Slow XMAS 5

Objective

Slow Xmas 5 marked the fifth installment of the Slow Xmas compilation series, an annual collection of alternative holiday recordings by independent artists. This was the first-ever vinyl release of Slow Xmas, and the campaign therefore aimed not only to generate editorial coverage but also to drive awareness and demand for the vinyl edition during the holiday listening season.

The campaign strategy combined editorial outreach, artist curation, and community engagement.

Outrun PR played a key role in helping curate the lineup of contributing artists, leveraging relationships within the independent music community to assemble a group of musicians whose audiences would overlap with the project’s core listeners.

The promotional strategy focused on three main pillars:

  • Track-led discovery — using the single “Season of Dreaming” as the primary press hook for editorial coverage and premieres

  • Vinyl collector appeal — positioning the release as a seasonal vinyl artifact for indie music fans

  • Audience crossover — leveraging relationships connected to the Blank Check with Griffin & David community, whose audience had shown enthusiasm for the project in previous years

Strategy

The campaign involved coordinated outreach across indie music publications, podcasts, and holiday music roundups.

Key activities included:

  • Curating and confirming contributing artists for the compilation through personal industry connections

  • Pitching the lead single “Season of Dreaming” to editors for premieres, track features, and new-music coverage

  • Promoting the first vinyl edition of Slow Xmas to outlets covering vinyl culture and collector releases

  • Coordinating podcast appearances and interviews connected to the project’s creators and contributors

execution

Meridian Brothers - Featured on Slow Xmas 5

The campaign generated editorial coverage across a wide range of prominent indie music outlets and seasonal music features. Coverage highlights included:

  • Track coverage from Stereogum, FLOOD Magazine, Under the Radar, and MXDWN

  • New-music roundup inclusion in Paste Magazine

  • Vinyl-focused editorial placement in Uproxx

  • Additional coverage from BrooklynVegan, No Depression, Tinnitist, and Spill Magazine

impact

Death Valley Girls - Featured on Slow Xmas 5