I hate press releases. More accurately I hate the way PR firms blanket spam their email lists with generic press releases. When I worked in publishing I couldn’t tell you how many press releases I deep sixed. It got to the point where I didn’t read any of them, because they were all the same: they were boring AF.
Fast forward to six years ago I spent a couple of years contracting for a PR firm, and, when asked to draft a press release, I agreed but only if I could do it my way. Gone were the days of the generic releases I’d received. No. My press releases told a story, each one different depending on the targeted outlet. And did I get results? I did. In fact numerous outlets responded back without me following up, something unheard of in PR.
So why am I bringing this up now? Because, fast forwarding to 2024, collaboration pitches from corporations selling products are the new PR pitches. They show up in my inbox with a generic introduction–“Hi there,” compliment my social media presence, and then offer me a collaboration. It’s all very meh.
And mostly I ignore them. But not today.
Today “Alex” pitched Bible For Women, an app “designed to inspire and support women in their faith journey.” The app offers “curated content tailored for women” and includes devotions and prayers. They are willing to pay me to create what is known as UGC, user-generated content. It’s the kind of content that looks generic, i.e. girl next door, but is in fact an advertisement.
They have messed with the wrong woman. And if they had taken a moment to look at my content–#exfundamentalist #exChristian–they would have known that.
The fact that I’ve written and TikToked numerous times of how I was sexually abused, for years, by my step father, who was a Christian pastor at the time, escaped them completely.
Most of the time I don’t bother to respond to pitches at all. But, considering their espoused concern for women, I wonder if they have an app for those of us who’ve suffered at the hands of the men in their midst, the ones they hide and protect. Maybe I should ask.
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