×
Chandler Plante is the Assistant Editor of Health and Fitness at PopSugar
Welcome back to Coffee with a Journalist! Today we chat with Chandler Plante, Assistant Editor of Health and Fitness at PopSugar, about wellness trends, standout pitches, and managing her inbox. She shares what PopSugar looks for now, how social media fits in, and what grabs her attention. Quick, insightful, and packed with tips—tune in!
Click below to listen to the full conversation and read below for highlights from the interview:
Chandler's Explanation Of The Intersection Of Editorial And Social Media
[00:03:14] CP: So I get pitches. Yeah. All throughout the month and then I run them through the entire editorial team. But my role is kind of interesting because I've taken on more of, like, social media role as well. So when I get these pitches, I'm also not just thinking about it through the editorial lens.
[00:03:39] CP: I'm also like, okay, is this going to do well on social? Like, is there a visual component? And I've kind of, like, run into issues sometimes with reps. Like, it's interesting. It's important to talk about that because sometimes, like, we won't have assets readily available or like, that's something that we weren't considering. And it's like we're trying out a new fitness trend and we want to show it on social media. And it's something that we're, you know, me and the rep are trying to figure out in tandem together, you know, so. So these are things I'm trying to think about now when I'm pitching to my entire editorial team, when I'm working with reps that maybe I wasn't even thinking about before, oh, months ago.
[00:04:23] BB: Yeah. Oh, okay. So let's. We had not heard this before, so I'd love to, like, double click on it a bit.
[00:04:29] CP: Double click.
[00:04:30] BB: So give us. Give us an example. So you get a pitch, you go, oh, I can maybe do something with that. But you're going to go through your checklist probably of the viability of. Tell me.
[00:04:41] CP: Yeah, let me think of, like, something I've done. So, okay, so I'm like, I'm interviewing talent even, and they're. They're talking about their wellness routine, and I want to try their wellness routine. We're like, okay, is that something that I can try for TikTok? Can I make a, you know, a TikTok out of it? Can you get me onto the fitness platform that they use so that I can try it myself? And we can make a TikTok out of it. I can tag the brand. Like, we can do a collaboration that way in addition to the dot com. And then sometimes like that just requires a little bit more finesse or even like I'm working with, you know, just like an organization for breast cancer awareness.
[00:05:22] BB: Yeah.
[00:05:23] CP: Do like a whole gallery with like photos from the event or we want to do like a graphic to promote it on Instagram. You know, something really simple. But it can just feel a little bit difficult to be doing, you know, managing these social extensions on top of the dot com piece. Right.
[00:05:37] BB: Like, yes, it is.
[00:05:39] CP: It's. And it's interesting to be clear.
[00:05:42] BB: Is this falling under your wheelhouse? This is under you.
[00:05:44] CP: Yeah.
Want to pitch Chandler and other journalists like her?
Click below to sign up for OnePitch and use these insights in your next pitch!
The Top 5 Sources Chandler Plante Is Looking For Right Now
[00:14:13] BB: You're looking great. You're ready for summer. You're wonderful. Oh, a big one for your channel. Then we're gonna get to our rapid fire questions. What about sources? What sources are your top, like top five sources you want right now?
[00:14:29] CP: Yes, OBGYN. First one that comes to mind. Trainers, nutritionists or dietitians I should say. Let me think, just like a general primary or like a family doctor. Obviously that can be a lot of different things but like someone that can just weigh in on like a cold, a flu, like something like that I'm always looking for. And then what's one more that I'm always looking for in women's health? I'm really always looking for. Really difficult to find. Yeah.
[00:15:01] BB: Really? Okay.
[00:15:02] CP: Yeah.
[00:15:03] BB: I'm shocked by this. I hope all the publicists are listening very loudly. Yes. So Chan, so okay, let me say I'm a publicist. I'm listening to this. I'm like, oh my gosh. Well, I have women's health Clients. Okay, that's my jam.
[00:15:16] CP: Yeah.
[00:15:17] BB: What do you want to see then in a source pitch?
[00:15:21] CP: Anything.
[00:15:23] BB: Wow.
[00:15:25] CP: Like, I'm desperate for you if you're a woman.
[00:15:28] BB: Wow. Okay. Hear that out, everybody.
Rapid Fire Pitching Preferences
[00:16:37] BB: Okay, so not your area, but yes, there is a whole commerce team. Noted. Chan, I have a rapid fire question section here if you're willing to play. Does that sound good?
[00:16:48] CP: I'm so willing. Let's do it.
[00:16:50] BB: Do it. Okay. First, video or phone interview?
[00:16:55] CP: Video.
[00:16:56] BB: Oh, why do you like video?
[00:16:59] CP: I feel like I can read, like, how comfortable my source is with me and whether I kind of ask them certain questions or not. Sometimes it's hard to read them over the phone and you don't get that conversational pace going. And I love a good interview, you know, I love getting to talk to people like people. That's a fun story.
[00:17:26] BB: Exactly, Exactly. I'm with you. I think the relationship revolution is upon us, like, being in person or.
[00:17:34] CP: Yeah.
[00:17:35] BB: Actually talking to people, not through more AI, you know, and, you know, we're.
[00:17:39] CP: Talking about, like, health and. Yeah, it's awkward to be like, it's a little cold and clinical when it's over the phone.
[00:17:45] BB: So. Yeah. How about bullet points or paragraphs in pitches?
[00:17:51] CP: I like bullet points. I do. You know, I'm a little. We've established I'm a little meticulous.
[00:17:57] BB: Yes, you are. This is why we ask. And then we also have then short or long pitches. I'm imagining short.
[00:18:03] CP: I think, like, I think too short. Gives a little like AI. So.
[00:18:11] BB: Yeah. By the way, are you get. Do you feel like you get pitches? You're like, something I bought. Just totally wrote this and it's bad. What?
[00:18:20] CP: It's the font for me. It's like the weird font.
[00:18:23] BB: Yeah.
[00:18:24] CP: Capitalization. I'm like, who wrote this?
[00:18:28] BB: Yeah. Okay, very good. Images attached or a Dropbox zip file?
[00:18:36] CP: That's a good question. Images attached are fine for me. I want to be able to just see it. It's so.
[00:18:43] BB: Yeah. What about email or a DM of some sort?
[00:18:48] CP: Email. Email.
[00:18:50] BB: There you go. One. Follow up or multiple?
[00:18:56] CP: One.
[00:18:57] BB: One and done. Okay. Direct or creative subject lines?
[00:19:07] CP: Just direct. I just want to know what we're talking about.
[00:19:11] BB: Press release or media kit?
[00:19:18] CP: Media kit.
[00:19:19] BB: Okay. Oh, she likes the media kit. And is that because you want to see all the goodies that you can get?
[00:19:23] CP: I want it all. All the info.
[00:19:26] BB: Well, you need to know if you can post it on social.
[00:19:29] CP: Well, I was gonna say I want to be able to try it, feel it, touch it. Video, like, good.
[00:19:38] BB: Anytime that you specifically read pitches. We talked a little bit about this.
[00:19:42] CP: Yeah. In the morning.
[00:19:43] BB: Morning time.
________
You can find more conversations with journalists from leading outlets when you subscribe to the Coffee with a Journalist podcast to get the latest insights as soon as they drop. Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter for other updates on our newest tips, tools, and top strategies.
Want more tips from journalists?
Fill out the form below to subscribe to Coffee with a Journalist and receive weekly emails highlighting reporters, journalists, and editors and their individual pitching preferences.
Related Posts
Newsletter Form
Recent Posts
About Us
OnePitch was created by a handful of
tech-savvy publicists and journalists
who believe that the PR industry is
long overdue for some innovation.
We’re changing this with OnePitch.