Revealing this week’s top news stories for reactive PR

In the blink of an eye, yet another week has passed. Here at Shout Bravo, we know that every second that passes in the world of PR is an opportunity to boost brand awareness.

 

It’s time once again for our breakdown of the top stories in the news this week, where we bring you the headlines that have taken the media by storm throughout the week and explain the ways in which they could be used for reactive PR opportunities.

 

This week, we’re bringing you a slightly different iteration of this weekly blog series – instead focusing on the delicate approach that can often be required when utilising news topics to generate coverage for our clients. Rather than sharing our wins from the week, we’ll be explaining why it may sometimes be best not to target a story.

 

So, with that being said, let’s take a look at this week’s top headlines.

 

Business…

 

This week in business, it has been a sad week for high street giant Wilko – which ultimately failed to secure a buyer for its entire brand after reports of entering administration several weeks ago. This has unfortunately resulted in the imminent closure of stores across the country, along with the loss of thousands of jobs. 

 

While some parts of the Wilko brand have been purchased – with online retail now being owned by The Range, while a percentage of stores have been bought out by both B&M and Poundland – the brand has overall been unsuccessful in finding a buyer for the entire company. 

 

Of course, this news has come as a shock to employees – who now face uncertainty over their financial future as they prepare to search for employment elsewhere. This is a topic that requires a lot of care when targeting headlines for reactive PR opportunities. However, events such as this do provide a platform for career advice that could be greatly beneficial to these employees as they navigate their next steps. 

 

Global events…

 

In the world of PR, it’s always important to keep track of the news from across the globe – especially if you are outreaching to an international audience. Not only does this help to identify reacting news opportunities overseas, but also ensures that you don’t accidentally produce content that could offend someone based on something that has happened in another country.

 

This is true this week, where there has sadly been a large-scale earthquake in the city of Marrakech, Morocco. Often regarded as a highly valuable tourist destination, Marrakech regularly features in travel ranking pieces. However, this latest earthquake has left over 2,000 people dead and buildings across the city destroyed, meaning that a delicate approach is needed.

 

While pushing content to a widespread audience is part of what we do in the PR sphere, it can be equally important to know when not to outreach a piece.

 

Finance…

 

In the world of finance this week, the UK is gearing up for yet another potential interest rate increase. Economists across the country have predicted that the Bank of England will make its 15th consecutive interest rate hike next week in an attempt to further curb inflation and counteract high borrowing costs. 

 

High interest rates are bad news for businesses and individuals across the country, who are already having to deal with much higher repayments on loans. If the proposed rate increase to 5.5% goes ahead next week, this could have catastrophic consequences for small businesses that rely on funding support from business loans – alongside having a significant effect on homeowner mortgage repayments.

 

This news can create a confusing time for businesses and the general public – providing ample opportunity to outreach comments from financial experts that can help to myth bust what this increase could mean and how they can help to cut their costs wherever possible.

 

To conclude…

 

And there you have it, our latest weekly recap of the most noteworthy news stories has come to a close. 

 

This past week delivered a whirlwind of developments, spanning the realms of business, recruitment, and more.

 

We look forward to seeing you again next week, where we’ll delve into even more of the latest trends and dissect how these events can be harnessed to enhance our clients’ visibility and brand recognition. 

 

Until then, we hope you have a wonderful week!