The top three misconceptions of successful international PR campaigns
Globalisation has connected countries, economies and cultures, driving growth and the sharing of ideas and resources. With supply chains and business partnerships already tightly linked, it may seem that international PR campaigns can be easily replicated across different markets. However, this is a common misconception.
With PR, especially in the B2B tech space, it’s not as simple as rinse and repeating the same strategy at a global level. This got us thinking about other misconceptions that organisations with international ambitions could fall foul of. Here, we dispel the top three and explore why international PR needs to follow a different tack.
“If the message is impactful, translation is enough.”
Of course, translating content is important for it to make sense to the readers of a specific country. But it’s certainly not the only step needed to ensure it is engaging and impactful. A phrase, idiom or reference that lands in one country might land awkwardly or even offensively in another.
True localisation often comes from PR professionals on the ground who have a thorough understanding of language, phrasing and messaging that resonates with readers. Not only that, but they will also know how to avoid any direct translations that may cause confusion or offence.
“One agency can run effective PR everywhere.”
The idea that working with one agency across multiple regions makes international PR simpler and easier to manage is compelling, but misguided. On the surface, it appears to offer consistency and a single point of contact. But global agencies can lack the local knowledge about media landscapes, regulations and cultural nuances needed to make an impact in new territories.
A single agency will also find it difficult to establish strong media relationships and influencer ties in multiple territories, with trust and access suffering. Without boots on the ground in local territories, global agencies can also resort to centralising measurement and reporting, which can overlook what success actually looks like in a specific market.
“If we’re making the headlines, the campaign is working.”
Coverage views on articles are brilliant for brand awareness and getting key messages out to target audiences in different countries and regions, but businesses may want to look at other metrics that are more closely aligned with their overall business objectives to understand the tangible impact of international campaigns.
Say, for example, that the primary objective is to increase awareness of a new AI-driven application in the American market. As well as media coverage of the new solution in local media and traffic being driven to the solution’s landing page on the US website, brands might also see inbound enquiries from decision-makers, along with longer-term changes in brand consideration and reputation as signs of a successful international PR campaign.
Successful international PR isn’t defined by a copy-and-paste strategy across borders, relying on one global partner or chasing headlines for the sake of visibility. Instead, success is found in understanding the nuances of each regional market, building relationships that carry weight locally and measuring success against business objectives.
For B2B tech companies, where trust, credibility and relevance are so crucial, real impact lies in careful localisation, the right partnerships and a focus on business-led outcomes.
Learn more about successful international PR campaigns with the WIN PR Group. Contact us here: hello@winprgroup.com