Digital PR tips for subscription box brands

Subscription boxes are big business. Who doesn’t love receiving a little box of goodies in the post every month?

From snack boxes and meal kits to makeup and cosmetic bundles, they offer a really convenient way for people to discover new products and indulge in hobbies, with the added luxury and convenience of having it all delivered straight to your door. Winner!

In the UK alone, the subscription box market is worth £1.8 billion, with more than a quarter of Brits (29%) signed up to a subscription box delivery service – an estimated 15.4 million people! But the more popular subscription boxes have become, the more saturated the market has gotten, meaning it’s harder than ever to cut through the noise and reach potential customers and long term subscribers.

So, how can subscription box businesses stand out? 

Well, you’ll need to have more than just a good product. As a B2C business, subscription box brands need to ensure that they earn a reputation to be proud of, and that they're perceived in a consistently positive light. And one of the most powerful ways to do this, alongside delivering an exceptional customer experience, is through smart PR. 

Of course, there are plenty of other marketing tactics you could try like referral programmes, paid ads, brand ambassadors, and an active social media presence to help build a community. But in this guide, we’re going to focus specifically on PR strategies and tips that subscription box businesses can use to get noticed, get featured, and ultimately gain more subscribers.

What’s in this article:

• Why is PR essential for subscription box brands?
• Why subscription boxes need a unique PR approach
• How can subscription box brands use PR to stay visible in AI-powered search?
• Six proven PR tactics to gain more subscribers
• Key takeaways

Why is PR essential for subscription box brands?

Subscription boxes exist for pretty much every niche you could think of. Whether you’re after functional subscriptions for everyday essentials like coffee, loo roll, or shaving supplies, or boxes that cater to your passions and hobbies like books, baking and cosmetics, there really is something for everyone. 

But within each of these categories, there are often multiple brands vying for customers’ attention, which means that simply having a great product and a slick website probably won’t be enough to win subscribers or build long-term loyalty.

This is where PR can really make a difference. If you’re looking to build credibility and show potential customers why your box and broader brand is worth their time (and money), an effective PR strategy can help you tell your story, earn media attention, and stand out from the competition.

Here’s five things PR can do for your subscription box business:

1. Build trust through third-party endorsement

When a journalist or influencer features your brand, it’s essentially a form of validation. People are far more likely to buy into a product they’ve seen recommended by a trusted source.

2. Boost visibility in a crowded market

A well-placed feature in national, consumer or niche press can introduce your brand to thousands of potential subscribers.

3. Support SEO and brand discovery

Digital PR not only earns coverage but also valuable backlinks that improve your website’s authority and helps new customers find you through Google.

4. Shape brand perception

PR gives you control over how your brand is seen. Whether you want to highlight sustainable or luxury credentials, consistent messaging helps you own your narrative.

5. Drive long-term growth

While ads can deliver quick wins, PR builds lasting brand awareness that keeps your business in the conversation long after the campaign ends.

PR for subscription boxes has some unique challenges and opportunities compared to promoting one-off products. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the special considerations:

Why subscription boxes need a unique PR approach

Executing PR for subscription boxes comes with some unique challenges and opportunities compared to promoting one-off products. Unlike a single product, a subscription box is an ongoing experience, so your PR campaigns need to communicate not just what’s inside the box, but why people will enjoy receiving it month after month. Here are a few other factors you should take into account: 

1. Selling a recurring experience, not just a product

Unlike a one-off product, a subscription box is an ongoing service, so your PR activity needs to communicate the long-term value. It’s worth focusing on the excitement of a new, regular delivery, the convenience, and the discovery element that keeps subscribers engaged. Your messaging should also emphasise what keeps people coming back each month, not just the individual items.

2.  Personalisation REALLY matters

Many subscription boxes are curated to match subscribers’ tastes and interests, so PR campaigns should highlight this tailored experience. It differentiates the box from standard retail products.

3. Visual storytelling is key

Subscription boxes are inherently Instagrammable, and unboxing or review videos have become hugely popular on TikTok too. Think about how your visuals and branding can play into this. Themed packaging, eye-catching inserts, and carefully curated product arrangements not only make your box more shareable but also creates a memorable experience that encourages subscribers to show it off online.

4. Building community and engagement

Subscription boxes often build loyal communities around shared interests like gaming, books, crafts, or fitness, so PR should leverage this by encouraging user-generated content and social sharing wherever possible. This will help you build a dedicated community of followers and subscribers over time. 

5. Timing and seasonality

A lot of subscription boxes are often created to tie into monthly themes or seasonal products which is great news for your PR strategy, as campaigns can be created to align with these schedules. Just remember that a Halloween or Christmas gift box should have media coverage planned well in advance!

6. Risk of churn

Subscribers can cancel at any time, so your PR strategy should focus on both customer retention AND acquisition. Highlight any perks for long-term subscribers wherever you can to show the ongoing value of sticking with your box.

7. Influencer and social synergy

Since subscription boxes are delivered straight to people’s doors, PR works best when combined with influencer marketing or unboxing campaigns that make the product visible and aspirational. People love getting a sneak peek at what’s inside, and influencers can often come to be seen as trusted brand ambassadors. Their content provides a visual ‘try before you buy,’ which helps potential subscribers see the value and excitement of your box.

How can subscription box brands use PR to stay visible in AI-powered search?

AI tools like Google’s AI Overviews and ChatGPT pull together information from across the web, meaning that being featured in reputable media or industry outlets can directly impact how your subscription box brand appears in these quick, AI-generated summaries. 

When people search for queries like “best subscription boxes for snacks” or “monthly craft boxes,” AI algorithms generate recommendations based on trusted, high-authority sources – like news sites and online publications. If your brand regularly appears in these respected publications or is cited by experts, it increases the chances of being highlighted in these AI-driven results, even if users aren’t specifically looking for your name.

So, the more your subscription box brand is referenced in high-quality sources, the more likely it is to influence what these AI tools recommend. The good news is that PR is your ticket to getting featured in exactly those sources.

Six proven PR tactics to gain more subscribers

Case studies 

This is perhaps more appropriate for food and fitness facing subscription boxes, but it’s worth noting that often a businesses’ biggest influencers are their customers. 

There is a reason a customer has signed up. Perhaps it’s for ease or cost-effectiveness. Maybe it’s to make a lifestyle change. Whatever the purpose, it can be tapped into. To start this process, it’s important to get close to customers and encourage engagement. Why not incentivise them to send in a photo, or ask them to explain their reason for signing up? This can strengthen your customer community and build awareness, whilst also enabling you to find good stories. 

This tactic has been very successful for our longstanding client Musclefood. A good example is from a Musclefood customer who shed nearly nine stone in just a year. We pitched their inspiring story to relevant journalists and the Daily Mail featured it with a full write up. Being featured in such a high-profile outlet added bags of authority to Musclefood’s brand and reinforced its credibility.

But it’s not just customer case studies that work with the press. There’s also an opportunity to promote the subscription box business itself, and the founders behind it. What’s unique about it? Is it the first one of its kind? The biggest? Find a ‘behind the scene’ story and pitch it to relevant writers. Here’s a good example of what we did for a vegan subscription box business, The Vegan Kind.

Influencer Outreach

There are thousands of social media influencers across Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube who regularly share reviews of the latest subscription boxes. They’re a great starting point because fans trust their favourite creators’ opinions – and seeing a box recommended by someone they follow can make all the difference when deciding to subscribe.

Finding the right influencers is all about matching your subscription box with creators whose audiences align with your target subscribers. But make sure to look beyond follower counts and focus on engagement – likes, comments, and shares show an influencer’s audience is active and trusting. Micro-influencers can be especially valuable, as their followers often feel a closer connection and are more likely to take their recommendations seriously. 

Once you’ve found the right creators, work with them to craft authentic content that showcases your box – think unboxing videos, tutorials, or honest reviews. Offering early access, exclusive items, or personalised touches can make their content feel extra special and encourage their viewers and followers to subscribe.

Traditional Press Releases

Launching a new product, opening a new office, or starting a recruitment drive? All of this can be promoted with a standard press release. It’s the perfect way to share the good news and showcase the progress your subscription box brand is making.

Press releases are especially important if you’re a startup introducing your box to the market for the first time – your announcement could be the story that officially launches your brand.

And don’t worry, they don’t have to feel too corporate or stuffy. Press releases can be fun and engaging, just like the launch of a new vegan chocolate spread that landed coverage in

The Huffington Post and Joe.co.uk. The key is to make your story interesting, shareable, and relevant to the right audience.

News Stories

Traditional press outlets – both national and regional – are always looking for stories, not brands. Your goal isn’t to pitch their advertising department, it’s to give journalists something worth reporting. Because without a hook or angle, your story risks being seen as advertising, not news.

A hook can come in all shapes and sizes. A clever headline, a striking visual, a video, a surprising statistic, or even a creative PR stunt. One of the simplest ways to find a story is to focus on the human interest angle. What would people talk about in the pub? What would you share in the group chat? What makes your subscription box or business unique? To capture media attention, your story should engage, entertain, inform, or otherwise add value for the reader.

Sometimes the perfect hook comes completely out of the blue. Take this story we did for The Vegan Kind: a customer received their vegan box of goodies with a cheeky note that read, “Go f**k yourself. Have a bacon.” The Metro loved it and covered the story, proving that even unexpected moments can be opportunities to get your brand in front of new people. 

Offer Subscription Box Trials to Key Media

We call it a “reach out,” which basically means prospecting relevant media with our client’s product offering, which is often the first step in building a relationship with key journalists. This is a targeted approach – we focus on outlets that regularly feature product reviews or stories in our client’s sector.

There is usually a financial investment involved, often covered by the marketing department, but a positive feature can pay off in sales down the line. It can take time to see results, and managing responses requires patience, but this method remains one of the most powerful ways to secure that all-important press coverage.

It’s worth noting that this isn’t about backlinks. The goal is brand awareness and building positive sentiment with the right audience. For example, if a client offers a plant subscription box, we might target home, garden, and lifestyle publications. Similarly, one of TheVeganKind’s vegan handbags was featured in a round-up review in The Sun, showing how targeted outreach can lead to high-profile coverage.

Gift Guides

Every year, at key occasions, most mainstream newspapers and magazines publish gift guides. From Mother’s Day and Easter to Halloween and Christmas (with Black Friday snuggled in between), there’s always a round-up of the best products available at that moment. As the year heads into the busy holiday season, the opportunity to be featured in gift guides really ramps up, and a well-selected product can appear in multiple guides.

Some background research goes a long way here, and existing media relationships help too. Check who has covered gift guides in the past using Google or a PR tool, then gather contact details from the results. This gives you a list of journalists actively looking for products to feature. From there, it’s just a case of crafting a friendly email intro, including your product offering, any supporting assets like product shots, and links to your product page – then hit send. You can find out more about how to perfect product PR pitching here and how to secure product round-ups and reviews in top-tier publications for Large Language Model (LLM) visibility here.

We did this for our client Lazy Flora, a plant subscription box brand. Its fruit and veg box landed a spot in a Good Housekeeping round-up, proving that well-targeted outreach can pay off.

Key takeaways

1. A great product often isn’t enough. In a crowded subscription box market, a slick website and excellent product need PR to help your brand stand out and earn trust.
2. PR builds credibility and visibility. Media coverage and third-party endorsements increase trust, improve brand perception, and introduce your product to new audiences.
3. Subscription boxes offer unique PR opportunities. Unlike one-off products, subscription boxes offer a recurring experience that are often personalised. PR should lean into this and highlight the excitement, discovery, and long-term value of subscribing.
4. Visual storytelling is essential. Instagrammable boxes, unboxing videos, and shareable content help your brand reach new audiences and build social proof.
5. Well-crafted press releases and news hooks still work. Share milestones, product launches, or founder stories in a way that’s newsworthy. 
6. Timing matters. Align campaigns with seasonal launches, monthly themes, or gift guide opportunities to maximise coverage and relevance.

Want to chat more about PR for subscription box brands? Get in touch with our team today.

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