Each day, the calendar reminds us of a new occasion: from World Earth Day to Mental Health Day, from the Day Against Violence Against Women to World Bee Day.
These are symbolic moments created with the aim of raising awareness of issues of great interest to the community, but which, within the communication ecosystem, have also taken on another function: in fact, they represent valuable opportunities for brands and organizations that wish to insert themselves into conversations that are already active in society, provided they know how to do so with awareness, consistency and meaning.
Newsjacking
This is where the concept of newsjacking, or the practice of strategically intervening on a topical issue to bring attention to one's brand, enhancing its voice, values and vision. Applied to global days, newsjacking can prove to be an extremely effective tool, but only if it is used with measure and depth, avoiding the temptation to simply "preside over a date" with a generic message that ends up getting lost in the endless stream of news.
What distinguishes a superficial intervention from in-depth and personalized communication is the ability to construct a message that not only intercepts a topical issue, but that crosses it with authenticity, offering a specific point of view that is firmly rooted in the identity of the organization that expresses it.
In this sense, newsjacking is not a shortcut to visibility, but an action that must be carefully prepared: it requires active listening, a clear definition of the thematic perimeter on which action can be taken, and a team ready to act promptly, but also with lucidity and responsibility.
But how do we go, concretely, from intending to "be there" in a topical conversation to constructing content that is truly effective?
The process starts with careful and constant monitoring of the information environment: it is not just a matter of following the news headlines or the calendars of world days, but of training a strategic gaze capable of picking up on weak signals, the cues that emerge in social media, the questions that surface in the public debate, even when they are still in their infancy.
Once a potentially relevant topic has been intercepted, the decisive step is its translation into an editorial key, that is, the ability to filter that topic through the brand's identity, its narrative priorities, tone of voice, and the strategic goals of the moment.
This means, in practice, wondering not so much "how can we say something about this issue?", but rather "what do we have to say - of our own, of authenticity - on this issue?".
It is only in this way that newsjacking stops being an impromptu reaction and becomes a lever for generating meaning, positioning, and lasting connections.
In our daily work as an agency, we have been able to observe how, when approached with the right perspective, newsjacking can contribute significantly to a brand's positioning, especially when dealing with sensitive and high-impact emotional issues.
The case of Ciaodino
This is the case, for example, with the International Women's Day and of the Father's Day, both celebrated during the month of March, in which Marta Vighi and Chiara Guerra worked alongside Ciaodino to analyze the various initiatives promoted by Italian companies to protect employees who are often invisible in the eyes of the law.
Through reading data and estimates consistent with the theme, we gave voice to Ciaodino, who has always been committed to the defense of workers' rights and their needs, presenting him as an authoritative interlocutor on an issue that is as urgent as it is neglected.
The result is an exposé that highlights the serious regulatory gaps that penalize nonparturient parents, who are entitled to parental leave that is too short for them to fully experience parenthood, and all menstruating people, who are often forced to live with severe physical and emotional discomfort caused by dysmenorrhea, without any recognition.
The news was taken up by The Messenger, WeWelfare, The Manifesto both online and print, Leggo.co.uk, peoplearepeople.co.uk
The case of SoLongevity
Another significant example is the work done on the occasion of World Yoga Day, celebrated every year on June 21, in which Melissa Casula and Caterina Vertaldi joined SoLongevity, a reality at the forefront of Longevity Medicine, to enhance its participation in the YogaFestival in Milan, the largest yoga gathering in Italy.
Through the voice of Dr. Alberto Beretta, Director of the Scientific Committee, we recounted how the practice of yoga-increasingly recognized even by the scientific community- fits right into evidence-based strategies for a long and healthy life.
From the benefits on heart rate variability to stress reduction, the talk highlighted the central role of yoga in preventive longevity. An opportunity to reiterate that living better today also means reclaiming a dimension of harmony and awareness, exactly as the theme of the 2024 edition of the YogaFestival, "Yoga, Infinite Harmony," suggested.
Some newspapers that have taken up the news are Vanity Fair, Io Donna, Ansa, Marieclaire, La Nazione.
These two cases demonstrate how newsjacking, when understood not as a technique to be applied mechanically but as a strategic approach to communication, can turn a simple anniversary into an opportunity to strengthen the bond between brand and community.
That is why, at Disclosers, we strive to build strategies with our clients that do not just "preside over" topical issues, but start from a careful analysis of context, brand priorities, and conversations that are truly meaningful to the target audience, always training our "media creativity."
Indeed, we believe that any public intervention should rest on three basic pillars:
- The authenticity of the message,
- consistency with the values of the organization
- The ability to generate value for the listener.
When these three elements come together, even a single publication on a symbolic day can leave a lasting impression, contribute to public debate and restore meaning to the very act of communicating.
In an increasingly crowded communication landscape, where brands compete for the public's attention within a continuous and chaotic flow of information, the difference is not who talks the most, but who knows how to choose when, why, and how to intervene.
Newsjacking, if well designed, is not just a quick response to current events: it is a practice that requires lucidity, preparation, and a strong adherence to values.
Intercepting the present to strengthen one's positioning ultimately means taking responsibility for contributing content to the public debate that is truly relevant, avoiding opportunism and cultivating consistency.
