Events are now the best way to get in touch with the press and influencers in order to promote the launch of a product or a new concept.

When it organises press events, a brand is above all looking to obtain articles and a certain visibility in newspapers and magazines. Yet in 2018, the print press saw sales fall by almost 6% while those of the digital press jumped by almost 26%. Although the online press is growing strongly, that is no longer enough. Today, there are no more press events without bloggers and influencers. In a few years they have become new, indispensable players in brand communication.

Adapting approaches to the audience

With the traditional press

The traditional press is admittedly in decline, but its presence remains essential at events. An article in the traditional press will have a different reach from a photo posted on Instagram. Journalists retain a target audience quite different from that of today’s bloggers and influencers.

With bloggers and influencers

Bloggers and influencers are also often the trigger for a purchase by a member of their community. The influencer profession evolves a little more every day, and the working methods to use with them must also adapt!

For example, avoid excessive use of plastic packaging in the gift bags guests take home. Influencers receive many parcels every day and some of them are beginning to speak out against brands that pay little attention to this aspect.

Pleasing the different types of guest

Press events for brands launching a new collection or a new product are often grouped into the same week (for example, the end of March for summer collection presentations). The challenge is therefore to stand out in a context of over-solicitation faced by journalists, bloggers and influencers alike.

The multiplication of press events leads them to make a very selective choice of those they attend. Even if the guest can only free up 30 minutes to come to the event, they must leave with a lasting memory that will not fade by the time they reach the next event on their list!

It is therefore necessary to add value to the event and to turn it into a new experience that creates a feeling of privilege.

For the event to be shared on social media and to generate genuine interest in the brand, the venue and decoration must be remarkable and “Instagrammable”. Walls dressed in the brand’s name and image to have your photo taken in front of have become essential. And some go even further! The cosmetics brand Origins, for example, recently surprised its guests with a dinner with a “Walk in the forest” décor and a table runner made of edible soil.

Every detail must be thought through so that it benefits the event’s communication: the presence of brand ambassadors, the creation of a hashtag for the event, personalised gift bags that contain more than just the product in question, creative suppliers…

Taking everyone’s characteristics into account when organising press events

The challenge is to put on an event that will interest both the press and influencers. These two audiences, however, have different approaches to handling and distributing information.

For the traditional press, the event must take place a few weeks before the article appears on newsstands, while influencers and bloggers offer instant distribution. It is therefore wise to think carefully about the date of the event and about the possible value of organising an event for each targeted audience.

Creating enthusiasm around a pop-up event thanks to influencers

Press and influencers do not offer visibility only at product, collection or brand launches. For ephemeral events and pop-up stores, organising a preview evening for the press and influencers helps ensure the event’s success with the general public.

The stories and posts shared by influencers let them tell their followers about the opening of a new concept. The general public will be more tempted to go there knowing that the people they follow online have been and shared their good experience on social media.  

The “Atelier 1664” event held at the Cercle LeBrun last spring succeeded in bringing journalists, influencers, bloggers and above all the general public together in one place. There are now more than 600 photos on Instagram posted with the hashtag “atelier1664”, some of them, posted by influencers, having gathered more than 3,000 likes.

With exceptional venues with outdoor spaces in the heart of Paris, the By Kadrance Cercles offer an ideal, unusual setting for press events. Contact our team if you would like more information.