PR Strategy for E-Commerce Brands: Otter PR and Bearbottom

When Bearbottom Clothing, a company offering comfortable, everyday menswear, wanted to expand its reach and get its brand noticed, its founders turned to Otter PR. Since signing on for a PR strategy for e-commerce brands with Otter PR, Bearbottom has earned over 600 media features through a strategy focused on story-driven thought leadership, gift-guide pitching, and travel-ready product positioning.

The Otter PR specialists have anchored the Bearbottom Clothing strategy to recognizable outlet names such as Forbes and Business Insider. Through its partnership with Otter PR, Bearbottom has gained increased credibility, traffic, and revenue momentum for its brand.

From start-up to media-ready e-commerce brand

Bearbottom began small as a direct-to-consumer menswear line offering versatile, comfortable clothes for everyday wear and activities. Launched by founder Robert Felder from his college dorm room, Bearbottom was inspired by the need for “adventure-ready” clothing that Felder discovered was hard to find year-round.

The brand built a steady online following, but as an e-commerce brand without a brick-and-mortar location, it needed third-party validation to earn consumer trust and stand out in a crowded apparel market.

At the same time, Bearbottom’s mission gave it a compelling story: sustainably minded manufacturing, comfort-focused designs, and a buy-one-give-one model that donates a meal to a child in need for every item sold. Otter PR recognized that this mix of an interesting founder story, ethical practices, and functional design could translate into strong media narratives when packaged correctly for top-tier outlets as part of a robust PR strategy for e-commerce brands.

How a PR strategy for e-commerce brands helps build brand recognition

Bearbottom came to Otter PR with very little media presence beyond its website, so the PR experts assigned to the account knew they had to start building Bearbottom’s reputation from scratch. The most significant initial hurdle was building relationships with editors and journalists and convincing them to take a chance on a little-known e-commerce brand through strategically placed press releases and a brand-oriented marketing strategy.

The fact that Bearbottom operates outside of well-known fashion hubs like New York was another hurdle for the publicist team. Earned media PR exposure would likely be slower without robust SEO, possible influencer marketing, and the attention of the right media outlets.

Otter PR knew its goal was to close the gap between the challenges and top-tier media hits. With placements in widely read outlets such as Forbes, Bearbottom quickly gained name recognition alongside better-known clothing brands, becoming an influencer in the adventure-ready clothing space. To date, per Otter PR’s internal reporting, the brand’s coverage has garnered an estimated 14.4M lifetime views from readers.

Multifaceted PR campaign: Angles, timing, and targeting

Otter PR used three core pillars of a PR strategy for e-commerce brands to build its approach to Bearbottom’s campaign. These pillars included seasonal gift-guide pitching, values-driven storytelling, and lifestyle-specific angles targeted at travel, fitness, and remote work:

Seasonal gift guide pitching:
- Highlighted Bearbottom’s wide clothing range as ideal gifts for holidays, birthdays, and occasions like Father’s Day.
- Secured strategic placements and backlinks that boosted visibility during active shopping seasons.
- Helped drive direct sales alongside increased brand awareness.

Values-driven storytelling:
- Shared compelling narratives about Bearbottom’s founding, mission, and philanthropic and sustainability commitments.
- Leveraged social platforms and marketing channels to showcase the brand’s values.
- Earned high-credibility media recognition, including a feature in the Forbes 30 Under 30 Retail and e-commerce list.

Lifestyle-specific pitching:
- Positioned Bearbottom as a “travel-ready” clothing brand emphasizing packability, comfort, and versatility.
- Targeted storytelling and media outreach tailored to consumers interested in travel and active lifestyles.

Companies seeking to obtain similar results to Bearbottom can reach out to Otter PR and schedule an e-commerce PR call of their own to see what tailored strategy Otter PR can create for them.

Top-tier spotlights to build trust, reach the target audience, and attract potential customers

Over time, Otter PR’s multifaceted strategy helped Bearbottom earn features that went beyond simple name-checking. These placements — over 650 so far — have since validated the brand’s performance and its product quality for millions of prospective, first-time, and recurring customers.

Various top-tier placements have highlighted Bearbottom’s growth and leadership in the e-commerce clothing space. Coverage in outlets such as Business Insider highlighted how Bearbottom has weathered inflationary pressures through operational discipline and a commitment to customer values.

Each placement has played a distinct role in establishing leadership in the e-commerce space, in financial and operational respects, and in product validation, creating a powerful platform for the brand to build credibility.

PR efforts result in hundreds of placements and ongoing impact through PR strategy for e-commerce brands

Since placing its initial call to Otter PR, Bearbottom Clothing has generated ongoing outreach resulting in hundreds of placements. These placements have led to measurable impact for the business, including increased brand awareness, stronger third-party validation, and healthier revenue.

Companies that would like to see similar results for their e-commerce brand can schedule an e-commerce PR call with the Otter PR team to start crafting a PR strategy for e-commerce brands tailored to their company’s individual growth goals and media needs.