In Defense of the Unhinged Pitch

When’s the last time you sent a pitch that made you nervous?

If you’re in a media drought, consider this your Friday pep talk to shake things up.

Try something weird. Leave your perfectly‑crafted or overly-sanitized subject lines in drafts and go for something a little… unhinged. Make yourself cringe a little. Make it so weird you risk the receiver taking a screenshot. What do you have to lose? Besides maybe a tiny bit of dignity—and honestly, you can earn that back with one great win.

We’ve done this at Six Eastern when we were in a pinch or just needed to stand out in a reporter’s inbox. Some of our most random, borderline embarrassing subject lines have gotten replies, briefings, and coverage.

Why? Because reporters are human. They’re bored of the same templated stuff we all send when we’re trying to sound “buttoned up.” A subject line that makes them smile, tilt their head, or even roll their eyes can stop the scroll.

Here are a few real ones we’ve sent that got traction:

• “Hi”

• “This feels like a Kati story”

• “If you have time before your honeymoon… an exclusive?”

• “Your banger tweets of 2024, according to Exa”

• “A stylish privacy expert for future segments”

• “Well now I'm eating granola out of the bag"

• “Not to be creepy… but want to see your AI clone?”

• “A pitch”

• “Promise I’ll stop being annoying after this”

• “coffee? yes i'm a pr person but still”

• “Is this a phishing email? (It’s not)”

You get the gist. None of these are masterpieces. Most are just…weirdly human. That’s the point. And here’s an example of what a full unhinged pitch looks like:

And here’s the spot that was landed the next day:

A few ideas to inspire your own Friday send:

• Call back something personal to them (a recent story, a tweet) in a way that’s knowingly stalker‑ish but endearing. :)

• Lean into your own awkwardness: own the cringe and make it work for you.

• Overshare something random about yourself that they probably don’t need to know… but won’t be able to ignore.

• Use humor, but steer clear of corny (unless cheesy is your brand—then go all in).

• Be self‑deprecating and name the obvious: yes, you’re a PR person, and yes, this is a pitch. Own it.

You never know what will land until you try. So if you’re staring at your inbox and feeling stuck, give yourself permission to get a little unhinged. Worst case? You gave someone a laugh. Best case? You book the story.

Happy Friday—and may your subject lines be bold, weird, and dignity‑optional.

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