Monkeying around with newsjacking for Rula

2

top tier publications responded to the pitch that afternoon!

Challenge

In February 2026, the world became enamored with Panchi “Punch” the Monkey, who was given a plush orangutan doll after he had trouble fitting in with other monkeys in a Japanese zoo. Many observers on social joked that their mental health was hinging on Panchi’s acceptance by his troupe. Rula saw this as an opportunity to explore why so many people identify so deeply with Panchi’s experience – including themes of loneliness, empathy, belonging and attachment, etc.

Solution

Focusing on a viral moment and moving FAST to pull together a pitch, offering experts to comment on themes of loneliness and how to navigate them as well as showcasing Rula as a resource for media, SourceCode moved quickly to respond to this news story. In addition, having some “go to” friendly media at the ready helped to make it easier to turn around responses.

Results

• Initial interest from Glamour and Rolling Stone
• Regular banter with media friendlies on pop culture storylines
• Building trust with the client on new ideas that stick