Bringing Children On Press Trips?

I recently asked a colleague – a fellow mum – if she fancied attending a swanky beauty trip on my behalf, as I couldn’t leave my kids for it. “I can go if the baby can come! Lol.” she replied, referring to her own version of the same struggle. A no, then.

Unrelated, the following week a PR pal asked me how I’d feel about a group press trip invite that was inclusive of children. Noticing how so many Beauty Directors reluctantly decline stays away due to childcare, she wondered whether bringing the brood would appeal. Err, yes!

Them in a kids’ club…us in a spa…? To me, a working staycay that’s mum guilt-free has the makings of a winner.

I see the PR’s indecision, though. Mixing children and babies with business could amplify all kinds of admin already embedded in the coordination of a press trip. Plus, the people-pleasing aspect would instantly triple. (My two-year-old could give even the biggest beauty industry diva a run for their money.) And perhaps for some parents it’s their worst nightmare – going to work is mostly a ‘break’, after all.

But overall, I find the idea a refreshing one, and would appreciate such a gesture of intended convenience. Should the activity be compatible with the host brand, and/or launch product (anything positioned as family-friendly, multi-generational, etc) I think it has legs. Anyone else?