I received one of the most interesting blog pitches from a PR firm yesterday. It caught my attention because it came from someone at 5WPR (anyone remember why that name rings a bell? ). It also caught my attention because of the content...
Let me know your thoughts on how this works as a pitch to a blogger. I've purposely left in the copy & paste esque font changes, I've taken off the name of the person who sent it to me, and I've left in every mention of the word 'aggresive' and the a teeny bit over-the-top bigging up of the blog. The absence of personalisation is just as it was from the email to me as well.
Here goes:
I am writing to put the blog “PR Thoughts from Ronn Torossian, CEO of 5WPR” (http://ronntorossian.com/) on your radar. This is an amazing resource for anyone who works in public relations, who is interested in learning more about developments in this field, or who wants to benefit from the entrepreneurial and aggressive spirit of Ronn and 5WPR. For someone like yourself who maintains a blog about the public relations industry and communications and media trends, Ronn’s blog would offer your readers an insider’s perspective that they undoubtedly would appreciate.
Ronn Torossian, the Founder, President and CEO of New York City based 5W Public Relations, is a nationally recognized expert in PR who has led 5W Public Relations to achieve a spot on the INC. 500 list in 2007 and the title of “fastest-growing agency” three years in a row. Additionally, Torossian was named to Advertising Age’s 2006 “40 Under 40” list and PR Week’s 2007 “40 Under 40” list. Referred to by the NY Post as a “publicity guru”, by Fox News as a “high-powered PR CEO”, by CNN as “a leading PR expert”, and by The New York Times as “The consummate hard-driving, scrappy NY publicist”, Torossian is a highly sought after speaker by CNN, Fox News Channel, MSNBC, ABC, NBC, The New York Times, and others. The same insights into PR that Torossian provides to these news outlets would be of considerable value to anyone with an interest in public relations.
The rapid growth of 5W Public Relations (including its expansion from New York City to Los Angeles) was made possible by Ronn Torossian’s aggressive, results focused orientation and his close relationships with members of the media, key influencers, decision makers, politicians and celebrities. Under Ronn’s leadership, 5W Public Relations has used its aggressive and committed talent to represent clients including Evian, Coca-Cola, Anheuser Busch, IHOP, McDonald’s, Microsoft, LA Gear, EDS, VeriSign, Seagram’s, The Loews Regency, Bad Boy Worldwide Entertainment, Marriott Hotels, Russ Berrie & Company, NICE Systems, Vail Resorts, Pamela Anderson, Snoop Dogg, the Government of Israel, Avenue Stores, and Trinity Broadcasting Network. These client experiences, combined with 5W PR’s status as a full-service public relation firm maintaining practice areas in consumer, technology, health and wellness, entertainment, lifestyle, fashion and corporate communications, make Ronn Torossian’s blog an excellent resource.

It's a horrible, horrible email from start to finish. If someone wants your blog to engage with theirs then why don't they just comment on your posts, or link to what they're saying? It's hardly rocket science. Mind you the blog itself isn't that much cop either, with that line of "entrepreneurs as ducks" - it's all a bit too David Brent for my liking.
Posted by: Chris Applegate | October 23, 2008 at 09:20 PM
Hmm, the fact that 5W represent Pamela Anderson and Snoop Dogg really shows in the pitch:
Pammy = Brash and Fake
Snoop = Loud and Aggressive
Perhaps the PR Exec had been drinking too much Bud when he wrote the pitch, seeing as 5W also represent Anheuser Busch.
Actually, I wonder how 5W's clients feel about being associated with such terrible outreach?
Posted by: Ben Matthews | October 23, 2008 at 09:36 PM
http://gawker.com/tag/ronn-torossian/
must read... gawker's take on this jackass
Posted by: londongirl | October 23, 2008 at 09:47 PM
http://gawker.com/tag/ronn-torossian/
must read... gawker's take on this jackass
Posted by: londongirl | October 23, 2008 at 09:47 PM
I agree with Chris. If he truly has something to add to PR discussion, he should just jump into PR conversations.
He (or his team) know you (and everyone else who got this mail merged atrocity) are having conversations in this space (PR for PR people). He should join in and be patient while the readers find him.
But I guess patient and aggressive don't necessarily go together.
Awful email.
(Sorry for the number of parentheses... I cant seem to stop using them today).
Posted by: Emily | October 24, 2008 at 03:53 AM