Unique Visitors: 535,391
Background: Punch went live in 2013 with the intention of bringing together the worlds of wine, spirits, and cocktails. “We pride ourselves on…championing stories that are under the radar or a little bit fringe,” says co-founder and features editor Leslie Pariseau. “We like to tell stories that aren’t necessarily being told or…from an angle that dives past the superficial layers. There’s a psychology to where and when and how you drink, and we like to really try to get underneath that and understand it.” Punch readers are mostly males between the ages of 25 and 34.
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What to pitch: A Night at the Door: It’s an as-told-to/Q&A profile of three bouncers at different bars in a particular city or neighborhood. Pitches should include a range of different venues (e.g. cocktail bar, dive bar, club, karaoke bar, etc…). Word count: 1,000.
Dead Bars: An essay that examines a defunct bar through a personal lens. Word count: 1,000.
Drink Science: Highlights technical methods of improving cocktail styles or techniques (e.g. clarifying cocktails, zero-waste cocktails). Word count: 700-1200.
Masters of X: Profile of a bartender who’s known for a specific drink. It highlights the drink itself and the technique behind perfecting it. Word count: 700-1200.
The Invisibles: A profile of someone who works in a bar or drinks-focused restaurant who doesn’t have the same visibility as a bartender, server or owner (think bathroom attendant, barback, etc…). In starts with a short profile and then follows a day-in-the-life as-told-to format. Word count: 700-1200.
Remember T/K: These articles look back at specific drink tends and how they represent the culture of the era (e.g. Zima, craft moonshine). Word count: 700-1200.
Drinking With: A profile of a culturally important figure (author, restaurateur, actor) through the lens of a night out over a good beverage. Word count: 700-1200.
Editors are typically not interested in trend-based stories. They’re more interested in stories that have a cultural angle.
What not to pitch: “In Search of the Ultimate” and all columns (except Drink Science and Masters of X) are handled in-house.
Online opportunities: Freelance writers pitched stories about How a Homemade Blend Became one of America’s Most Coveted Bourbons and Suburban New Jersey’s Secret Bar Scene.
What publicists should pitch: Editors want to know about new bar-related products. They’re also interested in knowing about new bar openings and drink lists for their semi-annual city-by-city American bar guide. Lead time: 1 month or ASAP.
Percentage of freelance content: 60-70%
Percentage of freelance submissions accepted: 10%
Etiquette: Pitches should be sent in the body of an email with no attachments. Keep your pitches to 1-2 paragraphs and include the story angle and sources.
Lead time: 6 weeks – 1 month
Pay rate: $200-$400 depending on length
Payment schedule: Payment upon invoice
Kill fee: Varies upon piece
Rights purchased: No
Contact info:
Punch
After May 1, 2019:
61 Greenpoint Ave, #312
Brooklyn, NY 11222
Twitter handle: @punch_drink | Facebook
Direct pitches to:
For features, features editor Leslie Pariseau: LPARIS at PUNCHDRINK dot COM
For short-form stories, associate editor Chloe Frechette: CFRECHETTE at PUNCHDRINK dot COM
[EDITOR’S NOTE: Though we’ve updated this article recently, the speed at which things move in media means things may have already changed since then. Please email us if you notice any outdated info.]
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How to Pitch
