The persistent deluge of MP expenses stories swamping the pages of the national press has been dictating the PR agenda, with many leading agencies keeping the lid on their stories until the current media storm subsides.
Agencies have reported putting less time-sensitive stories on the back burner until the national mood lightens and the public recovers its appetite for many of the more stimulating and offbeat brand of stories that they deliver.
Dirk Singer of Cow PR was one of many leading figures in the profession to highlight the challenges faced by the industry in light of the funeral procession of gloomy stories that have been dominating the news schedule in recent months.
He said that since the end of last year there had been a constant drumbeat of recession news and bank bailouts and that the industry was having to work a lot harder to gain coverage for stories.
But, he added, if you got the angles right you could make a story work.
PR agencies are nevertheless, by their very nature, highly accomplished at turning a major news event to their clients' advantage.
Manchester-based agency Brazen illustrated this quality perfectly by milking the news that an MP had claimed for a Vileda mop by sending out a fun email alert about its client's Supermocio mop to all key media contacts.
hello@octopuspr.co.uk 
01785
229530 
