Op-Ed Examples: 6 Published Pieces and Why They Ran

Op-ed examples teach one lesson better than any guide: editors run pieces that make a clear argument, with a specific ask and a reason to publish now. Six executive op-eds from Buffett, Dimon, Zuckerberg, Pichai, Cook and Benioff show the pattern. This article summarizes what each piece argued, the hook it used and how to pitch an op-ed of your own.

Updated November 6, 2026. Editors rarely explain their choices in public, so the "why it ran" analysis is Virgo PR's reading of each piece's hook, not a statement from the publications.

What is in this guide?

• What is an op-ed and who runs them?

• How do the six op-eds compare?

• What did each piece do?

• What patterns repeat across the six?

• What should the draft look like?

• How do you pitch an op-ed?

• What mistakes get an op-ed rejected?

• Frequently asked questions

What is an op-ed and who runs them?

An op-ed is a signed opinion article placed on the opinion pages of a news outlet, written by someone who is not on the outlet's staff. Major outlets such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post run them, along with trade publications and regional papers. The author puts their name to an argument, and the outlet decides whether the argument and the author merit space.

For executives, an op-ed is one of the few ways to speak in full paragraphs to a national audience without a reporter shaping the quote. For a communications team, it is also a test of whether the company has something specific to say. Virgo PR's guide to getting an op-ed published covers the pitching process step by step. This article shows real examples.

How do the six op-eds compare?

AuthorOutlet and dateTitleCore argumentHook

Warren BuffettThe New York Times, Aug 14, 2011Stop Coddling the Super-RichThe very wealthy should pay more in taxesA billionaire arguing against his own interest, with a personal tax example Warren Buffett and Jamie DimonThe Wall Street Journal, June 6, 2018Short-Termism Is Harming the EconomyPublic companies should move away from quarterly earnings guidanceTwo respected CEOs signing together with one specific ask Mark ZuckerbergThe Washington Post, Mar 30, 2019The Internet needs new rulesGovernments should regulate in four areas, including harmful content and privacyA tech CEO inviting regulation during intense scrutiny Sundar PichaiThe New York Times, May 7, 2019Privacy Should Not Be a Luxury GoodPrivacy should be available to everyone, not only premium buyersPublished the day Google laid out privacy changes at its developer conference Tim CookTIME, Jan 2019You Deserve Privacy OnlineCongress should pass federal privacy legislationA direct call to lawmakers from a CEO who had made privacy a brand pillar Marc BenioffThe New York Times, Oct 14, 2019We Need a New CapitalismBusiness should serve stakeholders, with higher taxes on the richA billionaire founder criticizing the system that enriched him

What did each piece do?

Buffett, 2011: the messenger is the news

Buffett's New York Times piece argued that the super-rich should bear more responsibility and pay more tax. It gave a personal data point: he was taxed at a lower rate than anyone in his own office. The hook was the contradiction of a billionaire asking to pay more. Takeaway: if the author's position surprises readers, lead with the surprise and back it with one concrete number.

Buffett and Dimon, 2018: one clear ask

Two chief executives co-signed a Wall Street Journal piece urging public companies to reduce or end quarterly earnings guidance. Trade groups responded, including a statement from the National Association of Corporate Directors. The piece worked because the ask was specific and the signers had authority to make it. Takeaway: name the exact behavior you want changed.

Zuckerberg, 2019: asking for rules

Mark Zuckerberg's Washington Post article called for new regulation in four areas, including harmful content, election integrity, privacy and data portability. Publishing it while the company faced heavy scrutiny gave it a news hook. Takeaway: when your industry is under pressure, offering a policy position gives editors something to publish beyond a defense.

Pichai, 2019: tie it to a product moment

Sundar Pichai's New York Times piece argued that privacy cannot be a luxury good reserved for people who can buy premium products. It appeared as Google presented privacy changes at its developer conference, and commentators read it as a response to rivals. Takeaway: a product announcement can anchor an argument and make the timing obvious to an editor.

Cook, 2019: speak to lawmakers

Tim Cook's TIME article called on Congress to pass federal privacy legislation. It addressed a specific audience, lawmakers, with a specific request. Takeaway: if your goal is policy, write to the people who can act and ask for something they can do.

Benioff, 2019: criticize the system you benefit from

Marc Benioff wrote that capitalism had been good to him but that its focus on shareholder profit had produced severe inequality. He called for a new approach and higher taxes on the wealthy, including himself. The piece drew wide coverage. Takeaway: candor about your own position adds credibility to an argument.

What patterns repeat across the six?

• A clear position. Each title states the argument.

• A specific ask. Pay more tax, stop quarterly guidance, pass a privacy law, regulate four areas.

• A reason now. A policy debate, a product moment or a wave of scrutiny.

• A credible or surprising messenger. Authority, or a stance that runs against the author's interest.

• A concrete example. A tax rate, a named practice, a product change.

Notice what is missing. None of the six is a product pitch, and none is a summary of a topic. Each takes a side. A piece that could appear on a corporate blog without change is rarely an op-ed.

What should the draft look like?

These drafting points are Virgo PR's working checklist, based on the pieces above.

• Open with the argument. The first paragraph should state the position and why it matters now.

• Use one personal or concrete detail. Buffett's tax example and Benioff's admission of benefit made abstract arguments specific.

• Name the counterargument. Address the best objection in a sentence or two so the piece reads as fair.

• End with the ask. Tell readers, lawmakers or peers what should happen next.

• Keep it short. Stay within the outlet's length guidelines and cut anything that does not serve the argument.

• Source every figure. Editors will check, and so will critics.

How do you pitch an op-ed?

• Choose one argument. Write the thesis in one sentence. If you cannot, the piece will not work.

• Find the hook. Link it to a debate, a report, a product, a filing or a date that makes it timely.

• Pick the outlet. Read recent op-eds in that section and check the length and voice they run.

• Write the pitch. Send a short note with the thesis, the hook, why the author is credible and a draft or outline, following the outlet's submission rules.

• Offer exclusivity. Most outlets want first publication rights. Say whether the piece is exclusive.

• Be ready to edit. Editors may cut, restructure and ask for support for claims.

• Plan the afterlife. Prepare social posts, an internal note and responses to likely criticism before publication.

Executives who write op-eds also need preparation for the interviews that follow. See Virgo PR's guide to preparing an executive for a media interview and its public relations services page.

What mistakes get an op-ed rejected?

• A promotional piece that mentions the company more than the issue.

• No argument, only a summary of the topic.

• No news hook or reason for the timing.

• An author with no standing to speak on the issue.

• Unsourced claims or numbers.

• Pitching several outlets at once without saying so.

Frequently asked questions

Op-ed versus bylined article: what is the difference?

An op-ed argues a position on an issue and runs on an opinion page. A bylined article is usually informational or advisory and runs in a trade or business section. Both carry the author's name.

How long is a typical op-ed?

Outlets set their own limits, often several hundred to about a thousand words. Check the submission guidelines of the publication you are targeting.

Do executives write their own op-eds?

Often they work with communications staff or speechwriters, but the argument and the voice must be the executive's. Editors can tell when a piece lacks a real point of view.

Can a company place an op-ed about its own product?

Rarely. Editors want an argument about an issue, not an advertisement. Use the product as an example, not the subject.

How long does it take to get a response?

It varies widely. Many outlets respond within days or not at all. If the piece is time-sensitive, say so in the pitch and be ready to place it elsewhere if you hear nothing.