In the high-stakes lead-up to the HBO Friends Reunion, the cultural noise was deafening. I was tasked with finding a unique, high-authority angle for MyHeritage that would cut through the global entertainment headlines. The objective was to secure elite-tier visibility that positioned the brand as the world’s leading authority on ancestral discovery.

The Strategy

Data is only as powerful as its placement. After working with the MyHeritage research team to uncover that Matthew Perry and Courteney Cox were actually 11th cousins, I bypassed a standard mass-distribution. Instead, I executed a High-Impact Exclusive Strategy.

Recognizing the value of the discovery, I offered the story as an exclusive to CNN just hours before the reunion aired. By securing a standalone feature and interview on one of the world’s most-watched news platforms at the exact moment global interest peaked, I ensured MyHeritage was the primary source of the day’s biggest entertainment news. This strategic "top-down" approach meant that every subsequent news outlet followed CNN’s lead, citing MyHeritage as the definitive source.

The Result

The CNN exclusive acted as a global catalyst. Within 24 hours of the story breaking, it achieved massive international syndication, becoming the most talked-about tie-in to the reunion.

The CNN exclusive triggered a wave of syndicated coverage across BBC, Reuters, Rolling Stone, and The Daily Mail.