Lessons Learned from PR in 2020: Adapting to Change and Innovation

To say it’s been a strange year would be a bit of an understatement.

Twelve months ago, we never imagined that we’d spend the bulk of the year working from the kitchen table, running meetings and even nights out on Zoom – in fact, we've completely changed the way we live and work.

It’s not always been easy but the optimist in me likes to look for the positives and there have been some.

In the early days of the pandemic, it was all about responding to the news agenda and as the months wore on, finding some light relief with positive stories and campaigns.

If it has shown us one thing, it’s that being adaptable and quick to respond is key to ensure clients are heard amongst a very fast changing news agenda.

So, what did we learn and how have these lessons changed the way we work?

PR campaigns

We had lots of exciting campaigns planned for 2020 which overnight we had to shelve. Instead, we adapted. We went with the fast-moving news agenda, having our clients feature on and in national press, we ran successful campaigns on adapting to Covid19 and as we came out of the first wave, had a whole stack of heart-warming campaigns ready to go.

Our clients

When the first lockdown was announced and we were all going into the unknown, it was tough. But we stood and worked together with our clients, and our relationship with them remains strong as a result. We also got them some great coverage and links.

The media

We’ve always prided ourselves on our relationships with the press and they too became stronger. As former journalists and with journalistic training, we knew exactly what the press would be looking for and when to pitch it. Some of it was just about judging the mood, but that sixth sense for news never leaves you!

Creativity

Being creative over Zoom can be a challenge but one we’ve stepped up to. Finding new ways to develop ideas and concepts, thinking outside the box and bringing our 2020 live experiences to play have all been part of it.

WFH

From being in the office all week to all of a sudden working from home was a real change. As an agency we looked at structuring our days and evolved the way we work to make it a positive experience for us and our clients.