We got the inside scoop from the media side in our interview with Vanessa Gordon, CEO & Publisher of East End Taste, starting with her journey from freelance writing to founding a thriving publication. Discover how her publication's readership spans the globe and what resonates with them, as well as strategies for crafting pitches that capture attention and support editorial goals. Whether you're honing your pitch or seeking to align with emerging trends, read on for actionable insights for PR professionals aiming to excel in their field.
Tell us about your career before becoming CEO and publisher of East End Taste.
My professional background began as an English as a second language teacher immediately following my graduate degree from NYU’s Steinhardt School of Education. I worked especially hard during this time in my early twenties, determined to pay off my student loans and under five years, so I also freelance Road and worked as a group fitness instructor after school. I taught an average of 6 to 8 classes per week at some of the local boutique gyms in the Hamptons, including indoor cycling and barre classes.
My freelance writing appeared in numerous publications including but not limited to Psychology Today, Long Island Pulse, Hamptons Magazine, The Independent newspaper, Pregnancy & Newborn, and Thrillist. It was in these roles that I built and developed the strong relationships that I continue to foster to this day.
I founded East End Taste in the summer of 2016 and have served as its CEO & Publisher ever since.
What does your role as CEO and publisher entail?
As the CEO and publisher of East End Taste which serves as a digital medium that operates on a daily basis, even on weekends, I primarily spearhead strategic direction, business development, and financial management. My role entails constantly identifying growth opportunities, and ensuring profitability through sponsored content on the website and through our social media platforms.
In addition, I oversee content strategy, editorial integrity, and audience engagement, guiding our editorial and creative direction based on this engagement. My responsibilities range from long-term planning to day-to-day management with my editorial and production team who are based all over the world from the Emirates and central Europe to Australia, demanding a blend of strategic foresight, creative vision, and operational proficiency to propel our company's success in the ever-evolving digital media landscape.
Because of the time zone differences based upon where our team members are based, I typically wake up as early as 5:30am to make calls and answer emails with those across the Atlantic, and then beginning again towards 12 or 1pm for North America, and then again after 7pm to communicate with those who work for the company that are based in Australia. I typically oversee these three shifts during the week and the hours and work demand increase based on the season. For instance, my digital publication’s high season began this month (April) and will continue through mid October and pick up again during the holiday season.
What are the demographics of your readership, and what are the audience’s key interests?
Though our primary audience is based on Long Island and within the New York City metro area, East End Taste has readers based all over the world, since nearly 80% of our readership comes from Google search.
Our key demographics are 65% women ranging in age from 35 to 45 with a median household income of $175k. Regions around the world where we are seeing the most recent growth in readership include Portugal, Spain, Australia, Germany, the UAE, and Croatia.
Their key interests are culinary focused travel, coastal travel, interior design, mindful wellness, and the Hamptons and North Fork as a travel destination.
Essentially, we bring the world to the Hamptons and the Hamptons to the world, referencing specifically our East End readership and how they appreciate our coverage of regions that evoke a similar Hamptons aesthetic around the world. Destinations like the seclusion and peacefulness of Bowen Island outside of Vancouver or coastal Algarve region of southern Portugal.
Hamptons Interactive Brunch (Credit: Getty Images)
What types of stories resonate best with your readership?
Our readers love to read about destinations that uncover the heart and soul of that particular region. Not just say the best new restaurants in the Hamptons, but getting to know the chefs and their creative flair and personality that they bring to the table. Or when we write about places across the Algarve. We want our readers to get to know how one man harvests salt and why his sustainable process is so crucial for local businesses, just as an example. In addition, one of our writers recently did a piece highlighting women owned restaurants in Qatar. It made me want to prioritize my travel there and discover more there one day soon.
Are there any specific themes or topics you're currently focusing on or planning to cover in upcoming articles?
Yes, particularly as we approach the high season in the Hamptons, we always love highlighting or profiling business owners, and what’s new and notable. For travel related content and articles, we are focusing on sustainable hotels, wellness focused properties for the spring and summer, education programs and retreats at hotels worldwide, and sustainable culinary or wellness tours. One of my personal favorite stories we did recently focused on a running tour through Rome that also encompassed uncovering hidden or lesser known historic buildings and relics.
How do you balance evergreen content with timely, trending topics?
For East End Taste and as a digital publication and platform, balancing evergreen editorial content with trending topics involves consistently maintaining a content calendar with a mix of timeless and timely subjects.
Through weekly keyword researching, my team and I identify the search demand for evergreen topics and trending keywords for current lifestyle events. For evergreen content, we particularly focus on regions around the world that may be trending while also keeping in mind the demand for content focused within the NYC metropolitan area and New England area.
Remaining flexible allows for quick incorporation of timely topics, while regular updates keep evergreen content relevant. Lastly, engaging with our audience informs content decisions, and monitoring industry trends ensures timely content creation.
How do you prefer pitches to be submitted? Do you have specific guidelines or preferences?
I prefer by email with a clear objective or proposed hed and dek for the story. I also prefer a short summary in advance of the press release to see right away if the pitch is fitting or not.
Also, I don’t mind follow-ups! A gentle follow-up is always sincerely appreciated since my days are filled with several different moving parts, especially now that I am planning my annual summer event, the Hamptons Interactive Brunch.
Lastly, please do include a link to a folder of images in the first email with the appropriate credit for the images.
Hamptons Interactive Brunch (Credit: Getty Images)
How can PR professionals best support your editorial goals and priorities?
Having images linked in the body of the email right away is especially crucial and saves a significant step in communication since we would need these to consider a story to be run.
Also, please do keep us informed of client updates and news. We are also open to updating older articles with new and useful information, so feel free to pitch us ideas based on roundups and story angles we published six months ago or older.
Are there any key trends or predictions in 2024 that PR pros should be aware of?
Mindful, sustainable travel or sustainably forward travel comes to mind right away. I also believe and am grateful that authenticity and transparency seems to be at the forefront of communication this year. Tell me right away exactly what you would like in terms of working with me and my business. I love working with others and exceeding expectations, but always remember time is precious and communicate efficiently how you would like to work together instead of an open-ended “let’s partner or collaborate” message.
East End Taste is also heavily focusing on expanding our video content and doing reel collaborations with other businesses, particularly with Discover Long Island and other local tourism operators to gauge more interest and content within our region. I am noticing this trend of reel collaborations picking up significantly and it is terrific for gaining traction with awareness with like minded brands and businesses.
FINN LUXE, FINN Partners’ Global Intelligence and Mintel have released their Luxury Playbook, a report offering insights into the challenges and opportunities across the luxury sector right now. Read on for key takeaways for brands aiming to adapt and thrive in the evolving market landscape, and click here to download the full report.
The luxury segment has traditionally distinguished itself through a singular focus on excellence in quality, design and service. In recent years, consumers have come to resonate increasingly with another type of excellence: cultural creativity. Driven by growing purchasing power across diverse markets and the proliferation of touch points, the appetite for creative excellence presents new opportunities and challenges in branding, storytelling and marketing. The Luxury Playbook provides an overview of these opportunities and challenges for the year to come, with a view to help brands build resilience in the face of growing market headwinds.
Gen Z is gaining influence
Brands increasingly need to cater to Gen Z’s appetite for meaningful experiences and authentic values.
Online takes center stage
By 2030, online and monobrand channels will account for two-thirds of sales.
Chinese consumption soars
By 2030, Chinese consumers are expected to account for 38-40% of the global consumer market.
Pushing Boundaries in Product, Experiences & Values
From fashion to travel, beauty to watches, luxury brands are facing widely different challenges as they grow, enter new markets, or try to adjust to growing economic uncertainties in 2024. Yet they all face a common and growing consumer desire to be surprised, entertained, and to feel good about luxury consumption. This is why we talk of “Creative Resilience”: creativity is no longer an optional (and risky) differentiator, but rather an essential component of luxury brands’ resilience and ability to grow. In this section, we break down key trends and case studies of creative resilience across products, experiences and values.
Product: Diversify your lifestyle relevance
From pop culture IP merchandising deals to brand cross-over collections, customizable lines or brand-new product categories, product diversification increases the overall lifestyle value of luxury brands and can help widen price points—from entry level accessories to ultra luxury, one-of-a-kind products.
Experiences: Balance commerce with culture
While excellent in-store service experience remains paramount, brands increasingly must also be masters of entertainment. And when it comes to rolling out new experiences, originality is the name of the game to inspire new fans while delighting loyal customers.
Values: Do Good Internally, be Aspirational Externally
As champions of quality, design, and storytelling, luxury brands are expected to lead the charge on sustainability and social responsibility. While the most impactful work happens behind the scenes, sharing your values and initiatives with consumers is one more way in which you can build emotional resonance.
Author: Gregory Cole, Senior Partner
Lead Analyst: Joy Livera, Senior Researcher
