The One PR Move That's Hurting You More Than Helping You

I can assure you every editor agrees.

Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash

Even though the joke is that “it’s PR not the ER,” I understand the pressure publicists experience with clients. They’re often getting paid an exorbitant amount of money to create buzz and bustling business for a person or brand, so it makes sense that the entity wants to see results. We all know clients aren’t always the most realistic about their brand, and the publicist is left climbing the walls to meet their needs. Again, I get the pressure. There’s a lot on a publicist’s plate.

That said, in addition to pleasing the client, the other end of it is developing strong relationships with media. And that means treading lightly. I know it sounds cliche, but slow and steady wins the race. I’ve been talking to several editor friends lately (and even some publicists, too), who are more and more pushing the importance of brand awareness above all else. Not everything can or should turn into major, off-the-bat, guaranteed editorial coverage. Yes, there will always be editors who can toss a brand into a silly SEO roundup in exchange for free product—but if you’re looking for those hard-hitting features that will take the client to the next level, patience and relationship-building is key.

A Win for Everyone

Whether you love ‘em or hate ‘em, Tarte gets the game. They spoil media and influencers with endless gifting, lavish trips, you name it. Why? Because let’s be real—who isn’t going to post about a free iPad? Who isn’t going to post about a huge box of free makeup, or, most obviously, a trip to Bora Bora?

The most recent instance that raised eyebrows on the internet was a delivery of holiday sets to select influencers. But these were no ordinary packages. They came with two stocking stuffer-like boxes, accompanied by a separate box with a $700 Hermès Clic H bracelet. A what?, you might think. Well, before you lament about how an influencer getting gifted isn’t making you eager to buy from the brand, consider the thought process behind the gifting.

“They want ppl talking abt tarte,” one TikTok user commented on a video questioning the lavish spend. “[The posted gift] is sparking conversation (good or bad). the roi of the gifting isn’t necessarily revenue it’s brand awareness. it is working.”

Another related video posted by commentator channel SpillSesh went on to say, “I don’t know if it was their strategy to just get a conversation going online about Tarte by sending influencers different gifts—because obviously we’re talking about it right now. I don’t know if that translates into people wanting to buy Tarte, but I will say that they are smart in the fact that influencers are definitely going to be posting if they get an Hermès gift. And I know it’s definitely way cheaper for them to send them an Hermès bracelet, than to ask them to do a paid partnership post. A lot of these influencers have millions of followers, and they’re probably charging $5-$10K for a post … The influencer is definitely going to be posting because they’re excited to get such a luxury gift.”

Now, let’s be clear: Tarte is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. They’re on a different tier than the majority of beauty brands on the market. I’m not here to say every brand needs to shower editors with lavish giftings just because. In fact, that’s not even ethical (not that anyone on either end follows ethics anyway—who are we kidding?). But what I’m saying is Tarte understands the value of brand awareness and conversation, versus immediate direct sales.

Driving Editors Away

No editor wants to be told off the bat that they can only come to an event in exchange for coverage, or be offered gifting and then immediately asked what their coverage plans are.

I was recently invited on a “staycation” brand trip, and off the bat, the rep asked for guaranteed coverage within the next four months. I am not a pay-for-play kind of gal, but if I know I’m working on something upcoming and there’s an organic way to tie in the brand in an impactful way, I’ll do it. I was unfamiliar with the brand going into it, so it was clear from the jump I would really need to experience it before doing an interview or committing to how I’d be able to cover this.

As I received more information about the trip, I felt like it was much less of a so-called “staycation” and much more of the brand squeezing every ounce out of media as possible. I felt like a lot was being shoved down my throat and there wasn’t really any benefit for me except one late night’s rest on a luxury pillow.

While I initially agreed to the trip, I politely declined upon getting a better sense of what this would entail. To be clear, I’m not pretentious or entitled when it comes to giftings, events or brand trips. I’m grateful to be included, period. Trust me—I have this running joke about a freezing cold press trip I voluntarily took in 2018 to Albuquerque, NM in the thick of winter. It was to cover some Disney+ press junket with names I’d never heard of for the startup I used to work for. The hotel we got to sleep in at the end of the eight-hour day was actually really nice, but outside of that, there was no point in me going except to proudly boast to my friends that I went on a “press trip.” So yes, a staycation at a chic LA hotel with a fun lifestyle brand would seem like a no-brainer.

But 2024 has been the busiest year of my life, and it’s taught me so much about time management, saying no, and setting boundaries with myself (and others). I weighed out the pros and cons and realized that ultimately this trip would not serve a purpose for me. I still wanted to make the connection, but just not at this capacity. Had there not been this sense of obligation and urgency from the brand, I would’ve been far more likely to go. But given that I wasn’t even familiar with the brand to begin with, it was presumptuous to expect coverage before even letting me develop an opinion.

Had the brand made the experience feel warm, fuzzy and connective, there’s a 90% chance I would cover it at some point anyway because I would have that awareness and relationship. And I would have definitely shared the whole weekend on social media. So instead of gaining potential coverage down the line, the brand lost me (and another editor who shared my sentiments) as attendees.

I’m using this brand trip as an example because it’s the most recent. But this type of thing happens in other capacities as well. In June, I received a lively invite to a prominent beauty/fashion PR agency’s summer soiree. The subject line of the email boldly stated “YOU’RE INVITED| [redacted] SUMMER PARTY 2024.” I skimmed through the email, which boasted 34 (!) of the “hottest brands” (their words, not mine) that would be available for gifting at this top tier affair. Picturesque views, complimentary Uber codes, stocking up on “must haves for the summer”—oh, and a small caveat.

In one paragraph towards the bottom of the invite, it said “We would love to hear your thoughts on coverage ideas that we can work on together.” Not my favorite statement, but still passable. Then, in the following paragraph, it said, “If you're interested in attending, kindly RSVP ASAP with your preferred approximate arrival time to confirm your attendance at this private event along with the type of coverage [yes, in bold] you're interested in publishing.”

I thought that second part was weird. Like, you just sent me an INVITE. It didn’t say “coverage opportunity” or “request for coverage” in the subject line. But, I digress. I was still open to a potential coverage discussion, but for the sake of my own morals (and more so the fact that this so-called “invite” was so tasteless), I replied: “In terms of coverage, I can guarantee social on my personal accts (IG and TT), but outside of that I can't guarantee anything off the bat. Of course open to post-event discussion on how we can potentially work together editorially.”

The reply? “Thank you for getting back to me but unfortunately, we would need to guarantee coverage from all media attendees. If anything changes, please let me know! xx.” It was almost like I was being gaslit into thinking I was the one who reached out to attend the event. SMH.

Curious what they even had in mind (I mean, this is a gifting suite for crying out loud), I replied, “What kind of coverage are you looking for? I don't know of any notable media publications that directly cover gifting suites.”

Without further elaboration, she replied simply: “As stated in the invite [actually not!], the coverage we are looking for can be anything from brand participants to notable celebrity attendees but if you aren't able to cover, no worries.” And yet, still, what does that even mean? I’m just supposed to publish a list of guests at a gifting suite? K.  

I stood my ground and skipped the event—and with zero regrets, as Infinity Creative Agency had a similar type of event a few months prior with no coverage demands and plenty of swag. I was pretty stocked up on alleged “must haves.”

I recently shared a Substack about my occasional issue with gifting opportunities (general gifting opps, not suites or events). It’s one thing if the editor reaches out to receive or review something—or if the email or press release launch announcement explicitly states “samples available for coverage consideration,” or “select samples available upon request.” But, if an email subject line says GIFTING, Best Address?, or OPT-IN, I’m going to expect a no-strings-attached gift is the intention. I’m not expecting a reply asking how I plan to cover the product after I accept the offer.

There are certainly exceptions to upfront requests for coverage. If there are intensive travel accommodations being made for the sake of experiencing a launch or timely event, I understand the demand. And yes, it comes with the territory that even after a no-strings-attached press trip, event or gifting, a rep will follow up with press materials and hound the editor with pitches every other month. Again, they’re not giving editors these opportunities for their health. It’s all business, I get it.

But here’s the deal: Invest in solid editors who you trust will take care of your clients in due time. Don’t waste your time on editors you don’t trust or who you haven’t seen results from prior. Once you deal with the ones you trust, you can have those open conversations later on about how important coverage is to you. Publicists I’m close to have candid conversations with me all the time about their clients. And we have productive chats about what would help get the client to a coverage-worthy place. Any editor with even the slightest bit of autonomy will do whatever they can to give your client that coveted mention if it feels warranted—trust me.

It’s not hard—don’t rub an editor the wrong way and risk losing that relationship altogether by shoving something down their throat that will only send them packing. Build those relationships, and nurture them the way you would a client. And look, this is a two-way street. Publicists are extremely valuable on my end of things, too. So I, too, cherish my relationships. Above all else, the editor-publicist relationship is much more to me than a business transaction. I consider some of the publicists I work with my closest friends. Based on our industries and the interests we pursue for our career, we have many commonalities and similar lifestyles. There’s no reason to risk that bond with poor decision making that can easily be altered.

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SPEAKING OF PUBLICISTS… here are some current editorial and publicity-related needs for all you PR folks…. (EMAIL ME IF YOU’RE A FIT):

Cancun Spas (Spa & Beauty Today) - doing a roundup of the best spas in Cancun. If you’ve got a Cancun hotel or spa client, send ‘em my way!

Black-Owned Luxury Wig Leaders (Forbes) - looking for a leader in the Black-owned luxury wig business to feature in a larger wig article.

Fall Spas (Forbes) - looking for standalone spas or hotel spas that offer scents/location/decor that really embody fall, whisking a guest away into the magic of the season.

Unique Fall Fragrances (Forbes) - looking for standout fall scents that extend your typical pumpkin spice, apple cinnamon aromas. They still need to smell “fally,” but they should be a bit abstract. They can be candles, diffusers or perfumes/unisex fragrances.

Photo Booth - looking for anyone tied to an event photo booth rental service for an upcoming media/tastemaker event. Will share more info upon inquiry.