Lessons in Creating Buzz for a B2B Campaign
Sometimes the most compelling PR stories emerge from places you might not expect. Recently, we had the opportunity to work with Cork Supply on a campaign that proved this point. What started as a technical story about sustainable forestry practices turned into a media moment that generated over 2 million impressions and meaningful coverage across multiple channels. Here's what we learned about turning expertise into attention-grabbing stories.
Lesson 1: The Power of Creating History
What do journalists love more than a good story? A first. Working with Cork Supply, we saw an opportunity to move beyond traditional product messaging. Instead, we brought European cork harvesting techniques to California for the first time in decades, hosting demonstrations at UC Davis and Cal Poly. Using the age old trick, show don’t tell, we turned an industry story into a historic moment that journalists wanted to cover.
Lesson 2: Making Technical Excellence Visual
There's something powerful about seeing expertise in action. We created a moment where artisans demonsted centuries-old techniques, showcasing specialized tools at work so that the audience could see how cork bark is carefully removed from trees. This visual element gave television crews something they could actually film, transforming what could have been a dry technical story into compelling footage that brought sustainability to life for mainstream audiences and ultimately upleveled the story to an event. Who says cork isn’t fascinating?!
Lesson 3: Finding Multiple Stories Within One
Every good story is multidimensional and in this case, what began as a cork harvesting demonstration spoke to different audiences in different ways. Environmental writers saw a story about regenerative agriculture. Education reporters found innovation in agricultural teaching. Trade publications discovered industry leadership angles. Local news celebrated a unique cultural exchange. By understanding these various dimensions, we secured over 20 trade publication hits across the U.S. and UK markets, along with substantial broadcast coverage.
Lesson 4: Leading with Purpose
We positioned cork not just as a wine closure, but as nature's original regenerative material. This broader narrative helped us connect with sustainability conversations happening across industries. The approach worked – during the campaign period, Cork Supply became the most-quoted voice in their category, while building valuable relationships through executive coverage and facility expansion news.
Lesson 5: Bringing It All Together
The campaign's success – from its reach to its category impact – showed us how technical stories can captivate broad audiences when told strategically. Whether it's finding those "first ever" moments, creating visual opportunities, or connecting to larger conversations about sustainability and innovation, the key is making technical expertise accessible and relevant.
In today's media landscape, authentic expertise matters more than ever. The win is finding ways to showcase that expertise while building real connections with audiences who might not initially think they care about your industry's innovations.