If your aim is to see your product featured in gift guides, round-ups or seasonal recommendations, timing is everything. Major retail moments, from Christmas and Black Friday to Valentine’s Day and Easter, all come with long editorial lead times. While consumers might only start thinking about these events a few weeks before, journalists are finalising their pages months in advance.
This means brands need to be working with PR teams early. Leaving it too late can mean missing out entirely, because long-lead opportunities are often gone before the season has even begun.
Landing a spot in a coveted gift guide doesn’t happen by chance, and it’s no last-minute task. PRs have established relationships with editors and understand exactly when and how to pitch for the best chance of success. But to use those relationships effectively, timing matters.
When brands start early, PRs have space to:
- Pitch products before deadlines close
- Secure samples and assets in line with journalists’ requirements
- Craft angles that make the product relevant and timely
- Prepare messaging and story points that strengthen credibility
This means when editors are curating their lists, your product has already been put forward at the right moment and in the right way.
Brands that plan ahead consistently see stronger outcomes. Early involvement allows PRs to work in sync with the editorial calendar, increasing the chance of placements in high-profile titles and boosting your brand’s visibility at moments when buying intent is highest.
For Drinks By Post, we launched a Christmas campaign four months ahead of the big day to ensure the products were front of mind for long-lead titles, while also capturing short-lead online opportunities. This wide-reaching approach secured seasonal coverage in Enki, Livingetc and Woman&Home, resulting in more than 40 product placements across key titles.
If you’re looking to get ahead for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day or any other key moment in the retail calendar, now is the time to start.