When newsjacking goes wrong: Understand the risks and rewards of latching onto trending stories.
There's a thin line between clever marketing and error, think of the man who went viral after proposing to his girlfriend at a local KFC and then went on to give his fiancé the wedding of her dreams as brands and personalities came forth to offer their support. This yielded positive sentiment for the brands.
Newsjacking refers to reacting quickly and expertly to a news story to garner attention by inserting oneself and business into the narrative, or by capitalising on a developing trend. It can be a potent strategy for building brand awareness, showing thought leadership, enhancing relevance, and encouraging engagement to gain a competitive edge.
To achieve the desired impact and visibility, newsjacking relies on timeliness and relevance to carry the story. Knowing when to news jack requires a deep understanding of how a story unfolds and key moments that shape its journey. These points are when the story breaks when public interest grows and ultimately reaches its peak, when it is considered old news, and eventually when it fizzles out. The best time to news jack is just after the story breaks and interest is high. However, caution must applied because depending on the nature of the news in question, the story can develop and take unexpected turns that may have positive or negative outcomes.
Indicates optimal time in the story lifecycle for newsjacking
With this in mind, it is important to align this tactic with a well-thought-out strategy. This means identifying the topics you or your client can speak about authoritatively and having research data to support the perspective you are promoting. Additionally, setting clear objectives is key to helping you answer, what you intend to get from newsjacking – is it to become a thought leader, increase brand profile, or SEO ratings? Knowing your objective will get you thinking about how you want to be referenced – either as a visionary leader or a stumbling novice.
Let's examine an instance of newsjacking gone wrong and the lessons that may be drawn from it.
Miss Universe Nigeria and Chidimma Adetshina
The recent drama surrounding Chidimma Adetshina, and the Miss Universe Nigeria pageant has certainly caused quite a stir. The story gained prominence when X users questioned her nationality and eligibility to participate and represent the country. After much ado and a formal investigation by the pageant organisers and the Department of Home Affairs (DHA), Chidimma, the Miss South Africa 2024 pageant hopeful, had to withdraw due to fears about her safety and issues with her citizenship. The rules of the pageant clearly state that only South African citizens are eligible to participate, and according to official statements from Home Affairs, Chidimma unfortunately did not meet the criteria. South African citizenship laws are quite specific, outlining who is eligible for citizenship based on various factors such as birth circumstances, parentage and naturalisation. As the story took shape across social media and various parts of the world including Nigeria, so did anger and misinformation, fuelling tensions that could have disastrous effects on international relations and cohesion despite an initial statement of findings by the DHA.
Chidimma, who is at the centre of a controversy involving alleged identity fraud by her mother, had many coming out to support and sympathise with her, including South Africans and the Miss Universe Nigeria pageant National Director, Guy Murray-Bruce. Murray–Bruce took the position to engage with Chidimma and invited her to participate as a finalist in Miss Universe Nigeria which she accepted publicly and soon led the voter logs as a contender to the crown.
We can only speculate that Murray-Bruce and the pageant wanted to act in solidarity with a fellow African and person of Nigerian heritage whom they believed was being unfairly targeted and bullied for their background. On the face of it, this is a well-intentioned and commendable act but we can also assume that this was a tactic to drive traction and awareness to the pageant as well as to increase his visibility and raise his profile and the by-product thereof being the potential of a good news story for Nigeria.
The saga unfolds with Murray-Bruce appearing on the global news channel Arise TV. During the interview, both the reporter and Murray-Bruce can be heard incorrectly presenting inaccuracies as facts. Among the incorrect claims made: the assertion that the DHA confirmed Chidimma’s mother’s citizenship as South African with Mozambican descent, allegations that the South African government targeted xenophobic attacks at Adetshina, and the erroneous confirmation that the DHA had concluded its investigation, based solely on information supposedly provided by and that as informed to him by Chidimma, and asserting that she and her mother were South African citizens despite the statement by DHA.
Things get tricky!
The situation becomes increasingly problematic as it risks damaging cohesive diplomatic relations, incites fear and hatred and highlights a concerning reliance on inaccurate social media commentary and lack of research by Murray-Bruce and the news team. More critically, Murray-Bruce’s credibility is at stake given the repeated confirmation of unfounded claims, admittedly never having spoken to the DHA and not verifying claims made by Adetshina. Soon after this interview is aired and published on social media, the Minister of Home Affairs replies to Arise TV saying: “The investigation into this matter is active and ongoing, and further updates will be provided only through official channels, including in Parliament.”
Shortly after that, a new update stating that it (DHA) relied on the National Population Registry to establish that the identity of a South African mother was stolen and that she found out in 2001 when she went to register her newborn child, that there was already a child registered under her ID number – the child in question was Chidimma Adetshina.
While the timing of the newsjacking attempt was strategic and possibly met some of their objectives for visibility it falls short on this basis that:
No clear, intended strategy was applied to the newsjacking effort. It appears the aim was to attract attention by any means necessary.
One-sided and unverified stance, evident in the unbalanced position taken which was based on unverified information and heavily influenced by social media commentary and outrage. This is also apparent from the Arise TV team and various reports from otherwise credible media sources, which raises concerns about the newsroom’s commitment to fact-checking before going to print.
Unprepared spokesperson who showed a lack of preparedness on the complex details of the matter which raises doubts about their understanding of the issue and importantly, immigration laws and his/ his organisation’s respect for legal and ethical matters.
Fell short of positive and informed contribution and instead used the platform for self-promotion.
Disrespect for the other party’s integrity, the approach showed disrespect for the integrity of the South African government and the DHA
Further unintended consequences of this sage could impact perceptions of Chidimma’s personal ethics and values. Should the final findings of the DHA reveal that her parents did commit fraud and if it is determined that she knowingly misrepresented the situation to advance her ambitions without regard for the country’s laws, this could damage her reputation. If she is successful at the Miss Universe Nigeria pageant, this issue could come to light, at the Miss Universe Pageant in Mexico this November or later in her career as she seeks to establish herself professionally. Leading to questions of integrity and possibly affecting her public image and future opportunities.
Thought leader of a blundering novice?
Before you consider newsjacking it is important to be aware of what you are getting into. It is not as easy as picking up a trending topic and hoping the coverage will be favourable – remember that after the interview or article, your intentions are left to the interpretation of your audience. Even now, someone could be reading this and thinking, “What a load of bollocks.”
To be successful at newsjacking you must, offer a perspective that adds value to the conversation, find a fresh approach to stand out, and understand your audience and the long-term effects the hijacked opportunity may have on your brand and business. Lastly, monitor and ensure you do not lose control of the narrative.
To end, it can be concluded that you should not, force the newsjacking lest it causes harm to your reputation or feels inauthentic and misaligned. i.e. the “very demure” trend. Don’t be controversial or seek attention for personal gain.
Tomorrow, when a story breaks, ask yourself how your brand or client can meaningfully contribute to the conversation. We see with the case provided that there are greater issues at play that have been disregarded and which have the potential to escalate, cause tensions, and damage widespread reputations if not properly reported, checked, and managed responsibly.
Ends
For expert guidance on how to leverage trends to raise your brand’s visibility and show thought leadership, contact us at pressoffice@manakapublicity.com to schedule a consultation and discover how our expertise can elevate your brand image.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article was intended for our clients and correct to the best of the author’s knowledge at the time of publication