The public relations (PR) business is the same regardless of what city you work in, right? Well, I’m not so sure.
Every city has its unique culture. And certainly, it has its own media outlets.
The PR/marketing business in Los Angeles is certainly no different. For one thing, it is often celebrity-driven. Because so many celebrities live here, people tend to think that if a celebrity is not attached to a non-profit event, then it not worth the time of day.
Yes, some celebrities are involved in some causes. But the non-profits that have a celebrity spokesperson are few and far between, when you consider just how many causes there are. Therefore, if a non-profit doesn’t have celebrity glitz, don’t discount it. They still probably do great work and are worthy of donations and attention.
Other cities are in similar situations depending on what industry employs most residents. Examples include auto, aerospace, high tech, fashion and so forth. What happens in these industries are of particular interest to local media.
Although local media still exist, with news moving online, stories are attracting national and global interest. At one time we would pitch a story only to the LA Times on an LA company. But today, that story may also have relevance to the New York Times because everyone with a computer has access to it.
Knowing the media of the city you are based in is critical, even if every news story could have national or global interest. That’s why organizations that do business in Chicago hire a Chicago PR firm, and if an organization or company wants to enter the LA market, they hire an LA marketing firm.
So to get back to the headline of this post, “Is PR in Los Angeles different than in other cities?” Well, I would have to say yes and no.
Sorry for the confusion.