How To Get Your Brand Into Holiday Gift Guides

By Jess Windell of Maven Consulting

Holiday gift guides can be a powerful way for CPG brands to increase visibility, credibility, and holiday-season sales.

During a recent VEGPRENEUR webinar, Jess Windell of Maven Consulting shared a detailed roadmap for how emerging brands can successfully pitch their products to editors and secure coverage in gift guides. Whether you're a DTC founder or part of a growing team, this guide will help you make the most of the holiday PR window.

Why Holiday Gift Guides Matter

Holiday gift guides offer trusted third-party endorsements that help consumers discover new products. When someone else praises your brand, it has more impact than self-promotion. Gift guide placements also rank well in search engines, often providing long-lasting visibility. Unlike paid media or influencer partnerships, earned media does not require payment per click or impression. Plus, AI tools like ChatGPT are increasingly pulling information from high-ranking editorial content—not ads.

Step 1: Know If Your Product Is Giftable

Before you begin pitching, be realistic about whether your product is a good fit for a holiday gift guide. Editors typically look for products within the $15 to $100 price range that are visually appealing and easy to gift. Products should also be widely available online, ideally through DTC channels or Amazon. Ask yourself: would you gift this to a friend, and would they post about it on social media? If the answer is yes, you’re on the right track.

If your product isn’t naturally giftable, consider creating a limited-time holiday edition or a special bundle. Even just renaming a bundle as a 'Holiday Bundle' can help position your product for inclusion.

Step 2: Start Early

Media outlets work months in advance. For long-lead print and digital publications, outreach should begin in July or August. Online media and mid-lead opportunities ramp up in September and October. Short-lead digital coverage, including affiliate-focused articles, typically happens closer to the holidays in November and December. To maximize your chances of being featured, start pitching three months ahead of your target publication date.

Step 3: Build a Targeted Media List

Skip the mass email blasts and focus on building a personalized media list. Start by looking at last year’s holiday gift guides in your category. Identify who wrote them and research those journalists. Many are freelancers whose contact info can be found via social media or online searches. You can also use tools like Muck Rack or Hunter.io to track down email addresses. VEGPRENEUR members have access to a curated list of over 100 relevant journalists.

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Step 4: Create a Strong Pitch

Craft a clear and concise pitch that highlights why your product is perfect for a holiday gift guide. Use a short, benefit-driven subject line. Open with a personalized greeting that shows you’ve done your research. Then, describe your product in two or three sentences, include a product link, a downloadable media kit with high-res images and pricing, and your affiliate information if applicable. Always offer to send a sample—it’s one of the most effective ways to capture an editor’s attention.

Step 5: Set Up Affiliate Links

Many top-tier publications now require affiliate links to include products in gift guides. Platforms like Amazon Associates, Impact, and Awin make it easy to set up a commission-based program. Consider increasing your commission rate during the holiday season to make your brand more attractive to editors. If you mention affiliate availability in your pitch, make sure everything is already set up before you reach out.

Step 6: Follow Up Without Spamming

After sending your initial pitch, wait one to two weeks before following up. Send no more than two follow-up emails. If you don’t get a response, you can still stay on an editor’s radar by engaging with their content on social media. Comment thoughtfully on their posts or reply to their newsletters to build rapport over time.

Bonus Tips

To make your product even more giftable, consider bundling it with complementary items or creating a themed holiday kit. Once you secure coverage, amplify it across your own channels—include it in your email newsletters, share it on social, and even use it in your paid ads. While ROI from earned media can be hard to track, these placements build long-term brand credibility and awareness.

Want More Support?

Jess Windell offers a full DIY PR course called Catalyst, which includes detailed templates, journalist databases, and affiliate marketing tools. VEGPRENEUR members receive a $500 discount on the program. For emerging brands looking to take PR into their own hands, this course is a smart investment in long-term media strategy. VEGPRENEUR members can get $500 off!

If you want to see your brand featured in Vogue, Buzzfeed, Forbes, or Food52 this holiday season, the time to start is now. And if you’re not already a VEGPRENEUR member, consider joining to access resources like media lists, exclusive webinars, and curated mentorship.