Press Forward

What Press Forward does

Press Forward is a specialized public relations and marketing agency serving the outdoor, cycling, and snowsports industries. Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Middlebury, Vermont, the firm operates with a small 1-10 person team and provides public relations, affiliate marketing, performance PR, digital communications strategy, SEO-optimized content, and athlete/ambassador activation services. Its client base spans more than 60 outdoor brands, ranging from large established names (LL Bean, Fischer Sports, Julbo, Cannondale, Thule) to emerging and mid-market brands (NNormal, BIVO, Velocio, Skida, Bag Balm, Vermont Glove).

The firm's "product" is a set of relationship- and expertise-driven professional services rather than a technology platform. Its core assets are earned-media relationships with outdoor and consumer publications, category-specific domain knowledge, and a content/campaign playbook tailored to outdoor consumer brands. Demonstrated output includes securing tier-one placements such as a New York Times feature for Bag Balm, a Forbes profile for NNormal, and an NYT Wirecutter review for Skida.

Press Forward monetizes through fee-based professional services contracts, typically structured as monthly retainers and project-based engagements. Its go-to-market is sales-led and relationship-driven, targeting brand and marketing decision-makers within outdoor industry companies. The business is privately held with no disclosed external funding, consistent with a founder-operated services agency.

Name

Press Forward

Legal name

Press Forward

Website

https://pressforwardpr.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Press Forward is a Vermont-based public relations and marketing agency specializing in PR, affiliate marketing, and digital communications for 60+ outdoor, cycling, and snowsports brands, including NNormal, Fischer, Julbo, and LL Bean.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Relations Services

NAICS

Public Relations Agencies (54182)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Media Relations & Press Office Services (MPAAADAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Media Relations & Press Office Services (BPAFADAF), Influencer PR & Seeding (Gifting/Press Kits) (MPAAAHAG), Social Media & Community Management (PR-led) (BPAFADAM)

Keywords

• Outdoor industry PR
• Media relations services
• Affiliate marketing
• Athlete ambassador activation
• SEO content strategy

Headquarters

HQ city

Oakland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. PR and Communications Services: Press Forward generates revenue through fee-based professional services contracts for public relations, media relations, affiliate marketing, content creation, and strategic communications. As a services agency, they bill for ongoing retainer work, project-based engagements, and performance-based marketing services in the outdoor industry vertical.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Press Forward is a specialized public relations and marketing agency serving the outdoor, snowsports, cycling, and endurance sports industries. The agency delivers six core service lines: media and public relations, affiliate marketing, performance PR, digital communications strategy, SEO-optimized custom content, and athlete and ambassador activation, for B2B clients in the outdoor recreation vertical.

Product overview

Press Forward is a specialized PR and marketing agency for the outdoor industry, offering a unified suite of six core service offerings rather than a software platform. These services include Media + Public Relations, Affiliate Marketing, Performance PR, Digital Communications Strategy, SEO-Optimized Custom Content, and Athlete + Ambassador Activation. Together, these services provide comprehensive communications support for outdoor brands, from media relations and content creation to influencer partnerships and affiliate program management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Media + Public Relations

Quantifiable outcome

• New York Times feature placement for Bag Balm, appearing online, in global email digests, and in Sunday print edition
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights1 record

Direct peers

• Backbone Media: Backbone Media is a long-standing outdoor and active-lifestyle PR agency serving many of the same brand archetypes as Press Forward (snow, bike, run, outdoor gear). It is the most direct comparable in terms of vertical focus, retainer model, and earned-media approach.
• Verde Brand Communications: Verde specializes in active lifestyle, outdoor, and natural products PR, with deep cyclist and endurance sports credentials. It competes head-to-head for the same brand types Press Forward serves — outdoor gear, nutrition, cycling components — and uses a similar boutique verticalized model.

Broad incumbents

• Walker Sands: Walker Sands is a broader B2B and consumer PR/marketing agency with an active outdoor and consumer-products practice. It serves many of the same client profiles (outdoor gear, cycling, lifestyle) but competes through a wider portfolio of services rather than exclusive outdoor specialization.
• Edelman: Edelman is a global communications giant that represents many of the largest outdoor and active lifestyle brands (e.g., legacy outdoor apparel and gear companies). It is not a direct niche competitor but is the natural incumbent alternative when brands scale up or go global.
• Weber Shandwick: Weber Shandwick is a global PR firm with a Consumer Marketing practice that serves outdoor, lifestyle, and sportswear clients. Comparable as the broad-incumbent alternative for outdoor brands outgrowing boutique PR support.
• M Booth: M Booth is a consumer and lifestyle PR agency with strength in active, outdoor, and wellness-adjacent brands. Comparable in service model (earned media, content, influencer) but with a broader vertical footprint than Press Forward.
• Sunshine Sachs: Sunshine Sachs is a high-profile consumer PR firm representing lifestyle, apparel, and outdoor-adjacent clients. Comparable for premium outdoor and lifestyle brand storytelling even though it does not specialize exclusively in the outdoor vertical.
• 5W Public Relations: 5W is a consumer and lifestyle PR agency with a roster that includes outdoor, fitness, and active lifestyle brands. Comparable in audience and service mix but positioned as a larger, multi-vertical alternative to a vertical specialist like Press Forward.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/thepressforward

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Press Forward