How PR in Poland differs from PR in the UK

Public relations in Poland and the UK operate in fundamentally different cultural, economic, and media landscapes. In Poland, PR strategies remain relationship-driven, with strong emphasis on personal contacts within traditional media, government bodies, and local influencers. Journalists often prefer direct communication and long-term trust-building, with face-to-face meetings still a valuable tool. In contrast, the UK’s public relations sector is more data-led and outcomes-focused, with practitioners prioritising measurable KPIs such as media impressions, ROI, and share of voice. This reflects a more mature PR environment where data and analytics drive performance and campaign success.

The shift toward analytic measurement in Poland signals a broader trend of modernisation. Firms like Awesome PR Girls are leading the charge by focusing on measurable PR outcomes tailored to both local expectations and international standards. While Poland’s PR sector is relatively young—having emerged in the early 1990s following political and economic reforms—it’s evolving rapidly, narrowing the gap between Polish and Western public relations practices.

Structural and Budgetary - Differences

A key difference lies in the structure and size of the PR markets. The UK boasts nearly 4,000 PR agencies, compared to just under 1,000 in Poland. The UK market, valued at over $4 billion, is significantly larger than Poland’s $200 million PR industry. Polish agencies are often small to mid-sized, with many being solo consultancies, offering clients more personalised but narrower service scopes. In contrast, UK agencies often operate with larger budgets, multinational clients, and fully integrated communications teams. However, pricing is catching up: Polish PR retainers often range from $2,500–$5,000/month, similar to mid-range UK offerings. {2024 data}

Media Landscape and Press Relations

While media relations mechanics—such as storytelling, press releases, and journalist engagement—are similar across countries, the scale and approach differ. UK journalists work in a highly segmented media environment, demanding audience-specific angles and fast content delivery. In Poland, the media market is more centralised, with fewer outlets but broader national reach. Journalists are more responsive to ready-made press materials, although the culture around proactive media engagement is still developing. Unlike the UK, where tight editorial deadlines and declining newsroom staff require perfectly packaged content, Poland still allows for more flexibility in content delivery—though this is changing fast.

PR’s Role in Business Strategy

Another critical distinction lies in how PR is embedded within business strategy. In the UK, public relations is deeply integrated with marketing, branding, and corporate strategy, and agencies often work alongside research and data firms to shape messaging. In Poland, PR is often outsourced, with fewer companies maintaining internal PR departments. Communications is sometimes folded into marketing roles, handled by small teams or even a single person. That said, larger Polish firms are increasingly investing in research to support PR planning, reflecting a maturing market and increased demand for strategic communication.

Audience Characteristics and Cultural Nuance

Understanding the target audience is crucial in both markets, but cultural nuances differ. Polish audiences are known to be skeptical and value-driven, placing high importance on authenticity, family, health, and social integrity. This contrasts with the UK, where audiences may respond more readily to aspirational messaging or influencer-driven campaigns. In Poland, brand trust is often built through endorsements from respected local figures, case studies, and regionally relevant storytelling. Missteps—especially around cultural or religious sensitivities—can be hard to recover from.

International vs Local Orientation

Finally, the international orientation of PR agencies differs markedly. UK agencies frequently manage multinational campaigns, requiring multilingual content and global brand consistency. Polish agencies often serve regional or domestic markets, with increasing expansion into Central and Eastern Europe. As the Polish PR scene becomes more globalised, it’s adopting Western practices like campaign measurement, digital analytics, and influencer performance tracking, while retaining its relationship-first ethos.

Despite shared tools and tactics, PR in Poland and the UK diverge in budget, market maturity, cultural expectations, and media structure. UK PR is fast-paced, metrics-oriented, and globally connected, while Polish PR is more personal, evolving, and sensitive to local context. For brands looking to enter either market, working with a PR agency that understands these nuances—like Awesome PR Girls—is key to building reputation, engagement, and long-term success.