It is becoming increasingly evident to me as a Dubliner in London, that PR in both cities, although sharing some similarities, is significantly different.
Media Landscape
Although the population of London is 6.6 times larger than that of Dublin, working at Positive has been an eye-opening experience, mostly when it comes to the scale of the media landscape in London and across the UK, in comparison to Dublin and Ireland. The size and diversity of London is reflected in the size and diversity of its media landscape.
London’s booming press can be viewed through both a positive and negative lens. A positive can be the range of niche media outlets that cover the topic you are pitching. In my case this would be tech, there are numerous tech outlets here in the UK looking for a great tech story. Each strand of technology has its own dedicated media outlets – for example FinTech, EdTech and MedTech. In comparison to this, while Dublin has a defined and robust technology media offering, it is significantly more constrained and limited.
The negative to working with the media in London is the competition for media attention. This competition is fierce when it comes to pitching and securing coverage, as there are thousands more PR professionals in London you are competing with in comparison to Dublin.
When comparing radio in both countries, I noticed that I rarely listen to the radio in London, but when in Dublin I listened to it daily while driving to and from work.
In Ireland radio is massive, with the average person listening to over 30 hours of live radio per week. This is likely due to the lack of a strong public transport system, meaning most drive to work, and so are tuning into the radio in the car. In comparison, listening to the radio live is less accessible in London, particularly for those commuting to work on the tube which lacks underground connectivity. This is why radio is a major focus for PR professionals in Ireland. Radio coverage and interviews, including on smaller regional stations, is crucial for effective PR at home.
Pitching
I had never ‘pitched’ by email before. My work in Ireland has always been by emailing media releases. And while pitching happens in Ireland, the press release remains the most common method to getting a story to journalists.
Relationship building with the Irish media is very important, and it is customary to meet for a coffee/lunch to get to know a journalist better. Sometimes it is appropriate to invite a journalist via hospitality to an event such as a corporate dinner, a rugby match or a concert.
The approach to PR in Ireland could be viewed as outdated, but it gets the job done, and often with a greater degree of efficiency. PR professionals in Dublin would be a lot more hesitant to constantly pitch in comparison to their UK counterparts, because of the Irish culture. Dublin fosters a more modest, laid-back approach to life in comparison to the fast-paced lifestyle of London.
The approach to securing client coverage in London could be viewed as more aggressive but also more proactive. It is more of a transactional relationship between a PR professional and journalist rather than a friendly one. It does not mean that fostering strong relationships with journalists is not important here, the approach just differs between the two capitals.
Similarities
Despite the differences I have noted, similarities are shared in relation to the newsworthiness, the topicality and quality of the subject matter being shared with a journalist, which will be reflected in the quality of the coverage. The same goal is shared which is to achieve a positive outcome and impact for the client.
Both London and Dublin share a focus on creativity and innovation. London has a more upbeat, persistent and proactive approach to PR whereas Dublin is more laid back and friendly in its approach, yet remains thoroughly professional.
In conclusion, I believe that both approaches suit their relevant cities perfectly and PR strategies should be tailored to not only suit the city in which you are working, but the journalist you are trying to reach. At the end of the day, irrespective of location, coverage and content is key!
