Stop Assuming I’ll Honour Your Embargo

Yesterday morning, I received an email news release, complete with a bold red embargo notice: "Under embargo until 00:01 on Tuesday 8th July 2025."

But here’s the thing: I don’t know the sender. I’ve never interacted with them. I didn’t ask to be on their list. And yet they’ve assumed that I’ll not only open their unsolicited press release but also respect their embargo as if we have a pre-existing relationship based on trust or mutual interest.

There's a worse scenario here, though. For all I know, they just blitzed out the embargo email to a list they acquired from Cision or another source. No thought, no intent to engage with a pre-qualified target, just get the message out there. Spray and pray in action.

I will respect the embargo. I always do. But that’s down to my own professional standards, not because of anything they’ve done. And I won't do anything else, certainly not amplify their story in any way, even though the topic falls within my areas of interest.

And therein lies the problem.

What’s Wrong with This?

Embargoes, when used appropriately, are based on trust. They exist to give journalists, bloggers, and commentators time to review material, ask questions, and prepare thoughtful coverage.

But when a press office or PR team sends embargoed material cold – without permission or any kind of established connection – it breaks that unspoken contract. It’s presumptuous and, frankly, unprofessional.

It puts the recipient in a difficult position: legally, there’s no agreement to honour. Morally or ethically, it's fuzzy unless there’s mutual understanding or benefit. Worse still, it sends a message that the sender either doesn’t understand the nature of relationship-driven communication or doesn’t care.

How to Do It Better

If you’re in comms or PR, and you want people to take your messages seriously – especially those under embargo – here’s how to do it right:

1. Build relationships before the pitch: Don’t start the conversation with “Here’s our embargoed release.” Start by identifying the right people to engage and make the effort to understand their work. Follow them. Read their posts. If appropriate, introduce yourself with a short, relevant note before you start sending material.
2. Ask before assuming: If you’re planning to send something under embargo, ask if the recipient is happy to receive it under those terms. A simple “Would you be willing to honour this embargo?” goes a long way. It creates a mutual understanding, even if informal.
3. Personalise your outreach: Avoid generic blasts. A well-targeted email that shows you know who you’re talking to is more likely to get a thoughtful response – and build goodwill for the next time you want to share something important.
4. Provide value, not just volume: Too many embargoed releases are issued with little actual substance. If you’re going to ask someone to hold off publishing, make sure what you’re sharing is worth the wait. Exclusive data, expert access, visual assets – these can all make your release more relevant and timely.
5. Respect goes both ways: If you're asking for professional courtesy, offer it in return. If someone declines to honour an embargo, don’t blacklist them. Use it as a signal to rethink your approach.

Finally...

Embargoes should never be used as a default setting - they’re a tool for building trust-based communication, not a blunt instrument to control timing. If you're not investing in relationships, then don’t be surprised when recipients don’t invest in you.

For a trip down memory lane, the "An Inconvenient PR Truth" video is worth watching. Published in 2010, it could have been made this year.

Related Reading:

• How serious are PRs about being genuinely professional? (26 February 2014)