Publicity Without Buying Ads: Why Outrageous Stories and Persistence Trump Big Budgets

Tim and Wendy Eidson didn’t find massive customer growth by pouring money into glossy magazine ads. Instead, their Mo Hotta-Mo Betta spicy foods business grabbed headlines and spiked sales by developing outlandish product names—‘Hellfire & Damnation Sauce’—and deliberately pursuing food editors with spicy samples. When local journalists tried the hottest Wasabi Chips, they couldn’t help but write about the experience, and their reach snowballed with each new mention.

Meanwhile, children’s video creator Sheryl Leach caught the eye of a PBS executive not through industry channels but by knocking on the less-respected doors, using 'Mom Blitzers' to seed her Barney videos with grassroots enthusiasm. Once the novelty and parent-led excitement hit broadcast, a franchise was born.

Science calls this “the availability heuristic”—we notice what’s vivid, surprising, or memorable. People overestimate the frequency and importance of things repeatedly seen in the media, especially when there’s a story or angle attached. Persistence, creative risk, and piggybacking on news cycles, not cash, create the best odds of being noticed.

Open a document and brainstorm five surprising, humorous, controversial, or strongly helpful angles about your project. Research five journalists, podcasters, or creators likely to care—and reach out personally, with your best line and an offer for an interview, demo, or sample. When most don’t bite immediately, treat each silence as a sign to try again with an updated story. Relentlessly share your news until someone picks it up. Energize your promotion by choosing the most outrageous or offbeat option, not the safest. Momentum often follows the bold.