Pitch, Please: Journalists Sound Off on Media Relations

Oh hey there, readers and PR pros/aficionados. Hope you're having a good fall and that you stocked up on all the hot back-to-school gear. Since we have a few minutes, here's another roundup of the week's responses to good, bad and indifferent pitches collected with some help from our friends at Muck Rack. First, from Jessie Opoien of the Cap Times in Wisconsin: this week we learned that you can apply #BackToTheFuture to almost anything. That doesn't really mean you should do it, though. Keep those Back to the Future political press releases coming everyone — Jessie Opoien (@jessieopie) October 21, 2015 Next, from Ben Dreyfuss of Mother Jones: can the Care Bears be applied to any political pitch? Looks like somebody found a way...or maybe they just got lost in the Forest of Feelings. I find this PR pitch sort of insulting pic.twitter.com/hgOpmOoySZ — Ben Dreyfuss (@bendreyfuss) October 22, 2015 But seriously, though: the curve. Stay ahead. Got my first PR pitch pegged to Back to the Future day. — Niraj Chokshi (@NirajC) October 21, 2015 Next, Dan Zak covers style for The Washington Post. He's written a lot of Pope Francis stories lately--but he certainly hasn't written anything about a grey-haired bluegrass jam band (stylish though they may be). Me: "Please remove me from your list." Flack: "apologies - do [sic] whats [sic] your beat?" Me: "Life. And death. But not Leftover Salmon." — Dan Zak (@MrDanZak) October 13, 2015 Did the Supreme Court selfie from BuzzFeed court reporter Chris Geidner give him away?! A random PR pitch that is actually relevant to my interests? pic.twitter.com/RSeajk4O3u — Chris Geidner (@chrisgeidner) October 22, 2015 That one did play it safe by sticking to his first name, unlike this one from blogger Liz Thomson. Here's a tough one: can you claim to have been following an influencer "for some time" if you aren't really familiar with his or her work? Maybe. Just be careful with the fudging. PR pitch ~ "Hello fashion blogger! We've been following you for some time" No you haven't. — Image Granted (@ImageGranted) October 23, 2015 Next, a pitch focused on the struggles of men in the tech industry might not be the best one to send to an influencer best known for writing about sexism in the tech industry. Just got a PR pitch for "Seattle-based company launching an online clothing line designed specifically for male technology workers" — Shanley (@shanley) October 20, 2015 As sometime Cubs fans, we can relate to this pitch sent to Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times. But we're not too sad that it didn't come true, because we like the Mets better anyway. For#Cubs fans pre-emptively fearing jinx, just got a PR pitch: "With Joe Maddon and the Chicago Cubs about to rewrite history next week ..." — Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) October 17, 2015 We also feel for Quentin Hardy of The New York Times, because our cell number once made its way to a person who we do not want to be texting us on a Wednesday or any other afternoon. In the past two days I've had four texts to my phone with PR pitches. This can end immediately, thanks. — Quentin Hardy (@qhardy) October 21, 2015 In a perfect world, two his would be better than one. I just got a PR pitch that started with: Hi hi. — Karyne Levy (@karynelevy) October 13, 2015 In an even more perfect world, we would get to interview the founder of this organization about its incredible name. I just got an anti-Sanders PR pitch from a group called "Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation" — Daniel Nasaw (@danielnasaw) October 12, 2015 We personally have no problem with long pitches. But FOUR attachments that don't happen to be the logo of your firm? (What's with all those JPEGs, anyway?!) If your PR pitch is 1200+ words AND 4 attached releases, there's no way I'm going to read any of it. Edit yo'self before you wreck yo'self. — Emma Janzen (@emmajanzen) October 20, 2015 Belinda Luscombe of TIME just gave us a tiny little "fill in the blank" sad... Just got one PR pitch with subject: "Put Catchy Subject Line Here." And then another for same event with a subject line that was not catchy — Belinda Luscombe (@luscombeland) October 19, 2015 ...as did Andrew Huff of Chicago's Gaper's Block. Maybe his Twitter handle was confusing. "Hello media!" has got to be one of the worst ways to open a PR pitch. And yet I've gotten exactly that from the same dude three times. — Andrew Huff (@me3dia) October 19, 2015 From Tom Philpott of Mother Jones...the season just started, people!! Oct. 19: receive my first PR pitch since Jan. touting "Super Bowl snacks." Includes Sriracha Chorizo Deviled Eggs—made w eggless mayo. #huh — Tom Philpott (@tomphilpott) October 19, 2015 Finally, we don't know about these pitches AT ALL. PR pitches from the last 2 days: A celebrity dachshund and a bride getting married at her grandpa's retirement home. Guys, I'm a film critic — Amy Nicholson (@TheAmyNicholson) October 15, 2015 But we definitely want to meet that dachshund.

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Pitch, Please: Journalists Sound Off on Media Relations

The week's best responses...to PR pitches.

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