| Is public relations the same the world over or are there | | | | was surprised at how alike working in the US is to |
| significant differences in from country to country. For | | | | working here. "The first thing that struck me when I |
| example do PROs find it easy to move between the | | | | started working in New York was actually how similar |
| US and the UK? | | | | the day-to-day activity was when compared to my |
| Britain and the States have always shared common | | | | role in London. The processes, strategy and tactics |
| values; historically the two countries are closely aligned. | | | | underpinning client programmes were much the same." |
| Whether you are watching a repeat of Friends, or | | | | Day-to-day life may be similar for PROs working in the |
| grabbing a Starbucks coffee, the cultures seem similar. | | | | New York or London office of a large consultancy, but |
| But when it comes to PR, what are the significant | | | | the differences between the British and Americans |
| differences in how companies on either side of the | | | | start to come to light when working with clients and |
| Atlantic operate? | | | | with the media. Here there are important differences, |
| Dennis L Wilcox, author of Public Relations Strategies | | | | both culturally and logistically. Because of its size of |
| & Tactics, says that that PR practices are not | | | | America, there is a huge range of communities, in |
| only the same in the UK and the US, they are the | | | | terms of consumer tastes and therefore media |
| same globally. He explains: "The principles and basic | | | | consumption. Andy Barr, co-founder of PR agency 10 |
| concepts of effective public relations are the same | | | | Yetis. He has experienced marked contrasts when |
| around the world. There's still a focus on media | | | | working across the Atlantic. "The sheer geographic |
| relations in all nations, but practitioners around the globe | | | | size difference between the USA and the UK means |
| are getting much more sophisticated about managing | | | | that where you can use generic press releases |
| issues, crisis communications, CSR, social media, and | | | | nationally over here it simply won't work in America, |
| even the metrics of measurement." | | | | they need to be really tailored state by state." |
| Rebecca Southern, account director at PR agency | | | | Apart from its size, there is a great deal that the UK |
| Edelman, has worked both in London and in New York. | | | | shares with America, which is why UK PROs find it |
| She agrees that, basically, PR work in a large agency | | | | relatively easy to cross over, and vice versa. |
| is the same in both nations. Rebecca took a | | | | However, the differences between us should not be |
| five-month placement to the New York office and she | | | | discounted. |