University of Kwazulu-Natal

Transform The Way Companies Engage With The Media Muck Rack

Bonisiwe Shabane
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transform the way companies engage with the media muck rack

When I previously explored how luxury brands were rethinking their relationship with the press, I referenced what New York Times’ Vanessa Friedman had dubbed the “Beyoncé Strategy” — where brands bypass traditional media to... At the time, this seemed like a strategic shift driven by a desire for speed, control, and narrative ownership. But new data from Muck Rack’s 2025 State of Journalism report suggests this pivot reflects a deeper transformation reshaping every aspect of modern media relations strategy. With insights from more than 1,500 journalists worldwide, the report highlights sweeping changes reshaping how luxury brands should approach media outreach. These shifts explain what today’s sophisticated marketers must understand to succeed in this evolving landscape; one where the consumer’s passionate pursuit of luxury is highly supported by genuine press relationships. Just days before the survey’s release, a journalist posted on LinkedIn a scathing email he received after interviewing Lyft’s CEO.

“Learn a thing or two about a thing 2,” the sender wrote, demanding “a deep dive on my LinkedIn profile” while dismissing the journalist’s reporting as “drivel.” He also CC’d the editor-in-chief, accusing the... The sender thought positioning himself as more knowledgeable while attacking the journalist’s competence, invoking big names (Gates and Bezos got name-dropped), and delivering sweeping indictments about entire industries would earn him kudos – literally,... Every journalist has a story of some crackpot who didn’t like their article. I was digitally hounded by one who took personal issues with Hermès and demanded I take down my coverage of the brand, or at the very least, include his outlandish, unsubstantiated claims. When I didn’t, he bought Meta ads to continue harassing me, even reaching out to my clients to discredit me. Nothing came of his actions, of course, except increased traffic to my article.

It turns out Hermès had banned him from their stores. He then launched an ecommerce store selling sandals made with Hermès scarves, in what a legal expert might call copyright infringement. To transform the way companies engage with the media. Muck Rack was founded in 2009 as a platform for businesses to connect with journalists. As of 2022, tens of thousands of journalists have profiles on Muck Rack that are available for businesses such as Google, Pfizer, and Duolingo to browse and employ writers from. The nature of journalism has evolved since Muck Rack’s founding, with social media and digital outlets taking demand away from printed publications.

As the landscape changes, Muck Rack has expanded their services to include a Public Relations Management platform. It’s moves like this, as well as their shift into being a “distributed” business (hybrid or remote) that has ignited a renewed confidence in Muck Rack from investors. Though the company has been bootstrapped since its founding, Muck Rack received its first outside funding to the sum of $180 million in 2022, exemplifying how important investors deem their platform to be. With its substantial funding, the future is bright for Muck Rack, though they will have to think carefully about how to advance the platform. Digital content can go viral in a matter of hours, and the creators are not always journalists. In today’s fast-paced digital world, businesses are constantly looking for ways to stay ahead of the competition and reach their target audiences effectively.

One crucial aspect of a successful business strategy is public relations (PR), which involves managing the communication between a company and its target audience. Muck Rack is a powerful tool that empowers businesses to achieve smarter PR by providing them with the tools and resources they need to succeed in their PR efforts. Muck Rack is a comprehensive PR software platform that helps businesses streamline their PR efforts and reach their target audiences more effectively. The platform offers a wide range of features and tools that help businesses monitor media coverage, connect with journalists, track PR campaigns, and measure the impact of their PR efforts. One of the key features of Muck Rack is its media database, which contains contact information for thousands of journalists, bloggers, and influencers. This database allows businesses to easily identify and connect with the right journalists for their PR campaigns, ensuring that their message reaches the right audience.

Muck Rack also offers a range of monitoring tools that allow businesses to track media coverage and mentions of their brand in real-time. This enables businesses to stay on top of the news cycle and respond quickly to any negative coverage or crises that may arise. In addition, Muck Rack provides businesses with the ability to track the impact of their PR campaigns through comprehensive analytics and reporting tools. This enables businesses to measure the success of their PR efforts and make data-driven decisions to improve their PR strategy moving forward. Muck Rack is a Public Relations Management platform that helps organizations build relationships with the media, manage crisis risk and demonstrate PR’s impact on business outcomes. 100 Best Remote-First Companies to Work for in 2022, Built In, 2022 Inc.

5000 Fastest Growing Company, 2022, Inc., 2022 Join a distributed team of driven, down to earth, and diverse professionals on a mission to inspire PR teams and journalists to work better together. Muck Rack Data: Majority of Leaders in Marketing and Communications Cover Both Roles Muck Rack and Keyhole Announce Strategic Partnership

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When I Previously Explored How Luxury Brands Were Rethinking Their

When I previously explored how luxury brands were rethinking their relationship with the press, I referenced what New York Times’ Vanessa Friedman had dubbed the “Beyoncé Strategy” — where brands bypass traditional media to... At the time, this seemed like a strategic shift driven by a desire for speed, control, and narrative ownership. But new data from Muck Rack’s 2025 State of Journalism report...

“Learn A Thing Or Two About A Thing 2,” The

“Learn a thing or two about a thing 2,” the sender wrote, demanding “a deep dive on my LinkedIn profile” while dismissing the journalist’s reporting as “drivel.” He also CC’d the editor-in-chief, accusing the... The sender thought positioning himself as more knowledgeable while attacking the journalist’s competence, invoking big names (Gates and Bezos got name-dropped), and delivering sweeping ind...

It Turns Out Hermès Had Banned Him From Their Stores.

It turns out Hermès had banned him from their stores. He then launched an ecommerce store selling sandals made with Hermès scarves, in what a legal expert might call copyright infringement. To transform the way companies engage with the media. Muck Rack was founded in 2009 as a platform for businesses to connect with journalists. As of 2022, tens of thousands of journalists have profiles on Muck R...

As The Landscape Changes, Muck Rack Has Expanded Their Services

As the landscape changes, Muck Rack has expanded their services to include a Public Relations Management platform. It’s moves like this, as well as their shift into being a “distributed” business (hybrid or remote) that has ignited a renewed confidence in Muck Rack from investors. Though the company has been bootstrapped since its founding, Muck Rack received its first outside funding to the sum o...

One Crucial Aspect Of A Successful Business Strategy Is Public

One crucial aspect of a successful business strategy is public relations (PR), which involves managing the communication between a company and its target audience. Muck Rack is a powerful tool that empowers businesses to achieve smarter PR by providing them with the tools and resources they need to succeed in their PR efforts. Muck Rack is a comprehensive PR software platform that helps businesses...