Carving the buffalo:
how to reuse content for maximum impact
Once upon a time, the buffalo was valued not just for its meat but for every part of its body: the hide became strong leather, bones and horns were shaped into tools, and fat was repurposed for cooking or soap-making. Nothing was wasted. At OutspokenPR, we approach content the same way, and we believe that every piece of content deserves to be used, reused, and transformed until it has given all the value it possibly can.
Just as the buffalo sustained entire communities by providing nourishment, tools, and shelter, well-crafted content can serve a business in multiple ways. A single press release or campaign idea has the potential to fuel blogs, social media, email marketing, speeches, and beyond. Seeing content as a resource with many potential uses, rather than a one-off, allows you to maximise your PR investment and keep messaging consistent across channels.
The meat: your core story
The meat of the buffalo represents the most direct and essential use of your content: the main story or message. This could be a product launch, a thought leadership piece, or a client success story, it’s the foundation upon which all other elements are built. Like meat provides nourishment, your central story feeds your audience with information, value, and clarity. The key is to distil this core narrative, ensuring it remains clear and compelling across all platforms.
The hide: durable content that protects your brand
A buffalo’s hide can be transformed into leather, durable, versatile and protective. In content terms, the hide represents evergreen material: assets that reinforce your brand’s identity over the long term. This includes your website copy, messaging documents, whitepapers, and even FAQs. These pieces form the durable ‘skin’ of your communications, that, once created, continue working for you long after initial publication, providing consistency and trust.
Bones and horns: add-ons and shorter content
Bones and horns are fashioned into tools and ornaments, practical yet decorative. Similarly, fragments of your content can be reworked into infographics, short social posts, or visual assets. A long-form report might provide data points for a LinkedIn carousel, or a quote for social media, while an interview with a company leader could become a soundbite or a graphic. Each tool has its function, but collectively they amplify reach. By repurposing strategically, you avoid starting from scratch each time while reinforcing the original message.
Fat: fuel for engagement
Animal fat can be used for cooking or soap, transforming into a source of fuel or cleansing. In content terms, this is the material you use to spark engagement and keep your audience coming back. Think of behind-the-scenes videos, Q&A sessions, or humorous takes on industry news. These lighter pieces might not carry the weight of your central story, but they fuel conversation and help build community. They also humanise your brand and make it more relatable.
Making the most of your content
The buffalo analogy reminds us that nothing should go to waste. Here are some practical steps for applying this philosophy:
- Start with the core story. Define your ‘meat’ – the essential message that underpins all repurposing.
- Build evergreen assets. Transform that story into website content, brand statements, and durable copy that strengthens your presence.
- Create add-ons. Extract data, quotes, or visuals for repurposing into infographics, social posts, or presentations.
- Fuel ongoing engagement. Rework softer angles of your story into conversational, entertaining, or interactive formats.
- Adapt for context. Tailor each version to the platform and audience without losing the heart of the story.
The buffalo approach to content is not only efficient but sustainable. In the same way indigenous peoples honoured the buffalo by wasting nothing, brands today should respect the time and resources that go into content creation. By reusing and repurposing strategically, it’s possible to reduce duplication, maximise resources, and minimise the environmental footprint associated with endless new production. Every press release, article, or video holds within it multiple potential forms, audiences, and opportunities. By thinking like those who used every part of the buffalo, you can unlock the full value of their content. The result? Stronger storytelling, wider reach, and deeper connections with audiences.
Get in touch with us today team@outspokenpr.com