Reactive · Feb 26, 2026 · 5 min read · by the Pressfold team

Newsjacking done right: speed without recklessness

When a story breaks in your industry, there's a short window where reporters are actively hunting for expert reaction. Land a sharp, quotable take inside that window and you can earn coverage that would take a full survey campaign to match. Misjudge it and you look opportunistic at best, tone-deaf at worst. Reactive PR is the highest-variance play we run.

Win the speed game before the news breaks

The teams that newsjack well aren't faster typists; they're better prepared. They know which topics they can credibly speak to, they have a named expert briefed and willing, and they have a relationship with reporters already. When the story lands, they're adding a considered line, not scrambling to invent a position. Speed is a product of preparation, not panic.

Only react where you have standing

The fastest way to embarrass a client is to comment on a story they have no real authority to discuss. A logistics company has a genuine, useful view on a supply-chain disruption; it has nothing credible to add to an unrelated political row. Reporters can smell a brand stretching for relevance, and so can the audience. If the connection takes more than a sentence to justify, skip it.

Offer substance, not a slogan

• A specific data point or first-hand observation the reporter can't get elsewhere.
• A clear, human opinion — including, when warranted, an inconvenient one.
• Availability for a quick interview while the window is open.

"We're monitoring the situation closely" is not a quote; it's filler. A real reaction takes a position and backs it.

Know when silence is the move

Some stories are tragedies, not opportunities, and any attempt to attach a brand to them reads as ghoulish. Part of doing reactive PR well is the discipline to recognise those moments and stay out of them entirely. The reputational downside of a bad newsjack lasts far longer than the coverage a good one earns — so when in doubt, we don't.