“Our competitors are in this story…why aren’t we?.” Oof…the challenging question of why a competitor is seeing more PR coverage than their own brand.

PR agencies sometimes hear this from clients. The client sees a story in a top-tier outlet that features a competitor. They think their brand or product would have been perfect for the story.

I get it! It’s not a great feeling to see a brand you know is on the same level as yours getting coverage you think you deserve.

So what’s going on when this happens?

First off, know that your PR agency is probably as disappointed as you are that you didn’t make the final cut. Also, it’s very rarely due to their lack of talent, skill, or creativity. We can have a great relationship with the particular writer. But, still a client won’t make each and every story.

Why is a Competitor Seeing More PR Coverage than You?

Some common reasons a competitor gets more PR coverage are:

The outlet prioritized certain retailers

Some stories prominently feature brands that are sold in retailers the outlet has a partnership with or that consumers shop from and trust. You might see a few usual suspects constantly tagged as the retailer of choice – if you don’t sell there, you might not make certain stories.

The publication sourced recommendations from experts

Many times, publications will get product recommendations from experts, such as dermatologists, makeup artists, and hair stylists. If these experts don’t know about your brand, they won’t be recommending them to media. (Hint: many PR agencies offer expert outreach as a service to boost press coverage.)

The brand and publication have a big affiliate partnership

Some brands negotiate hefty partnerships with publishing houses and specific outlets. The brand gives a higher commission on sales driven from a particular placement. Not every brand is at the level that they can give a sizable percentage of sales, of course. But understand that this might be why certain competitors constantly seem to get editorial love.

There is no reason

Sometimes…there just is no explanation. At the end of the day, editors get a multitude of pitches from brands and PR agencies. Some things make the final cut due to sheer circumstance. Just because your product didn’t make this particular story, doesn’t mean you won’t be considered for the future. PR is a long game, but so, so worth it!