Media Relations

If you’re looking to define Media Relations, it all comes down to building relationships with the press. But building rapport between companies and journalists, with public relations professionals in the middle, is not as easy as it sounds.

Media relations represent an important tool which can lead to increased  influence by letting companies tell their story to the people. But there needs to be something in it for journalists and the media too. 

The goal is to get great coverage, but in order to do so, you’ll need to supply great content. This is not about marketing, or advertising. It’s about getting your message to the people who matter most. 

Building a strong reputation is challenging, and doesn’t happen overnight. It takes a lot of work behind the scenes. The trick is getting the media on your side, and doing so requires a smart media relations strategy.

Media Relations are an essential tool for companies around the world, but particularly in Latin America.

The media landscape is transforming drastically on a global scale, and the term itself has taken on a much broader meaning. The 24-hour news cycle, the growth in digital channels and social media, and the replacement of full-time journalists with freelancers has changed the storytelling process and traditional approaches to organisations’ relationships with the media. These days resources are increasingly scarce, and journalists are unlikely to take several hours out of their day to attend a press conference across town, to give just one example.

Editorial independence, however, remains a significant constant. Journalists will not cover a story without a relevant news angle which is appropriate to their readers. The decision to write or ignore a story is made very quickly, and depends on the relationship and rapport a journalist has with the agency pitching the story.

At Sherlock Communications, we pride ourselves on strong media relationships and an outstanding reputation. From our inception, we have established and maintained long-term relationships with journalists and top media outlets. 

The list includes Forbes, Infobae, GloboNews, Folha de São Paulo, Tecmundo, Clarín,  La Nación, El Comercio, La República, Gestión, Portafolio, El Tiempo, El Espectador and others. These relationships offer several advantages to our clients. We are seen as a trusted and reliable source by journalists, and they pick up the phone for us on a daily basis.

Our multilingual team is highly skilled at navigating the increasingly competitive media landscape, from digital channels to traditional print – and over half of us come from a journalistic background ourselves. We are well-versed in the different formats which work for the different outlets in today’s increasingly varied media landscape. Our fundamental media relations philosophy is simple: always be relevant, interesting and reliable.

We work closely with our clients to truly understand their product, brand and business aims and objectives. We use these insights to develop a robust strategy that uses creative storytelling to place our clients on the right platforms and publications. A central part of this strategy is ensuring we have compelling answers to these five basic questions:

To achieve our predefined goals, we start by developing a multifaceted strategy, which includes the following steps.

1. Identify key contacts. Most journalists work in specific fields and write exclusively about them. Our sizable database covers all the necessary details, giving us access not only to a comprehensive media landscape but also the topics which specific journalists are specialised in.
2. Track publications and their requirements. Simply sending out a press release or byline is not enough. We always follow up to confirm that the journalist is interested in the topic, and inquire whether they need more data, or an interview opportunity.
3. Provide high-quality images and multimedia material. In this visual era, releases need to be accompanied by top quality photos, videos and publications for social media such as Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube. 

Be proactive and responsive. We are in constant communication with journalists to reinforce our mutual relationship, and remain attentive to any requests they may have.

In the dynamic and competitive world of modern business, effective communication plays a crucial role in shaping a company’s reputation and success. Media relations, a strategic component of public relations, holds the key to building strong relationships with the media and leveraging them to tell compelling stories about a brand or organisation.

Here at Sherlock Communications, we understand that navigating the realm of media relations can be both exciting and challenging. As businesses and individuals seek to establish themselves as industry leaders, they often have questions about how to effectively engage with the media, gain media coverage and manage their reputation in the public eye.

This FAQ aims to address some of the most common questions related to media relations, besides those already addressed in the previous paragraphs. Our team of experts is dedicated to providing insights and solutions that can help businesses harness the power of media relations to achieve their communication goals.

Let’s explore these frequently asked questions to gain a deeper understanding of media relations and its significance in shaping brand narratives and perceptions.