All eyes are on the opening of our brand new office in London. A big and bold step forward for the agency and a commitment to future growth as PR becomes even more important in creating brand distinctiveness in the world of AI and algorithms.

Lots of agencies outside of London complain about how ideas born in London don’t always lean into the nuances of the regions and consequently, they fall short of achieving their potential. 87% of the population lives outside the capital, and for a challenger brand to disrupt, it’s often here where a targeted, connected campaign can gain real cut through and deliver change.

So we’re bringing our understanding of the 87% to the capital to give brands and services the insight to disrupt the status quo. Our plan is to win from within by putting boots on the ground.

Can’t you just do meetings on Teams like everyone else?

Well, we can and we do. In this age of endless video calls and restricted travel budgets, we see that business leaders are placing a higher value on the experienced counsel and strategy that PR delivers - and that the best results are achieved through a combination of face-to-face and online comms. Giving us time to work on our relationship and build trust, as well as delivering on the task at hand.

This is why Democracy’s London office will be staffed with senior professionals from both London and Manchester, as we build our client roster and meet with contacts old and new to share our future-facing proposition for PR and social in the AI era. All wrapped up in northern charm.

What does the 87% mean to me?

We’re coming with fresh, actionable insights that everyone can take advantage of. Using our agency tech stack to shine a light on what matters to all those who live outside the capital. We’ve called it ‘The 87%’ to reflect the number who make up the UK population, and aren’t part of London.

The first report features a week of social listening data from news sites and TikTok from Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Newcastle, Birmingham, Sheffield, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Cardiff.

Specific mentions of football, football teams or football players have been removed in order to highlight other talking points, and it is also one thing that London and the 87% absolutely have in common.

Further editions of the 87% will turn the spotlight on town vs country, the north south divide, attitudes towards emerging trends.

For those who want to unlock the potential of the 87% of people who live outside of the M25, we’re here to share how people-powered communications, enhanced by the latest digital tools, can challenge the status quo in every sector, using PR, social and influencers.

So … What About The Other 13%?

Our new London MD, Rhona Templer, has been part of the London scene for more than 30 years and is well placed to strengthen our insight and skill set, making her a fantastic addition to our team for London only briefs.

But playing in London has always been part of our agency proposition. Our media contacts in the capital have always been exceptionally strong, demonstrated by our outstanding coverage results in the nationals and broadcast. But the media continues to change and we adapt and change with them.

Having a central London base will allow us to be in an even stronger position to take advantage of reactive media opportunities, the space allows us to host private media events and product range launches and gives us a base for the monthly desk-side media visits.

Check out our other insights