Sorry PR people: you're blocked

I've had it. I get more than 300 emails a day and my problem isn't spam (Cloudmark Desktop solves that nicely), it's PR people. Lazy flacks send press releases to the Editor in Chief of Wired because they can't be bothered to find out who on my staff, if anyone, might actually be interested in what they're pitching. Fact: I am an actual person, not a team assigned to read press releases and distribute them to the right editors and writers (that's editor@wired.com).

So fair warning: I only want two kinds of email: those from people I know, and those from people who have taken the time to find out what I'm interested in and composed a note meant to appeal to that (I love those emails; indeed, that's why my email address is public).

Everything else gets banned on first abuse. The following is just the last month's list of people and companies who have been added to my Outlook blocked list. All of them have sent me something inappropriate at some point in the past 30 days. Many of them sent press releases; others just added me to a distribution list without asking. If their address gets harvested by spammers by being published here, so be it--turnabout is fair play.

There is no getting off this list. If you're on it and have something appropriate to say to me, use a different email address.

aaron@sunshinesachs.com
acoffaro@fortythreepr.com
actionengine@techmarket.com
admin@cartipostale.ro
adrian.richardson@ar-edelman.com
agarson@taylorpr.com
aheng@moca-nyc.org
alerts@alerts.shephard.co.uk
alessandra@livingdivani.it
alex@highwatergroup.com
alexanne.brown@edelman.com
amaury.laporte@diplomatie.gouv.fr
announcements@dmi.org
apartmenttherapy@app.topica.com
as@thehalogroup.net
athierer@pff.org
awaitkunas@gmail.com
bbrignac@tunheim.com
becky@mediafirst.net
blogworldexpo@gmail.com
bobkatz@easidemographics.com
bounces@darklight.ie
bozenawilkspr@aol.com
broesler@5wpr.com
brranko@gmail.com
bruce@newnetworks.com
bulletin@safe-democracy.org
burrill_life_sciences_media_group@vnh10.net
business_travel_news@vnh10.net
callcenter_events@tig.cmptechnetwork.com
carol.tong@bitepr.com
ccashin@laforce-stevens.com
cemerson@webershandwick.com
cheryl.taylor@chorion.co.uk
chilife@topica.email-publisher.com
chilife1@topica.email-publisher.com
chris@iwebtrack.com
chris@onnetusa.com
chriskeswani@onnetusa.com
chuck@broadwick.com
clay.agee@intermarkgroup.com
clickabilitycentral@nl.clickability.com
cmarch@shiftcomm.com
cmoreno@5wpr.com
cmsprmv@yahoo.com
connect@mailer.idgconnect.com
contact@freenyc.net
contact@mecfilms.com
contact@thejsf.org
cw@email.computerweekly.com
cynthia@emediadynamics.com
dan@onewordphotography.com
danielaschrier@rationalpr.com
danielle@popculturepr.com
dasrate@5wpr.com
davenetz@wallstcom.com
david.cross@ableton.com
david@banktrack.org
dbakker@kirvindoak.com
dberry@5wpr.com
dealmakermedia@response.whatcounts.com
dehartdottie@aol.com
dhenderson@peterlangone.ccsend.com
dice_newsmail-bounces@virtual-hideout.net
dkadakia@inventures.com
dkogan@rsowens.com
domondond@thirteen.org
drumbeat@comminit.com
ecomxpo@theonlinexpo.com
edison.lee@ogilvypr.com
editor@more.punchstock.com
eflyer@choicecutsonline.com
ekannett@sspr.com
email@dealmakermedia.com
emails@agencyaccess.com
engnews-bounces@rfanews.org
enotes@amnh.org
equalitynews@feitventures.com
erik@erikalmasphotography.com
evan@themarketingdivision.net
events@freenyc.net
events@mail.homeplug.org
events@sensesf.com
facilitator@americaspeaks.org
feedback@t-shirtsearchengine.com
financo@financo.com
fllamas@webershandwick.com
fttf@mww.com
gina.ghensi@analysys.com
guestlist@lushonline.com
hcohm@lgphilips-lcd.com
heather.mumm@fleishman.com
henk@isomedia.com
india-now@ibef.org
info.freespeech@gmail.com
info@artexpo.nu
info@asetek.com
info@cceia.org
info@csi-annual-event.p0.com
info@designboost.se
info@goodforparty.com
info@involver.com
info@policyinnovations.org
info@sustainabletable.org
info@tagonline.org
info@wordaffairs.com
internet@rsf.org
invest-now@ibef.org
is@news.imagesource.com
jamie.adams@ciscopress.com
jasperwireless@techmarket.com
jbrown@stantoncrenshaw.com
jdorfman@vivavi.com
jelena@crosbyvolmer.com
jennifer@credibilitybranding.com
jessica.tuquero@dc-intl.com
jgadley@gmi-mr.com
jill@market2world.com
jm@pmgintl.com
jmclaughlin@sspr.com
jmedrano@execforum.net
jmke.madshrimps@gmail.com
jmke@madshrimps.be
jneu@webershandwick.com
jodie@mpogd.com
john@larkinvolpatt.com
johnswren@aol.com
jonas.thornholm@xcerion.com
jorgen.nordin@end2endmobile.com
jroberts@hwhpr.com
jscoggins@doc.gov
julie@liaisonpr.com
julie@softscribeinc.com
justsystems@techmarket.com
kamika@sutherlandgold.com
katie@contosdunne.com
katie@fortythreepr.com
kcabrera@carabinerpr.com
kell@taylorcurtismedia.com
kelsi@investorscircle.net
kevin.johnson@techimage.com
kevind@text100.com
kfoley@coynepr.com
kim@scottandscottllp.com
klipsch@vnewscenter.com
klister@pr-vantage.com
krisj@geminiinc.com
krista@montageagency.com
kristen@hensonconsulting.com
kristien@prioritypr.net
kristin.coleman@morris-king.com
kszarkowitz@mporia.com
kthomas@thomas-pr.com
kwarman@b2zentertainment.com
kzox@nycap.rr.com
laurelkao@comcast.net
lauren@perkettpr.com
lauren@piercemattie.com
laurie@highwatergroup.com
lcapurro@jmprpublicrelations.com
leighnofi@sironline.com
levi@meiff.com
liaisonpr@liaisonpr.com
license@hypetraxx.com
lighthouse-list@independent.org
list@freepress.net
listmaster@soex.org
lkornblatt@sspr.com
llomasky@webershandwick.com
locone-bounces@dna-nyc.info
louis@future-works.com
lpalmer@comminit.com
lsambells@pressoffice.targetwire.com
maeilnews@mk.co.kr
mail@atoa.ws
mail@billiondollarbabes.com
mail@lensmodern.com
mail@pff.org
mailers@marketingmatters.net
mailman-bounces@box153.bluehost.com
mantos@sspr.com
marc@mail2.zogby.com
marge_casey__associates_rqbsrgb@cmpgnr.com
mark@choicecutsonline.com
marlenecheetahlearning@rogers.com
marquiswhoswho@email.marquiswhoswho.com
matt.otepka@104west.com
mchase@calysto.com
mclean@rodmclean.com
mcraig@ringling.edu
mdepoint@tunheim.com
mediacenter7@rothmedia.org
mediarelationsbounce@amnh.org
megang@mbooth.com
meghan@artfinancepartners.com
melissa.robbins@mtvnmix.com
melissa@pepcom.com
menziesbob@lages.com
mertine@melmpr.ccsend.com
messa@americanarab.com
michaeli@hwhpr.com
mika@platformlondon.org
mktinfo@pmai.org
mkusa@marketing.agefotostock.com
mlevine@lcoonline.com
morgan@allisonpr.com
morgan@gregoryfca.com
msg@msgnyc.com
mwalker@mww.com
news@metku.net
news@platformfestival.com
news@uiuc.edu
news@velocityreviews.com
news@vmagazine.com
news1@eprairie.com
news2@eprairie.com
newsbot@tweaktown.com
newsletter#27963.169@pink.nimbussoftware.com
newsletter@fineartamerica.com
newsletter@glass-inspiration.com
newsletter@worldsecuritynetwork.net
newsletters@chicblvd.com
newsletters@webshots.online.com
newwest@newwest.net
nfabris@corp.abiresearch.com
niewalda@kurzfilmtage.de
nikki@chicblvd.com
noe@future-works.com
no-reply@wetpaintmail.com
offers@mercurynews.com
ollie@commontime.ccsend.com
online_resources@cxolyris.cxomedia.com
paarmstrong@myspace.com
palm_software_newsletters@news.palmnewsletters.com
pam@techmarket.com
pandreu@5wpr.com
pattyb@gruman-nicoll.com
paula@kohnkecomm.com
pedro2nd@hotmail.com
petertulba@spe.sony.com
phil@contosdunne.com
photomonday@peterhollander.com
pih@bankinvest.dk
pine&gilmore@strategichorizons.com
pr@adremsoft.com
pr@elcomsoft.com
pr@mayocommunications.com
pr@welcomm.com
pr@xcerion.com
press@creditcovers.com
press@diacenter.org
press@freepress.net
press@lebook.com
press-bounces@taxjustice-usa.org
proctor@anet.net
promo@email.batteries.com
publications@houlihan-lokey.com
publicity@justrockpr.us
q@varnishfineart.com
qualcomm@qualcomm.com
rachel@inspire-communications.com
raghu.madabushi@opco.com
renata.guazzi@r-w.it
reply@reply.marketingsherpa.com
reply-34374@uptilt.com
resposito@5wpr.com
rexmore@themarketingdivision.net
rferguson@stantoncrenshaw.com
rferguson@thinkequity.com
rhart@nine-patch.com
rich@contosdunne.com
rick@montageagency.com
rippmedia@aol.com
robert.reeve@videojug.com
robertj@gymr.com
roger.howie@zaha-hadid.com
rpopko@webershandwick.com
rscanlan@gmail.com
rstephenson@cleanair-coolplanet.org
rsvp@believingisseeing.tv
rsvp@sonnenschein.com
s.goodrich@niveusmedia.com
salesinfo@diskeeper.com
sarah@caromarketing.com
scfowler@20m.ccsend.com
scleland@precursor.com
scoggin@waggeneredstrom.com
scover@crownpr.net
send78-proxymedia@caedefensefund.org
service@outpost.com
sfedulow@gcigroup.com
shannons@ferencomm.com
shipserv_newsflash@mail.vresp.com
stannenberger@mprm.com
stephanietrussell@gmail.com
steve@madeit.com
support@projectcamelot.org
swood@inxpo.com
syreeta@sparkpr.com
talentinfo@stocklandmartel.com
talia.andrews@fusionpr.com
ten@firstbornmultimedia.com
terrece.walker@mtvnmix.com
tesco.online@agboville.aviso.ci
tgould@shazaaam.com
thamer@delianet.com
thecallcenterschool@tallent.com
thesterlingreport@topica.email-publisher.com
thinking_out_loud@enews.1up.com
thomas.trenker@filmangelsclub.com
tim.billings@morris-king.com
tina@letoile-pr.de
tom.steiner@edelman.com
tomd@stylegroup.com
tribalddb_sydney@tribalddb.rsys1.com
trichardson@mrb-pr.com
tstadnicki@alphamediagroup.com
ttg-news@tweaktown.com
tvnewsday@tvnewsday.com
unitydeals@unityelectronics.com
update@activate.us
virtualworldsforum@dynamail.co.uk
vivek@rapleaf.us
wachovia.economics@wachovia.com
walmart@newsletters.walmart.com
wfeek@comminit.com
yj@onnetusa.com
yyamashita@lippetaylor.com
zingrec@zingmagazine.com

Comments

[mk]

good lord that's a long list

[Niall Cook]

Chris,

Interesting that you chose to publish all those email addresses for the spam harvesters to pick up.

Are you sure you definitely got those emails direct, or is your email address on a media distribution list somewhere that these people might subscribe to?

[Didier DURAND]

Hi,

Is the side effect of the publication of this list wanted? i.e those addresses will get collected by bots and then may have a hard time - if not well equipped - with spams in coming times... ;-)

[Sami]

That's priceless, thanks for sharing the experience :) Maybe this will, to some small extent, teach some of the people on the list to regain some of the obviously long lost respect for using e-mail.

E-mail is a wonderful tool when used correctly and even clear-cut spam is manageable with good tools but it's exactly the kind of "legal" spam that you mention that has substantially degraded the usefulness of the entire communication channel - a pretty sad situation.

[Dan]

So, I'm on this list. dan at onewordphotography.com. I'm a freelance photographer in Canada and I shoot a lot of travel stock. I have your email address and 7000 others by buying a list of what they call "image buyers" from a company called Agency Access. They tell me they get these lists by compiling them from questionnaires etc at trade shows and industry events.

Now, over the years, I have tried calling many of my intended targets but, when your market is magazine and book publishers all over the world and you have 7 to 10000 potential targets this can get expensive and impossibly time consuming. As well, the vast majority of creative buyers don't even bother returning your phone call. I've tried individual emails which gets an even lower response. So, I started sending out stock list updates via a mass emailing and the response has been nothing short of phenomenal. Yes, I do get requests to be taken off the list and there is a clear "unsubscribe" link at the bottom of every email but, only about 3% use it. I've also had potential buyers call me, tell me my work is great, ask to be taken off the list and put on the postcard only list. Others have called after receiving a promotional card and requested email only. The bottom line is, as a single entity operating a creative business, marketing to potential buyers is necessary, time consuming, expensive and difficult to do on an individual basis. As well, when the "broad brush" (okay, I'll call it spam) approach works as well as it does for me, it makes sense to keep doing it.

I spent $10,000 this year on lists, email software, promotional cards etc. to promote my business and my work. You're on a list of people who buy creative work that is sold to photographers every day. If you don't really buy photography, why not just hit the unsubscribe button? Why give out your email? I get about 150 emails a day and travel 200+ days a year which makes it very difficult to get back to everyone after sorting through the spam I get but, it's an unfortunate part of the business and I unsubscribe to stuff that does not appeal to me. Interestingly Amazon (since I order books online) spams me about 4 time as week but, I don't unsubscribe because 1 out of 10 times, it's something I'm interested in and I place an order.

Anyway, I'd certainly appreciate it if you'd take my name of this list (even though it will actually drive more traffic to my site) and if you did not hit the unsubscribe button last time, feel free to do so next time and you're automatically off the list. I am sorry if I've inconvenienced you but, I hope you understand that the vast majority of people who receive this are perfectly targeted and appreciate being informed of new work (or they wouldn't place orders for stock and prints).

Dan Bannister

[Duane B]

Dan, you just hit the nail on the head. You just admitted to taking the lazy way out of everything and spam people. If you are spending that kind of money you should be checking to see if the list(s) you are getting is even of value and not have people like Chris on it. Now Wired may buy your stock, but you shouldn't or wouldn't be talking to Chris about that. It would be someone in his art department or operations even. if anything he should keep you on the list, so you learn not to do this, much like everyone else on the list. We all work hard to do our own jobs, so traveling 200+ days a year isn't a reason to spam people. Plus with the way mobile traveling has evolved, which wired has covered before. You should be able to check your e-mail on the go. Even if using satellites connection for the internet.

Chris, sorry about this happening. As a person who does PR/Ads, this is one reason I keep a tight list of people I e-mail and ask before I put them new ones on my list, which included people at Wired. Some PR people really need to step up their game and not spam people.

[Kevin M]

Publishing the emails on the site so that spam bots can collect them is a childish response. You’ve now traded sympathy over unsolicited PR emails for scorn at aiding and abetting spammers. It concerns me further that Mr. Bannister’s comment points out that your manner of identifying PR folks is flawed.

You’re now part of a problem instead of a solution.

I wish could sign my full name, but, as a PR person, I'm afraid I may blacklisted as well.

[Chris Anderson]

Dan,

Thanks for the comment, which is heartfelt and appreciated. Two quick answers:

--You asked why I gave out my email address to the company that says "they compile them from questionnaires etc at trade shows and industry events." You can guess the answer. I did no such thing. They must have harvested my address from some PR list.

--You asked why I don't just hit unsubscribe. It's because the entire unsubscribe process is broken. In the case of spam, it just confirms that you're a live email address, which doubles the amount of spam you'll get. Even in legitamate cases, hitting unsubscribe usually tries to remove the email address you're responding from. The problem is that I'm usually on my iPhone or on my laptop at home or on the road, and the email has been forwarded to one of my traveling addresses. When I respond from that, the unsubscribe process doesn't work.

Every now and then someone constructs their unsubscribe process right, with a link that includes the address to be removed and no stupid web process to go through. But why should I spend all my time trying to navigate these things on the hopes of finding one that works when I didn't ask for it in the first place? It's so much easier just to hit the "block sender" button.

Sorry to be blunt, but I wanted you to see it from my perspective. You're just one person and I understand the problems in trying to navigate organizations such as mine (send me a personal email and I'll tell you the right people to contact), but I'm getting scores of such emails a day.

[Terry]

I agree there needs to be a more controlled outreach method but what is interesting me is all the newsletter emails and publication adresses. Looks like you subscribed to a couple (like dealmaker) and are continuing to get news from them.

That being said I don't think this is fair and should be taken down. You actually look childish.

[Glenn Fleishman]

Chris, I'm with you here. Due to some unethical firms that work with PR companies, I'm on a list of press people who apparently want their inboxes crowded with crap on off-topic pitches. The laziest PR firms and people use these lists, which rarely result in any stories or good results because we're all too pissed off about having to read what looks like an earnest targeted message.

I have some great PR contacts at many companies who work with me to get me to the right people, get products for review, etc. Great PR people don't affect my judgment about a product or service, but they do make sure the company has a chance to give me all the information they have at their disposal. (In some cases, great PR people ensure the company isn't embarrassed when I discover showstopper bugs or security problems before or after release.)

I contacted one of these firms that sells these lists of journalists for a lot of money to PR companies, and they have NO way for a journalist to remove himself or herself from their list.

So what I do now is tell PR folk who I don't need to hear from precisely what my coverage area is, and ask them where they got my email. If it's from a firm, I explain that the firm is engaged in marketing a deceptive product if they're pretending that I chose to receive email on their area of interest.

[Frank Fortin]

What payback! Excellent.
This reminds me of a testy exchange I had recently with a person at a local (Boston-area) PR firm. She was insulted when I told her she no right to send me news releases without an unsubscribe link.
Worse, her client is in banking, and we're a health care publisher. (Relevance? What's that?)
She also clueless to the notion that the more she protested, the bigger the hole she was digging for herself and her client.
As a last resort, I ratted her out directly to her client. The e-mails stopped.

[CC]

Great post and excellent points. As a PR/communications professional, I echo your concerns. Unfortunately, too many companies who want to do PR take the easy way out buying lists as mentioned above. Even worse, some of the top PR houses in the country designate "media research" to the most junior of account executives or interns who may lack the basic analytical and research skills to thoroughly read/evaluate a media outlet. I hope the people you block learn a valuable lesson about doing their research ahead of time. If we have the time to craft the perfect pitch, then PR people should have the time to make sure it is going to the right person at the appropriate outlet.

[Jim]

Hey man - three words - GET OVER YOURSELF

[Ryan]

Dan,

With all due respect, I think you would be better off using the money you pay for lists, etc. and build a really good web page that attract buyers. Spend money on google ads and other forms of web advertising. Maybe even a blog where you can showcase your talent and work on a regular basis, blogs usually do well in search engines.

As Chris pointed out, those companies cannot always be trusted. They try to build as big a list as possible to make it look attractive.

I can undertand you are busy, and when starting your own business that jumpstart is key, but you need to be a little more patient. Market to those individuals who have given YOU permission to market to them. Build relationships, force repeat business, get some word of mouth, etc.

The blogosphere continues to change things and it really serves as a good police officer for bad marketing practices.

[Ajax]

can't believe you actually wasted your time ranting about that....everyone gets email, junk mail, spam, etc... i agree with jim - get over yourself, you just sound like an ass.

[Wired Ad reps]

I do PR AND advertising buys and I can't get your Ad reps at WIRED to stop spamming me in the same exact manner! I am not going to publish a list of your reps as it is just part of doing business. Your blog IS warranted. Publishing these names IS NOT warranted. As a warning why not just publish the domain portion so they can get their act in order. Be part of the solution....not the problem

[Thursday]

I recognized a few of those email addresses from my days of working at a college newspaper. Myself and another staffer tried to unsubscribe our paper at various points from some of these lists. No matter how many unsubscribe buttons we hit, we couldn't stop the emails.
In one case, we were told that the emails were requested by the editor-in-chief, so they'd keep coming until that specific person unsubscribed. Further investigation discovered that the EIC in question had graduated six years ago.

PR firms need to put some thought behind their email campaigns, and since they effectively spam people (and often provide their email lists to other people and companies) I think that publishing their emails is an effective comment on their technique.

[Alex]

Wow- not a good idea to mess with pr people.

You forget that your supposed to actually work together rather than being apart of the problem. Not a good look for journalists or Wired Magazine. By using your power as a blogger your not only ranting to a community but to the entire internet and ruining the reputation of the people on that list.

I used to respect you and the magazine but now see that if you can be that vindictive then the rest of the editorial staff can't be much better to work with.

[Kevin Kelly]

I used to be in Chris' position at Wired, but I left over ten years ago. I am still getting PR spam from people trying to get Wired's attention. I don't have time to unsubscribe from each one, so like Chris, all email from the sender is automatically junked. (I also get lots of paper junk mail at my home from some of the same group!). Chris and I are not the only editors who do this, so in the long run the general effectiveness of spamming editors can not be worth the hassles of getting banned. One possible reason Dan Bannister find success in spamming editors is that his list must include many smaller mags who simply don't get as much attention. Everyone in the world aims their spam guns at Wired and the volley is deafening.

I encourage you to keep posting the culprits, Chris. And, yes, you should also check your ad reps to see what kind of spam they are hurling. That does weaken your high ground.

Also, have you ever noticed that an awful lot of PR folks are called Kristin, or a derivative? There's four on your list alone.

[Susan Bratton]

Chris,
This is mean-spirited. It's part of your job as the leader of the organization to forward emails appropriately or delete them or come up with a reasonable way for PR folks to connect with the right person on your editorial team.
Currently, you only list the addresses of your ad sales staff under Contact Info.
It's apalling that you would list people's addresses on your blog.
Susan

[Leesa Barnes]

Way to go Chris! I agree with you posting their email addresses. And you know the worst part? These PR folks won't even care because they'll continue to spam you. That's the saddest part. They won't read your blog post, they won't change and you'll continue to get the emails, albeit in your spam folder now.

I don't get nearly enough PR spam as you do, but I've had my share. I know when PR folks have lost their mind when they spam me with a press release that has my name in it. For example, the week before I went to a conference in California back in the Fall, I was getting a slew of announcements from people and companies all announcing the launch of something at the conference. It was constant - up to 10 emails per day from various PR firms for about a week.

What was funny is that the PR firm that represented one of the companies I would be working with at this conference spammed me announcing that "Author Leesa Barnes is moderating a panel." Geez Louise, do these people even know who they're sending emails to? Why send a press release to the very person who is mentioned in the release? Oh...right...it's PR spam, so they don't fracking care.

Can they be anymore clueless?

[Kevin Dugan]

For those folks that think Chris is being childish, I can tell you the problem is JUST. THAT. BAD...it makes people do crazy things.

I'm in PR and I'm tired of holding my tongue as my industry takes a hit because of many of the folks on the above list -- folks that have sent me "news spam" as well.

Chris is not the first person to do this and he will not be the last.

[Josh Morgan]

Transparency is a double edged sword. I work in PR and as an industry are constantly calling for more transparency.

We asked for it, we got it.

To be effective, build relationships, not lists.

Thank you Chris.

[A bystander]

"....or come up with a reasonable way for PR folks to connect with the right person on your editorial team."

As someone who has had to figure out where to send a press release in recent months, this really is not easy. You'd be amazed how many publications have NO editorial contact info at all posted on their websites. How are we supposed to direct the information to the correct contact if you make it so hard to find?

Not every publication is like this, of course. Some have a handy list of staff and the beats the cover, with e-mail addresses and/or a contact form. There might be fewer misdirected press releases if all media sites did this.

[Justin Kownacki]

Posting the email addresses of the people who spam you is somehow ruining their reputation?

What reputation?

If your reputation as a successful PR entity relies upon covert spamming, you obviously need to rethink your business plan.