Case Study "Turning on a Dime" for an FDA Approval

Instead of releasing all four satellite feeds and media alerts on the same day as FDA approval (a Friday), NBN made the strategic decision to hold two of the feeds for release on the following Monday and Tuesday, reasoning that the strong news value of the announcement merited continued media interest into the following week. This gave NBN further opportunity to leverage its Pitch Plus media relations program with maximum media notification, informing medical producers of feed availability.

In addition, NBN used its unique blend of fax, AP Express and email alerts to build broad station awareness of the feeds. And since the VNR was also distributed via the Pathfire digital delivery system, NBN was able to pitch medical reporters with follow-up or in-depth stories during the week following FDA approval. (This added effort bore fruit, as 10% of subsequent broadcasts came from stations accessing the video on Pathfire.)

In addition to satellite and Pathfire feeds, the story aired on NBN’s proprietary Eye on Health program, which airs on 200+ TV and cable stations nationwide, as well as NBN’s internationally syndicated Health Watch program.

As with any FDA approval, this kind of nimble response required advance preparation and a well-orchestrated distribution plan. The client’s script and fax alerts for the media were written in advance and in full compliance with FDA requirements. Video production was scheduled and completed ahead of time, and all legal and government approvals were obtained in time.

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