Press Tour
A series of media interviews scheduled in sequence, typically around a major announcement or launch.
Definition
A press tour is an orchestrated series of media interviews—often scheduled over days or weeks—to maximize coverage around a news moment. Tours might be in-person (traveling to media headquarters) or virtual (back-to-back video interviews).
Press tours require careful scheduling, message consistency across multiple interviews, and spokesperson stamina. They concentrate media efforts for maximum impact, often timed to embargo lifts or event dates.
Why It Matters
Press tours generate concentrated coverage that creates perception of momentum and significance. A coordinated burst of interviews across outlets signals importance and reaches diverse audiences simultaneously.
Tours also build media relationships through in-person or extended interactions that phone pitches can't match.
Examples in Practice
A CEO's press tour generates 30 interviews in one week, creating a wave of coverage around the company's IPO announcement.
A book launch press tour spans morning shows, podcasts, and print features, reaching different audience segments through appropriate outlets.
A product launch tour includes demo sessions that result in hands-on coverage more compelling than verbal descriptions alone.