Satellite Media Tour
Satellite Media Tours (SMT) remain an effective public relations tactic that can often generate high-quality results that matter to your clients. However, an SMT in 2024 is very different from even 10 years ago. Today, across the PR services spectrum, it’s all about tapping into multiple media mediums - earned and paid results; TV, Radio and Online outlets - and the same is true for an SMT.
With 35 years as an industry leader, KEF Media delivers the technical expertise that will make your SMT network quality. We offer this tried and true public relations broadcast technique that embeds your spokesperson and message on television newscasts in target markets across the U.S. or around the world using satellite and Internet technologies. We find the media tailored to your specifications and are involved throughout the entire creative process, offering a hand to craft the perfect pitch in order to book your message in your intended markets. A satellite or radio tour will economically and efficiently deliver the kind of high impact, measurable television exposure you demand and your message deserves. We pay attention to every detail so you don’t have to, and we provide detailed reporting.
Custom Satellite Media Tours
We visit many and talk to numerous PR agency vice presidents, account supervisors, account executives and the like to understand their pain points when it comes to selling their clients on broadcast PR tactics like co-op radio media tour. There’s either a budget limitation or a client who’s new and doesn’t understand the potential ROI of various media tour options. Other agencies have told us they have an internal broadcast team already. More often than not, internal broadcast teams understand the basic tactic, but wouldn’t you want to at least investigate a media company who specializes in this elaborate tactic? At KEF Media, we understand the nuances of the Satellite & Radio Tour, the subtleties, and so we are here to offer a hand. Before tasking the internal broadcast team with an SMT, there are three reasons to reach out to us first.
1. Free Customized Solution Brainstorming
We prefer to work backward with you when projects are brought to our attention. Because we understand the complexities of each campaign, we want to view all of its components in order to provide your team with the best ideas. Unsure if you need outside help? Come to us and we’ll provide you the ideation component you’re looking for on the front end. Solid results will make you look great in front of your client. We want to exceed your expectations so you get more business from that client and you call us again to assist! If not for the short term, we hope you appreciate our advice and want us more involved the next time around.
2. Assistance from Ideation to Execution
A lot of agency personnel ask what, during the process, can we do. Some agencies give us the keys to the car. Others are more involved. No matter where you are during the process, bring us in. It’s never too late. Need more media? We can do that. Need a crew to execute the tour on location, but already booked the media? We can work with you on that as well. Internally, things crop up and you may find yourself against the clock or not as strong in a certain area of the tactic. No fret, because that’s why we’re here.
3. Honest Counsel
Every project is unique and will garner different results. Based on our experience, we will help guide you in making your project as media-able as possible with your topic, talent and timing. We run through all of our potential tours through the 3T filter: talent, topic, and timing. Since KEF Media is comprised of ex-media personnel, we know what will and what will not resonate with the media.
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What is a Satellite Media Tour?
Review Spokesperson Contract Thoroughly
Lastly, make sure legal or your team first has a strong understanding of the terms and conditions of the talent’s availability. And second, make sure agreed upon clauses leave you reassured the media would have the interest to host him or her. Have a celebrity spokesperson in mind? Celebrities – TV and movie stars, recording artists, bestselling authors, famous athletes – often garner national media coverage in the coveted major media markets. But beyond SMT, are you maximizing the value of that celebrity? Celebrity publicity appearance contracts generally call for eight hours. We’ve found that many agencies fail to optimize all of that allotted time, using just four or five hours for media activities and missing out on millions of additional impressions. But it’s not just celebrities that can draw solid media – internal spokespeople, subject matter experts and authors are all good options.
Here are steps to maximize the ROI with your celebrity spokesperson:
Determine your overall goals
- Audience reach?
- Target markets?
- TV only or all media, (radio, digital, print)?
- Where will media activities take place?
- With those answers, you’re ready to start negotiations.
Be careful with contract language
Eight hours should not include hair and make-up. Glam time can eat up two or three hours for some celebrities.
Spell out the media you intend to target during the eight hours including network television and radio programs, websites, bloggers, newspapers and magazines and so on.
Social media can add tens of thousands of dollars to fees depending on the number of followers the celebrity has. So, be specific about what you ask for. This can be as simple as a picture of the celeb on set doing interviews with one line about what they are doing and where to go for more information. You can then forward it to your brand’s followers.
Social media engagement with media personalities during the day of the project can be as simple as the reporter tweeting the celeb prior to the interview: “Hey! Can’t wait to talk to you at 9:30 AM on Good Day!” and the celebrity tweeting back “Me either…I love the Bay Area…can’t wait to tell your viewers what I’m working on with (your client).” The reporter is then likely to post their interview online you’ve got more shareable impressions! Most celebrities and their publicists appreciate the benefit of good media relations.
Think beyond Satellite Media Tours. Our Customized Media Day (CMD) will roll several tactics (in-studio television interviews, a 3-4 hour SMT and a 2-hour junket style interview window for high-level print/online publications) into one day delivering high-impact media within your allotted timeframe. Customized Media Days are a minimal additional investment and will likely exceed your client’s expectations and make you look like a rock star. And always, if you ever have a bilingual spokesperson capable of resonating with a Spanish-speaking audience, we have the advantage to penetrate those typical difficult-to-reach markets. Let us help you reach your desired Spanish Media targets.
Media Tour Set Considerations
When staging a media tour, you’ve got to think outside of the monitor. We often see others go through the motions, simply switching out logos on a screen behind the talent and doing as little as possible to make what they’re offering as visually attractive as possible. “Vision” is part of the word television. TV producers are looking for visual stories not talking heads. Your goal is to get people to say, “Hey, Honey, take a look at this!” not “Hey, Honey, where’s the remote?” That’s where your interests intersect with the TV producer’s: keep the viewer’s hand off the remote! Here are some ways we help deliver that.
Nothing beats the great outdoors. Transport viewers to another city and climate for a few moments. Whenever possible, get outside and give Omaha a taste of what Miami (or Yellowstone National Park) looks like this morning!
Create dimension. For example, if it’s a fashion client, use live models. Mannequins and varying table heights can also add visual interest to an otherwise flat set.
Clean and simple sets make use of strategic props and color. Talking about a classroom, create a classroom!
If the topic is home safety, then stage your SMT in a home! Don’t just spread whatever product on a table in front of the spokesperson. Here is a ‘bedroom’ created in a breakfast nook so we could easily get both a kitchen and bedroom in a one-camera shoot.
Finally, monitor sets or logos in a frame need to have their place. With big celebrities or hard news topics, you don’t need much else. But don’t let that be your go-to for all sets.
It is all about creativity and our producers go all-in to make sure your spokesperson is comfortable and accentuates a set made for television. This attention to detail in every project makes all the difference to the client and to the media taking your interview.
Have a pet topic? Everyone stops to look at cute pups and kitties. Pets bring their own set of challenges, but that’s a topic for another day!
