Press Releases

CHICAGO, April 02, 2012 – Cision, the leading provider of PR software, services and tools for the marketing and PR industry, today introduced the Cision Sports Premium Profiles, offering users of the Cision Media Database a competitive edge in securing earned media coverage through profiles of traditional and digital influencers and editorial calendar data in the North American and global sports media.

To provide a sample of the profiles and help communicators prepare for the 2012 London Summer Olympics, which begin July 27, Cision also introduced a free briefing book with over 50 Olympics-related editorial opportunities and profiles of 25 key influencers. Cision also regularly features “Top Ten” lists, pitching tips, and expert articles from top sports journalists on the Cision Blog and Cision Navigator.

“When it comes to sustained, global media presence and potential for coverage, the Summer Olympics and soccer’s World Cup stand alone as the premier sporting events,” said Heidi Sullivan, Cision’s Vice President, Global Media Research. “For more than two weeks, the eyes of the world will be focused on Greater London as athletes from over 200 nations compete in the summer games, and there will be unprecedented competition for earned media coverage and conversations.”

“Communicators must plan well in advance to uncover the best opportunities and to build or strengthen the media/influencer relationships that ensure they’re competing at the same elite level as the athletes themselves,” she said. “The Cision Sports Module gives them the edge they need.”

For marketing and PR pros, building and strengthening relationships with media can be a critical factor that lets them stand out among the crowd.

Media “just can’t handle the volume of pitches that come in around an Olympics,” Elliott Almond of the Bay Area News Group recently told Cision. “I really try to respond to each and every one, but it’s a time suck. On the other hand, those I have relationships with and worked with in the past are invaluable.”

Almond also stressed that communicators must do their research before they propose an Olympics story. “During the Olympics and the build up, I get too many pitches that have nothing to do with my region and make no sense for our readers,” he said, “or, worse, I get pitched to speak with an athlete whom I [already] know well.”

Powered by the Cision Media Database, the world’s most comprehensive media research resource updated 20,000 times daily, the Sports Module includes detailed overviews of journalists and influencers, coverage and social media activity history, biographical information, audio interviews, contact preferences, pitching tips and Twitter handles. The free briefing book includes profiles and editorial opportunities from top outlets, from Sports Illustrated to ESPN to Yahoo! and Deadspin.

About Cision
Cision is a leading global media intelligence company, serving the complete workflow of today’s communications, social media and content marketing professionals. Offering the industry’s most comprehensive PR and social software, rich analytics and a Global Insights team, Cision enables clients to improve their marketing and strengthen data-driven decision making. Cision also represents the Gorkana Group, PRWeb, Help a Reporter Out (HARO) and iContact brands. Headquartered in Chicago, Cision has over 100,000 customers worldwide and maintains offices in Canada, U.K., France, Germany, Portugal, Sweden, Finland and China. For more information, visit www.cision.com or follow @Cision on Twitter.