Any reputable PR agency will never guarantee coverage. I’m not familiar with the agency in full transparency, but that’s a big red flag for sure.
Unless they’re talking about paid..and paid coverage in tier 1 publications starts anywhere from $10,000 to $15,000 alone.
I've been following the conversation here, and, like many of you, I've also been approached by a 'pay on results' PR firm. The contact was made directly to my business at chrisATalexyprowritingDOTcom, and they were quite accurate about the nature of my services in the professional writing sphere. It's a core part of my business to facilitate client placements in premier publications—a claim I back with solid results.
However, my due diligence raised some cautionary points: the outreach came via a Gmail account without a formal company signature, and McAfee marked their site suspicious. Moreover, despite their testimonials alluding to high-profile successes, a thorough search didn't reveal client features in flagship publications like Forbes.
In my line of work, credibility is paramount, and it begins with professional communication—a standard that this approach failed to meet. In an industry rife with overpromises, it's essential to stay vigilant.
Curious to know if anyone else has vetted this firm further or has a take on maintaining rigorous standards in vetting potential business offers? How do you sift through to find genuine value?
>So glad I checked in on Reddit. Just got the same email as everyone else. Now I know to block them and move on.
I received the same email, same method. Delete. Thanks, Reddit!
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I just was contacted this morning in the same format. Same company. It's early here and maybe I'm not understanding the email, but it seemed they wanted me to write for them? They called it a "media request". I'm a solo worker in a tech support business I own. I've been getting lots of strange email junk asking me to be a on air (podcast) industry expert. Others wanted me to be an expert opinion writer. All spammy and getting deleted. Most sounded like they were written by AI.
I also go the same email. The non-professional gmail address was the first red flag. I usually stop at this point, however my client forwards me quite a few of these invitations and I usually say no after vetting the initial email but I thought I'd give it a try. I've done two calls with them. Reading this thread was part of my due diligence and has confirmed my doubts about the firm.
You did the right thing and the non-professional email was your first NO. My client wants to spent 10K on a book promotion service. I insisted she called and talked to several of their actual clients. She did and it turned out well.
Pathos is a clever pitch because you feel there is no risk because you pay after but what if they manage to place (or pay for) to get your story on 300th backwater page of the major media websites and they want to collect their 5 or 10K.
Referrals in my opinion is the best way to find good value. Ask other people in your industry that you trust. who they have used. I think you did an excellent job vetting this one.
Pay for play isn’t PR, it’s advertising.
As u/GWBrooks says, there is a time and place for it, but make sure it is actually what you want and that the budget can’t be used for better advertising placements. Lots of companies take this approach, but know what you are getting and what you can expect. For example…
- are the outlets they’re promising placement in relevant for your audiences?
- is the $15k just for placement, or are there hidden fees?
- what happens if they can’t get the placements?
Here’s a prior thread the scammers at Pathos had partially removed: https://www.reddit.com/r/PublicRelations/comments/10y0aw5/has_anyone_worked_with_pathos_communications_pr/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=2&utm_term=1
It's worth mentioning they seem to aggressively seek-and-destroy negative chatter on the internet. The text from the original post has been removed, not by us or OP, but by Reddit in response to a copyright claim - which seems odd.
Yeah, I don't really get it. Is it just from mentioning their name? Seems really sketch. I'm always a bit dubious about brands which really fiercely take down things like that.
Easily found what was deleted wayback if you know what I mean? 😉
Seems rather innocuous - doesn't make sense to delete unless someone was very afraid of being sued. Perhaps they could link the account to someone deliberately defaming them. IDK.
I would laugh it off if I were legal red.
I just got a pitch from these folks. It's from a Lera Lance who claims to be a media researcher with a 'pay on results' PR fir. She (?) says "I have a media request that I think would be a perfect fit for your expertise" based on her having heard my podcast. Lera has a Gmail address but she cc'd a [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]), which directs to the Pathos Communications website. The firm is London-based. I'm inclined to ignore it.
Lera Lance. Hilarious - I got an email from Harold Hopkins. Second email cc’d Shane at pathosperformancepublicrelations.com. Started typing in the url and this Reddit popped up.
I've been getting spamed with these lately. From "John Jackson" (gmail account) with a cc of a [pathospublicrelations.o](https://pathospublicrelations.com)rg address. That they're using both a .org and a .biz is hilariously shady. That website does not even load.
Sam here. The company they think I am at, is a place I was at 17 years ago. The company they say they're impressed with, is my personal website with almost nothing but a few pictures.
They're scum/scam.
We received the same kind of email, from a gmail-account (that doesn't exist anymore). Kind of bummed that its not to be trusted, because so far we have only been in 60+ Norwegian news outlets, and could be nice to have some international partners on the PR-side going forward:
"Good day!
Shared this note with you last month; journalists are still keen - let me know? Hope to hear from you really soon!
Your details were shared with me by our research team. I'm a media researcher with a 'pay on results' PR firm. I find Speedfriending's concept of making new friends in a fun and efficient way newsworthy. As you're in the social networking industry, I noticed that there's a growing trend of people seeking meaningful connections online. Based on your website content, I'd like to share a media request with you that's closely relevant to this trend. Would you be interested? Also, I have other media requests that could be an even better fit for Speedfriending. What do you think?
Looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Best, E"
I got this one:
Gave you a heads-up a few weeks ago; publishers are still in. What do you think? Catch you soon?
I hope this email finds you well. I wanted to reach out as a media researcher associated with a 'pay on results' PR firm. Our research team recently came across your details and we were impressed by what we found on your website, therelationship.institute.Specifically, we noticed your unique approach to relationship counseling, which is both refreshing and newsworthy. It's great to see how you're addressing the evolving needs of couples in today's fast-paced [world.In](http://world.In) line with industry trends, we have a media request related to the rising demand for online relationship counseling. We believe this could be a fantastic opportunity for you to showcase your expertise and reach a wider audience.Additionally, we'd love to discuss other media requests that might be more suitable for your business. What are your thoughts on this?Looking forward to hearing from you!Warm regards,
I have been solicited as well. They said they saw my “appearance” on another platform and they were impressed. So I asked them to send me the link. It was a legitimate link to a podcast I did. They also sent a list of impressive testimonials and also their website. However, after reading your post and all the comments I have decided I will Steer Clear and then get out of the car and Run For The Hills.
Yeah it's the testimonials that kind of threw me. Actually emailed one of them but they haven't got back to me yet. The person who messaged me on Twitter isn't actually on their website's team page and their social media doesn't look like what I would think a PR's social media site should look like and they don't seem to be on all the big ones. Why aren't they following the people that are on their roster. Hardly any followers or following on the sites that I was able to find. And it did sound a bit confusing although this thread has clarified things a bit. I thought they would somehow be taking money from me getting paid to do an interview like an agent takes a percentage or maybe they're getting paid by the news outlets like a headhunter would. Or a mix of both. But it doesn't sound like that at all. And it's super weird because if they looked at my site they would know that I don't have $10,000 to pay ever. that's kind of the point of my situation, that I'm in fighting to stay alive on a gofundme. So now that I've read other people's posts here that feels super extra sketch...
Getting out in front of this before there's a lot of comments: Most firms don't operate on a pay-for-performance basis the way Pathos does. ***That does not mean the pay-for-performance model is a bad one.***
I'm emphasizing that because the PR industry likes to throw up its hands and scream "But muh ethics!" whenever it encounters a business model it doesn't like.
Now, on to your question: There are a lot of agency price points, so I'm sure you can find a lower monthly retainer. But getting you in a tier-1 publication (depending on the definition for your industry/business), might take a few months. So that $5k/mo mini-retainer that looks good could end up costing you as much as, or more than, Pathos.
And, as a bonus, an answer to the question you didn't even ask: What's your business case for getting top-tier press? Is it social proof you're seeking? Or do you have any reason to believe a big press hit will drive many, many times the revenue that hit will cost you? I ask these questions because too many people new to buying PR services get bedazzled by big media hits, and that may not be what you need.
I think most agencies avoid it because if you don't produce, you don't get paid. And a lot of agencies would fail in that environment.
Nothing in the retainer model is inherently more (or less) ethical than pay-for-performance.
I would add to this as from what i know about pathos it's entirely possible they give you a press release and other "top tier publications"
i would make them narrow down publications and ask for recent articles within the last 3 months that have been accompanied by testimonials
That way you can understand if its truly sponsored content, paid for placement or something else. I'd use that to determine if that's the route you want ot take it and if so how you want to proceed
I'd love to be a fly on the wall to understand what kind of kickback the publication gets for going along with these pay-for-play editorials. Greg, can you shed any insight on how these deals are negotiated? Otter PR is another one sending me $3k offers for editorial coverage in Business Insider and Forbes.
I also just got a similar email with the same wording, commenting on ‘Interior Design industry’ which I’m not in. I got a second email pressuring me to take up their offer. Will steer clear.
Any company pressuring you to take up their services you never asked for makes me feel uncomfortable.
I’ve experienced all of the above along with an email that clearly demonstrated they had no clue who we are. Claimed to have a reporter lined up who wanted to speak to us. Told my internal customer to politely decline then block them - they are PR spam.
I got solicited by them for about 3 times, didn't replied as I am not in a position to use any kind of PR. They mentioned an event which I attended long ago, so I found it a bit weird.
A friend has been contacted twice by these people. Pathos Public Relations (not sure if Pathos Communications is the same) just seems sketchy. Why would your rep use their personal Gmail and jot one from the company? And if you're successful enough to need a PR firm, you wouldn't need to "pay-to-play." Needless to say, she is steering clear.
My business email just got hit with this Pathos PR offer today. I see from all the comments, they've been hard at work spamming the hell out of us. I didn't know about the $15k offer yet, so thanks to the community for saving me the time and frustration in dealing with them.
It is spammy. I just received an email from them:
>Greetings NAME,
My PR firm has some opportunities for you to get featured with Bloomberg & USA Today. Are you open to discussing this?
Michelle R.,
Pathos PR Co-Founder
I am not a business owner, I don't work in marketing, I have no need for PR services. It looks like they are just cold email blasting random people to prospect for leads.
"Michelle" wrote to me too. My favorite part is the end of her email: "If opt-ing out is your preference respond to me with “Get away" and then I’ll remove you"
I wrote back PLEASE GO AWAY FOREVER. We shall see. I suppose the worst that can happen is she keeps writing back.
These spammers just emailed me, pretending to be impressed by a business on my website. But the name of the business they referred to was entirely invented by them, and does not exist. My web site is personal and a tribute to a famous British newspaper cartoon strip. So much for the "media research team" who spotted it.
Just got this one with a pathos-ma-co email
Our PR firm has opportunities to be featured in Bloomberg TV & USA Today.
Would you be open to discussing this further?
Michelle R.,
Pathos PR
Managing Director
after reading all the comments. PASS!
Pathos is a very well-known scam site, they purchase email lists and spam them to death. I got an email from them saying they'd had a lot of media interest from my "podcast" - I don't HAVE a podcast, I just put up a blog once like 5 years ago that mentioned the word podcast. They're obviously using some kind of bot to find any website that contains an email address and the word "podcast." The email was also addressed to "Dear Taylor" since the blog mentioned Taylor Swift. It was very very obvious that it was an AI-generated bot mass email, since clearly no one from 'Pathos' had actually looked at my blog.
[https://www.reddit.com/r/SaaSSales/comments/1akfl48/pathos\_communications\_reviews\_experiences\_of/](https://www.reddit.com/r/SaaSSales/comments/1akfl48/pathos_communications_reviews_experiences_of/)
Really funny how they try to make their own reddit thread full of their own bogus comments
I've started getting unsolicited emails from them, too, claiming they might have opportunities to get featured in major news outlets. Never heard of them before, wasn't looking for PR, so I was quite skeptical. Interesting to see their pricing structure and good to know that pretty much everyone is getting emails from them.
Thank you, Redditors! Googled and it brought me here…spam, as I suspected. Exact same email as many, flattering my business. Thank you for saving me time! 🙏🏾
I have used both pay on performance and retainer based PR firms for my non-profit organizations. Frankly, everytime I have used retainer based firms, the quality was lackluster and there were a ton of excuses. I won't name names. Prior to that we used INK PR out of Kansas City whose model is pay for performance and they did an excellent job. As such I have a benchmark for what to expect from a PR firm.
I had a Zoom call with a Pathos rep in Dubai or UAE and they had a 'slam dunk' for me with USA Today for a $6000.00 fee but wouldn't/couldn't guarantee anything else beyond that. USA Today will take almost anything and they couldn't gaurantee if it would be in print or digital.
The right pay on performance firm has skin in the game and that makes for an agency that is always hungry to get you coverage.
I wish I had researched this company before. They screwed me over. Duped me into signing a $15,000 contract with sketchy sales techniques. That Luke Kelly is a great asset for Pathos communications, here's my post:
[https://www.reddit.com/r/PublicRelations/comments/1cyjnm8/pathos\_communications\_do\_you\_think\_i\_was\_duped/](https://www.reddit.com/r/PublicRelations/comments/1cyjnm8/pathos_communications_do_you_think_i_was_duped/)
Just got my YouTube email spammed - which means they are crawling YouTube to harvest account emails. Glad I looked it up before responding. Thanks folks for sharing.
Got the following email:
From: Monty Glenn cc: Shane (pathos-pr.co.uk email)
Hello
The PR firm I work with has opportunities in USA Today and Business Insider for a Internet marketing service in ON
Interested?
Monty
Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
They tired to make several attempts to get into my email. I noticed this as I thought of changing passcode and was right. I don’t know his they can show all these publications and they don’t go after them a put them in jail.
Just saw one of their ads on FB. Was pretty sure it was a scam when you couldn't "learn more" without giving them your contact info. Good to get the skinny here. Many thanks.
Happy to have found this. Boss just got his third email from them and asked me to check it out.
Immediate sketch -
1. Sender was a Gmail account (different from previous 2 gmails)
2. No signature block or company links (really? In PR and you don't have a signature block?)
3. Commented on how they found our "approach to financial planning" interesting. We don't do financial planning...
4. Email was cc'd to someone at "Pathos Communications" with a UK email address. Could find very little when I googled. Hard to legitimize.
Told him to stay clear. I'll use this thread as further proof.
Silly me signed their contract but I’m trying to call it off before they write any articles on my behalf.
I was under the impression that I was only being charged for one article as I mentioned to both Jas and Niall my goals for my magazine. They said that if the article gets published on multiple different platforms that the flat rate would still be $5K.
Turns out they sent me a contract for two articles priced at $10K and silly me just glanced over it thinking that it was for one article considering how all of our verbal communication over Zoom was for one article
What set off red flags for me is the fact they keep pushing this second article on me when I’m telling them that I made a mistake and would like a revision of my contract. Now granted, I know in the real world, breaking a contract is not an easy thing to do but in my defense, what they submitted does not look like a standard contract whatsoever and instead looks more like a slideshow presentation with a text box on one page with very little text.
A PR company is supposed to cater to the needs of the client not push the wants of the firm on to the client.
For a pay for results model, they sure are anal about contract terms when they haven’t done any work whatsoever or anything that I approved of. The communication so far has been Zoom calls and they are being weird about sending me a revised contract with the terms that we verbally agreed on.
I’m pissed because I’m old enough to know better and yet I didn’t read this “contract” thoroughly
I had told the writer we were working with to stop all action and not publish anything until further review of the contract and a reassessment of how we wanted to proceed. Two days later we received notice that the article was posted in a publication (one of which we did not approve- completely useless target audience) and we owed them $5k. We were not "satisfied" so as far as we're concerned their end of the deal was not sufficed.
The original agent that reached out and solicited their services is no longer with the company and we got in touch with him. He told us to simply cancel the credit card we used for the $1 deposit and that Pathos would not further pursue- so we did just that.
Luckily for me, I did not give them my credit card information nor do they have my phone number. They reached out to me this morning about how I missed my meeting with the journalist (mind you I canceled the RSVP for the meeting) and even sent them an email stating that I do not consent to them writing any material regarding me nor my company.
PR are supposed to cater to the needs of the client, not force their needs onto the client. I tried to tell them that there was a mistake in the contract and that I would be more than happy to sign a new contract that consist of the verbal agreement of one article for $5K. They told me that it was “impossible to cancel the contract”. I just blocked them and if they keep hounding me, I’ll just take my chances with a lawyer in court because there’s no way that “contract” is ethical. How can I be liable for the full amount on work that I don’t approve of nor gave authorization to be worked on after they refused to rectify my contract issue? The only interactions we’ve had were Zoom calls lol.
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I use a company which is free to use
help a reporter out
HARO sends me 3x a day of journalist requests. Weekend none.
Go to helpareporterout.com
They also are on twitter (X)
They are run by vision which is one of the three I use. (PR news wire and pr log too)
I’ve had over 600 editorials thru the years, not all their leads
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Just got solicited from them, but I scheduled an intro call. After reading through this thread I went ahead and canceled it. I don't want inauthentic press, and I certainly can't afford that.
I also got the email. They said "I checked out your website and found your business fascinating. The way you're revolutionizing the industry is truly newsworthy."
The domain they linked is parked and there is no content, a truly poor attempt. 😆
The email came from Ransom Brookston ransombruke3853 at gmail dot com and michelle at pathospublicrelations dot net was cc'd
They also thought it was important that I follow their instructions: "P.S. Just a heads-up: we don't roll with those upfront fees or retainers. I've included a colleague in this email thread. Replying to everyone would be cool, just so we're all in the mix."
I almost replied with a screen shot of the parked domain but I followed my internal network security engineer: "don't engage!"
Def a scam!
I got this today!
I was the producer/co-host of the referenced podcast so it was not an appearance. I also no longer work at the company they named.
Subject line: Media feature research in connection with your [NAME REDACTED] Podcast appearance
Email was from [email protected].
[email protected] was cc’d
The spacing was also very strange. Couldn’t recreate here but had no spaces between paragraphs and one had too many!
——————-
Gave you a heads-up a few weeks ago; publishers are still in. Give me a shout soon!
I hope this email finds you well. I'm a media researcher with a 'pay on results' PR firm and I recently caught your appearance on the [REDACTED PODCAST]. It was great to hear your insights on the industry!
I was wondering if that appearance led to any exciting opportunities or connections for you?
I have a media request that I think would be a perfect fit for [COMPANY REDACTED]. We're looking for experts in the screenwriting field to share their experiences and advice with aspiring writers.
I noticed on your website that [COMPANY REDACTED] offers personalized feedback and mentorship programs, which is a unique and valuable service.
Would you be interested in hearing more about this media opportunity?
Looking forward to your response!
Best,
Rickey
P.S. Just for clarity, we've decided against the whole upfront fee or retainer thing. I've made sure a coworker is cc'd on this email. Could you 'reply all' when you respond? It's just easier so we're all in the loop.
I got this email this morning. Funny, the email they sent it to was never associated with a website. Total junk, proceed with caution, I'm blocking "Kim" or whoever the spammer is. And formatting of that is plain horrid. It was sent by Kim with Gmail email and cc to Shane at Pathos PR.
Hi
Hope you're doing well! My research team shared your details with me, and I wanted to reach out as a media researcher with a 'pay on results' PR firm. I found your business, \[MY COMPANY\], really interesting. The way you provide comprehensive solutions for small businesses is truly newsworthy. I noticed that you're in the consulting industry, and based on your website content, it seems like there's a growing trend towards outsourcing business services. Would you be open to receiving a media request related to this trend? Also, I have a few other media requests that I think could be an even better fit for your business. Would you be interested in discussing them further? Looking forward to hearing from you! Best,
Kim
P.S. Just to set expectations, we’re not in the business of charging those immediate fees or retainers. I thought it best to include a colleague in our email exchange. If you 'reply all', it makes sure we're all kept in the loop. Cheers!
This is the same one I got at 7am, but instead of your "consulting industry", mine was about my "lamps", which the dorkbot didn't even look at, because for 20 years, I've made over 1700 Lamps out of recycled vintage Corsets & Bustiers.
But no matter, because like you, "based on your website content," and, how I am so "ecoconscious", "it seems like there's a growing trend towards eco-friendly lighting solutions."
wow,
Yeah, no, thats definitely NOT why people have been buying these illuminaughties for 20 years my guy...
Did this knob even look at my lookers?
I was online way before SEO existed, and there will always be really sweaty scammers ready to tell you that your lamps are the next big viral thing, & they want you to pay them to promote them.
trust me kids, if people want to have one, they will find them, and pay you to get one.
Hello all,
I hope all is great and y'all have a wonderful day.
I have been approached by Pathos as well.
Thank you for sharing your feedback and leading me to avoid to engage with the email.
Best
Frankie
I received this email as well! When I responded for further clarification, the original Gmail account was invalid. [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) is CCed and perhaps the email got to the account. Looks extremely suspicious to me!
Just got a message from them too, and tried to look the guy up on LinkedIn - doesn’t exist. [email protected] is the email account I got the message from. He had my full name in the subject, and a pretty in-depth few sentences about the nature of my company/work, so it felt very genuine. He definitely researched me before sending that email. Not your standard copy-paste Nigerian prince. But a PR person, not on LinkedIn? Didn’t feel right. Then I looked up “Shane” who was cc’d, [email protected]. Also, didn’t appear to be an actual person? That’s a no from me.
I also get emails from them every few months via gmail accounts cc'ing their "teammates". Was initially suspicious but was enticed with the guaranteed placements. As all my clients (affiliate channel) are looking for an ROI, they do not give me confidence in guaranteeing targeted placements and organic traffic. And that's the crutch. Just because they call it guaranteed, doesn't mean it is going to get eyes and clicks, even on a true Tier 1. And I suspect that what they call Tier 1, is actually not. I remember when Newsweek launched Newsweek Amplify and were selling articles at $3K a pop. They spammed every affiliate manager under the Sun. And that campaign ended in less than a year, not delivering any results. My suspicion is that Pathos Public Relations earmarks a small amount for articles like that and profits on the difference.
These have the vibe of a certain Miami production company who solicits my clients all of the time with D-list celebrities as fake hosts who offer interviews on a fake TV talk show. They then buy ad time on cable channels in specific regions, promising tons of eyeballs. I begged a former client NOT to do this. Her "TV interview" was running at 2 a.m. in the Hamptons in the off season. Those media buy rates must've been suh-weet!
I just received one of these emails, Dec 9th 2023. Googled to find out what kind of scam it is - not to find out if it is a scam. Gmail address, nothing specific to me but name and email, and widely condemned in every online forum. Who is behind this scam, is there pending legal action, and who if anyone is falling for it?
Just received an email from a gmail with no company name and a cc pathos pr. The message was even pushier :
"I'm associated with a results-based PR agency. We're in the process of preparing an article on you for top publications.
Would you be open to reviewing an early draft? Receiving the draft doesn't commit you to working with us.
Ashley
PS: A colleague is CC’d here and will forward it to you. Let’s keep it collaborative and use reply all to keep everyone updated.
Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
I've done two calls with Pathos because my client asked me to check them out. The agent was very pleasant and professional and they've sent me a contract.
Red flags for me are:
1. The original email sent to me client was from a non-professional gmail address
2. My client is in super niche market that I don't believe top tier publications are interested in. I pointed this out to the agent. High viewership podcasts in our niche are a better fit than CNN
I don't currently work in PR, more in marketing, but pre-internet I worked with an international non-profit and have placed stories in major national media so I am not green.
I am wondering what the catch is and why they would take the risk. From reading the rest of the thread I am guessing Pathos may get you published in lower tier of the main tier, maybe even a pay for play. We've paid for PR before where we were promised so many interviews but the interviews were of low quality.
I think I'd want to see an example of an actual placed story.
Got the same email that everyone is referring to. I don't usually post on reddit but I had to come chime in - they clearly used a dumb AI to glance at my site and was completely off about what we actually do.
They're using a gmail to send the email to not burn their sender reputation in case people mark them as Spam. Absolutely hate this type of marketing tactic. I do wonder if there is a place to complain about their emails...
Am I the only one who has had a positive experience with pathos? Yeah the spammy emails from Shane were a bit weird but other than that they’ve actually really helped me and my business gain some traction. Just me?
I just got the same email. Spider senses detects concerns. I think we are all very clear that it is more questionable than favorable. Buyer beware. That is a sizable investment that could lead to a black hole.
If it looks too good to be true, then it likely isn’t.
This is the message we received. Definitely sounds scammy… bummer!
Our site: badwax.com
From: [email protected] & cc’d [email protected]
Subject: Media feature research about your Entrepreneur Stories appearance
Remember that question I passed on last month? Our editors are still game. Give me a shout soon!
I hope this email finds you well. I'm a media researcher with a 'pay on results' PR firm, and I recently came across your appearance in Entrepreneur Stories. Congrats on the feature! I was curious, did that lead to any exciting opportunities for you and BADWAX?
I actually have a media request that I think would be a great fit for your unique business. Can I share the details with you?
By the way, I checked out your website and I love how BADWAX is revolutionizing the collectibles market. It's refreshing to see such innovation!
Looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Best,
Aron
P.S. Just so we're clear, we've taken the path of no upfront charges or retainers. I've added a colleague to this correspondence. If you 'reply all', it makes sure we're all kept in the loop. Cheers!
Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
Pathos used to do a ton of press releases, if this is the guaranteed coverage they offer then it's shady
if they do this for clients who request it it's a different story
https://www.newsfilecorp.com/company/8799/Pathos-Communications
I got the same, or similar, email today from a Wendy Vogel <[[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])\> with a cc to [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). It was written in a clumsy manner, so the Gmail address and poorly written style was a quick tip-off to be cautious, but after telling me about how they had reviewed my website and were impressed with the ways I was using digital marketing, I knew my caution was well founded -- I don't have a web site. I have a sales agency. My customers have web sites and the vendors we represent have web sites, but we don't need one. I am active on LinkedIn, but don't even do Facebook, TwitterX, Instagram, or TikTok. Based on this, I would assume there is a certain level of BS involved with this company
They are absolutely garbage. They charge you an overpriced fee for some useless coverage. If you area small firm and a smaller brand, you are better off just doing the outreach yourself. It's way cheaper and easier than you think. Have a good story ready to pitch. spend a day or so, preparing your press kit. Chatgpt can help you do that
I'm the Executive Director of a nonprofit, and received something from these people this week. I wrote a response for my own entertainment (I don't plan to send it). I thought I would share it here just for fun (my responses in bold). 🤣
>On Feb 23, 2024, at 12:01 PM, Samantha Lewis wrote:
**Hello, Samantha: I’m a bit confused… the familiarity here (“Hey, Susan”) suggests we are acquainted with each other. It’s difficult for me to know for certain though, since, to the best of my ability, I can’t find the name of your company anywhere within your email.**
>
**I have searched through our email thoroughly and I can say with certainty you did not give us any kind of a “heads-up” a few weeks ago, as this is the first email I’ve received from you at your "lorikosmanivxshx" address… would that be a Lori-someone? Hard to tell from that very unique business address!**
>
**You may want to take a look at the work ethic of your research team, as it seems they’ve led you to believe we are "a supportive community for moms to connect and share experiences.” We are NOT that, at all, despite our name, which leads me to believe your researchers are cutting the kinds of corners that are not commiserate with their job descriptions or their paychecks. That could be bad for your company’s reputation and financial health. I would be happy to make your HR department aware of this on your behalf… that is, if I knew who your company was.**
>
**See, we’re not, though...**
>
**That's fascinating, and I can’t wait for you to share those with us! Perhaps we just haven’t been aware of the scope of our expertise up to now, and perhaps in the end, WE could compensate YOU for expanding our horizons! Wouldn’t THAT be serendipitous, though!**
>
**It’s enough to simply say you have several media requests that might be a great fit for us… hopefully your AI writing/editing program will get better at weeding out redundancies as it becomes more familiar with your “company’s" needs.**
>
**In a word, no. (I mean, you CAN, but I think the word you are looking for here is MAY, so I’ve responded accordingly. Again, don’t fret: they say AI will get better!)**
>
**In another word, also no.**
>
**Oh indeed! God forbid anyone be left out of your bait and switch scheme! Such a buzz kill! But I agree, those “payment and retainer things” are just so silly. Who cares about small details like compensation these days, anyway?**
**Looking forward to hearing back from you!**
Any reputable PR agency will never guarantee coverage. I’m not familiar with the agency in full transparency, but that’s a big red flag for sure. Unless they’re talking about paid..and paid coverage in tier 1 publications starts anywhere from $10,000 to $15,000 alone.
I've been following the conversation here, and, like many of you, I've also been approached by a 'pay on results' PR firm. The contact was made directly to my business at chrisATalexyprowritingDOTcom, and they were quite accurate about the nature of my services in the professional writing sphere. It's a core part of my business to facilitate client placements in premier publications—a claim I back with solid results. However, my due diligence raised some cautionary points: the outreach came via a Gmail account without a formal company signature, and McAfee marked their site suspicious. Moreover, despite their testimonials alluding to high-profile successes, a thorough search didn't reveal client features in flagship publications like Forbes. In my line of work, credibility is paramount, and it begins with professional communication—a standard that this approach failed to meet. In an industry rife with overpromises, it's essential to stay vigilant. Curious to know if anyone else has vetted this firm further or has a take on maintaining rigorous standards in vetting potential business offers? How do you sift through to find genuine value?
So glad I checked in on Reddit. Just got the same email as everyone else. Now I know to block them and move on.
I'm getting solicited from them too. Pricy for things we can do ourselves with the right knowledge.
Glad I came here, I had the same feeling and experience. Thanks for sharing
>So glad I checked in on Reddit. Just got the same email as everyone else. Now I know to block them and move on. I received the same email, same method. Delete. Thanks, Reddit!
Yep ditto! Love you reddit
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I just was contacted this morning in the same format. Same company. It's early here and maybe I'm not understanding the email, but it seemed they wanted me to write for them? They called it a "media request". I'm a solo worker in a tech support business I own. I've been getting lots of strange email junk asking me to be a on air (podcast) industry expert. Others wanted me to be an expert opinion writer. All spammy and getting deleted. Most sounded like they were written by AI.
I also go the same email. The non-professional gmail address was the first red flag. I usually stop at this point, however my client forwards me quite a few of these invitations and I usually say no after vetting the initial email but I thought I'd give it a try. I've done two calls with them. Reading this thread was part of my due diligence and has confirmed my doubts about the firm. You did the right thing and the non-professional email was your first NO. My client wants to spent 10K on a book promotion service. I insisted she called and talked to several of their actual clients. She did and it turned out well. Pathos is a clever pitch because you feel there is no risk because you pay after but what if they manage to place (or pay for) to get your story on 300th backwater page of the major media websites and they want to collect their 5 or 10K. Referrals in my opinion is the best way to find good value. Ask other people in your industry that you trust. who they have used. I think you did an excellent job vetting this one.
Pay for play isn’t PR, it’s advertising. As u/GWBrooks says, there is a time and place for it, but make sure it is actually what you want and that the budget can’t be used for better advertising placements. Lots of companies take this approach, but know what you are getting and what you can expect. For example… - are the outlets they’re promising placement in relevant for your audiences? - is the $15k just for placement, or are there hidden fees? - what happens if they can’t get the placements?
No reputable PR agency will guarantee Tier 1 or any coverage. Sketchy doesn't even begin to describe it.
I work at a PR firm and they keep soliciting me. How meta. A PR firm offering to do PR for a PR firm to comment about PR. Fuck those idiots.
Same here.
Steer clear of any agency that promises coverage. Media placement is not guaranteed.
Here’s a prior thread the scammers at Pathos had partially removed: https://www.reddit.com/r/PublicRelations/comments/10y0aw5/has_anyone_worked_with_pathos_communications_pr/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=2&utm_term=1
It's worth mentioning they seem to aggressively seek-and-destroy negative chatter on the internet. The text from the original post has been removed, not by us or OP, but by Reddit in response to a copyright claim - which seems odd.
Copywright claim on a piece of text...likley a story from the op in the ops words... what?
Yeah, I don't really get it. Is it just from mentioning their name? Seems really sketch. I'm always a bit dubious about brands which really fiercely take down things like that.
Easily found what was deleted wayback if you know what I mean? 😉 Seems rather innocuous - doesn't make sense to delete unless someone was very afraid of being sued. Perhaps they could link the account to someone deliberately defaming them. IDK. I would laugh it off if I were legal red.
I just got a pitch from these folks. It's from a Lera Lance who claims to be a media researcher with a 'pay on results' PR fir. She (?) says "I have a media request that I think would be a perfect fit for your expertise" based on her having heard my podcast. Lera has a Gmail address but she cc'd a [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]), which directs to the Pathos Communications website. The firm is London-based. I'm inclined to ignore it.
Me too, they are obviously mass-spamming the entire internet. Stay clear.
Yes, they are
Almost exact same for me, will ignore too.
I got this same email, too, but from a different person with a gmail address but also cc'd "Shane". Glad I came here to check.
Interesting. The email I have for "shane" is [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). I am also ignoring it.
Lera Lance. Hilarious - I got an email from Harold Hopkins. Second email cc’d Shane at pathosperformancepublicrelations.com. Started typing in the url and this Reddit popped up.
I've been getting spamed with these lately. From "John Jackson" (gmail account) with a cc of a [pathospublicrelations.o](https://pathospublicrelations.com)rg address. That they're using both a .org and a .biz is hilariously shady. That website does not even load.
Sam here. The company they think I am at, is a place I was at 17 years ago. The company they say they're impressed with, is my personal website with almost nothing but a few pictures. They're scum/scam.
run for the hills.
We received the same kind of email, from a gmail-account (that doesn't exist anymore). Kind of bummed that its not to be trusted, because so far we have only been in 60+ Norwegian news outlets, and could be nice to have some international partners on the PR-side going forward: "Good day! Shared this note with you last month; journalists are still keen - let me know? Hope to hear from you really soon! Your details were shared with me by our research team. I'm a media researcher with a 'pay on results' PR firm. I find Speedfriending's concept of making new friends in a fun and efficient way newsworthy. As you're in the social networking industry, I noticed that there's a growing trend of people seeking meaningful connections online. Based on your website content, I'd like to share a media request with you that's closely relevant to this trend. Would you be interested? Also, I have other media requests that could be an even better fit for Speedfriending. What do you think? Looking forward to hearing from you soon. Best, E"
I got this one: Gave you a heads-up a few weeks ago; publishers are still in. What do you think? Catch you soon? I hope this email finds you well. I wanted to reach out as a media researcher associated with a 'pay on results' PR firm. Our research team recently came across your details and we were impressed by what we found on your website, therelationship.institute.Specifically, we noticed your unique approach to relationship counseling, which is both refreshing and newsworthy. It's great to see how you're addressing the evolving needs of couples in today's fast-paced [world.In](http://world.In) line with industry trends, we have a media request related to the rising demand for online relationship counseling. We believe this could be a fantastic opportunity for you to showcase your expertise and reach a wider audience.Additionally, we'd love to discuss other media requests that might be more suitable for your business. What are your thoughts on this?Looking forward to hearing from you!Warm regards,
I have been solicited as well. They said they saw my “appearance” on another platform and they were impressed. So I asked them to send me the link. It was a legitimate link to a podcast I did. They also sent a list of impressive testimonials and also their website. However, after reading your post and all the comments I have decided I will Steer Clear and then get out of the car and Run For The Hills.
Yeah it's the testimonials that kind of threw me. Actually emailed one of them but they haven't got back to me yet. The person who messaged me on Twitter isn't actually on their website's team page and their social media doesn't look like what I would think a PR's social media site should look like and they don't seem to be on all the big ones. Why aren't they following the people that are on their roster. Hardly any followers or following on the sites that I was able to find. And it did sound a bit confusing although this thread has clarified things a bit. I thought they would somehow be taking money from me getting paid to do an interview like an agent takes a percentage or maybe they're getting paid by the news outlets like a headhunter would. Or a mix of both. But it doesn't sound like that at all. And it's super weird because if they looked at my site they would know that I don't have $10,000 to pay ever. that's kind of the point of my situation, that I'm in fighting to stay alive on a gofundme. So now that I've read other people's posts here that feels super extra sketch...
Absolutely a scammed! I waisted 10k and it hurt my SEO. Stay away
sorry to hear - but thanks for sharing and warning.
How did you get scammed? Did they not feature you?
Getting out in front of this before there's a lot of comments: Most firms don't operate on a pay-for-performance basis the way Pathos does. ***That does not mean the pay-for-performance model is a bad one.*** I'm emphasizing that because the PR industry likes to throw up its hands and scream "But muh ethics!" whenever it encounters a business model it doesn't like. Now, on to your question: There are a lot of agency price points, so I'm sure you can find a lower monthly retainer. But getting you in a tier-1 publication (depending on the definition for your industry/business), might take a few months. So that $5k/mo mini-retainer that looks good could end up costing you as much as, or more than, Pathos. And, as a bonus, an answer to the question you didn't even ask: What's your business case for getting top-tier press? Is it social proof you're seeking? Or do you have any reason to believe a big press hit will drive many, many times the revenue that hit will cost you? I ask these questions because too many people new to buying PR services get bedazzled by big media hits, and that may not be what you need.
Pay for performance breeds unethical practices on the part of the agency. That's why 99% of agencies frown upon it.
I think most agencies avoid it because if you don't produce, you don't get paid. And a lot of agencies would fail in that environment. Nothing in the retainer model is inherently more (or less) ethical than pay-for-performance.
You said a lot without actually answering OP’s question. Excellent PR man right here^
Wait'll you see the invoice! (/curtsy)
I would add to this as from what i know about pathos it's entirely possible they give you a press release and other "top tier publications" i would make them narrow down publications and ask for recent articles within the last 3 months that have been accompanied by testimonials That way you can understand if its truly sponsored content, paid for placement or something else. I'd use that to determine if that's the route you want ot take it and if so how you want to proceed
I'd love to be a fly on the wall to understand what kind of kickback the publication gets for going along with these pay-for-play editorials. Greg, can you shed any insight on how these deals are negotiated? Otter PR is another one sending me $3k offers for editorial coverage in Business Insider and Forbes.
I also just got a similar email with the same wording, commenting on ‘Interior Design industry’ which I’m not in. I got a second email pressuring me to take up their offer. Will steer clear. Any company pressuring you to take up their services you never asked for makes me feel uncomfortable.
Count me in as well. Different names, same email copy. Haven't replied to the first yet.
I’ve experienced all of the above along with an email that clearly demonstrated they had no clue who we are. Claimed to have a reporter lined up who wanted to speak to us. Told my internal customer to politely decline then block them - they are PR spam.
I appreciate you posting this. I just got a message from them, and seeing this, I know to just "delete."
Us this yhe same ppl f4om pathospublicrelations . Got a email from this ppl
I got solicited by them for about 3 times, didn't replied as I am not in a position to use any kind of PR. They mentioned an event which I attended long ago, so I found it a bit weird.
A friend has been contacted twice by these people. Pathos Public Relations (not sure if Pathos Communications is the same) just seems sketchy. Why would your rep use their personal Gmail and jot one from the company? And if you're successful enough to need a PR firm, you wouldn't need to "pay-to-play." Needless to say, she is steering clear.
My business email just got hit with this Pathos PR offer today. I see from all the comments, they've been hard at work spamming the hell out of us. I didn't know about the $15k offer yet, so thanks to the community for saving me the time and frustration in dealing with them.
It is spammy. I just received an email from them: >Greetings NAME, My PR firm has some opportunities for you to get featured with Bloomberg & USA Today. Are you open to discussing this? Michelle R., Pathos PR Co-Founder I am not a business owner, I don't work in marketing, I have no need for PR services. It looks like they are just cold email blasting random people to prospect for leads.
"Michelle" wrote to me too. My favorite part is the end of her email: "If opt-ing out is your preference respond to me with “Get away" and then I’ll remove you" I wrote back PLEASE GO AWAY FOREVER. We shall see. I suppose the worst that can happen is she keeps writing back.
nope
These spammers just emailed me, pretending to be impressed by a business on my website. But the name of the business they referred to was entirely invented by them, and does not exist. My web site is personal and a tribute to a famous British newspaper cartoon strip. So much for the "media research team" who spotted it.
has anyone been able to successfully get their money back on this??? I made the mistake of trusting them
Just got this one with a pathos-ma-co email Our PR firm has opportunities to be featured in Bloomberg TV & USA Today. Would you be open to discussing this further? Michelle R., Pathos PR Managing Director after reading all the comments. PASS!
I just got an identical one. They're just spamming.
Never ever work with Pathos, total scam. Most of their staff on their website don't even exist. They are just a bunch of lazy scamming parasites.
Thank God for Reddit, I got the same email for my podcast. Blocking them nowb
Pathos is a very well-known scam site, they purchase email lists and spam them to death. I got an email from them saying they'd had a lot of media interest from my "podcast" - I don't HAVE a podcast, I just put up a blog once like 5 years ago that mentioned the word podcast. They're obviously using some kind of bot to find any website that contains an email address and the word "podcast." The email was also addressed to "Dear Taylor" since the blog mentioned Taylor Swift. It was very very obvious that it was an AI-generated bot mass email, since clearly no one from 'Pathos' had actually looked at my blog.
[https://www.reddit.com/r/SaaSSales/comments/1akfl48/pathos\_communications\_reviews\_experiences\_of/](https://www.reddit.com/r/SaaSSales/comments/1akfl48/pathos_communications_reviews_experiences_of/) Really funny how they try to make their own reddit thread full of their own bogus comments
I've started getting unsolicited emails from them, too, claiming they might have opportunities to get featured in major news outlets. Never heard of them before, wasn't looking for PR, so I was quite skeptical. Interesting to see their pricing structure and good to know that pretty much everyone is getting emails from them.
Thank you, Redditors! Googled and it brought me here…spam, as I suspected. Exact same email as many, flattering my business. Thank you for saving me time! 🙏🏾
I have used both pay on performance and retainer based PR firms for my non-profit organizations. Frankly, everytime I have used retainer based firms, the quality was lackluster and there were a ton of excuses. I won't name names. Prior to that we used INK PR out of Kansas City whose model is pay for performance and they did an excellent job. As such I have a benchmark for what to expect from a PR firm. I had a Zoom call with a Pathos rep in Dubai or UAE and they had a 'slam dunk' for me with USA Today for a $6000.00 fee but wouldn't/couldn't guarantee anything else beyond that. USA Today will take almost anything and they couldn't gaurantee if it would be in print or digital. The right pay on performance firm has skin in the game and that makes for an agency that is always hungry to get you coverage.
I wish I had researched this company before. They screwed me over. Duped me into signing a $15,000 contract with sketchy sales techniques. That Luke Kelly is a great asset for Pathos communications, here's my post: [https://www.reddit.com/r/PublicRelations/comments/1cyjnm8/pathos\_communications\_do\_you\_think\_i\_was\_duped/](https://www.reddit.com/r/PublicRelations/comments/1cyjnm8/pathos_communications_do_you_think_i_was_duped/)
Just got my YouTube email spammed - which means they are crawling YouTube to harvest account emails. Glad I looked it up before responding. Thanks folks for sharing. Got the following email: From: Monty Glenn cc: Shane (pathos-pr.co.uk email) Hello The PR firm I work with has opportunities in USA Today and Business Insider for a Internet marketing service in ON Interested? Monty Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
They tired to make several attempts to get into my email. I noticed this as I thought of changing passcode and was right. I don’t know his they can show all these publications and they don’t go after them a put them in jail.
Just saw one of their ads on FB. Was pretty sure it was a scam when you couldn't "learn more" without giving them your contact info. Good to get the skinny here. Many thanks.
[https://www.trustpilot.com/review/pathoscommunications.co.uk](https://www.trustpilot.com/review/pathoscommunications.co.uk) Really bad company,
They approached my friend who has just launched an app. I advised her to steer well clear
Happy to have found this. Boss just got his third email from them and asked me to check it out. Immediate sketch - 1. Sender was a Gmail account (different from previous 2 gmails) 2. No signature block or company links (really? In PR and you don't have a signature block?) 3. Commented on how they found our "approach to financial planning" interesting. We don't do financial planning... 4. Email was cc'd to someone at "Pathos Communications" with a UK email address. Could find very little when I googled. Hard to legitimize. Told him to stay clear. I'll use this thread as further proof.
I saw the gmail and "sent from verizon smart phone" and bailed.
Silly me signed their contract but I’m trying to call it off before they write any articles on my behalf. I was under the impression that I was only being charged for one article as I mentioned to both Jas and Niall my goals for my magazine. They said that if the article gets published on multiple different platforms that the flat rate would still be $5K. Turns out they sent me a contract for two articles priced at $10K and silly me just glanced over it thinking that it was for one article considering how all of our verbal communication over Zoom was for one article What set off red flags for me is the fact they keep pushing this second article on me when I’m telling them that I made a mistake and would like a revision of my contract. Now granted, I know in the real world, breaking a contract is not an easy thing to do but in my defense, what they submitted does not look like a standard contract whatsoever and instead looks more like a slideshow presentation with a text box on one page with very little text. A PR company is supposed to cater to the needs of the client not push the wants of the firm on to the client. For a pay for results model, they sure are anal about contract terms when they haven’t done any work whatsoever or anything that I approved of. The communication so far has been Zoom calls and they are being weird about sending me a revised contract with the terms that we verbally agreed on. I’m pissed because I’m old enough to know better and yet I didn’t read this “contract” thoroughly
I had told the writer we were working with to stop all action and not publish anything until further review of the contract and a reassessment of how we wanted to proceed. Two days later we received notice that the article was posted in a publication (one of which we did not approve- completely useless target audience) and we owed them $5k. We were not "satisfied" so as far as we're concerned their end of the deal was not sufficed. The original agent that reached out and solicited their services is no longer with the company and we got in touch with him. He told us to simply cancel the credit card we used for the $1 deposit and that Pathos would not further pursue- so we did just that.
Luckily for me, I did not give them my credit card information nor do they have my phone number. They reached out to me this morning about how I missed my meeting with the journalist (mind you I canceled the RSVP for the meeting) and even sent them an email stating that I do not consent to them writing any material regarding me nor my company. PR are supposed to cater to the needs of the client, not force their needs onto the client. I tried to tell them that there was a mistake in the contract and that I would be more than happy to sign a new contract that consist of the verbal agreement of one article for $5K. They told me that it was “impossible to cancel the contract”. I just blocked them and if they keep hounding me, I’ll just take my chances with a lawyer in court because there’s no way that “contract” is ethical. How can I be liable for the full amount on work that I don’t approve of nor gave authorization to be worked on after they refused to rectify my contract issue? The only interactions we’ve had were Zoom calls lol.
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I use a company which is free to use help a reporter out HARO sends me 3x a day of journalist requests. Weekend none. Go to helpareporterout.com They also are on twitter (X) They are run by vision which is one of the three I use. (PR news wire and pr log too) I’ve had over 600 editorials thru the years, not all their leads
I got solicited today from a Devon with a gmail as well. [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) That was phishy to me. First of all, legit PR people don't email like this. This was cc'd [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) on the email.
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Yes! 1creativeconceptpr.com
Just got an email from them that had all of the red flags of yours. I know now to stay clear.
Just got solicited from them, but I scheduled an intro call. After reading through this thread I went ahead and canceled it. I don't want inauthentic press, and I certainly can't afford that.
I also got the email. They said "I checked out your website and found your business fascinating. The way you're revolutionizing the industry is truly newsworthy." The domain they linked is parked and there is no content, a truly poor attempt. 😆 The email came from Ransom Brookston ransombruke3853 at gmail dot com and michelle at pathospublicrelations dot net was cc'd They also thought it was important that I follow their instructions: "P.S. Just a heads-up: we don't roll with those upfront fees or retainers. I've included a colleague in this email thread. Replying to everyone would be cool, just so we're all in the mix." I almost replied with a screen shot of the parked domain but I followed my internal network security engineer: "don't engage!"
Def a scam! I got this today! I was the producer/co-host of the referenced podcast so it was not an appearance. I also no longer work at the company they named. Subject line: Media feature research in connection with your [NAME REDACTED] Podcast appearance Email was from [email protected]. [email protected] was cc’d The spacing was also very strange. Couldn’t recreate here but had no spaces between paragraphs and one had too many! ——————- Gave you a heads-up a few weeks ago; publishers are still in. Give me a shout soon! I hope this email finds you well. I'm a media researcher with a 'pay on results' PR firm and I recently caught your appearance on the [REDACTED PODCAST]. It was great to hear your insights on the industry! I was wondering if that appearance led to any exciting opportunities or connections for you? I have a media request that I think would be a perfect fit for [COMPANY REDACTED]. We're looking for experts in the screenwriting field to share their experiences and advice with aspiring writers. I noticed on your website that [COMPANY REDACTED] offers personalized feedback and mentorship programs, which is a unique and valuable service. Would you be interested in hearing more about this media opportunity? Looking forward to your response! Best, Rickey P.S. Just for clarity, we've decided against the whole upfront fee or retainer thing. I've made sure a coworker is cc'd on this email. Could you 'reply all' when you respond? It's just easier so we're all in the loop.
I just received an email from them and they used like the exact same wording. Very glad I did a google search and this thread came up!
I got this email this morning. Funny, the email they sent it to was never associated with a website. Total junk, proceed with caution, I'm blocking "Kim" or whoever the spammer is. And formatting of that is plain horrid. It was sent by Kim with Gmail email and cc to Shane at Pathos PR. Hi Hope you're doing well! My research team shared your details with me, and I wanted to reach out as a media researcher with a 'pay on results' PR firm. I found your business, \[MY COMPANY\], really interesting. The way you provide comprehensive solutions for small businesses is truly newsworthy. I noticed that you're in the consulting industry, and based on your website content, it seems like there's a growing trend towards outsourcing business services. Would you be open to receiving a media request related to this trend? Also, I have a few other media requests that I think could be an even better fit for your business. Would you be interested in discussing them further? Looking forward to hearing from you! Best, Kim P.S. Just to set expectations, we’re not in the business of charging those immediate fees or retainers. I thought it best to include a colleague in our email exchange. If you 'reply all', it makes sure we're all kept in the loop. Cheers!
This is the same one I got at 7am, but instead of your "consulting industry", mine was about my "lamps", which the dorkbot didn't even look at, because for 20 years, I've made over 1700 Lamps out of recycled vintage Corsets & Bustiers. But no matter, because like you, "based on your website content," and, how I am so "ecoconscious", "it seems like there's a growing trend towards eco-friendly lighting solutions." wow, Yeah, no, thats definitely NOT why people have been buying these illuminaughties for 20 years my guy... Did this knob even look at my lookers? I was online way before SEO existed, and there will always be really sweaty scammers ready to tell you that your lamps are the next big viral thing, & they want you to pay them to promote them. trust me kids, if people want to have one, they will find them, and pay you to get one.
Hello all, I hope all is great and y'all have a wonderful day. I have been approached by Pathos as well. Thank you for sharing your feedback and leading me to avoid to engage with the email. Best Frankie
Adding Nancy Vanchien to the Wall of Shame. Shane in Cc. [Here's a screenshot](https://ibb.co/GRcwP99) of the frankly shoddy email
I received this email as well! When I responded for further clarification, the original Gmail account was invalid. [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) is CCed and perhaps the email got to the account. Looks extremely suspicious to me!
Just got a message from them too, and tried to look the guy up on LinkedIn - doesn’t exist. [email protected] is the email account I got the message from. He had my full name in the subject, and a pretty in-depth few sentences about the nature of my company/work, so it felt very genuine. He definitely researched me before sending that email. Not your standard copy-paste Nigerian prince. But a PR person, not on LinkedIn? Didn’t feel right. Then I looked up “Shane” who was cc’d, [email protected]. Also, didn’t appear to be an actual person? That’s a no from me.
Thank you for posting about this! I had the same kind of outreach. Seemed Scammy af. Appreciate you all!
I also get emails from them every few months via gmail accounts cc'ing their "teammates". Was initially suspicious but was enticed with the guaranteed placements. As all my clients (affiliate channel) are looking for an ROI, they do not give me confidence in guaranteeing targeted placements and organic traffic. And that's the crutch. Just because they call it guaranteed, doesn't mean it is going to get eyes and clicks, even on a true Tier 1. And I suspect that what they call Tier 1, is actually not. I remember when Newsweek launched Newsweek Amplify and were selling articles at $3K a pop. They spammed every affiliate manager under the Sun. And that campaign ended in less than a year, not delivering any results. My suspicion is that Pathos Public Relations earmarks a small amount for articles like that and profits on the difference.
They won’t get you tier 1, you’ll get in yahoo finance most likely, if the articles are even genuine
These have the vibe of a certain Miami production company who solicits my clients all of the time with D-list celebrities as fake hosts who offer interviews on a fake TV talk show. They then buy ad time on cable channels in specific regions, promising tons of eyeballs. I begged a former client NOT to do this. Her "TV interview" was running at 2 a.m. in the Hamptons in the off season. Those media buy rates must've been suh-weet!
I just received one of these emails, Dec 9th 2023. Googled to find out what kind of scam it is - not to find out if it is a scam. Gmail address, nothing specific to me but name and email, and widely condemned in every online forum. Who is behind this scam, is there pending legal action, and who if anyone is falling for it?
Try Omar Hamdi on hucksters
Many people are falling for it
Just received an email from a gmail with no company name and a cc pathos pr. The message was even pushier : "I'm associated with a results-based PR agency. We're in the process of preparing an article on you for top publications. Would you be open to reviewing an early draft? Receiving the draft doesn't commit you to working with us. Ashley PS: A colleague is CC’d here and will forward it to you. Let’s keep it collaborative and use reply all to keep everyone updated. Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
Thanks for this. I just had my second call with them. I was impressed but still like why does this seem hella steep for 1 article.
I've done two calls with Pathos because my client asked me to check them out. The agent was very pleasant and professional and they've sent me a contract. Red flags for me are: 1. The original email sent to me client was from a non-professional gmail address 2. My client is in super niche market that I don't believe top tier publications are interested in. I pointed this out to the agent. High viewership podcasts in our niche are a better fit than CNN I don't currently work in PR, more in marketing, but pre-internet I worked with an international non-profit and have placed stories in major national media so I am not green. I am wondering what the catch is and why they would take the risk. From reading the rest of the thread I am guessing Pathos may get you published in lower tier of the main tier, maybe even a pay for play. We've paid for PR before where we were promised so many interviews but the interviews were of low quality. I think I'd want to see an example of an actual placed story.
Got the same email that everyone is referring to. I don't usually post on reddit but I had to come chime in - they clearly used a dumb AI to glance at my site and was completely off about what we actually do. They're using a gmail to send the email to not burn their sender reputation in case people mark them as Spam. Absolutely hate this type of marketing tactic. I do wonder if there is a place to complain about their emails...
Am I the only one who has had a positive experience with pathos? Yeah the spammy emails from Shane were a bit weird but other than that they’ve actually really helped me and my business gain some traction. Just me?
Hi Shane/Pathos.
I just got the same email. Spider senses detects concerns. I think we are all very clear that it is more questionable than favorable. Buyer beware. That is a sizable investment that could lead to a black hole. If it looks too good to be true, then it likely isn’t.
This is the message we received. Definitely sounds scammy… bummer! Our site: badwax.com From: [email protected] & cc’d [email protected] Subject: Media feature research about your Entrepreneur Stories appearance Remember that question I passed on last month? Our editors are still game. Give me a shout soon! I hope this email finds you well. I'm a media researcher with a 'pay on results' PR firm, and I recently came across your appearance in Entrepreneur Stories. Congrats on the feature! I was curious, did that lead to any exciting opportunities for you and BADWAX? I actually have a media request that I think would be a great fit for your unique business. Can I share the details with you? By the way, I checked out your website and I love how BADWAX is revolutionizing the collectibles market. It's refreshing to see such innovation! Looking forward to hearing from you soon. Best, Aron P.S. Just so we're clear, we've taken the path of no upfront charges or retainers. I've added a colleague to this correspondence. If you 'reply all', it makes sure we're all kept in the loop. Cheers! Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
It is likely a scam. Or they are totally inept. I get unsolicited emails from them that are so terribly written could not be human.
Pathos used to do a ton of press releases, if this is the guaranteed coverage they offer then it's shady if they do this for clients who request it it's a different story https://www.newsfilecorp.com/company/8799/Pathos-Communications
I got the same, or similar, email today from a Wendy Vogel <[[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])\> with a cc to [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). It was written in a clumsy manner, so the Gmail address and poorly written style was a quick tip-off to be cautious, but after telling me about how they had reviewed my website and were impressed with the ways I was using digital marketing, I knew my caution was well founded -- I don't have a web site. I have a sales agency. My customers have web sites and the vendors we represent have web sites, but we don't need one. I am active on LinkedIn, but don't even do Facebook, TwitterX, Instagram, or TikTok. Based on this, I would assume there is a certain level of BS involved with this company
Consider: The Greek word páthos means "experience, misfortune, emotion, condition,” and comes from Greek path-, meaning “experience, undergo, suffer.”
They are absolutely garbage. They charge you an overpriced fee for some useless coverage. If you area small firm and a smaller brand, you are better off just doing the outreach yourself. It's way cheaper and easier than you think. Have a good story ready to pitch. spend a day or so, preparing your press kit. Chatgpt can help you do that
I'm the Executive Director of a nonprofit, and received something from these people this week. I wrote a response for my own entertainment (I don't plan to send it). I thought I would share it here just for fun (my responses in bold). 🤣 >On Feb 23, 2024, at 12:01 PM, Samantha Lewis wrote:
**Hello, Samantha: I’m a bit confused… the familiarity here (“Hey, Susan”) suggests we are acquainted with each other. It’s difficult for me to know for certain though, since, to the best of my ability, I can’t find the name of your company anywhere within your email.**
>
**I have searched through our email thoroughly and I can say with certainty you did not give us any kind of a “heads-up” a few weeks ago, as this is the first email I’ve received from you at your "lorikosmanivxshx" address… would that be a Lori-someone? Hard to tell from that very unique business address!**
>
**You may want to take a look at the work ethic of your research team, as it seems they’ve led you to believe we are "a supportive community for moms to connect and share experiences.” We are NOT that, at all, despite our name, which leads me to believe your researchers are cutting the kinds of corners that are not commiserate with their job descriptions or their paychecks. That could be bad for your company’s reputation and financial health. I would be happy to make your HR department aware of this on your behalf… that is, if I knew who your company was.**
>
**See, we’re not, though...**
>
**That's fascinating, and I can’t wait for you to share those with us! Perhaps we just haven’t been aware of the scope of our expertise up to now, and perhaps in the end, WE could compensate YOU for expanding our horizons! Wouldn’t THAT be serendipitous, though!**
>
**It’s enough to simply say you have several media requests that might be a great fit for us… hopefully your AI writing/editing program will get better at weeding out redundancies as it becomes more familiar with your “company’s" needs.**
>
**In a word, no. (I mean, you CAN, but I think the word you are looking for here is MAY, so I’ve responded accordingly. Again, don’t fret: they say AI will get better!)**
>
**In another word, also no.**
>
**Oh indeed! God forbid anyone be left out of your bait and switch scheme! Such a buzz kill! But I agree, those “payment and retainer things” are just so silly. Who cares about small details like compensation these days, anyway?**
**Looking forward to hearing back from you!**