What evergreen brand assets do you currently have at your disposal — and will they still hold their value if your business comes under scrutiny?

By ITN Business Account Director Tamsin Luck

It’s a question worth asking, especially in today’s volatile media landscape. It was also front of mind at a recent YouGov seminar, where members of our ITN Business team heard from Jim Pierpoint, Head of Global Media Relations at Bank of America.

Drawing on his experience as a former Reuters journalist, Jim shared findings from his analysis of 24 high-profile corporate crises — insights that shaped a framework designed to predict when negative media coverage is likely to cause genuine business harm, rather than just surface-level noise. It revealed some hard truths about how reputations are built, tested, and ultimately restored.

What stood out from Jim’s talk was this: it’s not always the size of the crisis that causes lasting harm, but how well a business manages the narrative in the days and weeks that follow. The organisations that weather reputational hits best are the ones that are prepared, with a strategy, message, and assets ready to go. Which got us thinking about the tools most businesses rely on in moments of pressure.

The problem with relying on press releases

Traditional media relations can feel like a gamble. You spend hours crafting the perfect press release, refining the message, securing approvals, sending it to journalists… then wait. If it lands, great. If it’s ignored, misrepresented, or overtaken by another story, your window closes.

Press releases absolutely have their place. But they depend on hope:

  • Hope that the timing’s right
  • Hope that the media picks up the story
  • Hope that your message isn’t diluted in the process

And hope isn’t a strategy when your reputation’s on the line.

Why owned content changes the game

This is where owned content puts you back in control. Instead of simply reacting to the news cycle, you’re building a library of brand assets that let you shape the narrative on your own terms. Creating that content with ITN brings added value — aligning your message with the credibility, authority and editorial integrity of a trusted journalistic brand.

Here’s what that looks like in practice:

  • Editorial control – You guide the story from start to finish.
  • Copyright ownership – It’s your asset, with long-term value.
  • Final approval – Nothing is released without your sign-off.
  • Unlimited use – Repurpose it across global regions, internal comms, investor updates, or social media campaigns.

It’s high-quality branded content that keeps working long after the headlines have moved on.

Think like a publisher, not a PR machine

Today’s most resilient and influential brands aren’t waiting for press coverage – they’re building their own. They are acting like publishers, with a clear editorial strategy, a consistent voice, and a pipeline of assets they can deploy at any moment.

So, ask yourself: What powerful, evergreen brand assets do you currently have at your disposal? And importantly – do they reflect who you are when it matters most?

At ITN Business, we partner with organisations that want to build credibility and long-term impact through strategic content. From documentary-style storytelling and executive interviews to explainer videos and broadcast-ready productions, we help brands create content with purpose and longevity.

Get in touch with a member of our team to learn more about what we can build together. Email ITN Business Account Director Tamsin Luck or Head of ITN Business, Nina Harrison-Bell.