Christmas in July: Why should the gift guides be part of your PR strategy?
With summer in full swing, we know Christmas seems like a long way off, however, the biggest time of the year for product-based brands is just around the corner. The Christmas gift guides are compiled well in advance and some start working on theirs from July already.
A lot of brands have had a hard time this year due to the pandemic but we have seen first hand what great press and especially great Christmas press can do to help a brand thrive. If you’ve got a product-based brand, Christmas is a key time of the year not to be missed.
WHY SHOULD I BE THINKING OF CHRISTMAS NOW?
Long-lead publications work 3-4 months in advance and start compiling their Christmas gift guides in July (and some close as early as August already), hence why it's crucial to start preparing and pitching now.
Deadlines will vary from publication to publication, but generally speaking, long-lead publications start compiling from July, short-lead publications from late September onwards, while online magazines work on theirs from October right up until Christmas. Timing and persistence are key, and missing a deadline means missing a great opportunity for your brand.
WHY CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDES?
The UK press produces some of the most comprehensive and exciting Christmas gift guides in the world, and they are the go-to place for people to look for gift ideas.
With publications running gift guides across different themes (i.e kids’ products in Red and women’s products in GQ) means that you’ll have the opportunity to be featured in publications that wouldn’t normally include your product category.
And with over 40,000 products featured across printed and online publications in the lead up to Christmas, the gift guides give small and independent brands significantly more opportunities for coverage.
Want to get your product brand featured in the Christmas gift guides?
Our Pro plan gives you everything you need to pitch your product to the Christmas gift guides. You'll have access to 150+ UK Christmas press contacts between July and December. Covering long-lead, short-lead and online magazines and newspapers.
And while Christmas is a big focus for eCommerce brands, Pro is about way more than Q4. Because building brand visibility year-round is what really moves the needle. You can see how it works and what's included here.
Our members have been featured in The Guardian, Vogue, Good Food, Stylist, The Financial Times, and many, many more Christmas gift guides.