Summertime is here and with it comes a lot of opportunities to pitch stories to the media about your food and wine. So what kind of stories would appeal to them?
First, we need to know the development time-frame of the various media outlets.
- TV: 2-3 weeks
- Radio: 2-4 weeks
- Newspapers: 2-4 weeks.
- Magazines: 4-6 months.
TV, Radio, Newspapers, stories such as…..
- Grilling and outdoor dining.
- Lighter wines for hot summer days (think “July”)
- Wines that go well with gourmet hot dogs (or burgers or BBQ chicken).
- New types of refreshing non-alcoholic drinks
- Grilling “secrets” for tastier foods
- Reviews of new types of outdoor cooking equipment
- How to pack a romantic picnic for two.
Magazines:
Thanksgiving and Christmas (really). Stories such as….
- Cooking the perfect turkey
- Side dishes that can be made the night before
- 11 tasty dishes that use leftover turkey
- Christmas breakfasts
- How to cook a turkey faster
- Meals that DON’T use turkey that your family will love
- Basting with wine: should you use red or white?
- 7 wines to serve AFTER Thanksgiving dinner
The possibilities are endless. Think of the experiments you do in the kitchen or new ideas you try in your restaurant…that can be the basis of a good story.
I have several friends who are chefs, and they’re always thinking of new flavor combinations or they’re trying out new equipment and techniques. If you do that sort of thing, announce it to the media!
The culinary media is always interested in new ideas, so send them yours. And when you tie it into the time of year, your chances of getting covered are that much greater.
