Unpitchable #1: Hot industry takes
Legacy media, defense tech, and putting out a “PR”
Welcome to a new series I’ll be doing occasionally on To Wit called Unpitchable. I’ll be sharing my PR, marketing, and comms hot takes (ranked 🔥, 🔥🔥, or 🔥🔥🔥 depending on the level of spice and hot-take-i-ness scale).
This is meant to be cathartic, punchy, and fun. If you get offended, don’t. It’s all in good fun (mostly). Have any takes of your own? Drop a comment.
An obsession with top tier legacy media: 🔥
Whenever I meet anyone in the “industry” — founder, CMO, comms flack — who is unduly obsessed with traditional legacy media (to the point they ignore everything else, like trade and new media), it’s a huge red flag. Practically speaking, trade press must be a critical component of most startups’ press strategy. A construction startup that refuses to talk to Constructive Dive, a defense tech startup who acts too good for DefenseOne, or a supply chain startup who thinks FreightWaves isn’t worth their time are all leaving proverbial money on the table. These are highly reputable outlets that reach key audiences, and they are worth investing time and energy in.
And in the modern comms environment, legacy media has lost some of its value. This is not in dispute. Ignoring trade press and new media like influencers and YouTubers and Substackers and reporters-turned-newsletter-writers is an unconscionable error.
Branding defense tech as “cool” is offensive: 🔥🔥
I’m so done with defense tech companies branding themselves as “cool.” Once upon a time, a defense tech startup announced a new helmet that would supposedly give the wearer a head-up display (HUD) with information they needed. “It’s like Halo!” observers praised unintelligently.
Here’s the rub: Halo is a videogame. It is cool. I’ve spent many a night playing Halo 3. But you can play Halo in your pajamas. You can be surrounded by chips and soda and sink into a leather recliner surrounded by your best friends and build nothing but happy memories as you crush n00bs.
War is not cool.
America’s warfighters are at risk. 13 servicemembers have died since the conflict with Iran started. Here are their names:
Maj. John ‘Alex’ Klinner
Capt. Ariana G. Savino
Tech. Sgt. Tyler H. Simmons
Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt
Capt. Seth R. Koval
Capt. Curtis J. Angst
Sgt. Declan Coady
Capt. Cody Khork
Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor
Sgt. 1st Class Noah Tietjens
Maj. Jeffrey O’Brien
Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert Marzan
Sgt. Benjamin Pennington
Building technology for members of the Armed Forces — for America and her allies — is a responsibility. A big one. It should be treated and talked about with the gravity it deserves. Going for “cool” like you’re Apple selling a smartphone diminishes defense tech brands in the eyes of serious observers.
Saying “PR” as an abbreviation for press release is horrific: 🔥🔥🔥
Nothing gets my goat more than when people abbreviate “press release” to PR. Honestly, it gives imposter vibes.
PR means public relations. It has (insert Taylor Swift voice here) never, ever, ever 🎵 meant press release. You do not put a public relations on the wire. You do not write a public relations or pitch a public relations to reporter.
Press release is 12 letters. P-r-e-s-s-r-e-l-e-a-s-e. Just, for the love of God, write it out. Because if you abbreviate “press release” as PR, you will almost assuredly out yourself as someone who, very simply, doesn’t get it.
That’s all for this edition of Unpitchable. What did you think?? Did any of these hot takes get your blood boiling like mine is? Do you have takes of your own? Let me know in the comments.
Shoutout to Emily Ann Hill for providing feedback and editing this essay. Check out her website to see how Emily can help improve your writing and, for small businesses, develop an unforgettable brand experience.