Jessica Ventura

UNDER EMBARGO This is a PR tactic more people should be using. When we have a major announcement coming up, we’ll often send the press release under embargo with a specific future date and time for publication. That means the news isn’t live yet, but journalists can read it early. The key is trust. You don’t send embargoed news to just anyone. You confirm the journalist is willing to honor it, and in many cases, that trust already exists because you’ve worked together before. Here’s why this works so well. Sending a release under embargo gives journalists the time and flexibility they need, especially in today’s lean newsrooms. They can schedule interviews. Book TV or podcast segments. Actually write the story. So when the announcement officially goes live, coverage doesn’t trickle out days later. It hits all at once. Website. Email. Social. Media coverage. All on the same day. For example, we’re currently helping a client announce the winners of a major grant, and we sent a press release to select journalists clearly marked “UNDER EMBARGO UNTIL January 28 at 9 a.m.” That gives reporters time to interview recipients and be ready to publish when the embargo lifts. The result is coordinated, high-impact visibility instead of scattered coverage. This isn’t about gaming the media. It’s about respecting journalists’ time and being intentional about timing. That’s how you turn an announcement into meaningful coverage. Did you know this was even an option when sharing news? 🤔

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I've been a part of the Clean Creatives community since 2020 and this week I had an opportunity to speak with the organization's new Executive Director, Laura Ranzato, about her path into the climate movement, the organization’s recent wins, and why challenging fossil fuel advertising is ultimately about dismantling the systems that normalize extraction. The fossil fuel industry has long relied on sophisticated marketing and advertising to reinforce its legitimacy and portray oil and gas companies as responsible corporate actors. Even ad executives privately admit that agencies are “enabling harm rather than doing good.” As Laura put it, #greenwashing is what "Big Oil does every day — shaping public opinion to maintain its social license to operate. It’s the same playbook the tobacco industry used, and it’s incredibly effective." But creative professionals have the power to revoke that license by refusing to work with fossil fuel clients and committing to only using their creative talents for good. Like the Avengers, but powered by cameras, pens, paintbrushes and the magic of stories. Signing the Clean Creatives pledge is therefore a "low-risk, high-impact signal — it’s a way for agencies to show to clients and to their employees that they want to be on the right side of history."

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Every PR person wants to know how to pitch better. How do I break through? What makes a journalist respond? What are the best pitching strategies? Year after year, PR pros tell us that media relations continues to define the role. In our research, 84% say it makes up at least a quarter of their job. But you will never be successful in media relations if you don’t understand and embed yourself in, the journalist community. That standing up for their ability to do their jobs, even when you don’t agree with what they report. Right now, journalists from CNN, MS NOWW and POLITICO have been denied access to the White House, and the three news organizations are challenging that decision in federal court on First Amendment grounds. A free and independent press is fundamental to American democracy. It’s also the foundation of the media ecosystem our profession depends on every single day. At Muck Rack, supporting a free press is part of our mission. We help organizations tell their stories, and we support the journalists whose independence makes that work possible and meaningful. If you work in PR, supporting journalists’ ability to report freely and independently should be part of how we show up for this community. https://lnkd.in/eskqRreb

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Writing isn't communicating. Publishing is communicating. At Etalia Science Relations, we apply this principle when it comes to working with clients to write Op-Ed articles: A decision to write is a decision to publish. Having a bullet-proof pitching strategy is just as important as writing a great article. Because it's the act of pitching that transforms an Op-Ed from a draft to a publication. Here are 5 approaches we follow that have allowed our team to consistently publish health and science Op-Eds over the last 15 years. 1. Build (but don't depend on) relationships with opinion editors. No self-respecting opinion editor is going to publish an Op-Ed because they have a relationship with the person who submitted it. Op-Eds were designed to be submitted by anyone. What matters even more than having a relationship with an editor is having a compelling point of view, driven by an effective pitching strategy: Is your pitch incredibly timely, i.e., is your Op-Ed about something people care about right now? Is it clear that you have experience that puts you in the middle of the issue you're commenting on? Do you have a compelling point of view that comes across in your pitch, i.e., will you change how others understand the issue? 2. Write a subject line that opinion editors open. We follow three simple rules of thumb for email subject lines when pitching Op-Eds: Be pithy State an opinion Truth in advertising 3. Write an Op-Ed pitch email that keeps editors reading. The pitch email answers a few critical questions: What's the Op-Ed about? Why is it important right now? Why is the author a credible voice on the issue? That's it. Our job is to make it as easy as possible for the editor to decide to read the full Op-Ed. 4. Pitch persistently. We put together robust lists of media outlets and publications that are in range for each Op-Ed. The more outlets we can pitch, the greater our odds of seeing the Op-Ed published. Like hockey players work to maximize shots on goal, we want to target as many outlets as we need to see it published. 5. Continually adapt the Op-Ed to keep it relevant. We don't limit ourselves to a single version. As we pitch down our target list of media outlets and publications, we fine tune every draft–and every pitch email–as necessary. Following this approach, every science and health Op-Ed we have worked with clients to develop over the last decade has been published. Read more on our insights blog, linked below ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/grPsenpj

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As AI reshapes every industry, small- and mid-sized communications agencies like ours have an opportunity to thrive. Why? Because generative AI doesn’t threaten our business model. Spring Green Communications is made up of a select number of senior comms pros delivering strategy and execution, 360-style. The arrival of AI to the way we work doesn’t represent replacement, it levels the playing field of sorts, offering increased efficiency and inspiration. While we experiment with and adopt AI capabilities to improve research and content development, we’re staying true to our Spring Green AI Principles — a set of internal standards guiding the ways we do and don’t use generative AI, to responsibly manage projects, budget and client IP. As you look to retain comms and marketing support for 2026, this may be the right time, for maybe the first time, to consider alternatives to a big agency with a big price tag and give a proven boutique firm a look. Here’s what’s in it for you: - Faster, more creative solutions because these firms (like us!) have fewer legacy systems and less bureaucracy - Personalized attention from a nimble team that is AI-enabled but authentically human - Competitive pricing providing more services and deeper engagement for your investment AI is redefining how communications and storytelling are done best — and reshaping who can do it best. The traditional ‘who’ might be changing. And we’re here for it.

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For my PR Peeps...this one is worth your time -- earned or paid/with AI? "In this modern ecosystem, the goal is no longer just to guide a user through a journey, but to secure the product’s presence within the moment of choice. To achieve this, brands must understand the data sources fueling these AI systems." https://lnkd.in/e8Kj3xsJ

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Complex, unforgiving markets with the potential for crisis have elevated professional communicators to the C-suite. As evidenced in the below Wall Street Journal coverage, communications counsel has now become indispensable to executives. (one point for WSJ headliners, professional communicators are not necessarily "publicists.") #crisiscommunications #CommunicationsCounsel #publicrelations #StakeholderRelations https://lnkd.in/ghx72auR

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Like lots of my comms friends, I too read Katie Deighton's very interesting story on corporate storytellers in today's The Wall Street Journal. I am all for going direct and telling your own story in a controlled way through your own channels. But I think companies overlook the "earned" media channel at their own peril. There is still an incredible power to independent third-party validation. It's difficult to quantify, which has made it just a bit passé in today's age of analytics and KPIs and OKRs. But as a simplified example, I think about all the holiday shopping I've done: I might learn about a product I'd never heard of before via an Instagram ad or the company's website (owned), but if I go look up that product and it has lousy reviews (earned), I'm not buying. Now scale that up to a complex B2B sales process like a private fund vehicle, where everyone's got a book to sell and there are so many more validation checkpoints along the way. Owned alone is not enough. There is trust in independence. I also think it is short-sighted to only want to tell your own story. The most relevant companies are not only telling their own stories, but are participating in broader dialogues that span their sector, industry, or the whole economy. To be relevant beyond your owned channels, you need to be a point on the map (big or small), and you need to connect yourself to the broader web of your customers'/clients'/stakeholders' understanding. Otherwise your "story" is going to be self-serving babble. My 2 cents -- please read for yourself! https://lnkd.in/eG9NQGfx

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