If your product isn't newsworthy, don't focus on media relations

A colleague of mine had a discussion last week with a potential Wagner Communications client, a small food company that produces sauces and mixes used in regional cuisine.

The marketing manager wanted media coverage. We explained that there wasn't much news value in chili powder. We suggested he forget about being in the media and focus on marketing activities that would speak directly to people interested in cooking.

This is a perfect opportunity to utilize social media. Can't you just see a breezy blog written by a chef or just some cool cat who loves to cook ... someone with lots of personality and regional flair... promoting the idea of cooking tasty stuff?

Along with the blog, you could create a podcast with recipes and even engage customers in participating.

You could have people send in their own recipes or photos of their creations or what have you. You could take the blogger out on the road and interact with readers ... maybe even judge cooking contests that use the company's products!

Literally, in the span of about five minutes, my colleague and I cooked up -- sorry about that -- a whole potful of ideas that would be fun, creative and most importantly, drive awareness and sales.

Those ideas -- if implemented -- could have even led to media coverage!

The alternative is to charge an arm and a leg to have someone pitch food writers about a commodity product that is no different than the other sauces and mixes on the market.

And then to write tired news releases about "fall is the perfect time to make enchiladas" and other non-newsworthy stuff. And spend a ton of money to be included in some lame satellite media tour with a paper plate company and a mixing bowl manufacturer. And then three or four months later, get fired when none of the work produces even an inch of coverage.

Not sure what happened, but I think the client chose the alternative. Too bad.