Devoted to branding and building and protecting brands

A new photo printing service called PhotoFiddle got exposure on the NBC Today Show (today).  The placement and the Mother’s Day timing was a publicist’s fantasy come true. I know, I’ve been there and back a few times with the scar tissue to prove it.

As with a lot of things in business, and life, timing and luck have much to do with complementing the determination and story-pitching ability of the publicist.  Yes, it helps to know the show’s producers, but the “who you know” boast of many PR agencies and people is, in my experience, easily over-sold and over-bought.  If, indeed, your sister-in-law is a producer for Oprah and can grease a few skids, it won’t hurt.  Might even make the difference.  HOWEVER: what a national, morning talkshow with big numbers continually craves is a great story: irresistible content that’s visual, explainable in monosyllables, general appeal to broad audience, timeliness, with bona fides (credentials/experience spread among articulate spokespeople), and people associated with the new brand or company or product who look like they know what they’re talking about.  

These are not easy elements to combine for “new” products.  Even when it’s a new brand from a known manufacturer, it’s not easy to score with media who bring you big audiences.  They have a lot to choose from.  Translation: there are hundreds of products screaming for attention out there on the PR circuit.  Some never make past the cold call, in terms of “getting their story told”.  And even these audiences are shrinking, but that’s a whole other story.

The “brand” aspect to this thing is simply that product PR-announcement success is step one in the process.   A stellar TV debut is not a complete go-to-market strategy.  It is nothing more or less than a great PR score.   Now that PhotoFiddle has been given The Today Show’s tacit seal of approval, it needs to amplify itself, across all media, and remind people why it’s a big deal.  This goes beyond the scope of media-relations.  

Does PhotoFiddle’s value proposition make it worth a try?  Is it that much better than what people are doing now with (and to) their photos?  Will its costs of adoption (time, learning, hidden expenses of additional stuff you’ll need to have before you can enjoy the full benefit of the product) plus the price still make it attractive?