The Art of Conducting Public Relations on Both Sides of the Pond

Those of you who are familiar with the The PR Insider may be aware that in the past few months, we have opened up a new office in the heart of New York City. This development is one that has presented us with many new opportunities; it has allowed us to greatly expand our agency’s international reach and in particular, has given us bases in two of the world’s leading media and communication hubs.

However, as with all significant changes, our international expansion is by no means a development which has come without its fair share of challenges. As a public relations and strategic communications agency that pride ourselves on offering our clients bespoke communications campaigns, we have acknowledged right from the beginning that there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to public relations campaigns that can be translated from one side of the Atlantic to the other.

One of the core aspects of public relations in any corner of the globe is ensuring communications are succinct, accurate and understandable to the local population. In many occasions, this usually entails having someone on board who is fluent and well versed in the local tongue. In instances where two countries share a common language such as the UK and USA, this can involve being aware in small differences in spelling such as “colour” and “color”, or that whole sectors of the industry go by different names in these two countries, with ‘food and drink PR’ known as ‘food and beverage PR’ in the USA.

While the above differences may seem minute, another more significant challenge that arises when conducting public relations in a new territory is adapting to a foreign media landscape. While they share several similarities, the UK and the USA are two very different countries, with two very different media landscapes. Chiefly, this means that it is of great importance to keep on top of the news agendas of each territories practiced in, in order to fully take advantage of any newsworthy media angle for which you can pitch your clients. Additionally, it is important to be wary of the cultural nuances of each country, as certain kinds of stories may be more palatable to audiences in one country than another, due to the differences in culture and national character.

A few more specific examples of the differences in the media landscape between the US and UK include the fact that local publications play a much more prominent role in American media, due to the enormous size of the country, something every agency must take into account when targeting publications in the States.

Overall, it is important to remember that public relations is not simply about promoting a product, but is also about creating brand awareness. Through our international experience we have an understanding of what makes a successful brand globally, and tailor our campaigns to cater to international tastes, preferences, approaches and styles.

Curzon PR is a London-based PR firm working with clients globally. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our Business Development Team bd@curzonpr.com