How to get your brand on the October media and editorial calendars, search engines and social media.

Image: Matalan

We’re into autumn, and the nights are starting to draw in, and the heating is probably on.  The media are looking for images that reflect the changes, so anything that looks cosy and warm is good; roaring fires, big jumpers, coats, hats, knitwear, scarfs and wellies in a leaf-strewn outdoors – all the cliches – are what the media are looking for. If you can do some night shots with sparklers, then you’re also ticking the boxes for Bonfire Night next month and Diwali this month. We also have Halloween at the end of the month, so if you can get a pumpkin in your images, then you’re hitting two birds with one stone.   

You should be adding Christmas images, and for those magazines with very long lead times, then start to look for the images of people working off the Christmas excesses for the January issues. 

Don’t forget to add keywords like Gifts, Christmas, Xmas, Autumn, Winter, Halloween, Fireworks night and Bonfire night, as they will be looked for from now. Also, we have a wide audience with media from around the World, so add those American holiday versions e.g. The Holidays, Fall, Pumpkin day, Thanksgiving etc and words like hygge that are starting to enter the language and are associated with the autumn.  

Media will also be searching for party outfits for Halloween, Guy Fawkes, and the office party season - which will soon be with us.  The media are also starting to look for and create Christmas gift guides, so try and be creative, do ones for every eventuality e.g. gifts guides for him/her/mum/dad/kids/teenagers/pets etc also gifts under £150/100/£50 and for guides for secret Santa’s gifts under £20.

Please put prices on everything!!! Otherwise, you stand no chance of getting into any of the features that include “Presents under £50”, “Party dresses for £150” etc.   

If you’re a PRShots brand user and you need more ideas, then take a look at the keywords that media are searching for on PRShots and try and add those in.

If you’re looking for more hooks to help promote your brand and products, then see the list of days, weeks and fortnights below.

October Diary - Weeks/Months

October is also known as ‘Stoptober’, which started as a campaign around giving up cigarettes, but is now joined by MacMillans Go Sober for October, so if you have anything non-alcoholic, then get it on PRShots and make sure you add Stoptober and non-alcoholic as keywords.

It’s also Black History Month, Wool Month, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Menopause Month, Vegetarian Awareness Month, Apple Month, Cookie Month, Spinach Lovers' Month, Pork Month, and National Pasta, Chilli, and Pizza Month.

Fashion and Beauty Weeks and events include- Paris Fashion Week (23^rd Sept - 1^st), Wool Week (29^th Sep – 5^th  Oct), Gran Canaria Swim Week (2^nd- 6^th), British Beauty Week (23^rd-27^th)

British Food Fortnight (17^th Sept - 2^nd Oct)

Work Life Week (7^th- 11^th)

National Curry Week (7^th-13^th - TBC)

National School Lunch week US (14 ^th-18^th)

National Baking Week (14^th-20^th - TBC)

Wrap’s National Recycle Week (14^th-20^th)

National Chocolate Week (15^th-21^st - TBC)

October - Days

1^st – World Vegetarian Day

1^st – International Coffee Day

2^nd - Gandhi Jayanthi – The birthday of Mahatma Gandhi - Holiday India

2^nd - 4^th – Rosh HaShanah 

3^rd – Mean Girl’s Day (apparently, it’s a thing right!!)

3^rd – Navaratri Starts (Hindu holiday)

3^rd – National Poetry Day 

4^th – National Vodka Day (US)

4^th – World Animal Day

5^th – UN World Teachers’ Day

6^th – World Smile Day

6^th – Harvest Festival (Sunday nearest to the harvest moon)

6^th - National Plus Size Appreciation Day

7^th – National LED Light Day

10^th – UN World Mental Health Day

10^th – National Cake Decorating Day

11^th – Yom Kippur 

11^th – National Coming Out Day (UK/US)

12^th – Navaratri Ends (Hindu holiday)

12^th – Vijayadashami/Dussehra Hindu festival 

13^th – National Yorkshire Pudding Day (US)

13^th – National No Bra Day

16^th – First Day of Sukkot 

16^th – UN World Food Day

16^th – Department store day

18^th – National Chocolate Cup Cake Day (US)

18^th – World Menopause Day

19^th – International Gin & Tonic Day

20^th – National Office Chocolate Day (US)

22^nd-23^rd – Hoshana Rabbah 

23^rd – Last Day of Sukkot 

23^rd-25^th – Shemini Atzeret

24^th-25^th - Simchat Torah  

25^th – World Pasta Day

25^th – 2 months until Christmas Day

26^th – National Pumpkin Day

27^th – National American Beer Day

27^th – Global Champagne Day

28^th – National Chocolate Day (US)

29^th – National Cat Day (US)

27^th – Clocks go back tonight 

31^st – Halloween

31^st  – Diwali 

NB - All dates have been checked, but some events may change due to unforeseen circumstances or have not been fully confirmed for 2024 by the authorities controlling the event(s).