Hello there
38 Christmas gift guides are open right now, with 12 due to close over the next two weeks.
And with around 60+ short-lead and online opportunities still to come before December, there’s plenty of PR ground to cover. Upgrade to Pro to access Christmas requests.
Looking ahead
Long-lead press are already deep into 2026 planning, but short-lead editors are turning their attention to stories that bridge into the new year, too. Think: festive fatigue, post-party pick-me-ups, new-year refreshes, wellness resets and end-of-year business reflections/wins.
Now’s the time to tie your products to these seasonal narratives and stay visible before editors shift fully into 2026 planning.
This week’s live call
6 marketing must-knows to sell through social this Christmas
with Char Dixon (ex-Dune Head of Marketing)
📅 Thursday 16 Oct | 1:00–1:30PM
👉 Join live here
Rosie & team PR Dispatch
In an Hour This Week
Give your subject lines a seasonal tune-up
Check that they sound current, relevant and reader-first. One festive, one fresh-for-January – cover both bases.
Christmas Gift Guide Checklist & Hooks
Christmas is in full swing. This checklist has you covered, from timelines and must-have assets to punchy hook prompts and ready-to-use templates to help your pitches stand out.
What To Do This Week
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90% of your PR efforts should be proactive.
WHAT:
Pitch to 5+ ‘Proactive Opportunities.’ Across product placement or profile press.
Follow up on last week’s pitches.
Why? Journalists often check their inboxes first when looking for products or businesses to feature.
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Core requests
Press requests offer great opportunities, though journalists often check their inboxes first, so proactive outreach is key. Around 10% of PR involves responding to these fast-turnaround requests.
Gift guide requests
Christmas gift guides ramp up from July to December. Dedicate extra time to these during the festive season. Upgrade to Pro here for Gift guide database access.WHAT:
Check ‘Request’ page.
Only respond to relevant requests to ensure you are building positive press relationships.
Why? You’ll instantly increase chances of being featured because the press are actively looking for that certain product, comment, experience or opinion.
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The press often features brands without replying, so track potential coverage and quickly share mentions across your channels to maximize impact.
What the Press Are Working on in October
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Recently Updated
Current Request Opportunities
Current Gift Guide
Requests
Academy+ October Highlights
New season, new angles
Our pitch angle framework shows you the types of hooks that work for different press, so you can quickly and easily map out yours. Use password ‘stratchat’.
Make the most of coverage
Got press? Don’t keep it to yourself; share it. Press validation is powerful, so let your audience and customers see it.
Send that follow-up
Editors’ inboxes are busy, so a friendly nudge on your pitch can make all the difference. A small move that packs a big punch.
Scroll. Read. Stay ahead.
From likes to impact: social’s next step
Sprout Social
Posting more doesn’t mean better results. Marketing leaders want social teams to turn data into insights on audiences, competitors and trends to make posts more meaningful.
The shift that could change how people find your brand
Marketing Week
Search isn’t just happening on Google anymore. AI is summarising, recommending, and curating answers – and that could put your brand front and centre… or nowhere at all.
The trends shaping tomorrow’s shoppers
WGSN
WGSN’s Future Consumer 2026 report shows how shifting behaviours, moods and expectations are shaping what people buy and how they engage.
Newsjacking
Newsjacking puts your brand in the spotlight, turning trending topics into your chance to stand out and keeping your brand part of the real-time dialogue. It boosts your chances of press coverage and shows you're a leader in your industry.
Find out more about aligning your brand with trending conversations here.
Upgrade to Pro for access to our weekly newsjacking topics and be ready to jump on the next relevant trend.
Personal Brand Framework
What do Grace Beverley, Richard Branson, and Jo Malone have in common? They’ve each built a standout personal brand—and with our new Personal Brand Framework, you can too.
Today, the press and audiences want more than a business; they want the story behind it. Your perspectives and opinions.
The framework is now live on Academy+ available to Pro and Enterprise members - upgrade to access.
