Newsjack the Moment: How Timeliness Secured the Interview
You’ve seen it in the news – corporations have been pulling support from Pride Month events. Most notably,NYC Pride reported $750,000 in lost sponsorships and many brands have gone from strong support to opting to give anonymously.
But we saw an opportunity to tell the other side of the story – and that is how we landed the interview.
The 2025 Charity Checkout Champions Report, released by our former client, Engage for Good in partnership with Adyen, revealed a powerful trend: consumers are stepping in where corporations are stepping out.
One of the strongest statistics the report uncovered? Macy’s shoppers alone donated over $1 million in 2024 to The Trevor Project during Pride Month — just by rounding up at the register.
That stat – paired with CEO of Engage for Good’s Muneer Panjwani’s perspective as a bold, authentic leader – gave us a timely, data-backed angle to newsjack. That pitch secured an on-camera interview with Gregory Walton of Agence France-Presse (AFP), an outlet that sees over 1 million viewers monthly and positioned our client at the center of a national conversation.
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Setting the Stage: Make the Most of Your On-Site Role
Staffing a broadcast interview for the first time taught me more than any Zoom interview ever could.
I arrived early at the historic Stonewall Inn and connected with the AFP producer, Diane Desobeau – a small move that built rapport and opened the door for better collaboration. Once Panjwani arrived, he turned to me for additional guidance: What should I focus on? I reminded him to be himself, speak boldly and weave in the Macy’s stat from the Charity Checkout Champions report.
During the interview, Walton asked pointed, timely questions about the evolving landscape of corporate sponsorship for Pride events and the broader LGBTQ+ community. Panjwani delivered, weaving in themes of community support, meaningful brand action and the relevance of Engage for Good’s insights – all in a way that felt grounded and thoughtful. He spoke to the idea of “quiet courage,” highlighting how brands like Abercrombie & Fitch continue to demonstrate long-term LGBTQ+ support without performative fanfare. He also referenced the growing role of consumer-led giving and the shifting expectations around corporate participation in Pride.
We wrapped on a high note. Post-interview, a casual off-the-record conversation between Panjwani and Walton flowed easily, as Desobeau shot b-roll. I was so excited to be there behind the camera – it reminded me of when I was in middle school and I had wanted to be a broadcaster. Exhilarating!
Support Your Spokesperson: Prepare, Listen, Empower
Being physically present for a broadcast interview isn’t just about logistics, it’s about being a steady, informed presence to best support your spokesperson.
When I had asked my colleagues for advice, they empowered me to be confident and myself, which was the same I did for Panjwani. I made sure he had:
- A clear message framework and briefing document
- Key stats and examples to lean on
- Encouragement to speak freely and authentically, but purposefully
I was sure to follow up with contact info, thank-you notes and offers to stay in touch. A new relationship was born and more opportunities are already in motion.
Even better? The resulting story has already been syndicated 219 times, generating a total unique monthly viewership (UVM) of 721.47 million across top-tier outlets worldwide like Barron’s, Yahoo!, Daily Mail, NDTV, La Nacion and more. It was a true and meaningful earned media win and a powerful example of what thoughtful timing and proper preparations can achieve.
