Build demand and credibility around a public sale without the hype-cycle damage that kills long-term trust. The founders who run clean ICO and IDO campaigns are the ones who pair token sale mechanics with a verifiable story, placed in the outlets investors actually read before they wire capital.
Effective ICO and IDO marketing in 2026 is not about blast distribution or paid wire services. It is about a credible narrative placed in tier-1 outlets before your sale window opens, built by a senior operator who pitches editors directly. Shilika Jain has run token launch comms for 50+ protocols, including RARI Chain (11 tier-1 placements in 24 hours) and MANTRA ($11M raise, CoinDesk exclusive), for $5K–$12K/month versus a $15K–$45K agency retainer.
As featured in
"I don't pitch products. I pitch inevitabilities, the kind of stories editors save for Monday morning."
Why this page exists
When a fund analyst or retail allocator researches your ICO or IDO in 2026, their first stop is often ChatGPT, Perplexity or Google AI Mode, not your website or a Telegram community. The engine surfaces whichever project has been cited by name in credible editorial outlets. A tokenomics PDF and a Discord announcement do not get cited. A CoinDesk feature or a Forbes mention does. This page is built to show you how that coverage gets built, and how to start before your sale window opens.
The advantages
Tier-1 features in CoinDesk, Cointelegraph, Decrypt and The Block placed during the embargo window, so investors arrive already informed, not cold.
A three-sentence category thesis that holds up when a fund analyst googles your name. Positioning built to be cited, not just searched.
The operator who built the narrative is the one calling the editor. No junior account exec translating your deck into a pitch they do not understand.
Nano ($200–$1.5K), micro ($500–$5K) and mid-tier ($10K–$30K) KOL placements sequenced to your presale, public sale and TGE milestones.
Korea, Japan, Vietnam, India and MENA localisation built in. Half of ICO participation volume comes from markets that read in their own language.
Every placement is earned editorial, not paid promotion dressed as news. Your token avoids the post-launch credibility hangover that follows manufactured hype.
How it runs
A read of your current press footprint, tokenomics story and the one angle that earns a tier-1 editor's attention.
The category word, the embargo plan, the journalist map, the KOL tier and the APAC localisation brief, all locked before outreach starts.
Embargo outreach to tier-1 desks, coordinated KOL waves and regional translations timed to your presale and public sale windows.
Coverage and AI-citation tracking so the credibility built for the sale compounds into long-term brand equity on-chain and in search.
The proof
Worked examples from recent token launches: RARI Chain ran a 9-day CoinDesk embargo into 11 simultaneous tier-1 placements on launch day. MANTRA Chain turned an $11M raise into a CoinDesk exclusive by leading with the Middle East RWA angle, not the dollar figure. Gaia AI was positioned as "the Stripe for AI agents" and placed in Forbes, Decrypt and Benzinga. Fluence made DePIN a tier-1 beat before the category had a name. None of it came from a wire service.
Keep reading
A field guide to the presale marketing stack, from narrative to KOL sequencing to launchpad positioning.
Read →The full scope: embargo strategy, tier-1 outreach, KOL waves, APAC localisation and post-TGE sustain.
See the service →How presale-specific comms differ from a standard token launch campaign, and when to start.
Read →The exact TGE PR motion: embargo timing, exchange-desk relationships and the 48-hour launch window.
Read →FAQ
Testimonials
Shilika is one of the most impressive PR experts I've worked with. She deeply understands her clients, knows how to craft narratives that genuinely land, and brings a rare mix of strategic thinking and relentless execution. She's built strong relationships with top journalists and publications around the world, which gives her a real edge when it comes to getting stories placed.
I highly recommend Shilika for anyone needing PR support in Web3. What sets her apart is a deep, genuine understanding of blockchain, not just the buzzwords. Her network is outstanding: outlets that once felt out of reach became regular coverage, both in crypto and mainstream tech media. If you're in Web3 and want PR that actually delivers, Shilika is the one to call.
Work with Shilika
Two ways in. Send the intent form and I reply within 24 hours with a quick read on your press footprint, or book a 30-minute call and we plot the campaign live.