Tuesday: Wrapping up some big stories today. Also: New job leads, and tell me about your Super Bowl cocktails!

Jan 31

Good morning! (Er…afternoon!)

This morning sort of got away from me as I was finishing up the last of my Valentine’s gift guides and then some breaking food news happened…

(In the outside world, breaking news journalists cover politics and world affairs and all that, but in my world, it’s breaking news when someone puts some cinnamon sugar on a savory snack…but more on that in a bit!)

Aly Walansky alywalansky.substack.com @alywalansky

New for @thekitchn -- Cinnamon Toast Crunch-Flavored Bugles are Hitting Shelves Soon thekitchn.com/cinnamon-toast…

I have a consulting gig this afternoon to prep for (which means I need to…well, wash my hair), and I need to get packing — because tomorrow morning I’m heading to New Orleans for the first time since 2019!

So far, all I’ve accomplished prep wise is I got my nails done…they feel very NOLA though, right?

(BTW, in case we have not discussed this here yet, I’m a big fan of the dip powder experience. I don’t really have time or patience or budget to be getting my nails done all the time. This lasts four weeks, which means I spend one hour once a month at the salon and my nails are handled all month long!)

I have a lot on my agenda while I’m there and I promise to share lots of food and cocktail and fun updates on my Instagram (and I WILL still do my daily newsletter of course, but it just may not come the same time of day as usual.) - but it’s a bit of a whirlwind trip, I’ll only be in town about 48 hours, and I plan on making the most of it.

Anywhoo….

I’m going to cut to the chase and get into the nitty gritty of everything I’m working on the rest of this week. There’s also a few newly published stories below and a new fun job lead!

Today’s Job Leads

Feel free to send me your job leads at any time — it’s completely free, and as I publish this newsletter six days a week, there’ll always be room to put it in the next available newsletter. Job leads are welcome at any time, whether or not they have appeared elsewhere, and I am fully open as well to whisper leads (not revealing the company) and internship opps as well as situations wanted.

FACTEUR PR is hiring for the position of Account Supervisor (full-time, remote). This person will provide strategic direction and guidance for our team as well as for our clients across PR, influencers, social media, and partnerships. The Account Supervisor possesses strong leadership skills and a deep knowledge of the integrated lifestyle media landscape. Specifically, they are able to help direct and guide the team while leveraging their own experience and relationships in order to seize and/or create needle-moving opportunities for our agency and our clients. To learn more and apply, please visit http://bit.ly/facteur-app.

Newly published or freshly updated

Since people are often asking about the status of stories from a while ago, and I only share stories in this newsletter that were published or updated in the current week, I have created a list of my author pages at various publications to which I contribute. Bookmark it and make your life a bit easier.

This list will live on my Substack URL and be updated as necessary. That way, you can see what I’m doing at any publication, at any time, from types of stories to general structure of stories to even volume and frequency of my content at that outlet.

This can also help you to target pitching a bit better. That makes your job easier, and mine too!

RetailMeNot: 13 Purr-fect Valentine’s Day Gifts for Pets
RetailMeNot: Affordable Valentine’s Day Gifts That Show Lots of Love on a Budget
The Kitchn: Cinnamon Toast Crunch-Flavored Bugles are Hitting Shelves Soon
Forbes: How To Plan A Delicious Super Bowl Viewing Party
Southern Living: Can You Freeze Cheesecake?
Clean Plates: 5 Trader Joe’s Frozen Foods Perfect for Valentine’s Day at Home
YourTango: 15 Unique Pieces Of Jewelry Women Love Most
Mashed: Myths about Instant Pots You Need To Stop Believing
Pawp.com: 14 Pet Hair-Proof Pants And Leggings For Cat & Dog Owners
Clean Plates: 8 Costco Foods Nutritionists Love for Valentine’s Day
SPY.com: Our Favorite Funny Valentine’s Day Cards Are Sure to Make Them Giggle (or Blush!) on February 14
Forbes: Valentine’s Day Gift Guide: The Best Luxury Seafood Boxes
Forbes: Valentine’s Day Gift Guide: The Best Interactive Gifts For Couples Who Love To Cook Together

If you or your client are featured in any of these stories, I super appreciate any social media shares! Please remember to tag @alywalansky and the outlet.

Here’s what I’m working on:

Be sure to read the below list carefully. Many are stories I posted about yesterday, but some of yesterday's stories are no longer listed and a few new ones have been added since yesterday. This (below) is everything that is still a currently open opportunity as of today.

Please remember when pitching me: Email me at alywalansky@gmail.com - do NOT just hit reply on this newsletter, or there’s a good shot your email will be lost in the heap. Give your email a subject line that makes it clear which story you are pitching me for — it’ll help you in the long run.

Please consult my industry insights guides on submitting expert commentary, sending emails that will catch a journalist’s attention, how to craft pitches journalists will say ‘yes’ to, and the right and wrong way to submit photos, if you need any extra guidance before sending your pitches.

HelloGiggles

You may recall that shortly before the new year, I was working on a story on products to help you sleep better in 2023. That story is about to be wrapped up and I’m just looking for a few last items to include — ideally in the under $100 category. If you have any that may be a fit, please let me know today.

Today.com

For Today.com, I’m rounding up deals at chains for both National Pizza Day (2/9), and Valentine’s Day. This isn’t simply that you are doing a heart-shaped pizza or a special menu item, but that you are doing some sort of specific deal or discount — think BOGO, freebie, discount code, etc. If you have anything, please email me the name of the chain, where it is located (if it’s not national), what the deal is, and how to claim it.

Southern Living

I’m working on an explainer on how to preheat your air fryer. Clearly, I’m very aware of how to preheat an air fryer - I use it nightly! But, I’d love an air fryer expert of some sort (other than me, haha!), to weigh in on times they would preheat and times they would not, and why. And, also, the benefits of preheating in certain recipes.

Forbes

I’m looking for cocktails that are in honor of the Super Bowl. These are cocktails that must exist on the menu at a bar or restaurant (it’s fine if it’s a special just for the next few weeks!). Please send me:

Name of drink
Where available
Description of drink (NOT a recipe)
Quote from bartender/chef/owner about drink/inspiration
LINK to high res image of drink, with appropriate photo credit

**Please send all pitches for this one by Friday 2/3

Here’s what I’m currently working on for Valentine’s Day:

The best gifts for a romantic dinner at home

For all of these guides (and honestly, most guides for any outlet, I would prefer all pitches be sent in the following format):

Name of product
link where sold, price
Description of product
LINK to high res image

*please please make sure that an item is not discontinued, and is currently available and in stock to ship and arrive before Valentine’s Day before pitching me. Sound obvious? I got a LOT of holiday pitches that did not fit this qualification!

Looking to up your affiliate marketing game?

Affiliate marketing is complicated, and it seems that the landscape keeps changing. If you are looking to be prepared for gift guide season and all other shopping-related content, you may want to try the Ultimate Masterclass and Introduction to Affiliate Marketing for Publicists. It's a brilliant course and it'll answer all your questions (including some you didn't know you had!)

Virtual consulting sessions...

Looking for a consult as you plan your next event or trip? Or just want someone to take a look at the pitches you’ve been sending and give some feedback?

I've been popping into a lot of PR team virtual meetings and some other fun stuff (Recently I even joined in on an agency’s team retreat right here in Brooklyn — it was so fun and I made so many new friends!) and making myself available to answer all sorts of questions about pitching, events, and trips from a media perspective. I like to keep these things chill and comfortable and relaxed all by sharing perspective and learning from one another.

If you are interested in setting anything up for your own team in the coming months, please email me and we'll get something on the books! This is available for entire agencies or smaller group lunch and learn type concepts. If you are a freelance publicist and want to join in with a few other freelance publicist friends and set something up, we can do that as well!