We spend countless hours researching the latest trends and insights on both the marketing and hospitality industries. From newsletters and social media to longer format articles (yes, they still exist!), these learnings guide our strategy for our clients and help us bring creative ideas to the table. So here are some of the things recent readings brought up for us.
New Look for Media List Targets: While we could probably write an entire blog post about this, PR Girl Manifesto nailed it with this post exploring the opportunity for publicists to pitch outlets with reliable track records, which may mean smaller pubs and blogs (looking at you, a periodic table - p.s. you should her interview with James Beard semifinalist, Nick Bognar, of indo and sado here). So while we can (and will continue to) chase big fish like Food & Wine, Wall Street Journal, etc., we also recommend testing out the strategy to pitch writers that will help your visibility in AI-generated searches.
Inc.’s 2026 Female Founders 500: As an all-women team, we’re so inspired by this year’s list of Inc’s Female Founders 500, including our client, Tamara Keefe of Clementine’s Ice Cream! Get inspired by these amazing women here.
Rise in Luxury Grocery Stores: Both the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times put out stories about luxury grocery stores last month. Our takeaway? Even in a shaky economy, online status and a sense of community can influence spending habits (even if it’s as ridiculous as a $23 smoothie). So what’s your version of the luxury grocery haul that you can encourage your guests to share online?
Pop Culture Trends Win: Aldi jumped on the new season of Bridgerton buzz with this creative social post. It’s an important reminder to keep an eye on pop culture trends to see if there’s a way to speak to your audience in a new way. Would someone who doesn’t watch the show be confused? Yes, but for those who do (ahem 90% of our office), this was a creative wink to the show and a new way to highlight new menu items.
Inspiration from Expo West: The Natural Products Expo West, was last week, which features more than 3,000 brands in the food & beverage space, and we are loving watching the trends that media, influencers, industry leaders, etc. saw (see here and here). Trade shows are an insightful way to see how trends are spending their marketing dollars to get in front of targeted buyers (look up the Goodles). Food Institute also shared their takeaways here.
Why Communicators Need to Know SEO: The lines between SEO and PR are being blurred (which is why we’ve brought on SEO services to our roster!). Here are some tips on how publicists can approach their strategy to impact SEO in today’s world.