The layoffs keep coming

But here's why I think we'll be OK.

More sad layoff news keeps on coming, with BuzzFeed News shuttering entirely and Insider (to which I regularly contribute) laying off 10 percent of its staff last week. (Yesterday some staffers planned a walk-off in protest.)

(This seems like an important time to resurface this content: One thing publicists need to do TODAY in response to the editorial layoffs.)

If it helps, I’ll also share the response I wrote to a writer in one of my online groups who posted that she’s "freaking out and wondering “if we’re screwed… and I should just start a candle business or something?”

Here’s my take, verbatim:

Should I just start a candle business or something? Are we screwed?" — every one of us, every 6-12 months, forever. I've been at this for 20 years and we freak out with good reason in endless waves. But then we adapt and persevere until the next one. I don't know, it's a mess, but it's always a mess, and we'll be OK.

I really believe it, too. Hang in there, everyone!

Tools of the trade

• Is anyone using Press Hook yet? If you haven’t heard of it, it’s designed as a platform to connect journalists looking for story sources with brands who want to showcase their products and experts. It also offers a suite of helpful workflow tools. Journalists can search by product and category, and participating brands get exposure and affiliate opportunities — so it’s designed as a win-win for everyone (in the same vein as this Substack). Give it a try — right now there’s a 14-day free trial available — and let me know what you think.

• Freshbooks is the bookkeeping tool I use exclusively for my invoicing, expenses, and reporting. It’s the best, IMHO, so I evangelize. Get FreshBooks here.

• Are you a publicist who needs help understanding the affiliate game? This course, Affiliate Marketing for Publicists, can help.

• I’m obsessed with the game-changing platform Otter.ai. I use it to both record interviews and also to transcribe them in real time. You can also use it to record/transcribe any type of meeting — so anyone who missed it can easily access the Cliff’s Notes version. There’s a pro plan for agencies/companies with a ton of neat features. Check out Otter.ai here.

• My TV reporter and PR agency owner friend Christina Nicholson (who hosted me on her podcast ) hosts a 3-day program for pitching media. Once a seasonal event, she’s now made it available on-demand. You get the masterclass, a personal branding workbook, and a fill-in-the-blanks pitch template — all for $37. It’s a steal, so don’t let it pass you by.

Open press opportunities

• For Travel + Leisure, I’m working on a roundup of the best lightweight jackets for women and men.

• For Town & Country, I am still working on a roundup of the best Michelin-star restaurants in NYC. If a venue has a specific notable quality apart from obviously great food (like great for families, cheaper than you might expect, etc.), please call it out in the pitch. Please also pitch with a link to interior photos. Thank you!

Recently published or updated

• Want a Relaxing Alternative to a California Road Trip? Hop on a Train. (AFAR)

• 8 gorgeous luxury hotels that start under $150 a night, from a Bali jungle mansion with 5 pools for $86 to a castle-like villa in Italy for $137 (Insider)

• The Ultimate Packing List for Flying With Kids (Travel + Leisure — digital and digital issue)

• 9 eco-friendly things you can do on any vacation that sustainable-travel experts say add up to make a big difference (Insider)

• Samsonite Luggage, Flight Attendant-loved Packing Cubes, and More Are Almost 80% Off at Amazon This Weekend (Travel + Leisure)

• 50 Best Gifts for the Mom Who Has Everything (Woman’s Day)

• 8 Parent-loved Water Shoes That Are Comfortable, Durable, and Under $30 (Travel + Leisure)
  The Ultimate Packing List for Long-haul Flights (Travel + Leisure)

• 11 One-and-done Travel Dresses Under $50 That Will Make Any Mom Feel Comfortable and Stylish (Travel + Leisure)

• Woah, We Found 80 Travel Deals Hiding at Amazon for St. Patrick’s Day Weekend Up to 80% Off (Travel + Leisure)

• The 13 Best Cashmere Sweaters of 2023 (Travel + Leisure)

• 5 Scooter Suitcases Loved by Parents and Kids — All Under $150 (Travel + Leisure)

• Saatva’s *affordable* foam mattress topper totally transformed my years-old mattress (Real Homes)

• 31 Best Dresses on Amazon to Wear This Spring and Summer (Woman’s Day)

• The 12 Best Packable Jackets for Women and Men of 2023 (Travel + Leisure)

• 8 mood trackers beloved by our readers for mental health management (Insider)

• The 12 Best Keratosis Pilaris Treatments, According to Dermatologists (Prevention)

• The 20 Best Luxury Travel Accessories of 2023 (Travel + Leisure)

• 38 of the Best Luxury All-Inclusive Resorts in the World (Town & Country)

• 20 Appropriate Bar Mitzvah Gifts He's Sure to Cherish (Woman’s Day)

• 20 Best Bat Mitzvah Gifts to Honor Her Major Milestone (Woman’s Day)

• These Rent-to-Own Homes Programs to Help You Get Into That House (HomeLight)

• The 15 Best Loungewear Sets for Women of 2023 (Travel + Leisure)

• The Best Things to Do in Los Angeles (Esquire)

• The Best Things to Do in Las Vegas (Esquire)

• 23 of the best places to travel to around the world in 2023 (Insider)

Open jobs

Job posts in this newsletter are now free! Have an open opportunity you want me to promote? Share it with me at info@alicedubin.com.

• Blaze is hiring for a hybrid account executive position in either Santa Barbara or Santa Monica. The ideal candidate will have three years of PR agency experience working on consumer packaged goods and lifestyle brands and must demonstrate they have current and relevant media relationships. Candidates can learn more and apply here.

• Havas Formula is seeking a San Diego-based account executive/senior account executive. Hybrid (two days in office per week). Candidates should have 3 to 4 years’ experience in PR, influencer marketing, and social media. Team is looking for “a strong storyteller with the ability to articulate brand narrative. Must be self-motivated, collaborative and results driven. Solid and growing presentation skills. Can foster media relationships to ensure brand/client coverage, all while providing top-notch client service.” Learn more and apply here.

• Wholesome PR is “seeking a passionate PR pro to join its team, providing PR support to brands that produce high-quality products, primarily in the food and CPG space. The ideal candidate is a self-starter PR practitioner who has their finger on the pulse of media in the food/CPG space, is a creative and strategic thinker, and is an excellent writer. The position would entail pitching media and coordinating influencer campaigns and all tasks related.” You can learn more here. Please share a bit about yourself in a cover letter when you apply to Jennifer@wholesomepr.com.

Work with me

• Here’s how to pitch: Simply respond to this email with a new subject line or pitch me at pitch@alicedubin.com.

• Are you a writer hoping to reach my engaged list of publicists? A publicist hoping to connect with brands? A digital media type with a product or service for the industry? Maybe you’d like to sponsor this newsletter with a featured ad. Let’s chat: info@alicedubin.com.

• Yes — thanks for asking! — I am also available for project-based consulting.

How to help

• Help with the relief efforts following the earthquake in Turkey and Syria. Donate to Unicef or Save the Children.

• Donate to the Anti-Defamation League to support the fight against hate.

• Donate to Moms Demand Action and Everytown.

• Donate to keep the Kyiv Independent going and keep Ukraine’s media going. 

• Donate to Planned Parenthood.