Comments on: What PR Pros Can Learn From YouTube

By: Craig McGill

Craig McGill — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 23:18:24 +0000

I’m still not overly sold. Don’t get me wrong, video has a place but for many, the place they access the web mostly is at work and most workplaces frown upon video being blasted out, therefore text is easier to skive with.

By: Matt

Matt — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 03:11:30 +0000

Hi Justin – thanks for joining the conversation! We (PR folks) should be packaging the vitches for the media’s audience – viewer, reader, etc. That is really the point of the vitch…to provide the blogger or reporter with the story on a silver platter and ready to go.

You could embed videos in your email, but you run the risk that the recipient doesn’t have the technology to open up the email or has their html off so they have to upload the video.

We typically do note how long the video is and even bullet it out in the email…in case they don’t want to watch. Typically I don’t exceed 2 minutes for any vitch.

Glad you’re into this…I think its a real exciting way to cut through the clutter we face in working with bloggers and the media. Best of all, they seem to like it too:)!

Happy Vitching!

By: Justin Goldsborough

Justin Goldsborough — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 23:31:58 +0000

The ease of flip cameras have made vitching a real possibility. Good call, Matt. In fact, to take the points you and Beth made a step further, shouldn’t PR pros always package our video pitches like we were planning to share them directly with customers in hopes the media/bloggers will integrate some/all of the original video into the story?

It’s a shame you can’t embed the video directly into the e-mail. Or can you? Anyone seen that work…besides on a Google Wave demo, that is?

Lastly, Matt, do you note in the e-mail that the link is to a video and how long the video is?

By: Matt

Matt — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 15:18:02 +0000

Hi Keith – thanks for your detailed post…I really appreciate you joining the conversation like this! Expanding on Beth Harte’s comment from earlier, the Vitch really does take pitching to the next level since you’re packaging the story for the media (traditional or blogger) in a way they can repurpose. To your two specific questions:

1) The Vitch is always of the client or company spokesperson that you are positioning as a resource. Yes, part of the magic of the Vitch is to coach your resource to do the video as if they’re actually on-air with a reporter – non-salesy, short sound bites, easy to follow (i.e., lists) and so that they can see how the resource can carry an interview. Plus it is cruicial that the reporter or blogger see your client (not you) sharing the information.

2) Honestly, this was something I came up with about a year ago when my firm was working with a retail-focused client seeking out national coverage. They had an amazing story and unique service but to cut through the clutter of pitches being sent to our resources at outlets like Today and USA Today, we decided to get a little creative. Our client was very well spoken so one day we started taping clips of him talking about all the angles we were taking to the media. To shorten our email pitches up we started including these video clips (links) in the email – especially with TV – and next thing we know we had a USA Today feature story, which turned into a Today show segment and then an Oprah & Friends radio show! We’ve been using Vitches ever since:).

Thanks again for joining the conversation & I look forward to hearing back from you…anytime!

By: Keith Trivitt

Keith Trivitt — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 15:05:48 +0000

Matt – Very interesting concept, and like many have already said, not one I think I have heard of before. Initially, when i first saw this post, I was a bit skeptical. Like some have pointed out already, I wonder if this is just another way to quickly grab a reporter’s attention, but is it actually going to lead to anything fruitful in the long run. I can see, however, that if the video pitch is used in the way Beth Harte pointed out, as more of giving a reporter/blogger the actual story, rather than just doing a video/audio “pitch” of how that story may fit into their audience, then I think there is some value to this idea.

However, if it’s just going to be a short video explaining how company X believes its products/services are of value and why someone should write about them, then I don’t really see how this is going to do a greater service to reporters, other than working with broadcast, which needs to see your source already on video.

Two questions I have for you about this:

1. Is the video of you, the PR rep, presenting the story, or is it of your source? If it’s the latter, do did you position them to tell the story in a compelling manner that would instantly grab the reporter’s attention?

2. How did you all come about this idea? Was there something a reporter said to you that prompted this idea, or was it an initiative that you all began on your own?

Thanks again for some great ideas to spur us on!

@KeithTrivitt

By: Matt

Matt — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 14:40:44 +0000

Hi Mary – Great question! I think there is are a couple of big differences between VNRs and “Vitches” –

(1) COST: the VNR can be very expensive and a vitch is or can be free if you have some basic video equipment such as a Flip Video Camera or decent webcam

(2) FORMAT: VNRs are “typically” longer and about your product or service…not usually about a newsworthy topic or trend – the media just don’t have time to spend trying to figure out what or where the story is when watching.

What I will say is I do think there is some variation of a VNR and Vitch where broadcast outlets can take the video directly since it presents a balanced story – submitted by others. Newsrooms and camera crews have been slashed throughout the country…I can definitely see this happening sometime soon! Thanks for your comments & I’d love to hear back from you!

By: Mary

Mary — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 14:12:43 +0000

There is a lot of resistance to video news releases in the media world, what would you say is the difference in between a VNR and a vitch and why would the media view it differently?

By: Shane Kinkennon

Shane Kinkennon — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 21:25:03 +0000

Matt, I love the word. I typically hate such words. But for some reason, vitching is just annoying enough to be lovable.

More importantly, you give me an idea that is going to get my client’s story in the Washington Post. I’m certain of it. So thanks … thanks much. I’ll keep you posted.

By: Matt

Matt — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 18:15:30 +0000

Thanks Dan! In fact, I think we cover the third E – Engage by doing video pitches:) – thanks for sharing your post I enjoyed it.

Your comment is the exact reason we started doing it – time and resources are limited so it is our hope that we can position the video pitch as something that is a stand-alone to the media we are pitching…glad to hear some validation from you on this!

Would love to share stories and chat about this more – perhaps over a nice cigar sometime soon!

By: Daniel Honigman

Daniel Honigman — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 18:08:53 +0000

Funny — “educate” and “entertain” are two of my 3 E’s of Twitter.

I find that if someone sends a video along with a pitch, I’m just much more likely to write about it; If I don’t have much time, I can write up a couple of sentences and post it with the video. If I have time, I can write up a lengthier post that gets broken up by the video.

Either way, it’s a win-win. Good post, Matt.