WEDNESDAY 4 FEB 2015 4:30 PM

MEDIA EXPECTATIONS ACROSS US REGIONS

In response to the generalisation that the European PR industry is sometimes subjected to, London PR agency, CCgroup, has mapped out the US region in an effort to prove the ineffectiveness of a universal approach to media relations.

Richard Fogg, managing director of CCgroup, says, “It’s been a running joke in European PR circles for years: US marketers think of ‘Europe’ as a single, homogenous entity. Of course, that’s nonsense. But, if you asked European marketers how PR practice – especially influencer relations - differs between US regions, it would be a short conversation. So, working with regional specialists on the ground, we decided to find out - and I have to say it’s been a very insightful exercise.”

The resource was launched in collaboration with agencies from nine different US regions, highlighting the similarities and idiosyncrasies of the media and influencers in each area. The cynicism of influencers in each region are ranked out of ten by local PR agencies.

Scepticism of PRs is at its highest in New England, while media in the East South Central region are considered to be the least cynical; they are more laid-back and willing to listen. In West South Central, journalists shy away from hospitality events and in most regions journalists prefer to pay their own way during lunch and coffee meetings. Only in the Pacific, East South Central and South Atlantic regions is influencer hospitality considered acceptable.

Other regional quirks include a slower pace in the South Atlantic region and a desire for local news in West North Central.

Although these findings remain generalisations it is a reminder that localised media services are an important consideration.

“The US is a diverse communications environment and cannot be approached with a homogenous PR strategy. Even the level of detail we’ve uncovered in this project risks gross oversimplification, but it demonstrates the value of working with regional specialist PR teams and hitting the road to build relationships with influencers across the US,” concludes Fogg.

To view the full study, click here.

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