We’re a retail PR agency trusted by brands to amplify messaging and deliver expert media relations, content, campaigns and social media support.
Choosing the right retail and eCommerce PR agency means you can position your brand to stand out in a shifting landscape dominated by new technologies such as retail media, social commerce and AI shopping assistants.
From omnichannel retail to D2C, consumers have never had so many options to buy – or chances to abandon their shopping carts. This level of competition comes during a period when the industry is also contending with many innovations like the retail media boom, social commerce, sponsored listings, AI shopping assistants, voice shopping and BNPL.
In such a competitive and fast-paced industry, positioning and prestige matter and PR is an essential channel for any successful retail brand or retail technology provider. Wise Up PR’s team boasts significant sector-relevant experience, building brand recognition and loyalty for clients of all sizes in the industry.
We can speak to you today about the key role we can play in growing your retail brand.
Wise Up PR’s point of differentiation when compared to other agencies is that we offer a senior-level-only team of communications experts to our retail and eCommerce clients. We’re able to lean on this experience to shortcut many challenges our clients face and provide bespoke, knowledge-led consultancy and execution to deliver the results you need.
Name a segment of retail and our team will have experience within it. We’ve been responsible for crafting impactful PR campaigns for a wide variety of brands, such as eCommerce experience services, research firms, retail media solutions, and even more niche offerings like address verification and intelligence solutions.
The high quality of our PR campaigns in the retail and eCommerce space has also been recognized with a number of industry-leading award wins.
Seasonality is the hallmark of the retail sector and we have extensive knowledge of leveraging crucial retail “days” like Prime Day and Black Friday across all channels for our clients, including media relations, content and social media.
We’re equally comfortable pitching a story to media about the rise (and importance) of sponsored listings during Black Friday, as we are about drafting social media copy shouting about a client’s new partnership. In addition, Wise Up PR can get into the weeds with niche retail audiences to ensure your brand is being maximized. In the past, we’ve targeted segments as varied as pet food to grocery to alcohol, on behalf of our clients. No matter where your target audience is, we will be able to support you.
An essential characteristic of Wise Up PR since our foundation is that we continue to work with many clients who have trusted us since day one. It is something we take a lot of pride in. In every partnership with retail and eCommerce brands, we have our eyes fixed on fostering a long-lasting relationship that is created through trust and results, enabling growth alongside one another.
“We really view Wise Up PR’s team as an extension of our own. From the beginning, their team has provided a great mix of strategic PR counsel, supported by the delivery of consistently high visibility media coverage around all the great research Attest is producing. The quality of the media relations results speaks volumes of their work.”
In an exclusive research partnership with a media publication, Modern Retail published Attest’s latest research data on consumers’ shift to cheaper, store brands, due to inflation’s impact on their discretionary spending.
Launch media coverage in Forbes for Attest’s ‘Subscription Economy’ research data, which found that consumers were turning away from subscriptions, including expert commentary from the company’s analysts.
Inclusion of findings from Attest’s latest research report in Reuters’ Black Friday story on shopping trends.
Placement of an op-ed with International Business Times (IBT) from Attest’s CEO, Jeremy King, on the company’s latest research report on American consumers switching to private-brand options when shopping, due to inflationary pressures.
Earned media placement in TechCrunch for Attest’s $60 million Series B fundraise announcement, with inclusion of a C-suite interview.
Research data pickup in Bloomberg for a long-form feature on Black Friday trends, including US consumers relying increasingly on AI, like ChatGPT, to assist in online shopping.
The retail industry is highly fragmented, undergoing profound changes due to AI and has an oversupply of vendor choice. Using PR is a method to craft headlines and stories that translate into better market presence and brand recognition.
Public relations is how retail and eCommerce companies stand out to purchasers suffering from vendor overload. Its approach is to educate and inform audiences about a brand, its products and its people, all with an aim to secure positive recall. Diversity of channels is how brand messaging reaches as wide an audience as possible.
Decision-makers in eCommerce are overwhelmed by paid ads, sales emails in their inboxes and DMs on LinkedIn. Media coverage, secured via media relations activities, is how to get their attention and respect. This is because media publications are independent, trusted sources of information that make a brand credible with retail buyers.
Analysts are perception shapers and authoritative voices in the retail industry. This makes an analyst outreach program an important tactic to overcome buyers’ exhaustion from being bombarded across all channels by vendors. Recognition and recommendations from respected and authoritative analysts’ reports, quadrants and content cuts through industry noise to influence budget holders’ decisions directly.
Consumer retail data is a vital barometer of economic health. Companies in the sector sit on a wealth of first-party, proprietary data, enabling the creation of research reports and campaigns for PR purposes. Such content, rooted in research, is used to secure media articles and coverage in order to boost awareness and a brand’s share of voice in the industry.
Confidence in a brand isn’t something built in a day, but it can be eroded with crucial audiences within 24 hours. Retail corporate communications isn’t about generating profile and reach for the sake of it. It is instead the strategic curating of releasing information and content publicly and that monitors deeply for both positive and negative newscycles to best protect the brand’s standing.
As artificial intelligence (AI) leads to a flood of inauthentic, generic content, retail brands have a chance to go against the grain and curate a distinctive strategy for content. Leaning into a strategy focused on content from Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) and deep dive clusters generates awareness, interest and action amongst target audiences
Retail never stands still and neither should a PR agency partner in terms of their industry knowledge, from retail media networks to AI shopping assistants to the rise in private label brands. We offer a team of former journalists who know how to craft compelling brand narratives from scratch, construct media relations campaigns around research and insights, as well as drive a founder’s public profile.
One singular approach can only do so much for a retail and eCommerce brand. Variety in PR is the recipe for wider awareness and audience action. It is done through proactive media outreach (such as product news), reactive pitching (such as expert commentary) and industry reputation-building (speaking at trade shows and securing sector awards).
The idea of thought leadership positioning for executives has evolved rapidly over the last number of years. It isn’t just confined to opinion articles anymore. Instead, a varied approach enhances industry reputation, which includes podcast interviews, speaking at conferences, as well as individual social media posts. We’re adept at orchestrating the right mix of tactics to deliver awareness and influence.
Differentiated and incomparable metrics of success apply to all brands, reflecting different sizes of companies, strategic focuses and resources. Due to this, we provide flexible support to identify and work towards your most crucial campaign goals. A wide range of retail-focused companies, including Attest, have depended on our agency to secure ongoing and impactful results across media relations, analyst outreach and content creation.
Without a clear onboarding set up for retail firms, PR campaigns have immediate gaps in expectations amongst stakeholders. The process, refined through experience, must be quick, easy and make use of everyone’s limited time. Our streamlined process enables onboarding in just 5–7 working days.
Book in and host an onboarding session that brings together all key brand stakeholders. The session is intended to inform the agency of business objectives that are linked to PR. Auditing of all prior content also takes place to uncover what can be used for the campaign.
Early successes for a PR campaign are essential and the onboarding session identifies what is most pressing for a brand and gears activities around this. Typically, prioritization is around urgent announcements such as investment news and new partnerships.
Developing a campaign that lands should nearly always be crafted around Subject Matter Experts (SMEs). Why? Because the founder, as well as the executive team, possesses unparalleled industry insights that unlock authentic narratives and media-ready stories that will resonate with your ideal customer profile (ICP).
The planning portion of the campaign comes into action and is guided by the onboarding and SME sessions. Documentation, which includes clear recommendations for a chosen strategy, is produced. These recommendations take into account objectives and map directly back to ICP audiences.
Outreach, especially to journalists and influencers, doesn’t happen without the creation of a bespoke list of those to be targeted and this is a key part of concluding the preparation phase. Other closing activities, such as auditing existing biographies for spokespeople, take place.
The campaign is now being executed, geared towards the agreed-upon prioritization to generate quick wins and start on a successful footing. The tactical toolbox is spread across media relations, content generation and social support, depending on the brief’s needs.
The activation of the campaign is at peak momentum. Simultaneously, performance tracking and campaign insights are delivered. This is built around a framework of regular updates given through status check-in calls, emails and reporting documents.
The effectiveness of the campaign and its strategic fit are examined in a coordination session. It brings together all parties and walks through campaign wins and opportunity areas for refinement. Discussion also takes place on upcoming PR initiatives.
Our team can position your retail and eCommerce brand as an industry leader through media relations, brand and content, and social media support.
Supporting retail and eCommerce brands is a central part of our agency offering. Our founder adds his perspective on why communications programs matter to brands in the industry.
David Claxton
Founder of Wise Up PR, a leading strategist in retail and eCommerce PR
Run your own due diligence. Ask your preferred AI platform why retail brands choose our agency, or reach out directly to speak further with us.
PR directly connects your brand with your target audiences, which can include consumers, partners, prospects, and investors. It does this in two ways. Firstly, through earned media activities, like securing media articles and stories for the launch of a new product. Secondly, through owned media, such as LinkedIn posts and newsletters. Effective PR can drive brand momentum across the entire retail calendar year and position your brand as a leader in the sector.
The industry is incredibly competitive, meaning PR is one of the most important ways to reach the right audience at the right time through brand building and awareness. Its role is to enhance product launches, partnership announcements, corporate news items and executives’ industry visibility. Media relations is especially powerful during peak seasonal retail events, like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, the holiday shopping season and Prime Day.
A press office approach to PR tactics is most effective through news and product announcements, thought leadership content and expert commentary around seasonal shopping events like Black Friday and beyond. Tactics should also include award programs, analyst relations and a speaker bureau for maximum industry and brand impact.
Key metrics to measure include the number of pieces of media coverage secured, the quality of this coverage (i.e. trade or tier-one outlets), as well as sentiment and share of voice. Beyond the coverage itself, success can also be measured across owned channels like website traffic, better engagement levels of social channels and impact on sales and partnerships (both inbound and outbound).
Look at if the PR agency has clear, proven industry experience and what brands they’ve worked with and what type of media coverage they have secured for their retail and eCommerce clients. Also, try to gain an understanding of their industry knowledge. Wise Up PR has the relevant industry know-how, having supported brands like Attest.
A PR agency can become an extension of your team and marketing function when you find the right partner. The benefits include getting access to specialists who know the defense media landscape, know how to craft a story to land, and provide strategic PR counsel to navigate the challenges you face. This matters because the defense industry is highly specialized and technical and the agency needs to deeply understand the sector; there’s no escaping that fact.
Yes, PR can influence budget holders and leaders at major retail chains by building a brand’s industry visibility through media relations activities. The most effective sales outreach isn’t a generic email campaign or cold direct message (DM) on LinkedIn; it is using high-quality media coverage as a conversation starter. Such media coverage offers independent, third-party validation of a brand that cuts through a key stakeholder’s crowded inbox.
