This week, the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association initiated its countdown to the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia. Members of the American freestyle, snowboard, free ski and downhill teams were featured on a series of local and national media interviews discussing their expectations and preparations for the coming year.
The countdown is a tried and true public relations strategy for organizations of all shapes and sizes to drive news and interest in key topics. A former competitive freestyle skier, I usually track the U.S. women’s results, but to be perfectly honest, it’s been a busy winter. So it wasn’t until news about the recent American podium sweep of women’s moguls was included in broader coverage about the countdown to the Olympics that the news finally caught my eye, tapping into my love of the quadrennial winter event and reminding me of my intended plans to donate to the team this year.
Consider countdowns to milestone events, such as product launches, fundraising events and award ceremonies, as a way to attract additional media attention and build momentum leading up to pivotal news announcements.
