The best way to get featured in Complex from the UK in 2026 is a named, editorial feature. Complex is the reference point for sneakers, streetwear, hip-hop, sports culture and the brands that move between them. Unlike most culture titles, it has a working route for brands: a full sponsored feature on Complex.com that we can guarantee, alongside the editorial pitch that cannot be bought. This page explains the title, both routes, and what a Complex-worthy story looks like.
Complex in 2026: what it is and who reads it
Complex began as a print magazine founded by designer Marc Ecko in 2002 and became one of the largest youth-culture publishers online. BuzzFeed owned it from 2021 and sold it in February 2024 to NTWRK, the live-shopping platform, in a deal reported at $108.6 million. Complex now sits alongside commerce and events such as ComplexCon, which matters for brands: the audience does not just read about products, it buys them.
Coverage runs across sneakers (the largest section), style, music, sports, pop culture, and the Complex Networks video franchises. Readers are mostly 18 to 34, male-skewing but broadening, in the US, UK, Canada and Australia. Moz Domain Authority is 89.
Route one: a guaranteed sponsored feature on Complex.com
Through our publishing partners we place a full-length feature on Complex.com. It is written by our editorial team to Complex’s tone, reviewed by you before it goes to the publisher, labelled as sponsored or partner content in line with the site’s rules, and carries a do-follow link to your site. The publisher’s usual production time is one to two weeks; we quote an outside date of three to four weeks from copy approval so that edits and scheduling never make us late.
What works in this format: a brand or founder story with real cultural context, a collaboration, a launch with strong imagery, an athlete or artist partnership. What we will not run: anything that misrepresents an editorial endorsement, or claims about products we cannot verify.
Route two: the editorial pitch
Complex editors cover releases, collaborations, artists and the business behind the culture. They respond to exclusives, early access to product, credible names attached to a project, and stories that their readers will argue about. We pitch a named editor with a short note and assets, and we tell you the truth about the odds. Editorial coverage is never guaranteed and cannot be bought.
What Complex readers stop for in 2026
- A sneaker or apparel drop with a story: the designer, the reference, the limited numbers.
- A collaboration between a brand and an artist, athlete or studio that readers already follow.
- Founder stories from inside the culture, especially first-generation and independent labels.
- Data on resale, drops or fan behaviour that nobody has published.
- Music and sports crossovers: a label, a league, a game, a tour.
How the guaranteed route works, step by step
- Brief. A 30-minute call to agree the angle, the link target and the images.
- Draft. We write the feature in Complex’s voice and send it for your approval.
- Submission. The approved copy goes to the publisher’s editorial team, who may make house-style edits.
- Live. You receive the URL, a screenshot and guidance on how to use the feature in your own marketing.
How to get featured in Complex
Before you pitch, read recent stories on the Complex website to see which sections and writers fit your story, then use our guide on how to pitch a journalist to shape your approach.
Related titles for the same audience
For a wider culture campaign we combine Complex with Highsnobiety (editorial), Elite Daily (guaranteed, DA 88), Fashion Week Daily (guaranteed, DA 69) and our music PR service. The full list is on the publications page.
Tell us about the drop, the collaboration or the founder and we will confirm within one working day whether Complex is the right fit and when it can go live.
Questions we are asked about Complex
Can United Press guarantee a feature in Complex?
Yes, for the sponsored feature route on Complex.com. It is written by us, approved by you, labelled as sponsored or partner content and published with a do-follow link, with an outside date of three to four weeks from copy approval. Editorial coverage is separate and cannot be guaranteed.
What is the Domain Authority of Complex?
Complex.com has a Moz Domain Authority of 89, which places it among the strongest culture and entertainment domains.
Is the link in a Complex sponsored feature do-follow?
Yes. Sponsored features we place on Complex.com carry a do-follow link, and the feature is intended to remain live permanently under the publisher’s terms.
What kind of story gets featured on Complex?
Sneaker and streetwear drops, collaborations with artists and athletes, independent brand founders, music and sports crossovers, and original data about drops and resale culture.