Promotion, media and PR

The Fringe Media Office is where you’ll find the information you need to organise your promotional activity. Our guides are full of invaluable information, and we’d encourage you to use these as a first point of reference.

If you’re struggling and need bespoke advice, do get in touch with the team. Due to covid, tighter capacities and remote working, it might take us a little longer to answer queries, but we’re always happy to help where we can.

If you are a performer or producer, check in with our Media Office for:

advice on all aspects of your marketing and media campaign
a list of PRs who operate at the Fringe, if you’re looking to hire a publicist
help developing ideas for photocalls and stunts
contact lists for media organisations and advice on which publications / outlets to target
support following up on media tickets issued for your show
general help and support
links to the media.

If you are a performer or producer, get the most out of the Fringe Media Office by:

getting in touch as soon as you start planning your Fringe show
sending your media release and images to the Media Office ahead of the Fringe – any extra information you give us can help us identify opportunities for you
having one person working on your campaign who is the main point of contact, and making sure their contact info (as supplied during registration) is correct
communicating your plans for one-off events such as photocalls, if you’re visiting the festival in person – these will go in the Clash Diary
thinking thematically about your show, and how it could fit into a feature about a given topic
using our services!

Members of our Media Office often take part in online info sessions and FringeCast episodes, where you can ask questions and find out more about bringing your show to the Fringe, including specific marketing advice. We’ll also be holding events on ‘How to get your show noticed’ and ‘Marketing your show’ with Media Office staff and guest speakers during August on Fringe Connect.

You can file your press release to our 2024 press release database, a resource we provide to accredited media to help them more easily gather show information.

Our media contacts list covers a range of journalists who are planning to cover this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe and are happy to receive your press release.

Who to contact

Not everyone on the list will be relevant to you. Research and target the right journalists for your show – tailor a short, personalised intro to them to tell them why you think they in particular will be interested in your show. Keep it short and to the point. Blanket emailing all media contacts is a sure-fire way to get your show overlooked.

Terms of use

This list is strictly for the use of Fringe participants who are doing their own PR. It contains confidential contact data – never forward the media contact list, or share any information within it.

If you’d like further information about the media contact list please contact us at [email protected].

Meet the Media

Meet the Media typically takes place on the first Saturday of the Fringe – we'll update this page with specific date, time and location info once these are confirmed.

Meet the Media is an in-person event which connects key journalists and editors with Fringe participants. It’s an opportunity for artists to pitch shows and to gain key contacts for coverage.

You will be able to pitch your show for three minutes maximum to each media outlet of your choice.

Top tips

Don’t target every publication! Research which outlets you’d rather pitch to based on how well their output and coverage suits your show.
Bring plenty of water with you – the queue is likely to be long!
Feel free to attend in costume – it could help you stand out to reviewers.
Bring flyers or press releases with you to help outlets remember your pitch.

Relaxed session

In 2023 we ran a relaxed Meet the Media session before the general session, for those artists with access needs best served by having a quieter session featuring reduced sensory input. We will update this page with information on a relaxed session for Meet the Media 2024 once it is confirmed.

What the relaxed session can involve:

Sensory items available
Reduced noise from PA system
Plentiful seating
Reduced number of attendees in the building
Fringe staff on hand to help with any questions

Tweet the Media

We'll also run #TweetTheMedia from 10:00 till 18:00 on Friday 02 and Friday 16 August. This is an opportunity for artists to tweet pitches for their shows to media who will be monitoring the hashtag #TweetTheMedia between those hours.

Many local, national and international publications and broadcasters are eager to fill their pages and airtime with content about the Fringe and its shows. This means that all eyes are on the festival; your job is to make sure they focus on you.

Here are some of the main types of coverage you can expect:

Reviews

Reviews are perhaps the most well-knowntype of press coverage available during the Fringe, and lots of shows want reviews to use on their posters, social media and flyers.

Features

Many pieces will be written as general features about a show, or yours may be included among a group of similarly themed shows. These can often include quotes or interviews.

Diary

To think diary, think gossip. There are gossip columns all over the place during the Fringe and anything funny, juicy, fortunate or unfortunate that’s happening with you and your show can get your show’s name in print and get people talking about you.

News

News is a trickier beat for Fringe shows. Remember that a newsworthy story is not just in competition with other Fringe shows, but with everything else going on the world. If you genuinely feel you have something to say that will make headlines, then get in touch with arts correspondents at the festival.

Podcasts

Podcast coverage at the Fringe ranges from extracts taken from live performances through to curated shows or interviews. These MP3 recordings are available for download, and from the Guardian Podcast to BBC Sounds, there is a huge range of different broadcast output. To find out more, contact the Fringe Media Office who will let you know who’s doing what and which broadcast media your show is best suited to.

The Fringe society also produce their own FringeCast with lots of advice, guidance and discussion about bringing a show to the Fringe.

Expert advice: Alex Hardy (The Times)
- Build interest early. If you can start promoting your show well in advance of the Fringe, your release is much more likely to get momentum than when the festival gets under way. If you’re doing strong previews in June/ July, or you’re doing some short club sets in the run-up to the Fringe, invite journalists to come. Their timetables are likely to be much freer at that stage, and if they like the spirit of what you’re doing they’ll watch again in August.
- Know journalists’ tastes. Read reviews from throughout the year: if a journalist likes a certain act and you are similar to that act, you can tailor your message, eg “I read your review of XXX and though you might like what we do, too.”
- Be realistic about what to expect. Even if a reviewer really wants to see your show, there are only so many they can get to in one day, and only so many they can write about. If it’s your first Fringe, or you’re early in your career, don’t necessarily expect to get a national broadsheet critic to come to your show. Instead focus on building your coverage in Edinburgh-focused publications (Three Weeks, Broadway Baby, etc). Or try to think laterally and build niche coverage: if your show is about food/politics/dance/whatever, are there food magazines/websites/clubs/bloggers you can approach for more specialist coverage? When you’ve built up some momentum with smaller/niche publications, you can always go back to the bigger ones.
- Think about the stages of building a relationship with a journalist, including: they know who you are, they see you in a short set, they tweet about you, they tell other people they like you, they review you, etc. Don’t see it as a failure if they don’t go the whole hog and review you this summer – you’re still nudging them on to knowing more about you, and they will remember you when the time is right. Also, don’t take it personally if journalists don’t respond. There are a lot of reasons they might not be able to make your show: perhaps their editor wants them to focus on big-name stars, or they can’t review any more character acts. You’ve still done a good thing by making them more aware of what you do.
- Don’t chase too much – especially by phone or text. A reviewer’s month at the Fringe is really, really busy, and persistent messages are unlikely to help. Only follow up if you’ve got new information, eg what you are doing is suddenly more newsworthy, or you have gained a lot of buzz through other publications.
Expert advice: Joyce McMillan (Senior Theatre Critic, The Scotsman)
The relationship with the media is most complex and unpredictable. Get it right, and you can have the experience of a lifetime; get it wrong, and your hunt for audiences and recognition can become an exhausting uphill struggle.

So here are ten publicity dos and don’ts for aspiring Fringe companies.

Do
- Send out a press release that catches the eye. Never send email attachments to busy journalists unless they request them; put everything in the main text of your email.
- ‘Novelty’ press material – matchboxes, condoms, toy trains – can work, but only if it’s simple, attractive and relevant to the show, and doesn’t look as if it’s cost a fortune. DO NOT send anything bulky.
- Keep your press releases short. One paragraph on who you are, one on what you’re doing and why it matters, one on where you are and how to get hold of you. Never more than a page of A4 per show.
- Have a stock of excellent colour production shots ready to email to newspaper photo desks during or before the beginning of your run.
- Be careful in using celebrity names to punt your work. If your celebrity has had some serious creative involvement in the project and is willing to be interviewed, fine. If it’s just a friend of a friend who’s willing to lend a name, forget it.
- Aim for as long a run in Edinburgh as you can possibly afford. It takes time on the Fringe to emerge from the crowd. Shows that open early enjoy a strategic advantage, provided they’re willing to be reviewed from day one.
- Put on a good show. One of the biggest myths about the Fringe is that quality doesn’t count. It does. Both audiences and reviewers are desperate to find it and, if you provide it, your chances of success are fairly high. This means original material – or a truly original take on a classic – and the highest standards of performance. And if the product is good, your marketing job is also easier.
Don’t
- Lead your press release with review style enthusiastic adjectives – sensational! hilarious! brilliant! – unless they come from real reviews.
- Expect critics/reviewers to attend press conferences or launch parties for individual shows on the first weekend of the Fringe, when more than 500 shows open in a period of two to three days.
- Obsess about the media. They are important, but they’re not the only route to Fringe success. Fringe audiences talk to each other. If they’ve had a good time, they pass it on, and eventually the media hear about it. So, if you don’t attract reviewers at first, don’t despair. Focus on your work, give your audiences a good time and enjoy!

Your media release is your chance to convey to journalists what your show is about, why it’s exciting and why it is unique enough to warrant a visit. It is typically a one-page document that tells the journalist about your show. Try to make it original and to the point.

Media releases can be broken down into distinct types:

A standard media release – your unique ‘who, what, when, where, how and why’ message to the press.
A news release – sent out when something newsworthy happens (eg stolen costumes lead to nude Hamlet, actors marry at Fringe, etc).

The following guidelines apply to both types:

Your release should be clear but distinctive, conveying a tantalising and useful amount of information in the shortest space possible. The headline should capture attention immediately and convey the most newsworthy element of your show.
Make sure you include the who, what, when and where as well as contact names and telephone numbers for your press representative (if you’re coming to Edinburgh in person, include your Edinburgh details so that journalists can make contact with you during the Fringe).
Aside from the bare facts, you will need to sell your show with good copy that will inspire editors to sit up and take notice. No one can tell you what to write – only you know the unique selling points of your show.
Journalists are likely to read only the first few lines of your media release, so make sure you put the main selling point of your show in the headline and opening line. Keep your media release to one page of A4 − any more than this is too much information.
It’s worth mentioning anything that will boost your credibility as a company or performer, for example, excerpts from good reviews on your media release alongside star ratings if they’re good. Secondly, a brief history of your company mentioning past performances. We would advise against using biographies, unless there is something really newsworthy to include, but if you do want to include biographies, keep it to a maximum of a few sentences about each person.

Your media release title

Your media release title needs to capture the journalist’s attention immediately and intrigue them to read on. Imagine how many Fringe show media releases journalists receive - the name of a show just won’t do! Find the most interesting or newsworthy element to your show and use it in the release title; you should also use the title of the release as the email subject line when you send it out. Ensure your show name is included in the title and bold every time it’s referred to in the release.

Top tips

Include

Famous names involved with the show in a genuine capacity.
If you are the largest / youngest / oldest etc company on the Fringe, plus any awards won.
Links your show has to current affairs.
Brief quotes from previous reviews or features.
Your company or show social media info.
Dates that media tickets are available.
Dates of any access performances.
Listings information: venue, ticket prices, preview dates, full run dates, time (using the 24-hour clock), running time, box office details and website booking info, including the Fringe Society’s Box Office details.

Avoid

Theatrical jargon – the information is ultimately intended for the general public.
Cramming the release with largely irrelevant details (eg schedules, cast lists, biographies etc). This information can be sent later if requested.

Sending your release

Target your media.
Think carefully about your media release title/subject line (which should be the same).
When emailing to more than one person, use ‘Bcc’ to cut and paste multiple email addresses. Type your own email addressed into the ‘To’ field.
Be careful not to duplicate – some journalists write for more than one publication.
Always put the text of your release in the body of your email, rather than including it as an attachment.
Send images to media on request.
Send releases via email – printouts should only be sent if specifically requested.
Also send your release to our 2024 press release database, a resource we provide to accredited media to help them more easily gather show information.

Don’t

Send large attachments.

Expert advice: Alex Hardy (The Times) on writing a comedy release

Be really clear about what your show is, why people should care about it, and where you fit in the comedy industry.

Give a clear and appealing description in the subject line/first line of the release. Journalists receive probably hundreds of messages a day, and need to be able to filter them quickly. If it’s stand-up, sketch, character, absurdist, mime, improvised; if it’s about politics, your trip to Peru, or your Gran, say so straight away.

Don’t feel the pressure to be funny: a media release is primarily for information and it’s better to be clear about your show, rather than clog up your message with jokes or gimmicks.

If you can, though, include a video or some links to places journalists can see your work. If they can get an instant view of what you’re doing, it helps enormously.

One of the keys to a successful publicity campaign is a strong image or design. This will be the ‘face’ of your show and will ‘talk’ to your audience by communicating a message or concept relevant to your show.

Keep the same image across all your marketing (flyers, ads, posters, T-shirts, etc) and focus on clarity and continuity. The familiarity of one image, reappearing in the programme, online, in newspapers and on a flyer on the High Street, helps build trust in, and recognition of, your brand. This can be photography, illustration or strong graphic design, though remember you may still need production shots for press purposes. You must also make sure you clear the copyright of any images or illustrations you choose.

The press sometimes prefer images that don’t look like publicity shots, so get good quality shots either from the production or a photocall in Edinburgh. Take a look at arts coverage in the national newspapers to see which photographs are used and why.

Commissioning professional photography can be a good investment. If you can’t afford that, try to enlist the services of a talented amateur from your circle of friends or from your local design college, where students may be looking to develop their portfolio. If you can’t get good quality shots, it is probably better to avoid photography altogether.

The Fringe Media Office can offer advice and feedback on your chosen images.

Top tips

Companies tend to have their production photographs taken during a dress rehearsal or actual performance.
Head and shoulder portrait shots are not used unless you are well known.
If your first Fringe performance is also your first full performance of the production, get these shots done during your first performance and make sure you send them to our Media Office and to the picture desks of media publications at the Fringe.
Unusual angles, dramatic settings, humorous approaches and even images that have been digitally altered work well.

When sending images to the media

Only send images to media on request (unless you’re sending to picture desks).
All picture desks use digital images. Make sure your images are at least 300dpi, over 1MB and in an accepted format (jpg). You may want to send low-resolution 72dpi versions initially and 300dpi versions only when requested to avoid clogging up journalists’ inboxes with large files, especially if they’re getting emails from every Fringe show.
Label all individual photographs with the name of your show. If a picture editor receives a file labelled ‘JPEG1’ there will be no way to link the image with your show even if your show name was on the containing folder or in the subject line of your email.
Make sure you include any required photographer credits.

Who to send images to

From programme launch onwards, picture editors and journalists will be requesting images to act as ‘fillers’ and for festival supplements, so make sure they have your best shot sitting in their inbox. Get images across to picture desks within a month or two of the festival starting.
Some publications have special email addresses for festival pictures – we include these in the media list we send out.
Do your research. There are publications whose Arts Editor will be scouting for images to use daily throughout the festival. Find out who they are and send them low-res images with a contact number. If they want to run the image they will come back to you and request a high-res image, or you can provide a link to a website (eg a file-sharing site) with images available to download.

Expert advice: Jane Barlow (national press photographer)
- Make your photocall and picture idea link to your show in some way: be clear what you’re offering photographers up front, but always listen to them – they’ll have better ideas of what makes a good picture. If possible, run ideas past a photographer or picture desks first. Think about the visual impact, and what story you are trying to tell. There’s no point setting up a picture which looks fantastic, but bears no relation to the product, show or purpose.
- Recce your location: again, ask photographers with local knowledge or people who have worked at the festival for location ideas. Interesting, relevant or simple backgrounds work best; if possible, take the performers to the space beforehand to check how it would work for them.
- Make your press release concise: all photographers have to include captions with their pictures when they send them to the picture desks. It helps photographers and picture editors enormously if you can include a brief paragraph that summarises the show and has all the necessary information: who, what, where, why and when.
- Have flexibility in your shoot: consult the Clash Diary and speak to some of the picture desks to make sure there’s nothing else in the diary on that date and time. If it’s a quiet news day there is more chance that the papers will run standalone images the following day.

Photocalls and publicity stunts

A photocall in Edinburgh during the festival can support your campaign in several ways. The main aim is often getting a photograph published, but the spectacle of a well-organised stunt alone can pull in the crowds and raise awareness of your show. The two key components of a photocall are the location and the visual. Prioritise creating an image first, then organise an event. Sit down with your company and brainstorm ideas. Always think about practical implications, such as finding a scenic but accessible area of the city – don’t plan a photocall by the one o’clock gun in Edinburgh Castle.

Send a photocall notice to the publications you want to target. Remember to think about arranging your own photographer so you have a collection of images to send on to picture editors yourself and use on social media.

Programmes and cast lists

While programmes for individual shows are traditional in theatrical productions, they are not the norm at the Fringe. They may be necessary for you to give more information about the company or acknowledge sponsors and donors, but they are an extra expense in an already print-saturated environment and may not have the impact you would like. If you decide to provide programmes, general practice is to keep the costs low and distribute them to your audience for free.

Journalists may want a cast list, so make digital copies of these and distribute them to the Fringe Media Office and your venue box office or press office. Always ensure that your contact details are prominently displayed on any programme or cast list you produce.

Word of mouth

Fringe audiences talk to each other and love to discuss the best shows they’ve seen. At the end of your show, encourage your audience to tell their friends, leave an audience review on edfringe.com and give you a shout on social media – it all helps create that buzz around your show.

Cross-promotion

It’s a good idea to look through the Fringe show listings and identify shows with similar themes to yours. If you share a similar theme or style, you’re also likely to share an audience – so why not engage with each other and work together? You could exit flyer each other’s shows (ie handing out flyers as the audience leaves) and engage with each other on social media. The same goes for other shows in your venue. It’s also worth remembering a great deal of potential audience members are Fringe performers themselves. The more you support each other and collaborate, the more your shows will benefit.

Please get in touch with [email protected] if you have any specific questions about the information on this page. A member of our team can set up a 10-minute slot to talk things over with you on the phone or on a video call.

Please note, slots are based on team availability.

IN THIS GUIDE

The Fringe Media Office

If you are a performer or producer, check in with our Media Office for:

If you are a performer or producer, get the most out of the Fringe Media Office by:

Media contacts list

Who to contact

Terms of use

Meet / Tweet the Media

Meet the Media

Top tips

Relaxed session

Tweet the Media

Media coverage at the Fringe

Reviews

Features

Diary

News

Podcasts

Building relationships with journalists

Do

Don’t

Writing your media release

Your media release title

Top tips

Sending your release

Show images

Top tips

When sending images to the media

Who to send images to

Additional marketing

Photocalls and publicity stunts

Programmes and cast lists

Word of mouth

Cross-promotion

We're here to help!

Thank you!

IN THIS GUIDE

The Fringe Media Office

If you are a performer or producer, check in with our Media Office for:

If you are a performer or producer, get the most out of the Fringe Media Office by:

Media contacts list

Who to contact

Terms of use

Meet / Tweet the Media

Meet the Media

Top tips

Relaxed session

Tweet the Media

Media coverage at the Fringe

Reviews

Features

Diary

News

Podcasts

Building relationships with journalists

Writing your media release

Your media release title

Top tips

Sending your release

Show images

Top tips

When sending images to the media

Who to send images to

Additional marketing

Photocalls and publicity stunts

Programmes and cast lists

Word of mouth

Cross-promotion

We're here to help!

Fringe Newsletters