Wednesday: One of the most exciting interview pieces I've done in a long time + check out my appearance this week on Eat. Drink. Social!
Good morning!
Happy hump day! We’ve made it to the midpoint of this longgggg week.
I’ve had a busy few days that included a few consulting sessions and dinner last night with a dear, longtime friend (a newly discovered cute little sushi spot right near me in Brooklyn!).
(You guys, this spot was serious. They even torched one of our sushi rolls for us tableside. And Melissa taught me the proper way to share a bottle of sake, and I want to assure everyone that I am now very good at it.)
But also on the docket the last few days has been a TON of newly published material, including some stuff I’m very excited to share.
Recently, I interviewed the incredible Sam Heughan (of Outlander!) about his new gin release. It absolutely was one of my most exciting interviews so far this year (I am still gushing, TBH). You can check out my story for Forbes here.
Also new in the last day or so is two new stories for Food Network. One is a bagel collab we never saw coming (but is rather intriguing!), and another is a new instant coffee from a star you def know — it’s fair to say this coffee is rather, well, buzz worthy!
I also have a brand-new podcast appearance to share — just dropped yesterday! - I was a guest on the Eat.Drink.Social. podcast, chatting about everything from my favorite recent cities I've visited, upcoming travel, my social media pet peeves, and my dream assignment!
Want to see some of my other recent podcast appearances? There’s bunches (and more coming soon!). Check out the section below.
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!
PS: I love doing podcasts!
Check out my guest appearance a few days ago on Jamie Stone’s A Little Too Much podcast. We had SO much fun discussing everything from the changing landscape of events and trips to our thoughts on some emerging food and cocktail trends.
Other recent appears include Media Circus Podcast with Taiisha Bradley, as well as the Italian Wine Podcast, where we discussed all things Substack, and the Coffee N° 5 podcast, where we chatted about effective strategies for promoting emerging brands to journalists and securing media coverage. Other recent podcast appearances include the Pitchin’ and Sippin’ podcast with the incredible (and super fun!) Lexie Smith, where we covered everything from press dinners and events and trips to, well, sippin’!
I’ve recorded a few others that should be live soon as well and I’m always open to doing more — email me at alywalansky@gmail.com.
Forbes.com: Sam Heughan’s New Sassenach Gin Promises ‘A Trip To Scotland In A Glass'
Food Network: Magnolia Bakery and Ess-a-Bagel Pair Up to Make A Banana Pudding Bagel
Food Network: The Weeknd Launches His Own Instant Coffee with Blue Bottle
Parade: The 17 Best Bagel Shops In NYC for Lox and a Schmear or Perfect Bacon, Egg and Cheese
Parade: Clueless About How To Use an Air Fryer? Consider This Your 101 Guide
Forbes.com: 11 Spud-Centric Dishes To Enjoy On National Potato Day
Reader’s Digest: What 11 Mysterious Flight Codes Really Mean
The Kitchn: 10 Deals to Celebrate National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day
Southern Living: Can You Safely Eat Sprouted Potatoes?
Food Network: Mustard Skittles Will Take You on a Confusing-Yet-Somehow-Makes-Perfect-Sense Flavor Journey
Forbes.com: 40 Delicious Ways To Celebrate National Oyster Day
Forbes.com: Fine Dining At Sea Gets An Upgrade With The Return Of Nobu Matsuhisa’s Umi Uma
The Kitchn: More than 10,000 Cases of This Popular Trader Joe’s Soup Are Being Recalled — Here’s What You Need to Know
The Kitchn: Joanna Gaines’ New Line of Internet-Famous Stanley Tumblers Just Hit Target, and It’s Already Flying Off the Shelves
The Kitchn: Costco’s Giant Peanut Butter Chocolate Pie Is Back and Flying Off Shelves
Taste of Home: Costco Sells Chicken Nuggets That Taste Exactly Like Chick-fil-A’s
Popsugar: What to Know About Bananas' Carb Content
Travel & Leisure: Mosquitoes Love Me, and This Is the Surprising Gadget I Swear by to Get Instant Bug Bite Relief
RetailMeNot: 65+ College Student Discounts
Forbes.com: 30 Cocktails To Enjoy When Celebrating National Tequila Day
Clean Plates: Is Cottage Cheese Healthy? We Asked The Experts
Clean Plates: The Best Trader Joe’s Items for Easy, Healthy Summer Entertaining
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.
RetailMeNot
I’m getting started working to update my Labor Day Store Hours roundup piece from last year. Please check the link and if you were a chain mentioned, please email me and tell me if your hours for that day are the same or need to be modified from last year’s info. (And if you are another chain with Labor Day store hours info, please do send! Thanks!)
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 (and now in-person!) 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 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. Note: I’m also available to travel for consulting sessions as long as travel expenses are covered. We can chat!
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!
Have a great day!
OMG this Sam Heughan article is everything!
Congrats on your interview! Also, I don't know how you bat out so many articles, you are amazing.