Is August Still Silly Season for the Press?

School’s out and our favourite celebrities and politicians have fled to more exotic climes for sun, sea…and silly season!

Most of them have picked private beaches to gulp all-inclusive champers far, far away from paps and prying eyes, leaving journalists everywhere scratching their heads and scrambling around for stories.

Thank Gawd for some poor bloke, now best-known as ‘Ibiza final boss’, who was innocently enjoying his holiday on a Spanish island when he instantly became a viral sensation and the ultimate rave meme, thanks to his hairdo.

Katie Price’s daughter Princess, 18, is on the front pages and top of the news websites after revealing she “wishes she had a happier childhood.”

And a fox ran onto the pitch at Lord’s during The Hundred cricket opener.

Yes, silly season is in full swing!

With parliament in recess, and tabloid traffic-winning TV show Love Island over, some celebs use silly season as an opportunity – proving they can’t bear to be out of the spotlight, even on their holidays.

Hold the front page…

Rochelle bagged herself some column inches last week after letting the world know that she’s abroad with Myleene Klass’s ex-husband a few days after she shocked the showbiz world claiming he cheated on her with a celebrity at her own birthday party.

Fresh off the plane from Cyprus, Peter Andre proved he’s closer than ever to Princess, posting a father-daughter holiday snap the same day her so-called ‘feud’ with mum Katie Price hit the headlines.

Ex-Towie star Billi Mucklow is showing her famous footballer ex Andy Carroll what he’s missing as she poses in her bikini on Instagram in Mallorca.

And politicians everywhere are probably abroad too, but they’re sensibly not posting pictures on social media in the hope of avoiding criticism while the world is in crisis.

So yes, August IS still silly season – but this year it’s a bit less silly than usual.

The unimaginable horrors and suffering in Gaza get worse every day.

We’ve been battered by Storm Floris, a probable consequence of climate change.

And Europe burns in a 40-degree heatwave as wildfires devastate France, Greece and Spain.

But that’s not enough to fill a newspaper or 250 online articles a day. As one top national newspaper journalist told me: “it’s not just silly, it’s the worst bit of silly season”.

So, with real news stories few and far between, fame hungry celebs know they’re guaranteed to hit the headlines plastering their family holidays all over social media.

The question is – how can brands take advantage of so-called silly season too?

1. There’s an Appetite for More Positive Stories

People are actively avoiding the news more than ever before, describing it as ‘overwhelming and relentless.’ In the UK almost half of people (46%) say they avoid it ‘sometimes’ or ‘often’; that’s up from 24% in 2017, according to the recent Digital News Report by Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism.

But the report goes on to suggest people are still engaged with news, they’re just looking for more variety in the content they’re served. The message here is simple – brands with a strong story to tell should be focusing on developing positive content, but with more substance than traditional ‘silly season’ fodder, as we have plenty of that from celebs on their jollies.

Got an exclusive story with pictures and video? In silly season, journalists are desperate for content so seize the opportunity and send it to them now. Brands with stories that tick all the boxes – an exclusive, with new pictures and great video for their website, Youtube and socials – can secure major coverage this month.

2. Tap Into People’s Summer mood

There’s no denying there’s been a lingering cloud of gloom over the nation (and possibly the entire world) for a while.

Aside from the new Strictly Come Dancing and I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here lineups, journalists will be looking for reliable content winners, such as funny or money tales, glamorous and beautiful pictures, big sharks, ships, planes and airport chaos, news readers can use, and anything that taps into the mood of the nation…hello Oasis!

Luckily for brands everywhere, there is no hard and fast rule as to what content needs to be – from Oasis-inspired 90s nostalgia to summer escapism – a great story is a great story.

3. Don’t Jump on Every Trend

One or two big trends often dominate the summer. From Barbenheimer in 2023 to last year’s Brat summer, these trends end up everywhere.  It can be tempting to join the party, but we’d caution against jumping on every bandwagon – unless the connection is authentic and truly works for your wider brand activity.

Most newsrooms these days are largely dictated by the algorithms and what is working well on their website. Frustratingly for brands, this changes every day but a glance at the Daily Mail and The Sun’s websites would suggest top trends with staying power that brands could lean into include stories about ways to save money on your weekly shop or around the house, new and easy lifestyle hacks, and holidays from hell.

4. But Do Consider Perennial Summer Themes

Beyond short-lived trends, the summer months reliably bring perennial themes. From the first hosepipe ban of the season and the “Britain Set to Be Hotter than Hawaii” headlines to overcrowded UK beaches, some stories are as regular as clockwork. These can provide proactive and reactive PR opportunities for both consumer and B2B brands, so have your angle and relevant spokespeople ready to go.

As newsrooms navigate the impact of AI Mode, experts and quotes from people with authority are in huge demand – this helps websites to show authority for Google and become a daily destination for readers seeking out real news and original content they haven’t read before. If you can add expert quotes and some top tips to your pitch it will create instant extra value for the journalist and possibly more coverage for you.

There are also broader summer trends, such as the type of holidays proving popular or must-have looks in fashion or interiors. So, whether you’re talking about travel companies helping travellers recharge by connecting with nature, home retailers showing customers how to get the ‘rustic retreat’ look for summer 2025, or British brands embracing the BritCore trend, you can be confident these wider topics will be popping up across both mainstream and social media.

The author: Amy Brookbanks is a multi-award-winning editor and journalist with 21 years’ experience in national print and digital journalism. A specialist in crafting engaging, high-impact content that drives audience growth and elevates brand visibility, Amy provides strategic editorial direction and consultancy to brands.