How to maximise your retail PR strategy
Rewired is proud to work with some of retail’s biggest names – from national high-street stores to premium heritage brands. Through strategic PR that is designed to drive footfall, build brand awareness and ultimately drive sales, we help our clients connect with customers in an increasingly competitive market.
Here, we explore the best tactics for a successful retail PR strategy, and how an experienced PR agency, like Rewired, can help deliver coverage, clicks and customers for retail clients.
What is the current state of retail?
Retail has been at the heart of Rewired since the agency was founded in 2008. We are proud and passionate advocates for our retail clients, with a deep understanding of the social, economic, and cultural value delivered by the sector.
According to a recent government report, the UK retail sector’s economic output in 2024 was £114.7billion, marking a 1.4% increase on 2023. In the same year, retail sales in Great Britain were worth £517billion, an increase of 1.4% on 2023, and there were 304,560 retail businesses as of 1 January 2025.
In a challenging economic environment, the retail sector is proving to be both responsive and resilient, as businesses constantly adapt to shifting consumer patterns. As the sector continues to evolve, we provide specialist retail PR support to help our clients achieve their business objectives.
From driving footfall to stores and increasing online sales, to building long-term brand loyalty, we know what works for retailers – and have the results to prove it.
Top tactics for retail PR
Whether it’s a new store opening or an exciting product launch, we’re experts in crafting retail stories that make clients stand out across national, regional and trade media.
Leveraging our proven sector expertise, our diverse client portfolio sees us generate nationwide coverage for the UK’s fastest growing toy shop, drive footfall to regional shopping centres, reinforce the heritage credentials for an iconic British furniture store, and help a global photo printing company break into the UK market.
Here, we share some of our top tactics for delivering a successful retail PR campaign:
Reach: To get in front of the audiences that matter, it’s vital that you’re speaking to customers across the right channels, at the right time. Using our strong connections across national, regional, trade and broadcast press, we help our clients achieve real cut-through with top-tier media, securing high quality coverage that helps to amplify their message, build brand authority, and increase awareness.
Events: Nothing beats the buzz and excitement of an in-person experience, and events are the perfect way to bring a brand or product to life - both for press and for customers. From interactive activations at Merry Hill and in-store character visits at The Entertainer to seasonal product launches at Heal’s and community engagement programmes at Derbion, our broad portfolio reflects our expertise in seamless event planning, promotion, and delivery.
Talent: Developing authentic brand partnerships with well-known names can help to reach new and diverse audiences, while creating content that stands out from the crowd. For CEWE, our Christmas campaigns have seen the brand team up with Eastenders actress Lacey Turner and TV presenter Konnie Huq, helping to achieve widespread, on-message media coverage during the photo printing company’s most important trading period.
Always-on press office: For every retail client, we run a busy and proactive press office, ensuring that we can maximise every media opportunity. From national broadcast interviews to influencer engagement and industry thought-leadership, we ensure our retail brands are seen and heard. Most importantly, we’re here to help whenever things don’t go to plan, providing an expert crisis management service to guide you through any unexpected scenarios and protect your brand reputation.
Launches: The retail sector thrives on unveiling ‘what’s new now’ in the market, so delivering an unforgettable launch is a crucial element to any retail PR plan. Whether it’s cutting the ribbon on a flagship store opening or announcing an exciting new product, we provide strategic PR support to ensure your latest launch gets everyone talking.
Rewired as your retail PR experts
Find out more about the Rewired approach to retail through some of our latest client campaigns:
-
Rewired is proud to be an extension of the in-house Heal's team, having been appointed as the brand's national PR agency in 2017. Day-to-day, we run a busy and proactive press office achieving extensive coverage across top tier national and consumer titles, such as Elle Decoration, Livingetc, Homes & Gardens, The Telegraph, The Times, and FT.
We also support the brand with strategic campaign planning and execution - this includes seasonal collection launches, press days, store openings, and annual designer-led press events - helping to drive visibility, build brand loyalty, and position Heal's as a leader in contemporary British design.
-
Rewired provides national PR support for The Entertainer via a hard-working, always-on press office. By consistently securing high quality national, regional, and trade coverage, we have strengthened the brand’s position as a leading toy retailer.
Through proactive media relations and strategic campaign planning, we support stores with unique character visits and events, engage with influencers, launch new store openings and charity partnerships, and drive awareness of the brand’s strong values with key audiences
-
Derbion is the East Midlands’ premier shopping destination, home to over 200 well-known brands and retailers. Rewired’s work with the centre includes a full and proactive press office, creative campaign planning, and execution, as well as influencer management and crisis communications support.
In recent years, Rewired has launched the centre’s rebrand from intu Derby to Derbion, revealed the shopping destination’s investment of over £3.6m into its F&B offer, supported the grand openings of major brands including River Studios, Søstrene Grene, and Popeyes, and announced a number of significant, multi-million-pound projects.
-
CEWE is Europe’s leading photo printing company, which invites customers to transform memories into printed photo products that they can cherish. Appointed as its retained PR agency in 2024, Rewired focuses on increasing brand awareness, driving web traffic, and showcasing CEWE’s comprehensive product range.
Our support includes executing creative campaigns, promoting new product launches, securing influencer and talent partnerships, and supporting CEWE’s annual global photography competition. In 2025, we embarked on a digital PR strategy to maximise online visibility and exposure – ensuring the brand is seen and searched during key trading periods.
Working with retail destinations to deliver measurable impact and ROI, we combine creativity with commercial know-how to craft campaigns that speak directly to your customers.
Looking to re-charge your retail PR? Get in touch with Rewired.