The Press Release Is Dead — Here's What's Actually Working in PR Right Now | Mady Lanni of Manychat

In this episode, we sit down with Mady Lanni, Senior PR Strategist at Manychat — the social media automation platform powering those viral "comment to get the link" moments you see across Instagram and TikTok every day. Mady's path to PR wasn't linear (criminal justice degree, anyone?), and that outside perspective has shaped a refreshingly sharp, social-first approach to a field that's rapidly changing. She gets real about the slow death of traditional newsrooms and what it means for brands still relying on press releases, why journalists are migrating from X to LinkedIn and how to meet them there, how to move fast on reactive PR without sacrificing brand integrity, and why your most powerful spokespeople might not be your executives — they might be your creators. If you work in PR, marketing, or communications and want to understand where the industry is actually headed, this episode is your roadmap.

Key Takeaways:

// Social is where the news breaks first — follow it accordingly. Mady starts every morning in her social feed, not her inbox. Trending conversations happen on social before they hit anywhere else, and the PR pros who catch them earliest are the ones who get the reactive coverage. 

// Newsrooms are shrinking, and modern PR has to evolve with them. Traditional media outlets are downsizing. Journalists are building their own Substacks and newsletters. What "media" means is fundamentally shifting.

// LinkedIn is the new Twitter for journalists. Mady sees a clear migration happening: journalists who used to live on X are moving to LinkedIn for connections, relationship-building, and DMs. 

// Always be able to answer "okay, and so what?" Before pitching any story, Mady asks herself whether the news genuinely matters to anyone outside the marketing team. If the only people excited about it are internal, it's a brand moment, not a PR moment. 

// Creators are replacing executives as the most credible spokespeople. Journalists and readers are craving authenticity, and polished executive quotes often fall flat. 

// Press releases are a tool, not a strategy. The future of PR is more creative, more relatable, and more human. 

Connect with Mady: LinkedIn

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