How To Get The Media’s Attention (Without Driving A Stolen Car Down the 405)

In the rankings of the least trusted professions, politicians and lawyers usually battle it out near the bottom. If we were adding to the list, I’d put “publicists” somewhere between telemarketers and New York City apartment brokers.

Don’t get me wrong. I have many friends who are publicists. Many of them are excellent: ethical, relentless, and deeply committed to their clients. They go “all-in, all-out” to break through the noise.

But too many publicists suffer from what’s been called the “learly” problem—a term coined by an executive at a Hollywood mini-major. In other words, publicity update calls are riddled with excuses of:

“It’s too late.”
“It’s too early.”

It’s never the right time, it seems. One outlet passed on the exclusive. Another declined the appearance. A third said no to the feature. It’s always too late or too early. Never just right. Learly.

Just once, we’d like to hear a publicist say what’s really going on: “Frankly, no one gives a damn.” Or, “ I haven’t had time to follow-up with the outlets.”

The deeper problem facing publicity isn’t timing. It’s that no amount of pitching can overcome the collapse of the traditional media landscape:

• When once-powerful media companies are auctioned off for a dollar...

• When conglomerate names read like your spacebar is broken...

• When social posts have more reach than newspapers or television ...

• When there are fewer outlets with less influence...

It’s a crisis for anyone trying to get attention in a world drowning in content.

Publicity must evolve. Late-night appearances, gossip site blurbs, airline magazine features, and niche radio outlets simply aren’t enough to move books or tickets or streams. Check the charts. Credibility doesn’t guarantee conversion.

Publicity offers awareness and context. But that’s only the beginning. What we need now is a new strategy to generate more of the right kind of attention, at the right time.

Awareness isn’t action. Only action gets someone to search your title on Apple Music or buy a ticket on Fandango or find your movie title on Paramount+.

If you’ve lived in L.A., you’ve seen it: 10 PM in a bar, every screen flashing a live high-speed car chase. It grabs everyone’s attention because it grabbed the media’s first. You can’t hire a stunt driver, slap your logo on the hood, and pretend to drive a stolen car down the 405 freeway (fun idea, though), but the principle remains:

Get the public’s attention, and the media will follow.

With that in mind, here are ten principles for publicists and ten tips for finding a good one.

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Ten Recommendations for Publicists

1. Be a Student.
Stay curious. Read widely. Scan headlines across industries. Know what’s happening beyond your sector. Most publicists are too narrow in their media diets.

2. Be Grateful.
A sincere thank you goes a long way. A handwritten note? Gold. A bottle of wine at year’s end? Better.

3. Know the Reporters.
Don’t just pitch. Build relationships. Follow their work. Like their posts. Say “Nice story” even when it’s not about your client. Be human. Be personal.

4. Think Small.
Seth Godin’s 1,000 True Fans model applies. A Substack writer’s loyal audience may drive more real engagement than a mention in a glossy magazine your client thinks they want.

5. Kill Them with Kindness.
The best publicists are gracious. Not doormats, but relational. Don’t confuse “tough” with “rude.” Arrogance isn’t a strategy.

6. Be Accessible.
Answer your phone. Reply to emails. Don’t make it hard to reach you. Respect others’ time.

7. Be Responsive, Respectful, and Responsible.
Keep your promises. Send materials on time. Admit when you don’t know something. People can handle ignorance or arrogance. But not both at once.

8. Go All-In, All-Out.
Don’t hoard contacts for “better” clients. Work with excellence for everyone. Your reputation is built on effort.

9. Don’t Exaggerate.
Avoid vague metrics. When someone says, “a lot” and “everyone,” well, that usually mean 5 and 10 people. Tell the truth even when it’s tough.

10. Avoid the Assembly Line.
Cookie-cutter campaigns won’t work anymore. Personalization wins. Niche wins. Boutique wins.

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Ten Tips for Finding a Good Publicist

1. Junior Does the Work.
At big agencies, you’ll meet the senior partner but junior staff will handle your account. Smaller firms often mean more personal attention.

2. Impressions Are Overrated.
“20 million impressions” means little without context or action. Inflated numbers aren’t strategy.

3. Email Blasts Don’t Work.
Open rates are abysmal. Everyone’s inbox is full. Even banks and alma maters are ignored.

4. High-Touch Wins.
Tailored, direct messages from trusted sources cut through. This is blue-collar publicity. It’s time-consuming, but the only thing that works.

5. Stories Sell.
Publicity is half sales, half storytelling. Great stories move people. They align with identity and aspiration.

6. Make It Concrete.
Tie the story to real people. How does it affect a mom on the Upper West Side or a screen-addicted college student? Make it real. Make it matter.

7. There’s No Silver Bullet.
A big media hit isn’t a strategy. You need a long-lead, street-level, personalized campaign that builds momentum.

8. Data. Data. Data.
Great publicity collects and leverages data. It tells you what’s working and what’s not. Plus, numbers are inherently newsworthy.

9. Be Patient.
Rejection is part of the process. The best publicists are strategists with endurance. They see angles where others see dead ends.

10. All Press Is Good Press.
Controversial? Maybe. But being talked about - even critically - is better than being ignored. Exposure opens doors. Silence shuts them.

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Publicity—like its cousin, Marketing—is a term that can mean everything and nothing. But it still matters. How else will people discover your work?

Don’t count on becoming the next Sailing With Phoenix, the screw-corporate-I’m-leaving-everything-behind adventure went viral while sailing across the Pacific with his cat. That’s lightning in a bottle, not a plan.

What’s needed is a new way of doing publicity—a more honest relationship between clients, publicists, and media. A shift from impressions to impact. From cookie-cutter to custom. From noise to resonance.

That’s our pitch.

It’s not too early.
It’s not too late.
It’s exactly the right time.

© Some Assembly Required, 2025