Companies often view December and January as “quiet months” for PR. Budget planning, out-of-office messages, and holiday campaigns make it easy to push announcements into Q1, but that mindset leaves prime media opportunities on the table.
This time of year is when editors are assembling end of year roundups, ones to watch lists, and prediction pieces. At the same time, the daily news cycle often slows just enough for sharp, well-timed stories to break through. If you’re willing to work the calendar, December and January can become an advantage to getting in front of media rather than a dead zone.
Smart teams turn "slow season" into a PR advantage
The best teams don’t hit pause to say we’ll revisit next year. They reframe the season as a chance to steal share of voice while everyone else goes dark.
Think of it this way:
- Reporters still have pages to fill and newsletters to send
- Editors are planning their 2026 coverage themes
- “Best of,” “biggest deals,” “most interesting companies,” and “founders to watch” lists are still being finalized
If you’re the one making their job easier with sharp data, a clear POV, and a timely hook, you’re far more likely to land.
What It Takes to Garner Interest
Here are three ingredients that help teams turn the end and start of the year into PR momentum:
1. Plug Directly Into EOY & New-Year Editorial Trends. December and January are built around specific formats — EOY recaps, rankings, and forward-looking predictions. If your outreach reads like a generic product pitch, you’ll miss the moment. Instead, frame your story around the templates editors are already working with:
- “X Trends That Defined [Your Category] in 2025”
- “The 10 Most Overlooked Risks in [Industry] Heading into 2026”
- “5 Companies Quietly Reshaping [Topic] While Everyone Else Was Focused on [Big Headline]”
Bring your own data, customer examples, or product milestones as proof points inside these formats. You’re not asking them to invent a new story; you’re helping them finish the one they already planned.
Pro Tip: Scan recent “top 10” or “state of the industry” pieces in your space, then pitch a fresh angle that either updates the numbers, challenges the consensus, or fills in a clear gap.
2. Be Next Year's Story: Ones to Watch, Not Just News to Report. In January especially, outlets are craving “who and what to watch this year” content. This is a chance to position your company not just as newsworthy today, but as a bellwether for where the market is going. To do that, you’ll need:
- A crisp thesis on how your category is shifting
- Evidence you’re already driving that shift (customers, usage, revenue, or product milestones)
- A spokesperson who can talk about the broader landscape, not just your roadmap
When you pitch “ones to watch” angles, you’re essentially saying: “Here’s how our company predicts this space will evolve in the next 12 months and here’s what we’re already seeing on the ground.”
Pro Tip: Pre-package a short “Why we’re one to watch in 2026” brief for reporters with three bullets: what you do, what traction you have, and what you think will surprise people in the next year. Make it scannable.
3. Use the Quieter News Cycle to Build Relationships, Not Just Land Hits. In many industries, the volume of launches, conferences, and giant announcements dips at the end of the year. That doesn’t mean reporters aren’t working, it means they finally have breathing room. This is a perfect time to:
- Offer background briefings on your market and thesis
- Share embargoed or early looks at next-year product or data
- Ask what they’re planning coverage-wise for Q1 and where you might fit
These conversations may not always turn into immediate coverage and that’s okay. You’re laying the groundwork to be their call when that beat heats up again in February and March.
Pro Tip: Instead of “Do you want to cover us?” try “We’re seeing X, Y, Z on the ground that might be useful context for your 2026 coverage. Happy to share what we’re seeing and where we think things are headed.” Lead with value, not a request.
Turn "Quiet Months" into Momentum
In PR, timing is a strategy and no different from messaging or media list building. December and January are underrated because most teams assume they’re slow and step back. If you follow the above strategies, you can walk into 2026 with more coverage, warmer relationships, and a stronger narrative than teams who waited for the calendar to pick back up.
BAM's take: don’t treat seasons as dead space. Treat them as your chance to reset the narrative, secure a head start, and make sure your company shows up in the lists and lineups that define the year ahead.
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