I like PR. We even did a show on the topic with a PR guy. But y’all are killing me. Due to the volume of submissions I have to wade through that have no relevance to this here blog, here’s a handy guide to help me, help YOU:
1) I only cover creative work that’s already run (or is just running now). I don’t cover ANYTHING ELSE. No stories about agency wins/losses, employee hirings/firings, new books, marketing seminars, apps, mobile tech, etc.
2) My first name’s not “HI” or “FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE.”
3) Just send this:
“Hi Bill, (See? First name—easy!)
Here’s a new campaign from (brand). It’s to promote their new (product). It’s from (Agency.com). (Always include url to agency or agencies responsible for the work.)
Thanks,
(your name)”
Save the three pages of backstory. I do not need anyone to find a way into the story for me. I will find my own way into it.
4) If it’s a TV spot, do not send the actual clip, and do not send me to your website to watch or download it. I only run clips with embed codes from YouTube or Vimeo. Period. With the volume of submissions I get, I do not have time to track down your agency’s clips/embed codes for you. That’s why they pay you.
– Send print/collateral/OOH/etc. as an attached jpeg or as a link to where it’s posted. No need to ask if I want to see – it’s an ad blog – of course I want to see the work. (No PDFs either.)
5) Sorry, but no anonymous submissions from generic email accounts anymore. (That’s different than a legit person I already know asking me to keep their name anonymous, which I will do.)
6) After all that? That’s still no guarantee anything you send will run. If it’s on every ad blog you already sent to, chances are I may not run it for that reason alone. In general though, if I like something, it runs.
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If your stuff isn’t appearing on the blog, it’s probably because of one or more of the above items.
