps the audience engaged and looking for more.

In short, quick media tricks may bring a headline, but they rarely bring lasting business growth. Companies that want to thrive need to invest in the discipline of storytelling that resonates with their audience and feeds the media’s appetite for deeper, more meaningful content. The result is a story that not only appears in the news but stays in the news, driving interest, leads, and ultimately revenue.

Turning Your Brand Into a News Magnet: The Path to Remarkability

To become a news magnet, you must make your brand “remarkable.” Remarkable is not an afterthought or a marketing slogan; it is a DNA strand that runs through every product, service, and internal culture from day one. When a company is truly remarkable, reporters line up for a story because they know that sharing it will give their audience something fresh, valuable, and newsworthy.

Apple’s Steve Jobs exemplified this approach. He didn’t just sell devices; he introduced concepts that seemed almost magical. Each product launch - whether the Macintosh, the iMac, or iTunes - was a story about human interaction with technology that felt revolutionary. Even when a product underperformed, the narrative kept Apple in the news because it was always pushing the boundary. Jobs didn’t wait for media to notice; he crafted stories that were impossible to ignore.

Similarly, consider how a seemingly ordinary product can become the center of a cultural wave. Take Snapple in the 1990s. The company took a simple beverage and turned it into a cultural phenomenon by packaging it with quirky, irreverent slogans. The brand’s humor became newsworthy in its own right, and the stories about its marketing campaigns turned into talking points across media outlets. The success wasn’t in the drink itself but in the narrative that made people laugh and share.

Another example is the Hummer. Originally a military vehicle, it was rebranded for the civilian market and quickly became a status symbol. The news focus wasn’t on the vehicle’s practicality; it was on its audacious design and the way it disrupted conventional automotive conversation. The Hummer’s story became part of the pop‑culture lexicon, and that sustained attention translated into sales and brand recognition.

In the world of trading cards, Pokemon achieved remarkable status by blending an imaginative game with a vibrant world that appealed to collectors and fans alike. Media coverage moved beyond the game mechanics to explore the cultural impact of the franchise, turning each new release into a story that captured the imagination of millions. That narrative depth kept the brand in the news for decades.

What do these examples share? They all had a core idea or innovation that was so distinct that it demanded media attention. They also had teams that integrated PR early in the development process. Instead of waiting for a product to finish, PR strategists were there from the start, shaping the story, identifying angles, and building relationships with journalists who could amplify the narrative. That early partnership ensures that the brand’s remarkable qualities become part of the product’s DNA, rather than a marketing afterthought.