Format Analysis
10 campaign formats that generate the vast majority of coverage
⌚ 11 min read · 2,511 words
of press coverage
I spent months studying a dataset of 5,272 verified media placements across fashion, finance, tech, health, travel, and more. I tagged every placement by format, topic, data source, and outlet.
The finding that surprised me most: roughly 90% of all successful placements fit into just 10 repeatable formats.
Not 10 topics. Ten structures. The topic changes, the industry changes, the data source changes, but the underlying format stays the same. That’s what makes this useful. Once you know the formats, you can apply them to any brand in any vertical.
This post breaks down each format with real examples from the dataset, so you can steal the structure and fill in your own data.
10
repeatable formats
90%
of placements covered
5,272
placements analyzed
Quick start: Pick your first format by difficulty
Beginner: Expert Commentary (Format 10) or Seasonal Tips (Format 4) — zero data needed
Intermediate: City Rankings (Format 1) or Cost Comparisons (Format 5) — free public data
Advanced: Celebrity Spikes (Format 2) or Social Analysis (Format 6) — requires speed + tools
In This Article
Format 1: City/State/Country Rankings
What it is: “The best/worst [cities/states/countries] for [specific thing],” ranked using public data.
Why it works: Editors love rankings because readers click on them to find their city. Local journalists share them because it’s relevant to their audience. One study generates 10-20 pitchable angles (one per city that ranks high or low).
From the dataset: Geographic rankings were the single highest-frequency format. They appeared across every topic category, from finance (“cheapest cities to retire”) to fashion (“most stylish cities in Europe”) to health (“cities with the best air quality”).
Data sources: Eurostat, ONS, Census data, Numbeo, Google Trends by region. All free.
How to do it:
- Pick a metric relevant to your client’s industry
- Pull data for 20-50 cities/states/countries
- Rank them. Add a methodology note
- Pitch to national outlets (the full ranking) AND local outlets (their specific position)
Real pattern: Combine two datasets nobody has paired. “Cities ranked by coffee price + average commute time” is more interesting than “cities ranked by coffee price” alone.
Pro tip: City rankings are the highest-volume format in our dataset. If you only learn one format, make it this one.
Format 2: Celebrity Trend Spikes
What it is: When a celebrity does something notable (wears an outfit, makes a statement, attends an event), you analyze the resulting search or social data and package the trend as a story.
Why it works: Celebrity stories have built-in audiences. The data angle elevates it from gossip to analysis. Editors at lifestyle and entertainment outlets need this kind of content daily.
From the dataset: Celebrity-driven campaigns accounted for 246 placements in our analysis. They appeared in Celebrities (obviously) but also in Fashion (763 placements, the #1 topic overall). The combination of celebrity + fashion + data was the most reliable placement generator in the entire dataset.
Data sources: Google Trends (search spike data), Instagram engagement metrics, social mention volume.
Speed is everything. This format has a 4-6 hour shelf life. If you’re not set up for reactive PR, skip this one.
Pro Tip
Track everything. The difference between PR professionals who grow and those who stagnate is measurement. Know your pitch-to-placement rate and which angles convert.
Format 3: Fictional Character Valuations
What it is: “How much would [fictional character]’s [wardrobe/house/lifestyle] cost in real life?” Calculated using real market prices.
Why it works: It’s fun. It’s shareable. It has a methodology (real prices), which makes it feel legitimate. And it’s impossible to replicate exactly because the calculations are specific.
From the dataset: This format appeared primarily in fashion and entertainment coverage. A valuation of Disney princess wardrobes. The real-world cost of a James Bond wardrobe. What Harry Potter’s Hogwarts tuition would cost today.
Best for: Fashion, real estate, education, finance brands. Any brand that can credibly provide the “real world” pricing data.
Format 4: Expert Tips Tied to Seasonal Hooks
What it is: Expert advice from your client, packaged around a seasonal moment (Valentine’s Day, tax season, back-to-school, New Year).
Why it works: Journalists plan seasonal content weeks in advance. If you show up with ready-to-publish expert tips at the right time, you’re solving their problem.
From the dataset: Seasonal hooks drove significant placement volume. February alone accounted for 162 seasonal placements (Valentine’s Day + Oscars + Grammys + Super Bowl). Summer travel and Christmas were the other major peaks.
Lowest barrier to entry. No data collection needed. Any brand with a credible spokesperson can do this. Map your calendar hooks for the next quarter.
Format 5: Cost Comparisons Across Regions/Demographics
What it is: “How much does [common expense] cost in [different places/for different groups]?” Built from price data.
Why it works: Money is universally interesting. Cost comparisons reveal inequality, regional differences, and hidden expenses. The “pink tax” angle (gender-based pricing differences) is a proven placement generator.
From the dataset: Cost and price analysis was the data hook in approximately 15% of all placements. Examples included: school uniform costs by region, wedding costs by country, pet ownership costs by city.
Pro tip: Always include the methodology. “We surveyed prices at X retailers across Y cities in [month/year].” Journalists won’t cite data without knowing how it was collected.
Key Takeaway
PR is a long game. Individual campaigns matter less than building a reputation as a reliable, valuable source that journalists trust.
Format 6: Social Media Engagement Analysis
What it is: Analyze social media data (Instagram likes, TikTok views, engagement rates) around a specific topic and package the findings.
Why it works: Social media data is publicly available, constantly updating, and inherently interesting to lifestyle and marketing outlets.
From the dataset: Instagram engagement data appeared in 266 campaigns. This format was especially strong in fashion (most-liked celebrity outfits), travel (most Instagrammed destinations), and food (most viral recipes).
Format 7: Survey/Poll Results
What it is: Run a survey on a topical question, package the results as a story.
Why it works: Original data is gold. Nobody else has your survey results, which makes the story exclusive by default. Journalists cite survey data constantly.
From the dataset: Survey and poll data was the hook in approximately 18% of placements, making it the second most common data type after SEO tool data.
Warning: “73% of people like our product” is not a story. “73% of UK parents say school uniform costs have made them skip meals” is a story. The question design determines whether the results are pitchable.
Pro tip: Surveys are the second most common data type in our dataset (~18% of placements). Even a 200-person LinkedIn poll can produce a pitchable finding.
Format 8: “How Has [Behavior] Changed?” Trend Analysis
What it is: Compare data from two time periods to show how behavior, prices, preferences, or attitudes have shifted.
Why it works: “Before and after” narratives are inherently interesting. They give journalists a story arc.
Data sources: Google Trends (compare time periods), your own historical customer data, government data across years.
Format 9: “Myths vs. Facts” With Data
What it is: Take common assumptions about a topic and test them against actual data.
Why it works: Counterintuitive findings get shared. “Everyone thinks X, but the data shows Y” is inherently clickable.
From the dataset: Expert commentary paired with data-backed myth-busting appeared in approximately 12% of all placements. This format worked especially well in health, finance, and property coverage.
Format 10: Reactive Expert Commentary
What it is: No data, no study, no research. Just a credible expert responding to breaking news with a useful quote.
Why it works: It’s the fastest format to execute. When a story breaks, journalists need expert sources immediately. Being available and quotable within 2 hours puts you ahead of 95% of PR teams.
From the dataset: Expert quote placement was a component in a large portion of campaigns. Search Intelligence, the agency whose placements I studied, built this into one of their three core pillars.
This is the format I’d start with if I were a startup founder with zero PR budget. No tools, no data, no budget. Just show up fast with something useful to say.
Format Finder
Answer these 3 questions to find your best starting format.
1. Do you have proprietary data (customer data, sales data, usage stats)?
Yes → Survey Results (F7), Trend Analysis (F8), or Cost Comparisons (F5)
No → Move to question 2
2. Do you have a credible spokesperson who can comment fast?
Yes → Expert Commentary (F10) or Seasonal Tips (F4)
No → Move to question 3
3. Can you spend 2-4 hours pulling free public data?
Yes → City/State Rankings (F1) — highest success rate, free data
No → Start with Myths vs Facts (F9) — use existing research to challenge assumptions
Which Format Works for Your Industry?
Not every format fits every brand. Here’s a quick reference based on what worked in the dataset:
| Industry | Best Formats | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Fashion | Celebrity spikes, social engagement, fictional valuations, seasonal tips | Visual, trend-driven, high journalist volume |
| Finance | City rankings, cost comparisons, myths vs facts, surveys | Data-heavy, consumer interest, regulatory hooks |
| Travel | City rankings, social engagement, cost comparisons, trend analysis | Geographic angles, seasonal peaks, visual |
| Health | Myths vs facts, survey results, expert commentary, trend analysis | Credibility matters, counterintuitive findings win |
| Tech | Expert commentary, trend analysis, survey results | Fast-moving news cycle, founder expertise valued |
| Property | City rankings, cost comparisons, trend analysis | Geographic, price-driven, always newsworthy |
| Ecommerce | Cost comparisons, seasonal tips, survey results | Product-adjacent data, calendar-driven |
How to Pick Your First Format
If you’re new to PR, start with the easiest formats:
- Expert commentary (Format 10) — zero prep, just speed
- Seasonal expert tips (Format 4) — zero data, just expertise
- City rankings with public data (Format 1) — free data, proven structure
Then graduate to:
- Cost comparisons (Format 5) — some research needed
- Survey results (Format 7) — small budget for respondents
The more complex formats (celebrity spikes, social analysis, fictional valuations) work best once you have journalist relationships and a system for moving fast.
The Pattern Behind the Patterns
Here’s what all 10 formats have in common:
They give journalists something they can’t create alone. Data they don’t have. An expert they don’t know. A comparison they don’t have time to build.
They match how newsrooms think. Rankings, lists, comparisons, expert quotes. These are the structures that fill publications every day. You’re not inventing a new type of journalism. You’re providing raw material for the journalism that already exists.
They’re repeatable. The same format works month after month with new data, new cities, new topics. That’s what makes this a system, not a one-off stunt.
I’ve written about where to find the ideas that fuel these formats and what the full placement data reveals. The formats are the engine. The data is the fuel. Your job is to keep both running.
Key takeaway
You don’t need to invent new campaign ideas. 90% of successful media placements fit into these 10 structures. Pick one, fill it with your data, and pitch it to 15 journalists. Repeat monthly.
Presslei is a reactive PR agency based in Zurich. We use these 10 formats to earn media coverage for brands that want real press, not paid placements. See how we work or get in touch.
About the Author
Salva Jovells
Founder of Presslei. 12+ years in ecommerce SEO across international markets. After a decade of link buying for Hockerty and Sumissura, I reverse-engineered 5,272 earned media placements and founded a reactive PR agency that builds authority through data-driven stories journalists actually want to publish. Based in Zurich.
Related Reading
- 5 Data-Driven PR Campaign Ideas for Ecommerce
- How I Reverse-Engineered 5,272 Media Placements
- Newsjacking Playbook: How to Turn Breaking News Into Coverage
Free tool: Try our PR campaign idea generator for instant, tailored story angles based on your industry and goals.
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“The format of your PR campaign matters as much as the content. A data study, a reactive commentary piece, and a thought leadership op-ed each require different journalist relationships, different timelines, and different measurement frameworks.”
— Salva Jovells, Presslei
DO
- Match campaign format to your available assets (data, expertise, timing)
- Test multiple formats across campaigns to learn what works for your brand
- Adapt proven formats to your specific industry and audience
- Document format performance to build an institutional knowledge base
- Combine formats within a single quarter for maximum coverage variety
DON’T
- Use the same campaign format repeatedly without variation
- Choose formats based on what’s trendy rather than what you can execute well
- Launch complex formats (original research, surveys) without adequate resources
- Ignore simpler reactive formats that can produce results faster
- Assume a format that worked for another brand will work identically for yours
Frequently Asked Questions
Which format is best for beginners?
The data study format is the lowest-barrier entry point — aggregate publicly available data and find a newsworthy angle. Start with a government or industry dataset, find the most surprising number, and build around it. Zero out-of-pocket cost.
Do you need original data?
No. Some of the most successful campaigns use entirely public data, just framed in a way no one has done before. The originality needs to be in the angle and synthesis, not the data collection method.
How do you choose the right format?
Match the format to the story. If your insight is best expressed as a ranking, use a listicle. If it’s a trend over time, use a data visualisation. Write the headline you want to see, then work backwards to which format makes it credible.
