Gino Colangelo Explains How to Get Your Brand in the Media

The art of getting other people to spread the word

How do you get the media to talk about your brand?

Good public relations!

Colangelo & Partners is the biggest dedicated wine and spirits PR firm in the U.S. Founded by Gino Colangelo in 2006, it has six divisions covering everything from fine wine to spirits, to routes-to-market consultations.

Gino isn’t just a great PR practitioner, he’s also a raconteur who lit up the podcast with some of his stories. 

Gino Colangelo

Here are 5 of his insights:

1. The New York Times is a big ask

Gino says that while there’s a place for every story, it has to be the right place — which might be a trade publication or lifestyle site. Major publications like the Wall Street Journal or the New York Times are much less likely to be interested in your story.

(It can happen, but you can’t predict it.)

2. Be open to media you’ve never heard of

PR professionals are masters of generating story ideas, including for outlets you’re not familiar with.

“Sometimes we’ll pitch AdWeek for a client whose product might not be suitable to the critics,” says Gino. “We’ll pitch philanthropy press if there’s an angle on philanthropy.”

Gino says they spend a lot of time cultivating relationships and always approach the writer directly.

“I would say 90% of everything we generate in the press is generated through a targeted pitch letter, not through a press release,” he says. “We only issue press releases when there’s some news: an acquisition, a new hire.”

Or social media might be more appropriate. “Not every product is going to be critic driven. Maybe it’s going to be 80% social media, 10% influencer, and 10% PR, or a mix.”

3. Good PR costs time and money

A basic PR campaign in the U.S. will cost at least $80,000 to $100,000 a year. 

“That includes your expenses, the cost of shipping bottle samples to journalists, the cost of having lunch or dinner with a journalist,” says Gino. “Maybe taking an influencer out for a meal, as well as the fees that you’re paying their agency.”

Plus, you must “have the time to commit to participation in the PR process, because if they spend money without the time or the interest, it’s a waste of their money.”

4. PR can help expand distribution

Don’t even consider a PR or marketing campaign unless your product has some level of distribution.

However, a good PR campaign strategy can help expand distribution to new areas. Gino says an appearance in the trade press can help “to soften the market, so when you go to a distributor, they’re aware of you.”

Appearances in the consumer press can then be used to prove that your product is relevant to the target market.

5. Lead with your product

“Wine and spirits companies typically don’t have tons of cash, but what they have is their product and their passion.”

While acknowledging that products aren’t free, Gino says to take every opportunity to showcase them.

Quick Hits

1. It’s better to support the brand over a long period than to have one flashy campaign.

2. Quality matters. “People recognize quality. Story matters too. I think you need to put the two together.”

3. Get on Instagram. “There’s something sketchy about a brand that may not even have an Instagram page.”

4. If you have agencies in different countries, they need to work together. “We are big believers in having consistent storytelling for our clients across markets, and that comes from communicating with partner agencies.”

5. Get on LinkedIn and connect with the trade, from distributors to retailers.

The Big Insight

“You have to compete harder than ever. You have to be more focused on your consumer, more focused on your trade audience, more aware of who you are and what you’re selling. Some clients kind of throw their product out there and just think, ‘let’s see where it sticks’. But you have to know what you represent and why you matter to the market.”

Gino Colangelo

To hear the full conversation, listen to the podcast here. And don’t forget to leave five stars!