A Very Different September

Last week, September arrived with a bang, bringing countless invites, launch releases and interview offers into our inboxes. Then came the heavy news of Queen Elizabeth’s passing and – rightly – the pace changed.

You pivoted, postponing events and (mostly) pausing press releases. It was mindful and appropriate.

For us, content plans were reworked according to editorial brand strategies. Immediately, we re-scheduled posts (on the website, on social platforms and via newsletters) and thereafter reconsidered what we would publish throughout this national mourning period.

During a time synonymous with film festivals and fashion shows, at Harper’s Bazaar we’d usually be going all out with multi-platform coverage from red carpets and runways right now. Plus, we’d proudly plug our shopping content which guides readers through the new season trends. Instead – at least for this half of the month – our content distribution is subdued. In line with the scaled back London Fashion Week approaching, we’ve decided to keep calm and carry on with our specialisms – but slowly and quietly to respect the mood of the nation.

You can continue to help by sharing any sensitive (nothing too frivolous please) news and ideas – perhaps guided by Google trend data demonstrating a current UK-based appetite for whatever you’re pitching. In terms of beauty responses to the Queen’s death, sharing stories of your clients’ connections to Her Majesty and the royal family at large is welcome. I’d avoid any shallow or tenuous links, though.

And please be patient with the whereabouts of any coverage that was due to be live by now. Even when it’s fully BAU again, we’ll likely be swamped with follow-ups and rescheduled event requests, not to mention revised deadlines.