Do you consent to cookies?
×Something we’re big on here at Clearbox is impact. Impact on our team, our clients, our communities. In fact, impact is something we talk about every day through the many regional PR campaigns we run for clients across the country.
Ella on our team has discovered a real love of regional PR since she joined our team, and she wanted to write some words about that love and what it all means. Over to you, Ella…
I’m relatively new to the PR world. With October marking my 8th month working at Clearbox, time flies when you’re having fun! During this time, I’ve learnt a lot about PR, the importance of it and the impact it can have on local communities.
Warning, I am in no way an expert (yet), but let’s discuss the impact regional PR has on local communities across the UK.
In my opinion, there are three main ways in which regional PR, campaign or otherwise, impacts local communities. Granted, they’re easier said than done…
1. Building brand awareness
2. Creating positive communication
3. Highlighting important work within a community
By utilising regional PR, businesses can build brand loyalty and awareness in a local community without the budget constraints and other limiting factors of PR on a national scale.
Regional PR allows for meaningful relationships to be built between a business and local community. A more regional approach to PR means an organisation can tailor its message, values and image more easily to its community, making it relevant locally. This is where regional PR wins against national PR.
Building this brand awareness on a local level works to boost community support and loyalty to a business.
I believe that creating positive communication and highlighting important work within a community go hand in hand together; one could not work without the other.
Regional PR creates a stronger impact and connection to the community as campaigns are tailored closer to home.
Whether it be a new business, charity donation or local profile piece, regional PR boosts support within a local community and is an effective way to create positive communication whilst building brand loyalty.
It is considerably easier to customise a campaign on a regional scale, rather than national scale, and create positive communication through this. One thing I’ve noticed is a person who is engaging with regional PR always appreciates a positive gesture, no matter the scale.
If a business is celebrating their first year, hosting a fundraising activity or has made a charity donation, these small positive stories can make a big impact on a local community. Local communities are and will always be interested in positive news for their area, and this is easily communicated through regional PR.
Furthermore, in creating positive communication, regional PR acts encouragement for other businesses to follow in these footsteps and in turn benefit the local community further.
Lasting relationships with local media outlets and journalists can be created through regional PR, leading to positive future press and easier communication.
Here at Clearbox, we specialise in regional PR across the UK and Ireland. Let’s look at some examples of regional PR campaigns we’ve worked on, and their impact on local communities.
1. Boundary Brewing’s Community Taproom
The team at Boundary Brewing announced the launch of its community share raise programme to open Northern Ireland’s first permanent taproom at their brewery in East Belfast. Our regional media campaigns helped the team at Boundary generate £80,000 in funding through their existing members and new members acquired through the campaign.
HillView began life during lockdown in 2020 selling prints of various locations across the world. The story of the brand and their lockdown success was profiled across local online media alongside updated photography and new strategies for their campaigns and projects. Our regional media campaigns increased HillView print’s sales by an additional £10,000 per month alongside increased awareness for their brand.
3. Universal Pictures – BELFAST
The team at Universal approached Clearbox in 2021 to work on the Irish premiere of Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast. This campaign saw us managing photocalls, a red-carpet premiere and pitching to the media about the cast and movie. These pieces were picked up by media locally and worldwide drawing attention to the film and Belfast itself, the city we know and love.
I think regional PR as a function is fantastic, especially due to the impact it has on local communities. The ability to build brand awareness, positively communicate and highlight important work in a community is vital for any business and regional PR ensures this and should not be overlooked for a national scale.
