The SPEC Sheet: “With Gusto!”

I like to cook outside. Maybe a little more than the average guy. Something about standing over a grill, poking a fire pit, or opening that Camp Chef smoker after the ribs have been in there for six hours.

A few years back, I had the opportunity to practice this skill with a pro. Chef Biju Thomas joined one of our Yamaha rides in Taylor Park, Colorado. Each night for a week, he showed me how to prep, chop, grill, and serve for dozens of people under a big tent in the Rockies. It was a lot of work, but it was a thrill.

And whether riding, chopping, or cooking, he would encourage me to work “With gusto!” (That, and to watch out for my thumbs when I chop. Apparently, I almost donated a digit a few times.) He brought passion and energy to our camp. Not just to the meals, but every conversation. He brought a spark. A positive energy. He brought “gusto,” and he shared it with everyone in camp.

Combining PR know-how with a passion for the outdoors, I believe, is what makes our team special. That, and bringing gusto to our work.

Keep reading, and you’ll see where we are focusing our gusto this month:

• I delve into the modern press release. Not a topic that typically inspires, but I’d say you’ll write better if you bring passion to the creative story or new product announcement.
• Lisa recaps our beCause Marketing initiative, where we donate life, time, and talent to the issues we care about.
• Casey shares his personal story of volunteerism with the American Sand Association, building his career, and raising a family.
• Julie will take tons of gusto with her to the Carolina Hills Classic next month.

Whatever your passion for business or pleasure, as summer fast approaches, I hope you’ll remember to pursue it “With Gusto!”

Van
Founding Partner, SPEC PR
Strategic, Pragmatic, Effective Communications

 

SPEC Insights

The press release is dead! Long live the press release!

A couple of years ago, there was a rumble in the PR world that press releases were antiquated, irrelevant, and no longer a valuable tactic. You could announce news via a simple Tweet or Reel. No reason to wordsmith, wax poetic, or worry with AP Style.

Fast forward to the age of AEO/GEO, and the press release is back. As we referenced in last month’s Client Spotlight, a simple press release distribution accurately, immediately, and meaningfully influenced AI search results.

That single example with a clear before/after test demonstrates that with the right execution, a press release can be a valuable tool when you have the right announcement. A Business Wire blog post from last fall noted that “visibility now means more than only reaching journalists. It’s about making sure your press release can be found, understood, and surfaced by AI systems, from search engines to generative tools like ChatGPT.” The writer emphasizes that “your press releases, website, and digital content are read by both humans and AI, so structure, clarity, and authority are increasingly important.” I’d argue this is even more important for niche ORec brands and segments.

At SPEC, we utilize a few different services depending on the announcement. GlobeNewswire for mass distribution, The Outdoor Wire for the hunt/shoot industry, and the Endurance Sportswire for human-powered ORec news. We’re not exclusive to these services, but they are examples that different services offer strategic benefits, searchability being key to the results.

We’ve long counseled clients on the when, where, and why around issuing press releases. Even during the “press releases are dead” era, we never set a hard stop on the tactic, preferring rather to set expectations around the use and purpose, like SEO.

As a result, our clients have copious news with countless backlinks that help drive coverage (pitching is still a thing, by the way), and provide years of AI-searchable information both on-brand and on-message.

That’s not to say we should rely on press releases alone. Far from it. Backlinks matter for domain authority, which influences AI trust signals, and a steady flow of “news” keeps information fresh and indexed, but any big announcement deserves a coordinated communications approach across media relations, social media, email, website, and, when applicable, paid media.

If you ever believed the press release is dead, I’d recommend reconsidering your ground game strategy, while always cautioning a pragmatic filter:

• Don’t overdo it: Make sure you have something worth announcing. The Endurance Sportswire recently shared that they looked at ~200 companies using their service for at least a year and found that 7 press releases per year was the median number per user. That’s about a press release every couple of months, a solid cadence for most brands in the outdoor recreation space. AEO/GEO experts currently recommend a press release every 30 days, but that’s a little aggressive for most brands.
• Be clear on your goals and expectations: Wire distribution alone won’t land you a story on Wirecutter, but can be a useful tool in a strategic outreach campaign and/or to support increased searchability.
• Write with gusto: Be creative, but stay focused, use AP Style, and avoid hyperbole and marketing speak. Journalists read right through it, and so does AI.
• Be Brief: It’s hard to write concisely. To borrow a quote from Mark Twain (or was it Pascal?), “I would have written a shorter letter, but I did not have the time.” To put it another way, write your first draft, and then delete, delete, delete. (If you need help with brevity, check out https://www.axioshq.com/smart-brevity-book.)
• Have some AI awareness: Engagement with AI platforms is not fully private, nor is it copyrighted (and attorneys will tell you it is discoverable). Uploading confidential information to an LLM and asking it to draft a press release potentially makes that information public. It should also be common knowledge now that AI makes mistakes. It’s better to start with your own draft, and carefully review any final AI output.
• Consider two versions: There’s a school of thought that now one should write a press release for humans (i.e., direct distribution to journalists) and another for AI bots (i.e., wire services with AI partnerships). Tyler developed our SPEC Press Release Optimization Guidelines for AI Visibility with the Core Insight: “Press releases are no longer temporary news hits—they are long-term AI signals. Wire services directly train LLMs, making each release a permanent data point in how AI answers questions about your brand, competitors, and industry.” We have several steps to optimize for AI. Sometimes it makes sense to optimize a single release. Sometimes it makes sense to have two versions.

Bottom line: Press releases remain a fundamental communication tool that speaks directly to journalists, consumers, search engines, and LLMs. They should be utilized strategically, practically, and with gusto!

Van
Founding Partner, SPEC PR
Strategic, Pragmatic, Effective Communications

 

Something to Think About

Fringe v. Facts: Understanding how platforms index information

In today’s information landscape, social media algorithms are engineered to amplify extreme views and outrage to generate engagement, which means the loudest, most polarizing voices about topics like public lands access, trail safety, and outdoor recreation policy routinely drown out expert perspectives. Research highlighted by digital thought leader Brian Solis, citing a Financial Times analysis, offers a counterintuitive reassurance: while social platforms systematically over-represent fringe content, AI tools actually nudge conversations back toward the center, surfacing balanced, expertise-driven information rather than sensationalized takes. For outdoor enthusiasts navigating land-use and policy debates, that distinction matters. It’s a timely reminder to rely on sources that inform rather than inflame.

Lisa
Founding Partner, SPEC PR
Strategic, Pragmatic, Effective Communications

 

Something to Read

I can’t write about Biju without recommending one of his books. There are variations of the original, but this is the go-to if you’re just getting acquainted. Great, simple recipes and information to help fuel your outdoor adventures:

The Feed Zone Cookbook: Fast and Flavorful Food for Athletes

Van
Founding Partner, SPEC PR
Strategic, Pragmatic, Effective Communications

 

Client Spotlight

Cause marketing has never been more relevant — or more scrutinized. Consumers, journalists, and brand partners alike can spot the difference between a brand that slaps a ribbon on a product and one that genuinely stands for something. The outdoor recreation industry offers multiple pathways that intersect with philanthropic entities. Giving voice and volume to those organizations we come into contact with and resonate with is what drove SPEC PR to build its beCAUSE Marketing initiative.

At its core, SPEC’s beCAUSE Marketing Initiative serves two primary purposes:

• Guide for-profit clients to identify and authentically engage in causes that align with their mission and values, and activate on those causes in a meaningful and impactful way.
• Identify and support nonprofit causes close to our own hearts, and allocate a portion of agency time to pro bono efforts while also allowing employees to dedicate PTO to volunteer projects on their own terms.

Whatever the inspiration, the outcome brings strategic communications expertise to underserved aspects of the industry to which we have dedicated our careers. Supporting client efforts, like Yamaha’s award-winning and internationally recognized Outdoor Access Initiative, is a keystone to the beCause effort. Donating time to nonprofit clients like All Kids Bike and Arthritis Foundation Cycling Experience has allowed us to maximize the results and elevate their impacts.

Applying our SPEC framework and hands-on support, our beCause Initiative puts a strategic focus on these efforts, such as identifying the right partnerships, crafting the right messages, and activating through the right channels.

What does the Arthritis Foundation have to do with outdoor recreation? For one, it’s the leading cause of disability in the United States, affecting nearly 60 million American adults — limiting the mobility that hiking, riding, climbing, and every outdoor pursuit demands. And second, the Arthritis Foundation’s cycling events, known as “The Ride of a Lifetime,” are epic bike tours and the organization’s largest annual fundraisers.

These aren’t casual charity rides. The California Coast Classic, the Arthritis Foundation’s flagship event and Gran Fondo Guide’s Best Charity Bike Tour Award winner, is an 8-day, 525-mile fully supported journey from San Francisco to Los Angeles along the legendary Highway 1, which raised over $1.5 million in 2025. The Carolina Hills Classic brings that same world-class format to the Southeast: a 4-day, 250-mile fully-appointed adventure through the Blue Ridge Mountain foothills connecting Asheville, N.C., and Greenville, S.C., both named among the “Best Road Cycling Weekend Getaways in North America” by Velo Powered by Outside.

Our work with the AFCE is a multifaceted communications effort to encourage those who can to ride for everyone who can’t — yet. These rides work toward the goal of creating a world where people with arthritis get to live a life without limits. That’s beCause Marketing in action, and we at SPEC are proud to partner with the Arthritis Foundation Cycling Experience.

Ready to ride?

Register for the Carolina Hills Classic (May 14–17) or the California Coast Classic (September 26–October 3), or Ride Your Way, and join us for The Ride of a Lifetime!

Lisa
Founding Partner, SPEC PR
Strategic, Pragmatic, Effective Communications

 

SPEC Spotlight

The Fine Art of Balance – A Reflection on Nonprofit Volunteering

Back in 2018, life looked much different. No kids, no owned properties, a different career, and fewer “projects” in the works. I was in a steadfast pursuit of my journalism profession and spent all my extra time with my then-girlfriend, adventure-ready dog, and family. I turned my passion for motorcycles and off-road vehicles into a career and traveled all over the country several times a month to put together stories for the people who cared about them as much — or more — than me.

Not surprisingly, the motorsports life brought me into contact with the American Sand Association (ASA). The organization has had some massive “wins” for sand dune enthusiasts: Restoring 40,000 acres of the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area (ISDRA), better known as Glamis, to riders thanks to an incredible team of pro-access lawyers who spent years convincing judges that OHV recreation was viable on this 5-mile wide plot of sand and a major economy boost for the local community. However, Glamis fans don’t realize that there are constant threats to access. I, too, was naive to these threats until I was convinced my specific background would benefit the ASA when they recruited me for a spot on the Board of Directors. I joined in 2018 and never looked back.

In my early years with the ASA, I focused on marketing and PR, coming up with ways to expand the reach of the organization given the change in duner demographics and the challenge of reaching people via social platforms. The ASA’s initial awareness strategy was limited to handing out flyers that warned people of impending lawsuits and dune closures. It was clear things needed to evolve, so I wrote up proposals, brought in a couple of industry-leading business sponsors, and offered my expertise to each monthly Board meeting. It was a great learning experience and growth opportunity, and it was an honor to work alongside board members with so much land advocacy history and brain power. At least three Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame inductees were on the ASA Board at any given time, a singularity in powersports.

2020 was one of the most pivotal years in my life for many reasons (not only because of the global happenings that year), but also because I started my career at SPEC PR. My wife and I got married and in 2022 we reveled in the birth of our first child. Not being busy enough, we bought our very own “fixer-upper” house in 2023 with the intent of tackling the renovations ourselves. How hard could it be? At the same time, I inherited the title President of the Board at the ASA. I didn’t take this honor lightly, as there is some serious history to uphold for the ASA. Surrounded by some A+ board members, I worked to keep the organization moving forward in a positive direction, despite making my home and family my top priority.

I fully admit that I’m the one who sticks with things for too long and spreads myself thin. Now, with two kiddos in the house and growing careers, I needed a change. In February, I officially resigned from my position on the Board. I know I could have kept doing more and gaining knowledge, but there is something magical about passing on the knowledge that you have gained.

If you’ve gotten this far, I really do hope you take the time to volunteer your precious hours in the day at some point in your life. It’s fulfilling, and the opportunity to work with additional people, some you may not see eye-to-eye with, is special, especially on a nonprofit Board of Directors. You’re all on a level playing field because you are volunteering your time; you’re not getting paid to be there. That’s where the passion comes in. You’ll learn a lot. I sure did, and I look forward to applying all of this knowledge in the future.

Keep applying yourself, spend your time wisely, and keep rockin’!

Casey
Marketing Communications and Experiential Manager, SPEC PR
Strategic, Pragmatic, Effective Communications