The January Assignment Rush is On!
T+L, The Spruce, Reader's Digest and more (plus links to tons of recently published pieces too)
Good morning/afternoon to all 4,000 of you … yes, I’ve surpassed 4k subscribers! How amazing is that?! Thank you all for your Substack support over the last year or so!
I spent last week on a press trip to the adults-only Excellence Riviera Cancun with my cousin and we had such a great time! The property/decor/landscaping was truly beautiful, the entertainment and customer service was excellent, the spa had a really cool hydrotherapy circuit we made use of, and the Caribbean Sea brought my soul immense joy. Ahhhh, I loved every minute of this relaxing itinerary.
I was trying to ignore all the bad news about layoffs across the media and tech industries last week while I was chilling in a hammock, but now it’s time to face them. By now I’m sure you’ve heard about the round of layoffs at Vox last week in case you somehow missed allll the tweets about it. They laid off 7% of their workforce across such pubs as Eater, Vulture, The Verge, and Thrillist. It warmed my heart to see so many editors across multiple publishing houses using Twitter to ask the displaced employees to get in touch for possible assignments. But man, this news still sucks.
Ok, I need some advice about a recent PR situation I don’t understand … I’m hoping you can shed some light. I’m working on a round-up article for Better Homes & Gardens of the best XYZ companies. An in-house PR person from one of the biggest brands in the biz reached out, as she heard I was working on the story (and her brand was one of the ones my editor specifically asked me to include). Here’s how the conversation went down:
Her: What is the focus for the article? Also, would this be for online or print? Finally, is there any cost associated with possibly participating?
Me: It’s a roundup of the best XYZ brands. There’s no cost. This is for digital.
Her: Thanks for confirming there is no cost on editorial coverage. One more question – is it a positive-tone article or a comparison of providers?
Me: It’s a round-up of all the best brands, each will be “the best” of a specific category.
Her: Unfortunately we are going to pass on this opportunity at this time.
That’s all the information I got. Any ideas why a brand would pass on this opportunity? I’m truly trying to understand, because this was a first and I was stunned. Is there no value to the brands for these pieces? Do they not like being compared to other brands? Isn’t all press good press? I can’t imagine it’s an issue with BHG, right?! Help me understand!
Ok, scroll on down to see what I need this week!
Jill
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Please Share this Newsletter With Your Colleagues
If you find this newsletter valuable, please click the share button below and send it to your colleagues …. I’m especially looking for more travel publicists, publicists who rep healthcare and wellness professionals (dietitians, doctors, mental health, etc.), and of course product-focused publicists too! The more, the merrier!
PR Job Opportunities
Segal Communications is looking for a Senior Account Exec
You can always email these job opps to me at JillSchildhouse@gmail.com — but please use PR Job Opps as your subject line so I can find them easily!
***Recently Published Pieces***
(Thank you for your help!)
TripSavvy: The Cheapest Islands in the World to Visit
Reader’s Digest: 7 Best Foundations for Mature Skin
Family Handyman: 6 Best Basement Odor Eliminators
Taste of Home: How to Cook Cabbage So It’s Less Gassy
Travel + Leisure: The 7 Best Laptops for Travel of 2023 (also got picked up on Yahoo)
Landing: A Local’s Guide to Finding the Best Nightlife in Phoenix
TripSavvy: The 18 Most Beautiful Islands in the World
Business Insider: I Paid a Stylist $300 to Determine Which Colors Look Best on Me
Now, it's time to get the word out! When you and your clients share your coverage on social media, please be sure to tag my accounts: Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn (and please connect with me yourselves!).
—— Current Editorial Needs ——
1. The Spruce: Best Light Therapy Lamps (last call!)
Open to all categories: best budget, best splurge, best red lamp, best SAD lamp, best compact, best floor lamp, best design, best technology, etc.
Pitches must include the following details:
Where it can be purchased (links to major retailers, ideally)
Type
Dimensions
Weight
Brightness Settings
Light Intensity (Lux)
Adjustability
Cons (if you don’t include 2 “areas of opportunity,” I’ll be forced to pull from angry online reviews!)
Subject line: The Spruce + Name of Brand
Email: JillSchildhouse@gmail.com
Pitch by: EOD Tuesday
2. Reader’s Digest: Must-Visit Wineries in Oregon (last call!)
Rounding up the best wineries in Oregon
Be sure your pitch includes the following details for consideration:
Name of winery
What region it’s in
Best for who? (Examples: Pinot Noir aficionados, big groups, private tastings, foodies, etc.)
What’s the winery itself like?
What do they specialize in?
What makes it such a great place to visit?
What’s the scenery look like?
What’s the best time of year to visit?
What are the tasting prices?
What’s the hero wine?
Paste the URL of the TripAdvisor link to the winery.
Subject line: Oregon Winery + Insert Name of Winery
Email: JillSchildhouse@gmail.com
Pitch by: EOD Wednesday
3. Travel + Leisure: Best Portable Power Banks for Travel
Open to all categories: best budget, best wireless/Mag safe, best 2-in-1, best with wall plug, best with A/C outlet, best for fast charging, most compact, best solar, best for phones, best for tablets, best for laptops
Pitches must include the following details:
Dimensions
Weight
Capacity (in mAh)
Input ports (# and type)
Output ports (# and type)
Cons (if you don’t include 2 “areas of opportunity,” I’ll be forced to pull from angry online reviews!)
Subject line: T+L Portable Power Banks + Name of Brand
Email: JillSchildhouse@gmail.com
Pitch by: EOD Thursday
4. Franklin Prosperity Report: Luxury Travel for Less
Looking for seasoned travel agents or other pros to discuss ideas for how to enjoy the perks of luxury travel while spending less money. This could be for transportation (car rentals and airfare), accommodations, high-end activities like safaris and helicopter rides, etc.
Some questions I’d like to answer in this piece (this is just a starting point, so please feel free to think far beyond this!): Is it possible to travel in business class or first class at a lower rate? If so, are there search engines/aggregators to find good deals? Are there specialized travel agencies? Does it make sense to buy packages or is it cheaper to price everything separately?
Please send credentials AND commentary for luxury travel hacks on a budget. The more unique, the better their chances of inclusion.
Subject line: Travel Agent Luxury Hacks
Email: JillSchildhouse@gmail.com
Pitch by: EOD Thursday
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OK, that response is definitely weird and makes no sense, but I have to think it is coming from someone who has limited PR experience and who has a boss with equally limited experience. I can see why they ask if something is a paid opportunity or not - there are plenty of awards and lists out there where you have to pay an entry fee or it is P2P - but passing on a purely editorial piece like this makes no sense. I think a lot of brand folks don't really understand that being included in a roundup article with their competitors isn't necessarily a bad thing. They often want to be the only one in the story, and that somehow it is bad if their competitors are listed too. I've definitely had to have the conversation explaining that that's not how it works in PR/editorial and that there is still great value in roundups, especially if the article points out some of their unique features or selling points.
I can understand inquiring about the type of story, if there is a cost associated and the overall tone and approach. I think that them declining is a loss indeed. There are some clients who just don't want to be in articles or roundups with competitors, and personally and professionally, I think that's a loss. Anything that points to your brands best assets is something to take advantage of. This is from Caren Begun (caren.begun@tmstrat.com).