Launching a D2C brand in India has never been more exciting — or more competitive. With dozens of new brands launching every month, standing out requires more than a good product. It requires a coordinated launch strategy that uses PR and influencer marketing together, not as separate activities.
The 8-week launch timeline
Weeks 1–2: Preparation
- Finalise your brand story — the 1-sentence version, the 3-sentence version, the paragraph version
- Build your media list (target 15–25 relevant journalists)
- Identify and brief 8–12 influencers across 2–3 tiers
- Prepare product samples for both media and influencers
- Set up tracking links and UTM parameters for all placements
Weeks 3–4: Seeding and Pre-launch
- Send product to journalists and influencers under embargo
- Begin personal media outreach — calls and personalised pitches, no blasts
- Influencer content goes into draft review
- Brief your own social channels for launch amplification
Launch Week: Maximum simultaneous impact
- PR placements publish (coordinate with journalists for launch-day coverage where possible)
- 2–3 macro/micro influencer posts go live on Day 1
- Remaining influencer content staggers over Days 2–7
- Brand social channels amplify all earned and influencer content
Weeks 6–8: Sustain and optimise
- Follow-up PR pitches using launch data and results as new news
- Reactivate top-performing influencers with fresh briefs
- Repurpose best creator content for paid amplification
- Analyse performance data and optimise for Round 2
The most common launch mistake
Running influencer content before PR coverage exists. When a journalist sees an influencer post about a brand they've never heard of, they're less likely to cover it. Sequence matters — PR first builds the credibility that makes the influencer content more believable.
PromoBuzz specialises in exactly this kind of coordinated launch approach. Talk to us about your upcoming launch and we'll build a campaign around it.