In late 2011, a creative father-son duo demonstrated a masterclass in newsjacking during the GOP primary. Journalist Darren Garnick and his 9-year-old son Ari took an innovative approach to political coverage by asking each GOP candidate a simple yet revealing question: "If you could be any superhero, who would you be, and why?"

The project quickly gained traction, being featured on major media outlets including CNN, Fox News, Washington Post, USA Today, and National Geographic Kids. Their success offers valuable marketing lessons:

Key Marketing Insights:

1. Brand Differentiation

• Most candidates chose Superman, missing an opportunity to stand out
• Jon Huntsman differentiated himself by choosing Spider-Man
• Surprisingly, no one selected Captain America, despite its patriotic appeal

2. Media Training Effectiveness

• Rick Santorum skillfully connected his superhero choice (The Incredibles) to his family values message
• Ron Paul's dismissive "I don't know" response demonstrated poor media training
• Successful responses followed the ATM (Answer and Transition to Message) technique

3. Content Strategy Success Factors

• Created unique angle on saturated topic
• Leveraged timing during peak media interest
• Produced easily shareable content
• Maintained authenticity and entertainment value

This case study demonstrates how creative content can cut through media noise and generate significant coverage, even without a large PR budget. In today's digital age, well-executed newsjacking can achieve remarkable results.

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