With continually reduced staff, freelance budgets and increased global events with local impact, in today's ever-evolving media market, public relations takes creative ideas, genuine relationship-building between a brand and reporter, with the biggest ingredient to successful story placements: time. Even with passionate interest from editors and journalist, a single evergreen profile can take six months from pitch to publication, which is why publicists often work multiple stories at a given time to ensure continued consistency in their results. One story may be in the fact-checking phase right before publication, another journalist is working on the pre-interview in preparation to pitch the story to their editor, and another editor may be arranging photography assets, which happens before fact-checking. The result for clients: a profile averaging every two to six months. 

With all those moving parts, it's no surprise that entrepreneurs want to take a pause from Public Relations during their slower seasons to maximize their rest. Despite the lack of revenue, Publicists often welcome a break from pitching a client especially if it's a short month or two-long pause. A break in your PR campaign can have benefits beyond recuperating before a busy season. For freelancer writers trying to find the right publication for their desired angle about a client, there is less pressure to find a home as soon as possible. They can take their time researching editors, asking for referrals, and crafting a perfect pitch without a million follow-ups from the publicist. For momentarily-deflated writers who have received passes on stories about the pausing client, a few months can turn the tide of social conversation where that angle would be timely and therefore accepted. 

Especially for single entrepreneurs in the need of a break from public relations from being burnt out with interviews, media interactions and creativity is severely effected, take a break from PR. Your publicist doesn't want an interviewee running on empty with runoff thoughts and missed key message opportunities. As entrepreneurs, we create our best with a full cup. A month of rest can lead to more money making opportunities with a creatively strategic mindset than when you're stretching your brainpower thin.  

If you've had a passing or invasive thought along the lines of "wow, if I do one more interview I'm going to scream into the abyss" or are starting to have anxiety nightmares revolving around press, definitely consider pausing your public relations campaign during your next slow season. Your sanity and publicist will thank you. Every publicist is different so inquire about your publicists expectations from taking a break. As long as you don't exceed two short breaks a year, taking a month or two long pause won't impact your campaign significantly, though it will delay it noticeably. Because of the multi-prong and long-lead nature of media relations, its no surprise that inconsistent public relations efforts yield inconsistent results. 

As mentioned above, during any given month, a publicist is working with a number of journalists and editors in various stages of writing a story about the client. Publicists typically work on about three to five stories per client per month. Many of those stories overflow to oncoming months.  When a client pauses, a publicist will inform every journalist that is working on a story that the client is taking a brief pause and intends to come back. Publicists must notify the journalists in regard to transparency in the relationship, in addition to avoid working without compensation. Often times, unless the story is already written and only awaiting photography and fact-checking, the journalists take the story off their pitch list and won’t pick it back up until they’re pitched by the publicist signifying the client has returned. That could extend a three to six month timeline for a story by the length of the pause, potentially longer if the pitch process takes longer with a change in social conversation.


If your business goals hinder on consistent profiles around your company, products or thought leadership regularly, consider talking to your publicist about a break in interviews rather than a break in services. Your publicist can continue to secure interest and line up interviews for you upon your return from your time away from interviews.

If you are moving forward with taking a break, be conscientious of timing. Public Relations agencies can have pauses when they are not taking new business. Publicists know to expect the unexpected and anticipate a revision or shift of strategy when a client resumes their campaign. When clients take a pause in their retainer, they can lose the privileges of clients - many agencies have set dates and times for discussing new business, even if you are a returning client. Have an idea of your restart date when you pause with your PR firm and give them enough [2+ weeks] notice when you're ready to return. 

Switching public relations firms between a break can maximize your time away from media relations when you're dissatisfied with your current service. The time away from pitching are ideal for any re-strategizing or passing off services to a new firm. Every public relations expert has different connections and areas where they exceed, therefore trying out a different PR firm can yield different and potentially better results. Before you switch, make sure to doublecheck fine print of your previous contract as well as your new contract. Always make sure there's an out to any multi-month or ongoing contract (15 - 30 days is desireable). Any contracts without a mutual resignation process in place is often a major red-flag in the PR industry. Note that when switching firms, stories being written with one PR firm usually don’t carry on if they’re before the photo and fact-checking process.

Unless you're running up credit, don't consider money when thinking about a pause. Because a single story can take six months from first pitch, taking a two month break can derail a number of stories already past the pitch or even interview process. Journalists don't know that a client is coming back, and therefore they may completely scrap the story and restart at the pitching process. Missing two months in PR can cost more in missed opportunity from potentially secured placements than two months of your PR retainer. 

Any good publicist can navigate breaks when their clients require it to keep going. Make the decision on taking a break from your public relations campaign based on your needs. 

By Melissa A Vitale 

Be sure to check out the first post in this series: PR Your Self: Social Media is your Bestie

Press Kits or Media Kits are a hotly debated topic in Public Relations. Some publicists swear by them and others refuse to rely on them. Most publicists fall somewhere in between: without an on-staff graphic designer, (which is rare for boutique PR operations) media kits can cause more problems then they solve. Publicists, if using them, don't need the fanciest media kit to relay the information to journalists and going back and forth with clients on design elements is a waste of time. However, if brands commission their own media kit from a talented graphic artist, a publicist will absolutely use a stellar existing brand representation. 

While a media-kit isn't a fix-all to getting press, it can help busy entrepreneurs and experts garner more media coverage without a publicist. If you have a detailed website showcasing services or products, you likely have enough to easily create your own media kit. A media kit is a PDF that includes images, relevant links and brief written information answering the Who, What, When, Where, and Why of a brand or individual for interested press. Media kits can help busy entrepreneurs automate the process for incoming press requests. When a journalist reaches out, you can send them your media kit to help them plan how they want to approach the story. Maybe they didn't know all the products you offered or all the expertise available. It moves the conversation along quicker than without one. 

Many journalists keep media kits on file for easy-reference when considering sources for a story. When starting their initial research on a company to profile, a media kit helps a journalist understand a birds-eye view of a company to help organize their thoughts. Journalists cold-outreaching to a company may search for the term "media kit" on the website to make sure the brand is press-friendly. A media kit signals to editors and writers that a brand or individual is media-ready. Having a media kit available won't immediately bring in press opportunities, but you'll be prepared to take advantage of them when they either come knocking, or if you find them through social media. 

While I do recommend you make a media kit, I don't recommend you put it on your website available for download. You won't know who's reading your media kit and what that information can do in their hands. While of course you don't want to include intellectual property in your media kit, you never know what a troll will do and you don't want your viral moment to be someone making fun of your hard-work. Instead, on a dedicated press page, include an email address that journalists can use to request a press kit or media kit. You'll want both of these terms on your website since some journalists use control+F or a google search to find what they're looking for. You don't want them to miss you because you used press instead of media kit and vice versa. To make sure journalists will reach out to request your Media Kit, create a dedicated press email that is separate from your general "contact us" email which may or may not be monitored. 

What to Include in your Media Kit: 
A media kit can be multi-page or a single page. You'll want to include the brand basics like logo, website, social media handles, and a brief company description or boiler plate that includes the brand's mission and background. A founder bio and "available for interview" is a must-include as well.  Available for Interviews--also shortened to AFI--is a short list of topics of expertise that a journalist could interview on for a relevant story. If you're a cannabis brand, you may be able to comment on consumer trends or market predictions. If you're a sex party host, you may have topics like consent and how to prepare for your first play party on your AFI.

If the company sells products, a media kit should include some lifestyle images of the different collections, in addition to stand out descriptions and prices of the brand's best-sellers. Along with showing pictures to keep your kit dynamic, provide links to a dropbox with high-resolution, photos that are already licensed for use in press. If the company owns cool locations like an aesthetically interesting warehouse, a farm, production facility etc, include a quick shot and description of those sites. Journalists often like to tour unique facilities for industry insider stories and including these can help spark an idea for an on-location shoot. Make sure to include any attention-grabbing metrics. If you're a podcast, include your listeners. If you're a brand, include your sales or revenue if you can. Finally, have a contact email for any press requests. It can be that same press email from your press page or you can give them the email of the CMO, publicist or co-founder for boutique brands. 

Assuming you have most of this information and content already, putting together a quality media kit can take a couple of hours. I always recommend taking a step away from the draft and coming back to it in a different mindset to make sure you love everything you included. This will be your presentation to journalists and editors who in-turn, could introduce you to the world. You obviously want to put your best foot forward. As for programs to create a media kit, if you're well-versed in Photoshop or LightRoom, feel free to use those or similar design program. If I just spoke Greek to you, Google Presentation or PowerPoint will work just fine. Pick a complimentary theme to your brand design and keep the lines aesthetically pleasing. It's better to have a longer media kit than one that looks like a page from "I Spy". 

Once you have a media kit, reach out to journalists you've worked with in the past, know in your network or have connected with on twitter. Check in to see how they're doing and send along your new media kit to show them you're ready for lights, camera, action! 

It may be surprising to hear from a professional publicist who companies hire to execute and maintain campaigns that garner media attention that earning media coverage is actually very easy for entrepreneurs and startups even without a PR agency or freelance publicist. News publications get their classification because they cover what is new, exciting. The very existence of a successful startup that hasn't been featured before is newsworthy. Like the journalists who covered Apple or Microsoft in the 80s and 90s, editors and writers want to feature the latest solutions, technology or products on the market. 

Earning one article about your company great, but I like to think of aiming for only a single article as playing checkers. Media relations plays Chess. Rather than focusing on placing one story about your company, prioritize creating a relationship with a journalist. The resulting coverage from a single relationship can be meaningful profiles, company announcements and thought leadership in industry-turning trend stories. Journalists often refer back to their own network for sources of insight or quotes in an article. 

If you don't have any journalists in your network who covers your industry, don't worry! When I was growing up, I was given lectures by my parents, girl scout leaders, teachers, and even a priest who told us not to make friends on the internet. Now, I've made initial acquaintances with most of my colleagues and friends through online sources. Social media is your best friend for meeting new journalists and editors who could cover your company or expertise without a publicist. Almost all journalists have public social media handles for their writing, often aimed at keeping in touch with sources. Some journalists will immediately reach out if your social media bio raises their interest. Linking your companies handles, website and relevant awards always helps.

When you're reading an article about your industry or related to your expertise, especially if you think "Wow, I should've been in this article," find the journalist on social media. Most journalists have their social media profiles linked to their author page when you click on their byline in the article. Make it a practice to follow journalists whenever you read an article related to your industry. Journalists regularly make calls for commentary on stories they're working on. Even if they're not following you, they are often looking at their DMs and replies for new sources. This is a great way to start a long-lasting relationship. 

Social media makes it easy to stay in touch with journalists and editors you've connected with. Unlike emails where you have to go out of your way to contact them and then wait for a response, with social media, their updates wind up on your feed. A quick like, comment or reply is an easy way to easily maintain a relationship. Once you've been doing this for a while, it gets easier to get a follow back. When editors and journalists see that other mutual connections following you, they assume you're an industry source and will immediately follow you back. Always send a quick introduction if they follow you back. You can send an intro without a followback, but they may not see it as their DMs are much like their email inboxes: full of cold outreach. 

Like building any relationship, media relations takes time. It's unreasonable to think that following one editor on social media will lead to a report's-worth of press coverage. Take fifteen minutes today to find and follow ten key editors in your industry. Editors will often tweet out stories and tag the writers who wrote the story. Follow anyone relevant these new connections tweet about. Make it a point every quarter to follow ten to fifteen new media connections. Over time, you'll go from not knowing anyone who could cover your company, to having a soft or even a close relationship with a number of leading journalists who want to feature your brand. 

After you've been covered in a published story, prioritize keeping in touch with a journalist; writers often tap their past interviewees first for new stories. Let these connections know about any launches you have coming up in advance in case they want to break the news or cover the launch. Bonus points if you meet up with your journalist connections for drinks or lunch a few months before the announcement; they will appreciate the special attention to the relationship. While social media is a great way to keep up with a journalists' achievements, those who will want to know about your company's news, won't like finding out with everyone else on social media. Make a point to tell them in advance; embargo if needed. 

Before embarking on your social media relations journey, make sure you remember your etiquette 101. As stated above, journalists inboxes and DMs are often full of cold pitches. Avoid pitching them in their DMs. Start with an introduction to yourself, and an offer to support them on related articles. Ask them how they would like to receive company announcements or pitches from you. Respect their boundaries and if they don't respond, don't get disheartened. If you followed ten other people like I told you above, someone else will respond. In my experience, non-response is often due to missing the message or being too busy to respond, and they will usually respond well to a follow up at a later date.  

It's easy to get attention around the initial launch and big announcements from an exciting startup. Day-to-day however, entrepreneurs typically don't have the time to constantly come up with new angles for the many journalists and editors who could cover your brand. Maintaining consistent media coverage can be a full time job. Once you've seen a slowdown of initial media coverage is a great time to speak with a publicist. Your brand will still be fresh enough in recent coverage and a publicist can come up with unique campaigns and angles to revive interest in your company, even without a launch. 

Editor’s Note (2026):
This article reflects the early thinking behind what has hence formalized as the Four Email PR System — a founder-led framework for landing media interviews without hiring a traditional publicist. The core principles discussed here are still relevant and are now taught as part of a structured, repeatable system that installs a PR Strategy in your business in four emails per week.
Read more about the latest Digital PR Solutions by MAVPR 
Discover the Four Email PR System 
Install MAVPR Strategy in Your Business

​

By Melissa A Vitale
 
Like any industry expert, I find myself constantly in need of a glossary of some of the most-used terms of media relations. I’ve started a running glossary of PR terms that I anticipate to be updated as more come to mind.
 
Public Relations: The dictionary defines this one as “the professional maintenance of a favorable public image by a company or other organization or a famous person.” Which doesn’t totally answer what exactly is public relations. Many PR firms have grown to include advertising, digital and social media marketing, but more focused public relations focus on press and public events. Most public relations agencies focus on garnering earned press coverage. Read on for what that means!
 
Press: Coming from the term Printing Press, the press embodies any type of regular publication or news outlet. Examples are most often reporters, news channels, broadcast and radio news and talk shows, magazines, newspapers, industry publications and journals, regional magazine networks, magazine publishing houses, and even new media types like social media outlets, podcasts and blogs.
 
Coverage: Short for media coverage, these are the results of PR campaigns often in the forms of digital or print articles in major-name news publications. See below for types of coverage.
 
Earned / Organic Media: At its most basic definition, this is coverage that is secured without additional costs outside the publicist’s retainer. Some mentions of brands in stories or listicles are only included because the brand paid the publisher top dollar. Outlet of traditional print and web banner adds, advertising departments target ad-adverse consumers with advertorials – advertisements that look like articles. Basically, there are a lot of ways for a brand to end up on a magazine’s website or in the pages, but not all of it goes through the editorial department. Therefore, publicists specify the work we do as earned media or because we work with editors and writers to include our clients without paying advertising fees.
 
Media Relations: How do publicists get that earned media you ask? Through media relations! If you’ve ever seen a show about a publicist, you know their network is everything. Our job is to maintain relationships with press and act as a reliable source. It’s a two-way street here journalists seek out publicists for reliable sources and latest products, while publicists benefit from the inclusion of their clients.
 
Secured coverage: Coverage doesn’t just come overnight! Often times, publicists know about pending coverage in advance. When an article is confirmed but not published yet, it’s under secured coverage.
 
PR Campaign: The course of a PR engagement. Publicists refer to this as a campaign because of the months-long and season-intersecting strategy that needs to go into play. When you publicize and represent a brand, you rep then for a length of time that may have multiple seasons that the brand is relevant. For a CBD lubricant brand, this brand could be popular for April’s 4/20 and May’s Masturbation Month so the publicist needs to plan pitches as early as January for 4/20 and February for Masturbation month and pitch them both up until the respective news cycle has passed. PR Campaigns can also be launched for individual launches or announcements.
 
Retainer: The amount of money you pay a publicist per month. PR is like lawyers where you pay a retainer upfront; there is no Net 30 in PR. The retainer includes pitching, media relations and representation along with traditional services like media training which result in media coverage
 
Minimum retainer: The minimum amount a publicist or agency will onboard a client. For freelancers this could be as low as $500 while agencies can start at $3-5K and go up to $25K as a minimum retainer
 
Representation: Once you pay a publicists retainer, you are under their representation. Publicist often have meetings with top tier journalists and editors. Once you pay their retainer, your brand is going into those meetings through the publicist. You may have just started your PR campaign, but your publicist has a monthly breakfast with TODAY’s associate producer; your brand is in the eyes of the TODAY show the first week. That’s representation.
 
Placement: Another word for coverage, the result of the PR campaign
 
Pitch: Verb and Noun. You can pitch a journalist and you can send a journalist a pitch. This is what gets sent or spoken to a journalist to entice them to include a brand. Sometimes it’s an interesting fact like sales increases with unique causations,  a seasonal inclusion (like gift guides) in stories they’re already writing, or other times it’s standalone trend stories that the brand best portrays, like a brand’s rebrand symbolizing the legitimization of a vice industry. The act of sending a pitch is the verb pitching. Pitching can also be done in person (these are some of the best ways to secure pitches IMHO)

Inbound: Referred to a story opportunity that came from a journalist asking a publicist for sources that fit the topic. Publicists with multiple strong relationships often have inbound opportunities regularly so clients can see opportunities arrive even before a publicist as sent a pitch.  

Outbound: Referred to a story pitching that came as a result of a publicist's pitch or story idea. 

Exclusive: An exclusive is a story, interview or announcement that a journalist and their publication get to publish before anyone other publication
 
Press Release: A brand approved writeup distributed to press or a newswire regarding a newsworthy company move (product release, rebrand, executive hire, partnership or event)
 
Boiler Plate: The official general company "about" paragraph that goes at the end of every release. Typically 3-8 sentences long with links to social media for digital companies

Media Contact: The name of the publicist or CMO for further queries on a press release or to set up an interview

Newswire: A source of press releases that many regional and industry publications turn to for the most recent relevant news. Using a PR wire can often get a brand’s release on Yahoo, Market Watch or Business Insider
 
Media Alert: Like a press release, but these don’t get published, they just get sent to a journalist around the time the press release hits the wire or the exclusive is published They often include a press release if there is one available but press releases are not necessary for a media alert. These can turn into published stories but can be valuable in keeping interested editors up to date about brand developments
 
One-sheet: A one-page document with all the necessary at-a-glance info needed for coverage. Can be made for executive teams, companies, products or collections
 
Outlet: News outlet, blog, newspaper, magazine, digital publication, broadcast or radio show
 
Embargo: An agreement not to publish or release information before a specified announcement date

Source: Someone who provides expert information, access or other valuable insight to journalists. Publicists are sources with their network but their clients are often considered sources. 

Firsthand witness: When given a tip, reporters try to find a witness to the tip.

Double Confirmation: Journalists cannot just report on tips or everyone would be sending slander about celebs and politicians they hate. For scoops that press are interested, they need two confirmations or sources to cite to solidify their reporting 
 
Scoop/Tip: Sometimes I feel like media is a 1940s noir film with some of our newspaper lingo; scoop is one of them. A tip or a scoop is often advance notice of something before it's reached the general newscycle. MeToo started with a scoop about Harvey Weinstein than Ronan Farrow investigated and reporting.  

Media Assets: Digital and physical materials needed for a publicist to execute the campaign; headshots, product shots, lifestyle images, product descriptions, retail info, founder bios etc
 
Editorial Guidelines: The rules that dictate what an outlet will and won’t publish. Sometimes outlets won’t include links to adult sites or brands; a certain outlet won’t feature publicly traded companies. Women’s outlets prioritize Womxn and non-binary voices over cis-male etc
 
Editorial Calendar: A pre-decided calendar of what an outlet will focus their editorial content on each month. Can be for print and digital publications

Greenlight: When the editor/producer has agreed to the commission on a pitch from a journalist.  
 
Lead-time: This is lead as in leader, not lead-balloon. This is the amount of time before a story gets published. Can vary from a few hours to six months away
 
Long Lead: Outlets that publish in advance. Print is long lead with a typical 2-5 month lead-time of stories
 
Short Lead: Outlets that publish with more immediate deadline. Morning news shows, digital outlets and blogs are short lead
 
Breaking News: A national or global news story that takes over headlines and is universally covered. Celebrity deaths, marriages or births, political scandals, national or natural disasters, pandemics, social movements, and elections can all be breaking newscycles.
 
Newscycle: The length of time a particular topic remains pressing in the news
 
Editorial Lag, Delay, Hold: News outlets have to cover both evergreen and breaking news content. Sometimes, the breaking news overwhelms feature writers and all coverage turns to picking up the extra workload. This can put a hold on stories that were slated to publish on a certain date. These can also arise from internal disruptions like restructuring, unexpected staff departures or general shift in direction of editorial priorities.
 
Product Request: When a company’s product is requested for consideration for a particular story that a writer is working on
 
For consideration: If journalists and editors published stories about every product they get sent, publicists and outlets alike would be out of a job. Consumers want to see more than product recommendations and want to see a range of products. Writers are often puzzle piecing product recommendations based on a having a complimentary range of products. Therefore all product samples sent to press are always for consideration, as in its not guaranteed they’ll be included. Often times, interviews on a trend topic are often for consideration and are only used where it adds value to an article and carry the same potential to be excluded in the published article. 
 
Missed opportunity: Sometimes journalists have tight deadlines for their stories and if a brand doesn’t answer their request in time, the opportunity, while available, was missed
 
Editorial Error: Editors are humans too. Articles get passed from writer to sometimes up to 3 editors before it gets published. Things get lost in translation – often thanks to spellcheck. In accurate information editors can usually adjust with a quick request
 
Correction request: A submission to an editor or journalist to change information that is inaccurate in an article.
 
On-the-record: Information available to be published
 
Off-the-record: Information not available to be published. I’ve personally have never seen a journalist violate an off-the-record and have only heard about it in tales

Recorded phone interviews: To avoid taking notes and distracting from an interview, journalists will record the conversation for their record. It will never be published in its entirety unless its previously agreed to be used for a podcast. 
 
Media Training: Interviews often have a time limit. Phone interviews can be capped at 30 minutes while broadcast can be as short as 90 seconds. That’s a short time to tell a brand story. Media training helps prep a client to be concise, to the point and ready for any questions that gets thrown at them. For those new to interviews, media training can be extensive day-long workshops.
 
On-air Guest: The guest on a broadcast show; when in relation to PR, the client or brand rep is typically the on-air guest. 

On-air Talent: Typically the host or anchor but sometimes an on-air contributor 

Call Time: The time an on-air guest needs to be ready for an on-air broadcast

Hit Time: The time an on-air guest will be on-air

B-roll: The video and images about a brand or event that are showed during an extended video or broadcast interview to break up the visuals.
 
Lower-Thirds: The bottom of the screen that rolls the title of the person speaking on a broadcast segment.
 
Press Sampling: The best way to get a brand in front of an editor is to get the product in their hands; publicists do this thought sampling
 
Mailer / Sendout: An often-themed way to present a new product or brand to press through sampling. For events like Pride and 4/20 these can be themed. While not guaranteed, these often have high overall success rates for inclusion
 
Press Samples:  Samples of a product that are designated to give to press. Unless the product costs more than $1,000 per unit, you can anticipate that these are for consideration and will not be returned
 
Press Access: Press often chooses to cover one company over a competitor based on access. If cannabis farm A will give them a consumer tour but cannabis farm B will let them fly drones and take photos of the entire property, it's cannabis farm B that gets covered. Same with events where press have unfiltered access to CEOs, brand experts etc. 

Press Event: An event with the purpose to showcase something about the brand to the press

ROS: Run of show, a who, what, when, where, why of an event 

News conference: an event where news is announced; can be planned or spontaneous

Press List: The list of press confirmed or anticipated to arrive at an event

Press Invite/Access Pass: For events, press should have separate invitations and access passes that grant them entry and deem them special access. 

Ad Value: Typically estimated unless PR firms have ad teams who know the actual numbers, this is the main method of evaluating the value of press coverage. Many clients want to discern an article’s success by the sales, but publicists aren’t sales associates. Instead, we look at how much money the client saved by working with us instead of trying to buy their placements through advertising options. Often times, one article in an outlet like Marie Claire or Rolling stone can be valued at more than the monthly retainer. This is why public relations is so popular for brands without extensive advertising budgets.
 
UVMP / VMP: Unique visitors per month or just visitors per month. A method of gauging the reach of a press article.
 
Media Kit: A 2-12 page PDF that includes images, brief written information answering the Who What When Where Why of a band for interested press. This can be sent once a journalist has interest in a brand to answer initial questions they have about the brand.
 
Speaker Engagement: An opportunity for a client representative to speak – often in person but more recently virtual as well. Can be at an event, tradeshow, on or moderating a panel, etc.
 
Photo Credit: Who a photo in a published article is credited too. Sometimes there are limitations on these.
 
SEO: SEO has emerged as a dictator of headlines in recent years. Media houses have had to get creative to drive traffic to their websites to appease advertisers, keeping the lights on another day. They’re taking advantage of all of those late-night google searches that usually lead readers down a rabbit hole. “Why does my breath smell bad,” “How to regrow my hair,” “What do I do if I’m attracted to someone other than my wife”. Many media outlets have SEO teams that run reports on the most searched questions. They hand those reports over to editors who assign writers to answer those questions with an article. Instead of those millions of searches going to forums and blogs, reputable news outlets are sweeping up that traffic. Once users end up on a website, they can stay for hours on the suggested articles of the site.

Media buy / sponsored content: Another form of advertising that sometimes gets crossed with PR
 
Affiliate links: Affiliate links are more and more driving which products get mentioned in coverage or not. As subscriber rates dwindle, outlets need additional income streams to pay their staff. Affiliate links allow them to make commission on the traffic they bring to products.
 
Types of Coverage
There are three basic types of media coverage: 

• Commentary: Most media coverage focuses on topics, trends and predictions, not material products or brands. However, brands and publicists can still be very valuable for these. Often, journalists are on a tight deadline and need quick, reliable sources to help illustrate an industry trend or give a prediction on a market. Publicists ensure reliable insider insight at a quick turnover rate. These interactions result in brands and their leaders being included in what publicists dubs "commentary" opportunities. It can be a quote in a forecast on a specific niche in the industry or giving consumers insight on how to buy a product in a saturated market. 
• Roundup “Listicle” Inclusion: I'm sure you've read an article like "Best gadgets to trick out your pad," "Must-have skincare for summer," and "The Secrets of Success from Disruptive Entrepreneurs." These are what the media biz calls round-ups or Listicles (list articles)! A round-up can be of people, products or brands. There's really no limit to what these can be. I've seen favorite in-office work-out tips from entrepreneurs, dating advice from boss babes, travel secrets from porn stars. If it will get a click and drive affiliate links, there's a headline for it. 
• Full Feature: This is the Mac-Daddy of all PR! If your publicist sends you a full feature one day, don't bother them after 5pm; they're out celebrating! When a publicist says "Full feature" they're talking about an article that is purely dedicated to a brand. There may be a mention of another brand to showcase a larger trend, but overall, the article is dedicated to the client brand. These can be for announcements like funding raises or celeb partnerships, or just because an editor thinks their audience would benefit from learning about a company. A full features ad value can start at $5,000 and can go as high as $250K for print placements. 

All three of the above can also be classified under one of the following: 

• Seasonal: Coverage that pertains to a specific consumer season. Can be as basic as Valentine's Day, Holiday Gift Guide's, or more niche like Election cycles, Football seasons or Back to School
• Breaking News: Stories that include client products or commentary as a result of breaking news. Some examples include, "work from home essentials" in the time of Corona, sexperts commenting on viral celeb romantic-drama, or "AI tools that could have predicted Trump's Win" 
• Timely: It's very rare when a brand gets to dictate a media timeline, but in these cases this type of coverage is considered "Timely." Funding announcements - both stand alone and inclusions in roundups of funding news, new product launches, and collaborations usually fall under timely. 
• Investigative: Reporting that is done with an investigative nature. Can be on a serious development or an industry trend. 
• Evergreen: This term is thrown around a lot. Anything that isn't seasonal, timely or breaking is evergreen. If it can be published in April or August, January or June, it's evergreen. Examples include: "Best CBD essentials for sleep and stress," "The pleasure products you didn't know you needed" and "Why AI will take over Finance." Brand profiles that aren't tied to a timely or seasonal announcement are usually considered evergreen. 

 

By Melissa A Vitale
 
If you own a computer or a phone, or basically just exist, you’ve probably heard some buzz about CBD oil in the last few years.
 
CBD oil has risen as one of the biggest superfood ingredients in wellness, dining, beauty and even vaping over the past five years. It’s hard not to be curious about a supplement that people are saying changed their life.
 
So…. Is CBD Oil Worth the hype?
 
The answer isn’t so simple, because it’s both ‘yes’ and ‘no’.
 
Personally, CBD is my go-to for so many things. When I first jointed the cannabis industry, I thought it odd that all advocates were so gung-ho on hemp & CBD, insisting the plant was in every formulation they used. Now five years into the industry, I use anywhere from 5-15 hemp products a day. CBD skincare has allowed me to maintain an all-natural skincare regimen that actually works. I’ve reduced the number of massages I get with CBD balms and topicals and I literally have a CBD oil tincture in every room of my house. Even my cat has his own CBD topicals and bacon-flavored tinctures.
 
So yes, CBD oil is worth the hype… EXCEPT: only when it’s quality CBD.
 
That’s why it’s also a No. CBD is not worth the hype when it’s not premium CBD. There’s a lot of trash, what we call “snake oil,” on the market. Poorly manufactured or mislabeled CBD products are causing tons of consumer confusion and making it harder for quality brands to stand out. I’m going to clarify that in a bit.
 
But first, let’s dive into the Wild, Wild West of Cannabis aka the CBD market.
 
CBD oil: What the heck is it?
CBD (Cannabidiol) oil is a dietary supplement first introduced to US Markets in 2014 that has gained rapid popularity and has saturated health, beauty and vaping markets since 2018 when the supplement was removed from the DEA’s list of Federally Controlled Substances. CBD has been found to be a powerhouse supplement for symptoms related to sleeplessness, anxiety, topical relief and inflammation. 
 
Now as a publicist, there’s only so much I can say on the issue – I cannot give you any medical recommendations, nor can I even cite many of the medical issues that CBD oil has been shown to be useful for. Thankfully a quick google search can help you dive into press articles on the topic, though be careful where that rabbit hole leads you. Check your sourcing and make sure the journalists are quoting quality sources (Doctors, Advocates & Recognized Brands).
 
The human anatomy is hard-wired with the endocannabinoid system, a system of cannabinoid receptors throughout the brain and body. The Endocannabinoid System (ECS) was discovered in 1992 and controls neurologic, endocrine, immune, behavior and cognitive functions. Our bodies make our own cannabinoids and we have our own cannabinoids receptors. The system is located in the brain and all the major organs but especially the nerves and the intestines. When these receptors are activated, they enable two-way communication between body systems. Our bodies were designed to regularly supply our ECS with the nutrients (cannabinoids) it was designed for, in support of vital communications between the control centers of the body and every other system. In addition to the few endogenous cannabinoids the ECS is also activated by foods, drugs, activity, and phytocannabinoids, like CBD. 
 
Replenishing the naturally occurring endocannabinoid system, regular CBD (cannabidiol) tinctures and capsules can bring the body to homeostasis, allowing it to perform at its best. What does all that mean?
 
Basically, since hemp was removed as a prime dietary source during the Reefer Madness scare early last century, humans have been undersupplying our bodies with the cannabinoids we need. Consuming CBD oil (or getting cannabinoids through other methods of cannabis) helps keep your endocannabinoid system regular which keeps the other systems that rely on the ECS—basically most bodily function—regulated.
 
Why has it become so popular in the last five years?
 
The 2014 Farm Bill defined industrial hemp as 0.3% or lower and provided for pilot programs, sales and research to begin on industrial hemp, which is why we have hemp products, including CBD, in the United States currently. The problem was hemp, despite its low THC content, as a member of the cannabis family, was still classified as a Schedule 1 drug by the DEA, even though it was legal to grow and sell and purchase by definition of the 2014 Hemp Farm Bill and even when other federal agencies, like the FDA, were approving hemp products like CBD.
 
In December 2018 Congress put forth the second Farm Bill which included all the language known as Hemp Farming Act of 2018. The passage of this final version of the Farm Bill removed hemp products including hemp-derived CBD oil from the federal list of controlled substances and removed any federal regulations from growing and selling hemp products. The 2018 legislation also allows for wider audiences to be educated on the benefits of CBD products while providing agriculture protections for hemp farmers previously unafforded due to hemp’s federal controlled status.
 
Besides these bills for CBD oil, and state-and-local ordinances, CBD oil is largely unregulated.
 
The only thing the FDA, the agency overseeing CBD oil, monitors for is health claims: brands cannot make health claims such as “This CBD Oil is great for Epilepsy”. Brands can say “CBD has been shown to relieve symptoms associated with sleeplessness, anxiety and inflammation.” Outside of that, any health-related claims are in violation of FDA regulations of supplement health claims.
 
Think about that: Other than claims, there is no oversight agencies that make sure what the company claims is on the package is actually in the bottle. This is why Third-Party testing is paramount, but we’ll get into that in a bit.
 
First, let’s navigate a confusing topic in this sector.
 
Hemp Seed Oil Vs CBD Oil:
The confusion of Hemp Seed Oil versus CBD Oil is further evidence of the mess that is the current CBD market. Since the Farm Bill, CBD oil has become this year's must-have ingredient. Hemp and hemp-derived CBD oil have taken over formulations because they're both rich in the nutrients that soothe, heal, hydrate and pamper skin. Many consumers and retailers often confuse CBD Oil and Hemp Seed Oil, but while they technically come from the same plant--Industrial Hemp-- Hemp Seed Oil and CBD Oil are 100% different.
 
Have you ever noticed that its relatively easy to buy marijuana seeds? Government restrictions on cannabis only apply to the psychoactive component THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) which is only present in the plant after photosynthesis. Therefore, cannabis seeds can be shipped across state lines because they contain no THC. The same is the case with CBD in hemp seeds. CBD is only present in the hemp plant after photosynthesis. 
 
Because CBD only occurs in mature hemp plants, CBD (Cannabidiol) oil is extracted from the harvested and dried out hemp plant. The CBD extraction process often determines the quality of CBD: CO2 is the cleanest, and most environmentally-friendly method that produces the most potent CBD oil. CBD oil is naturally anti-inflammatory and has shown to protect, restore, and brighten skin leaving the complexions feeling awakened and nourished. CBD applied topically can interact with the cannabinoid receptors in your skin to fight inflammation, promote healing, provide relief from short-term setbacks, and refine stressed, puffy or tired skin. 
 
Hemp Seed Oil, however, is extracted from pressed hemp-seeds, which contain zero CBD. The seeds are still packed with ingredients vital to healthy & nourished skin. Sustainably-sourced hemp has the highest naturally occurring polyunsaturated fatty acids like Omega 3, 6 and 9 and is rich with Vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant that can reverse UV damage. Hemp Seed Oil also contains Gamma Linolenic Acid, an anti-inflammatory compound rarely naturally occurring. Hemp seed oil is hypoallergenic and absorbs rapidly making it popular for chapped and dry complexions. 
 
You don’t have to look any farther than Amazon.com to see just how confusing all this is. Hemp Seed Oil producers know that consumers will pay higher margins for products with CBD oil in it; They also know that many consumers don’t know the difference between ‘hemp extract’ (CBD oil) and ‘hemp seed oil’ on the ingredients list. Amazon is a perfect example of this. Amazon prohibits the sale of CBD oil but consumers who rely on Prime for everything aren’t aware that the retail giant restricts CBD sales. Hemp seed oil sellers will bump up the price of their oil (usually $15 for a large bottle) to $60 to be a comparable price to that of CBD oil. They know they’re selling hemp seed oil and consumers will know it too, but only after they spent the $60. That’s why so many CBD brands sell on Amazon anyways: if there are going to be bad players who take advantage of consumers, at least let them have real CBD options available. 
 
As a publicist, Hemp Seed Oil vs CBD Oil has been my personal education mission. I represent quality CBD Brands. There are some Hemp Seed Oil brands, with their beautiful packaging and luxury price point, that have been stealing the spotlight under the guise of being CBD Oil. Even editors are confused by CBD vs Hemp Seed Oil and recommending products without any CBD oil under headlines like “Best CBD Face Oils” or "I tried this CBD Lube" and there's no CBD in them.
 
How to find quality CBD Oil:
The 2018 Farm Bill removed industrial-hemp derived CBD oil from the DEA's list of Federally Controlled Substances opening the floodgate of hemp-based and CBD-infused products saturating the market. With so many CBD brands available, it's hard for consumers to discern premium quality from marketing tactics. 
 
If you’ve ever spoken to someone who says CBD oil doesn’t affect them, it’s because they probably didn’t have quality CBD oil. When buying CBD oil, a few factors will help determine the quality and reputability of the product including:

• Third Party Testing: There are several analyses that need to be done in order to certify that a hemp product like cannabidiol oil is indeed pure, free of toxins and able to provide the claimed benefits. Not all CBD producers perform third party testing, but the extra step ensures quality and transparency to customers. Before you buy CBD oil be sure to check for potency, pesticide, microbiological, residual solvents testing and terpene profiling to help determine the quality of the product. This step costs brands more but without regulation in the industry, it’s the only way to put “proof in the pudding” when it comes to claims on the bottle. Lab tests are incredibly easy to forge though, so do a little more digging to make sure the lab exists and is recognized in the market (or find an article that has done this for you).
• Full Spectrum: Full spectrum CBD oil takes the nutritive parts of the hemp plant distilled into a pure, potent extract. A full-spectrum extract gently preserves the entirety of components naturally present in hemp. Full Spectrum CBD oil includes not only CBD, but the full range of other natural constituents (terpenes, sugars, flavonoids, and secondary cannabinoids) that are found in all parts of hemp and are believed to work better together in what is called the Entourage Effect. 
• C02/Clean extraction process: How CBD hemp oil is extracted from the plant is crucial. To obtain a higher concentration, some CBD distributors will often use abrasive extraction solvents including butane to save on costs. While a solvent-free CO2 extraction method is more expensive, it is solvent-free and ensures a highly potent and pure extract. It’s eco-friendly, non-toxic and is environmentally friendly.  
• USDA Certified Organic: The USDA Organic certification is the gold standard in quality assurance, recognizing that products featuring the seal were produced under exacting standards that protect natural resources, conserve biodiversity and use only approved substances in the cultivation process. Only a handful of hemp products have obtained this closely regulated federal designation.
• Country of Origin: Hemp plant absorbs nutrients in the ground it's grown on, with organic farms that are decades-free of pesticides and ground toxins making the most potent and premium CBD oil. Country of Origin gives you insight to the type of ground the hemp was grown on. 
• Hemp Extract or Cannabidiol Oil: If the back of the bottle does not list Hemp Extract or Cannabidiol Oil under the ingredients list; there's no CBD oil in it. Not to be confused with Hemp Seed Extract, which does not contain any CBD. 

Due to the lack of regulation, consumers need to be educated before purchasing CBD oil. Without approaching CBD like a conscious consumer, customers could be wasting their money on ineffective products, turning them off from the wellness benefits of CBD indefinitely.  I know this may seem really tedious to look into all these factors; but if you've ever wasted $60 on a bottle of Hemp Seed Oil --typical retail value $10-- you know the extra steps are worth it. 

What is CBG? CBN?
You may have heard a couple other acronyms around CBD; the two hottest ones to be discussed in the space are CBG & CBN. I'm not a scientist or a doctor by any means, so my explanation will be a working one, at best.  There are tons of other cannabinoids in the hemp plant besides CBD. CBG & CBN are cannabinoids that appear in smaller quantities in most hemp plants. However when isolated on its own, CBN has become a popular supplement for night time use as its a powerhouse for sleeplessness.  CBG is now coming to the market as the next big thing in CBD as it provides more targeted relief for anxiety, digestion and pain. 

To take a deeper dive into each, check out the Leafly Articles on CBG & CBN.

CBD & Beauty 
Now I'm going to try to make this a short section because as a former beauty publicist, I really could rip into this topic for a few hours. The CBD Beauty Market is one of the most saturated areas of CBD outside of tinctures.
There are three main types of companies fueling the CBD Beauty Craze: 
- Beauty Companies adding CBD into their existing Formulation 
- New Brands creating CBD Beauty Products to jump on the fad 
- CBD Companies creating beauty lines with plant science at it's forefront 

There are a lot of CBD Beauty Products on the market that are obviously made to pick up on the fad of CBD and this makes it confusing for consumers. Nails and Hair do not absorb CBD so if you see anything like CBD Mascara, CBD Shampoo, CBD Nail Polish, these are gimmicks that I would avoid. The scalp however can really benefit from CBD so any hair mask or conditioner with CBD targeting the scalp not the hair itself is likely Something I see on the beauty market that makes me cry out in exasperation is anything that washes with CBD: CBD Body Scrubs, CBD Face Washes, CBD Toners. CBD needs time to sink into the skin, so using a CBD infused formulation to wash is just putting a very expensive ingredient (CBD ain't cheap!) into a product that doesn't sit on the skin. Consumers are quite literally washing money down the drain. Skip the washes and scrubs with CBD and focus instead in topicals and lotions that will give your body enough time to absorb the formulation like balms and face serums. 

With so many brands pumping out CBD Beauty products, I only use CBD Beauty products made by CBD companies who understand the potent ingredient and pair their formulations to compliment the power of CBD. Other companies are usually just throwing CBD isolate into a beauty formulation without a care of how everything works together. All that confusion above? That's usually negated when you buy from trusted CBD brands who know the plant. 

Thanks to my time as a beauty publicist, I learned all about natural & organic beauty and the mass consumer beauty market that pads incredible ingredients with fillers and stabilizers that don't do anything for the skin. While I prefer the way my skin feels with natural beauty products, I always felt they weren't as anti-aging and restorative on their own. Since discovering CBD Natural Beauty products, I've stopped using my retinol serums and anti-aging masks. Between all natural ingredients and the restorative and nourishing properties of CBD, my skin behaves better just from being fed skin superfoods. Something you should note about CBD Beauty products is that you're rarely going to see Full Spectrum CBD in Beauty; The full spectrum doesn't interact on the skin the same way as when ingested, so CBD Isolate is powerful in topical formulations. 

I'll leave all brands that I trust below from anything from Tinctures to Topicals. I've been very blessed to work with tons of great brands whose work aligns with my own. A trusted industry recommendation can often times save you all the time and research. I've done the work for you. Many of these brands are women-run. I'm not biased because I'm a woman; research has shown that women business leaders tend to cut the fat on the consumer model. There's tons of great brands for however you'd like to integrate CBD into your life!  

MAVPR Recommended Brands:
Working with so may brands, it's no surprise that I'm often asked for my recommendation. With my position as a publicist and knowledge of the industry, it's easy for me to discern if a brand is quality or marketing gimmicks 
Tinctures: Elixinol; New Highs CBD 
Beauty: TRIBEAUTY, Her Royal Hempress, Soul Addict
Topicals: TribeREVIVE Pain Relief Cream, Elixinol Extra Strength Balm
CBD Vapes: TribeTokes, Her Highness 
CBD Lubricants: TOCA 
Pleasure Oil: Her Highness
For Pets: Pet Releaf, Mary 
While I do partner or represent some of the brands above, I only recommend brands whose brand mission, consumer transparency and attention to quality is one that I would trust for myself and my family. I only work with brands I myself am proud to represent. 

​For CBD brands looking to explore cost effective public relations packages, learn more about MAVPR via: melissaavitale.com/services.html 

For those purchasing pleasure products for the first time, the market can seem oversaturated with products of all colors, shapes and sizes with substantially less education on said intimacy items. Especially those new to self-love and masturbation, it may be difficult to figure out what will bring pleasure or what will leave a wave of buyer’s remorse. 

For a first-time vibrator consumer, investing $200 on a single product that doesn’t please can turn someone off the pleasure product industry indefinitely.

Before you make your purchase, figure out what you want by thinking of a few factors:

• Internal vs External Use: Some people prefer external stimulation while others want toys that hit internally
• Toy Type: There are insertable vibrators, kegel accessories, love eggs and clitorial toys for vulva owners, while popular couples toys include finger vibes and cockrings for phallus owners
• Battery vs Rechargeable: rechargeable toys ensure you never run out mid-gasm, while battery-operated toys are perfect for those traveling without access to power outlets  
• Body-Safe Materials: Consumers should only be putting body-safe and body-grade materials on their most sensitive areas. If a product does not say body-safe or body-grade, just throw it out or use it for a photoshoot. Do not put it on your body
• Waterproof: Many toys on the market today are water-resistant, while waterproof toys can be submerged and survive a shower
• Suction vs Vibration: While popular toys offer suction to simulate oral stimulation, many consumers prefer a good-old-fashion buzz
• Budget: There are quality vibes starting at $29 where more expensive brands start at $189; If you plan on using your toy daily, you'll want a higher budget and a limited warranty. 

 
If you're not sure what type of toy you'd like, there's only one way to find out: masturbate! I got this tip from one of my mom’s Redbooks when I was too young to be reading them (I would hazard as far back as 2003): touch yourself, but not like that… yet. When you put lotion on, don’t slather it on like you’re putting wax on a table - caress yourself. Make it a point to touch yourself. See where your hairs raise, where you get a tingle down your spine, what makes your nipples harden. Turn yourself on. Make it a dance. Once you’re turned on by your own sensations, masturbate... regularly and often. Learn what makes you cry out, what makes you lose your breath, what turns your mind to putty and then think of ways a toy can help you save some of the manual labor. 

MAVPR Recommended Brands:
Working with so may brands, it's no surprise that I'm often asked for my recommendation. With my position as a publicist and knowledge of the industry, it's easy for me to discern if a brand is quality or marketing gimmicks 
Expert-Recommended products: OrganicLoven.com 
Beginner Pleasure Products: Emojibator
Social Conscious & Inclusive Pleasure Accessories: Bijoux Indiscrets
By Women For Women: Pure Romance, Dame Products, Unbound
Suction Products: Womanizer
Partner Toys: WeVibe
Notable Mention (Albeit not a Vibrator): Chakrubs
Kink & Fetish accessories: Extreme Restraints  
CBD Lubricant: TOCA 
Pleasure Oil: Her Highness
Intimacy Essentials for Penis-owners: Promescent

While I do partner or represent some of the brands above, I only recommend brands whose brand mission, consumer transparency and attention to quality is one that I would trust for myself and my family. I only work with brands I myself am proud to represent. 

​For Pleasure Tech brands looking to explore cost effective public relations packages, learn more about MAVPR via: melissaavitale.com/services.html