Creative Ideas To Generate Christmas Coverage
Christmas is a great opportunity to drive exposure for food and drink brands. There is a lot of competition at this time of year but the food and lifestyle press are always looking for content to fill their pages with Christmas ideas from mid November onwards.
Whilst much of the food press focuses on the usual topics such as ‘How to cook turkey’ features with household chefs, there are lots of other ideas you can use to tailor to your business which will interest the media but still offer a festive angle.
It's good to get ahead of the game and decide on creative ideas early so you are ready to pitch to short lead press by mid November.
Here are six creative ideas to generate Christmas coverage:
Alternative turkey recipes - the media will be packed with tips on how to roast a turkey, but how about putting forward other recipes for those who want to try something different? What to do with leftover turkey is also a popular feature idea at this time of year. Try turkey curry, turkey salad, turkey kebabs etc. This angle can also be used for other ingredients associated with Christmas such as Brussel sprouts or cranberries.
Festive cocktails - Perfect for bars, restaurants or drink brands - this is an easy and quick way to generate coverage. Take a signature or existing cocktail and give it a festive twist by adding an ingredient usually associated with Christmas. Even better if you can make it look Christmassy and capture some stand out photography. Try a Clementine Margarita or a Cranberry Gin Fizz. Coverage can be in the form of recipes or within ‘what to do’ listings features.
Christmas parties - The media will be writing lots of round ups for where to book your Christmas do with colleagues or friends. So for venues, it is good to create a pitch with details of your special menus with nice images of the space including any private dining areas to put forward.
Alternative Christmas party venues - For restaurants who do not serve British or European cuisine, there is also an opportunity within round ups for ‘alternative Christmas venues’ for those who want a break from turkey and roast potatoes. This is ideal for restaurants which serve other types of cuisine.
How to host the perfect Christmas - This angle works well for profiling anyone who works in hospitality, events or food and drink. Put together top five tips on how to host the perfect Christmas party/dinner/weekend etc using the person’s expertise. It could focus on how to lay the table, how to curate a festive menu or how to throw a cocktail party. This type of feature works best in lifestyle publications.
New Year’s Eve - As well as Christmas, the media are always keen for content to post online in between Christmas and New Year. Food and drink recipes or tips on ways to celebrate NYE are ideal. Then of course, for restaurants and bars, there are loads of rounds up for where to go.