What the press is looking for & how to get PR results in 2025
If you’re an eCommerce brand aiming to land coverage in top UK magazines in 2025, you’ve probably asked yourself:
• Why are journalists ignoring my PR pitch?
• How do I write something that actually grabs attention?
• What are editors even looking for now?
You’re not alone. The truth is, press coverage is more accessible than ever – if you understand what makes journalists say yes.
We recently hosted Rachel Edwards, Style & Interiors Editor at Country Living and House Beautiful, on one of our live editor Q&A calls. She reviews hundreds of PR emails every week and shared exclusive insights on what actually gets noticed in a journalist’s inbox.
In this post, we’re breaking down Rachel’s top tips and our proven strategies to help you:
How to craft a PR hook that gets an editor’s attention.
How to tailor your pitch for different types of press.
How to think beyond your product to make your pitch newsworthy.
Let’s dive in.
Step 1: Nail your hook before pitching
Here’s the hard truth: most PR pitches fail because they don’t have a strong hook. Editors receive hundreds of emails every day. If yours doesn’t stand out, it’s getting deleted.
Rachel said something really important during our call:
“We’re desperate for strong hooks. If you can give me a compelling reason to feature your brand, I’ll listen.”
So, what makes a strong hook? It should be:
Timely
Does it connect to something happening in the world right now? Perhaps there’s a new movie out that is just everywhere, like Wicked or Babie? Those are the sorts of things the journalists will be writing about so find a way to pitch into it.
Relevant
Why should people care? What problem does it solve? Nobody inherently cares about your brand having a new product out, it's sad but true. You need a reason to make people care about your product otherwise journalists won’t be using it.
Surprising
Is there an unexpected angle that grabs attention? You have to focus beyond your product and how it can be interesting as an article.
Let’s look at an example:
Imagine you sell dog beds. Instead of just saying,
“Hey, we’ve launched a new range of pet beds,” one clever brand pitched it like this:
“Dog beds are basically petri dishes for bacteria. We’ve created an antibacterial one.”
That’s a hook! It immediately makes an editor think, “Wow, I never thought about that!” and gives them a reason to open the email.
So before you pitch, ask yourself: What makes my product, brand, or story different?
What’s the angle that would make someone stop scrolling? If you can’t answer that, your pitch isn’t ready.
Step 2: Tailor your hook for different media outlets
Now that you have a strong hook, you need to make sure it’s the right hook for the publication you’re pitching to. Different types of media are looking for different things.
B2B publications – Want stats, growth stories, and business insights.
Design and interior magazines – Love home styling tips, expert advice, and trend stories.
News-driven outlets – Want fresh launches, collaborations, and cultural shifts.
You don’t have to change your brand story, but you do need to tweak the way you present it. Different magazines look for different things - your job is to shape your pitch so it fits.
Let’s say you run a sustainable fashion brand. Here’s how you could tweak your pitch for different media types:
For a business magazine: “The sustainable fashion boom: How our brand grew 300% in two years.”
For a lifestyle magazine: “The 5 best sustainable fabrics for 2025 and how to wear them.”
For a news outlet: “Why Gen Z is ditching fast fashion for slow, sustainable style.”
Same brand, same product - but three different angles, depending on who you’re pitching to.
So before you hit send on that PR email, take a step back and ask: Is this the right pitch for this journalist? If not, tweak it.
Plan ahead and stay reactive with a go-to calendar of key dates designed to fuel your PR and marketing success all year round.
Step 3: Think outside the box
Now here’s where you can get really creative. One of the biggest mistakes brands make is focusing only on their product. But the best PR pitches tie into bigger trends, cultural moments, and industry shifts.
On our live editor cal,l Rachel shared a great example:
Let’s say you’re a textile designer making blankets and cushions. Instead of just saying, “We have a new winter collection,” look at what’s happening in the news. If heating bills are soaring, you could pitch:
“Heating bills are skyrocketing? Here’s how to stay warm without spending a fortune. Layering textiles is key - here’s what materials work best.”
Now, instead of just promoting your product, you’re offering value. You’re tying your pitch into a conversation that’s already happening, which makes it far more likely to get picked up.
This is one of the most powerful PR strategies out there - because it positions you as an expert, not just a seller.
And before imposter syndrome kicks in here we want to make it clear that if you are in the space, you are an expert. You do not need a master’s degree or fancy credentials to be considered an expert for an article, they won’t be needing that. If you are creating great products and know what you are talking about - you can be an expert.
Recap
If you want to land press coverage in 2025:
Get crystal clear on your hook - make it timely, relevant, and surprising.
Tailor your pitch for different media outlets - B2B, lifestyle, and news all have different needs.
Think beyond your product - tie into bigger trends and conversations.
And here’s the good news - this is exactly what we teach inside PR Dispatch.
Every quarter, we bring in top UK magazine editors for live Q&A calls, where our members can ask questions, get direct feedback on their pitches, and learn exactly what editors are looking for.
If you want to join these calls, get expert PR training, and access our full media database - sign up for PR Dispatch today.
Want to build trust and awareness through press coverage? Watch our 3-minute PR platform demo here to discover how we can help you take control of your public relations in-house - no PR agency needed.