TLDR: PR best practices from Propeller’s annual AWNY panel

If you’ve ever wondered what journalists really want to hear from thought leaders and their PR teams—everything from how to engage with editors to what makes for a can’t miss-story—you’re not alone. 

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Taking the stage at Advertising Week New York for the fourth time, Mary Cirincione, Propeller’s U.S. President was joined by a pair of editors-in-chief, Ryan Joe and Jeanine Poggi, representing ADWEEK and Ad Age, respectively.

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She kicked things off with a discussion on editorial integrity and the pressures facing newsrooms today. Ryan pointed to how the digital ecosystem and AI overviews have impacted publication revenue, leading to closer alignment with sales teams and new opportunities for collaboration. 

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However, just because sponsors are paying for a story or event doesn’t mean that an editorial team will cover it, with the trio reflecting on the separation of church and state. According to Jeanine, “Trust is our greatest currency. We know what our audience really wants from us and the information they need. The lens through which we decide what stories to cover is simple: will this help our audience do their jobs better?” 

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When it comes to thought leadership, the panel agreed on the need for distinct insights and genuine, experience-informed points of view: for instance, a business or career lesson that can be articulated clearly and which leaders can learn from. But in every instance, these insights must be backed by bonafide evidence or experience without tipping into self-promotion territory. Media are looking for stories that impact the industry, illuminate business strategy and help readers make important decisions. 

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Ryan and Jeanine also made it clear that their publications do not accept AI-generated submissions, using tools like Pangram to detect potential AI writing. Full stop, no exceptions. Jeanine also suggested that thought leaders should always be the first to put their ideas to paper—in their own voice and drawing from their own perspective—before collaborating with any editorial or PR partners for further sharpening. As she said, those concerns make human relationships even more important: “When I know the voice of the person that's pitching, and can hear it in their op-eds and thought-leadership, their submission becomes far more important and interesting.” 

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As far as what makes a pitch stand out, Ryan offered some important advice for PR teams and executives looking to land a story: “With unsolicited op-eds, I'm basically looking for reasons to say no. The angle really needs to grab me, and the most effective pitches are big marketing or advertising stories in which you can add sharp opinions and validated points.” For a breaking story, speed matters too: Ryan shared that “two or three days” can already be too late. If you have something genuinely useful to add to the conversation, you need to be ready to jump on it.

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The discussion then turned to pet peeves. Jeanine reminded attendees that just because an executive gets on a call with a journalist doesn’t guarantee a story. Expectations of coverage should never be assumed, and it’s on PRs to level set with thought leaders. Ryan nudged partners to avoid seeing publications as their “marketing department.” “Even when we work closely with a corporation on an embargoed story, the piece might not come out in the way they want it to. If we’re factually incorrect then we’ll fix it, but if they don’t like the angle… that’s tough.” 

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The panel also reminded audiences of the pressures media face. Small teams and tight bandwidth, with each reporter juggling multiple stories most days. All to say that if you’re offering an exclusive, give journalists a meaningful window where possible—and the space to do their job, and do it well. 

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The session ended on an important point: Journalism doesn’t pay for itself. Subscriptions matter, and PR teams and spokespeople need to read the reporting to understand where they fit into a broader story or trend. As Ryan concluded: “I’ll end with the most annoying sentence ever… Can I get a PDF?”

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You can watch the full video of the session on the Advertising Week New York content hub.

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