In many industries, press trips are considered desirable but optional — a bonus rather than a core element of a brand’s marketing strategy. In sexual wellness, however, they are essential.
That’s because brands in this sector face challenges such as algorithmic suppression, advertising restrictions, regulatory scrutiny and ongoing stigma. Despite the industry’s continuing inroads into mainstream discourse and consciousness, these issues persist.
Carefully curated educational panels, workshops, behind-the-scenes creative brainstorms and meet-and-greets can help journalists create a story.
Let’s look at how stories built on trust can help secure earned media opportunities — and how well-planned press trips can play a key role in making that happen.
Access + Transparency = Trust
Journalists covering the sexual wellness category have a duty to ask tough questions, such as whether materials are body-safe, if a brand is ethically positioned, how manufacturing processes work and whether claims of innovation are genuine or just a gimmick. In addition, because of the category’s unique position at the intersection of health, tech, culture and pleasure, the questions journalists ask are often highly detailed.
A press trip can provide significantly more space for transparency and explanation than can a simple email exchange. Journalists who are invited to headquarters or an immersive event can interact directly with founders and team members, observe manufacturing or design processes firsthand and ask follow-up questions. This can help clarify a brand’s larger mission and long-term goals. In a category that often faces misconceptions, this can be extremely helpful in building trust with reporters.
Building and Solidifying Relationships
Journalists are inundated with hundreds of pitches every day. The prospect of face-to-face interaction with a credible founder and team can change that dynamic by helping a brand to stand out in the crowd and build relationships in a powerful way that emails alone can’t accomplish. In-person meetups are simply more compelling than just a paragraph of text, and a press trip is the ideal way to stay in a writer’s memory.
The familiarity and connection fostered by a press trip will continue to impact journalists even weeks or months later, when they find themselves working on features or roundups about sextech, intimacy trends or menopause solutions. It can elevate a brand from just another name in a crowded inbox to a trusted source to which a journalist repeatedly turns when they need reliable information.
Experiences Reinforce Narratives
It goes without saying that building a narrative in a pitch is a crucial part of crafting compelling stories for journalists. Press trips allow brands to develop that narrative in real time. This shifts the focus from simply selling products to showing how they fit into self-care and pleasure routines that can improve people’s lives globally.
Carefully curated educational panels, workshops, behind-the-scenes creative brainstorms and meet-and-greets can help journalists create a story. Try hosting events like “pour your own dildo” workshops and brainstorming sessions where journalists develop their own pleasure product concepts.
When influencers see professionalism, authenticity and nuance firsthand, their coverage will mirror that experience, shaping public perception more effectively.
Execution Is Everything
In a sector like sexual wellness that’s still working to dismantle stigma and project professionalism, you might only get one chance to impress someone. That’s why operational excellence is crucial when it comes to press trips.
A poorly organized experience can leave a negative impression on journalists and harm a brand’s reputation, even if it has valuable stories and information to share. Conversely, a seamless, well-executed trip will signal legitimacy and strengthen credibility. This requires clear itineraries and communication, smooth transportation and attention to hospitality details.
Follow-ups and post-trip communication are equally vital. Always check in afterward, not just to ensure a journalist has returned home safely and without issues but also to provide immediate access to high-res assets and other materials that demonstrate your understanding of media members’ practical needs.
Options for Limited Budgets
Large-scale press trips can carry a hefty price tag, especially if you’re covering flights for international writers. Not every brand can justify that level of expense. However, there are still many ways to give journalists access and keep them informed. Options like curated dinners, meet-and-greets, screenings and self-guided tours can all foster conversation and relationship-building. If you’re located in a city that’s a major hub, you can cut travel costs by focusing on local journalists and influencers.
Press trips aren’t about gaining immediate coverage. They are a strategic investment in long-term growth and building lasting relationships. When journalists truly understand a brand and how it’s shaping the industry, their storytelling will reflect that insight and influence coverage, whether it’s a feature next month or a casual mention years later. In an industry that must contend with many barriers, this kind of strategic approach is essential for establishing credibility, normalizing pleasure in mainstream conversations — and generating earned media that supports growth.
Bryony Lees is the marketing and communications manager for Little Leaf Agency, a PR and communications agency dedicated to helping sexual wellness brands grow across all communication channels, including PR, social media content, influencers, partnerships, affiliate marketing and more.
