8 Recent Examples of Newsjacking in Action

Shortly after the announcement that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were "stepping away" as senior members of the Royal Family, Madame Tussauds Wax Museum also made news by removing Harry and Megan from a wax display of the Royal family.


But, the famous wax museum's publicity stunt isn't the only example of a brand that's leveraged a news event to gain awareness or viral attention. In fact, this tactic has been used by marketers throughout the 2000s. It's often called "newsjacking."


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Newsjacking is when a brand or firm mentions or creates a campaign centered around a major, well-discussed news item. It's slightly different from a publicity stunt in that the news item is leveraged in marketing while a stunt might acknowledge news within a public venue or place of business.


Why do brands choose to newsjack rather than creating a totally original storyline for their campaigns? It's simply because this strategy helps them get discovered by adding or piggybacking off of larger conversations happening online.


In the early 2010s, we frequently saw newsjacking attempts during big, televised events like the Super Bowl or the Academy Awards. But, as marketers more frequently use social media and online channels, we're seeing brands identify newsy topics faster and newsjack through a variety of content.


If you're looking to leverage news, trends, or current events to amp up your marketing strategy, you might be wondering, "How do I get started?" or "How can I do this tastefully?"


If so, one great way to learn how to newsjack is to watch how other brands have done it.


Examples of Newsjacking

To help you get inspired, here are a few examples of brands that successfully took on newsjacking and some takeaways that you can keep in mind in 2021.


1. Google's Year in Search

2020 was a difficult year for many people, defined primarily by the global pandemic caused by novel virus COVID-19. The spread of COVID-19 led to a global health crisis, governmental shutdowns, and the worst economic recession since the Great Depression.


But 2020 also marked a contentious U.S. election amidst a civil rights movement, major climate catastrophes such as the fires in California and Australia, and deaths of prominent figures such as Kobe Bryant, Chadwick Boseman, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Alex Trebek. With the challenges that 2020 brought, some thought the year would never end.


The Newsjacking

Every December, Google shares its #YearInSearch, featuring the trends and events that shaped the year. This video promotes Google's brand as well as its feature Google Trends, a tool that helps users review and analyze unbiased samples of Google search data.


Because of the unique events in 2020, #YearInSearch was a poignant recap that tackled the topics the swept the world. According to Fast Company, 2020's Year in Search campaign differed from previous years' campaigns in more than just content. "For starters, the 2020 Year In Search video is narrated with a poem written and spoken by poet Kofi Dadzie, a Ghanaian American based in Boston. The video also features an original song this year, instead of using a pre-existing one. That song is called 'Together' and was created by Grammy-winning producer Peter Cottontale, with collaboration from Cynthia Erivo and Chance the Rapper."

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