Press

How to get to the German media

11 top tips

The IMEX team started its PR work both within Germany and the rest of the world many months in advance of the opening of IMEX in order to raise the profile of the show. Due to this work, there is a great awareness of IMEX in both the German and the international media. An awareness which you could capitalise on. The 'tips' below will aid you to reach the diverse German media.

 

1.What is special about "German media"?

The German media "landscape" is one of the biggest and most diverse in the world:
Around 380 daily newspapers, 1,800 general magazines, 3,700 special interest magazines, 90 TV broadcasting studios, 200 radio stations and the internet all offer services for their readers - each in its own very special way.

Top of page

2. What does that mean for your PR work?

PR work against this specific backdrop must be based on:

  • clear PR-aims and the right strategy to reach them
  • a clear decision about the media target groups that are crucial for your business
  • suitable means to get to the media, for example press conferences, regular press releases, media-cooperation or interviews

News must be real news and be tailor-made to the specific type of media and their readership. Always bear in mind the competition and the short availability of space; there may be 100+ incoming news releases per day and also a large number of events that compete with your press conference.

Top of page

3. PR and advertisement

The volume of advertising in the German media has decreased during the last 12 months. Due to this the editorial space has also reduced, making PR work even harder. You will now face an even tighter relationship between advertising and editorial than ever before.

Take this into account when you contact the media and be aware that you may need to budget for media cooperation or advertisement in order to guarantee that your editorial is published.

Top of page

4. Selecting your target media

We have categorised the target media into 2 types:
a) Trade publications (MICE industry)
b) General non-trade, national consumer and business media

Since we are fast running short on time between now and IMEX we would advise focussing on daily or weekly media such as daily/weekly newspapers and magazines, radio or TV.

a) Trade Media (MICE industry):

Title of media Located Website Remarks
CIM Conference & Incentive Management Darmstadt www.cim-publications.de One of the leading MICE magazines, bilingual (German/ English)
(6 times a year / circ. around 18.000)
Convention International Neuwied www.convention-net.de Important MICE magazine
(6 times a year)
TW Tagungs-Wirtschaft Frankfurt www.tw-media.com One of the leading MICE magazines, bilingual (German/ English)
(8 times a year / circ. around 22.500)
m+a report / m+a NEWSLINE Frankfurt www.dfv.de Special publications of TW for event marketing themes
(8 times a year / circ. around 12.000)
Event Partner Köln www.event-partner.de Special publication for event themes
(6 times a year / circ. around 20.000)
events/Redaktionsbüro Schütz Roßdorf www.events-magazin.de Special magazine for meetings, fairs, incentives
(4 times a year / circ. around 22.000)
Incentive Congress Journal Egmating www.incentive-journal.de All MICE Themes covered
(4 times a year / circ. around 14.000)
Blach Report Uetze www.aktivmedia-online.de Event-Marketing, Promotions, Sponsoring, Incentives
(25 times a year / circ. around 1.000)
Location Report Uetze www.aktivmedia-online.de Business-information for event- and incentive-locations
(5 times a year / circ. around 1.500)

Top of page

b) General non-trade, national consumer and business media

(1) 'The Big Ten' - the most important nationwide newspapers in Germany

Title of media Located Website Remarks
Bild Hamburg www.bild.de The biggest daily newspaper, only interested in general interest themes
Bild am Sonntag Hamburg www.bams.de The biggest sunday newspaper, mostly interested in general interest themes
Die Welt Berlin www.welt.de Daily except Sunday
Welt am Sonntag Berlin www.wams.de Sunday
FAZ Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung Frankfurt www.faz.de Most important and serious daily newspaper nationwide
FAZ Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung Frankfurt www.faz.de Sunday
Financial Times Deutschland Hamburg www.ftd.de width="190">Daily except Sunday
Handelsblatt Frankfurt www.vhb.de

Daily except Weekend
Süddeutsche Zeitung München www.sueddeutsche.de Daily except Sunday
Die Zeit Hamburg www.zeit.de Weekly

Top of page

(2) Business and News magazines

Title of media Located Website Remarks
Capital Köln www.capital.de Finance and business related news (weekly)
Der Spiegel München www.spiegel.de Leading magazine general interest (weekly)
Focus München www.focus.de Second leading magazine general interest (weekly)
Focus Money München www.money.de Special title of Focus (weekly)
Focus Online München www.focus.de  
Stern Frankfurt www.stern.de Second leading magazine general interest (weekly)
Wirtschaftswoche Düsseldorf www.vhb.de Finance and business related news (weekly)
Manager Magazin Hamburg www.manager-magazin.de Finance and business related news (weekly)
Impulse Köln www.impulse.de Finance and business related news (weekly)
Junge Karriere Handelsblatt Düsseldorf www.vhb.de Monthly special of daily newspaper covering themes for young business people
VDI Nachrichten Düsseldorf www.vdi-nachrichten.com Business related news for engineers (weekly)
DM Düsseldorf www.vhb.de Finance and business related news (weekly)

Top of page

(3) Frankfurt media likely to be interested if the story is right

Title of media Located Website Remarks
Frankfurter Neue Presse Frankfurt www.fnp.de  
Frankfurter Rundschau Frankfurt www.fr-aktuell.de  
Bild Frankfurt   www.bild.de  
FAZ Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung Frankfurt www.faz.de Most important and serious daily newspaper nationwide and with local focus for Frankfurt also
Hessischer Rundfunk Frankfurt www.hr-online.de Local TV and radio broadcasting (public)
Radio FFH Frankfurt www.ffh.de Local radio broadcasting station (private)

Top of page

(4) Marketing-related and special interest media

Title of media Located Website Remarks
working@office Wiesbaden www.workingoffice.com Target group office Manager (monthly)
acquisa Zeitschrift für Verkauf Würzburg www.acquisa.de Marketing (monthly)
Horizont Frankfurt www.horizont.de Marketing (weekly)
W & V Werben & Verkaufen München www.wuv.de Marketing (weekly)
Der Kontakter München www.kontakter.de Marketing (weekly)
Absatzwirtschaft Düsseldorf www.absatzwirtschaft.de Marketing (14 times a year)
Management & training Köln www.managementund
training.de		 Magazine for human ressources managers (monthly)
Manager seminare Bonn www.managerseminare.de Magazine for training themes (10 times a year)
Wirtschaft & Weiterbildung Würzburg www.schimmelverlag.de
/produkte_fr.html		 Magazine for training and HR development (10 times a year)

Top of page

(5) News agencies

Title of media Located Website Remarks
ddp Nachrichtenagentur GmbH Frankfurt www.ddp.de  
dpa Deutsche Presse-Agentur GmbH Frankfurt www.dpa.de  
gms-Themendienst/dpa Hamburg www.gms-themendienst.de Dpa subsidiary for sprecial themes
Reuters AG Frankfurt Frankfurt www.reuters.com  

And don´t forget to include the editorial team of the IMEX daily in your distribution list: Angelo Heuberger - ah@travelinside.ch.

Top of page

5. The right timing

The German media have a very different "news-production" time-scale to the media in the rest of Europe and it is therefore important to bear this in mind.

Radio is the fastest media and has very few deadlines to worry about.

Newspapers usually work with news until early afternoon. So be sure to send them news before 11.00 a.m. to give them the opportunity to contact you again before they have to be ready with their article.

Weekly magazines need their information at least two days before their day of publication. Use the internet-links above for checking the right dates.

For most of the monthly magazines there is little time left to work with as their deadlines are often two to three months in advance. However, it is still worth checking their websites to get final publication dates.

Top of page

6. Press releases

The basis for all press work is news releases. One rule is clear : KISS - keep it short and simple and only report real news. A good headline and a newsworthy content that is tightly related to the interest of the media you send your release to is the recipe of success. Try not to write more than one page and don´t forget to insert all your contact details.

Most of the journalists prefer to get the information via e-mail or post - some also appreciate fax. The way you contact the media should also be related to the actuality of your news, for example relevant news for daily media should be sent out vial e-mail or fax to them.

It is always best to send the German media your news in German, if you can. This will enable them to use your release as quickly as possible and saves them the trouble of translation. Whilst English is acceptable not every editor will be used to working with the language on a daily basis.

Top of page

7. Telephone follow ups / personal Interviews

There is no question that it is important to build up a close relationship with your target media. However, telephone follow-ups are not always appreciated by the editors. You should only do this if you have a special piece of news to tell them or offer to the editor e.g. a factual and additional news item or a personal interview with a person of interest who can add more detail to your story.

Top of page

8. Press conferences

At IMEX several rooms are available for press conferences. Most of the MICE media will be attending the fair, so it is a good opportunity to target them whilst they are in the same place, at the same time. Additionally, press conferences on your stand can be very successful and appealing to the press.

However, whilst an attractive opportunity, remember that press conferences ought to be organised as the exception, rather than the rule. The story needs to be extremely strong, a VIP presence guaranteed or the launch of a initiative guaranteed, for journalists to feel that the time spent has been worthwhile.

Contact Nalan Yilmaz at nalan@imex-frankfurt.com if you would like to book a meeting room.

Top of page

9. Press packs

The IMEX press centre will provide excellent facilities for press, such as work stations, private meeting rooms, etc. It is therefore an ideal place for you to advertise yourself through media packs.

The pack should include actual news as well as all the necessary basic news that describes you and your company.

If you would like to reserve a space for your pack please complete the form on page 31 of your exhibitor manual.

Top of page

10. Continuity and useful rules for your work with the media

Last but not least PR relies on continuity - so try to build up a close relationship with your target media and keep it up throughout the year. For example, if you have had a successful contact through a journalist, write a letter thanking them; alternatively contact the media with a news release four to six weeks after the IMEX . Further monthly press releases, press trips and personal interviews will help to keep you in their mind.

In general make it your philosophy to deal with the media:

  • professionally
  • rapidly
  • ready to serve
  • enthusiastically
  • creatively
  • individually
  • success oriented
  • in an outgoing manner
  • in an informative way
  • reliably
  • openly without selling secrets

Top of page

11. Work with C&C

For introductory PR Advice on the German media you are invited to talk to the PR agency C&C Contact & Creation GmbH (www.cc-pr.com).

The agency is retained as consultant to IMEX and has close daily relations to the most important German MICE media and editors that are specialized in tourism themes. For the past three years C&C has been voted the "best tourism PR agency in Germany" from 70 of the most important national editors and 30 clients from the tourism industry proving the expertise of the C&C team.

C&C is delighted to work out a tailor made PR concept for you.
Please contact the team at team@cc-pr.com, Telephone: +49-69-963668-10.

Top of page

< Back to Press Office