Best Media Placement of All Time- Google Doodles

What is the best media placement you can possibly earn for your client?

Well it's not a cover story at nytimes.com, wsj.com or CNN.com, even though they're some of the toughest earned media opportunities out there.

It's a Google Doodle.

I'm not talking about paid media, mind you. By media placements, I mean earned media placements, achieved through public relations.

Editorial coverage that can't be bought directly is much more influential than ads you can buy, because they carry an implied third-party endorsement.

When Margaret Atwood addressed a sell out crowd at the PEN Literary Foundation to mark the 400th anniversary of the publication of “Don Quixote” in 1605, I was hoping Google would take notice with quixotic themed logo on their search page or Google Doodle.

But apparently, Cervantes doesn't have the top public relations firm he needs in place.

In the world of public relations services, a front page story placed above the fold in the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times or USA Today is a home run.

On the Internet, scoring a themed Google logo on the popular search engine's home page is a home run.

When I worked on media relations for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Salt Lake Winter Olympics, we were able to help secure a series of themed Google Doodles that themed their main search page throughout the duration of the games.

• Google Doodle – Winter Olympics 2002 – Luge
• Google Doodle – Winter Olympics 2002 – Freestyle Skiing
• Google Doodle – Winter Olympics 2002 – Curling

If you're wondering how to score a themed Google logo, Dennis Hwang was the guy in 2002. Not sure who it now.

For the most part, themed logos recognize holidays and events that veer off the mainstream path, which could be good news for the PR community, since even a boutique PR firm like ours can score with the right client, and the right ideas.

Another earned marketing team successful enough to secure this golden digital PR media opportunity was the Ray Charles foundation, on the birthday of the genius.

When you think about owned, shared and earned media, the latter has the greatest potential in a growth marketing program. And that's because of the power of neutral, third-party endorsements.

Just make sure your owned and shared media programs are in order before you go after earned media if the objective is organic growth. That's the secret of successful PR programs.