When to Hire PR Before a Canadian Launch

The most common timing mistake in a Canadian launch is starting late. Here's how to think about lead time.

How far ahead of a launch should we hire a PR agency?

For a Canadian product launch, plan for roughly two to three months of lead time at a minimum, and ideally before the launch date is locked. Earned media depends on briefing journalists, honoring embargoes, and aligning coverage with retail timing — all of which need runway. The more that has to happen in French and English, the earlier you want to start.

What happens if we start too late?

You lose the ability to build anticipation and to align coverage with product availability. Late starts force reactive pitching instead of a planned rollout, and they make Quebec coverage especially hard to add, because French-Canadian relationships and briefings take time. The launch still happens; it just lands quieter.

Can't we build the media relationships ourselves closer to launch?

Media relationships are built over years, not weeks, which is the whole point of hiring a team that already has them. On a launch timeline you don't build relationships, you borrow them — the value of an established agency is that a reviewer takes their call the week you need it.

Does bilingual coverage need extra lead time?

It needs coordinated lead time rather than more of it. Running English and French in parallel from the start is efficient; trying to add the French market after the English plan is already moving is what creates delays. Planning both languages together from day one keeps the timeline tight.