Andy Barr, senior communications manager at Season One Comms: "Unaccustomed as I am to public acclaim, I have launched lots of, now global, brands to a largely unprepared audience. The ones I mostly crow about being; Huel, Wild, MyVoucherCodes and Tribewanted (it was made into a BBC TV show for god’s sake!).  The secret of their launch success? I am sad to report that there is no silver bullet. It is a mix of luck (there, I admitted it), timing (a slow news day always helps) and contacts (despite what the digital PR crew may say).

"The one thing in common that they all had was, a fantastic story. This is what can take a humdrum launch to an engaging and media loving hit. The story usually comes from the founders, with maybe a bit of PR sparkle sprinkled on top. Founders with great stories typically have drive, passion and desire (sounds a bit fruity, I apologise). You would expect me to say something about exclusives and embargo’s etc, but they don’t do anything, especially if your launch is dull AF. Work hard to develop the story behind the launch, find the passion point, release that CEO or founder upon an unsuspecting press and watch as the launch goes through the roof. I'm not one to giveaway all of the top trade secrets but, a good media database always helps speed things up."

Julie Yeudall, director at Tigerbond: “Smart PR can absolutely help smaller brands compete with larger players. In fact, in the current climate, where people value the power of community more than ever and want to feel connected to brands, smaller businesses might just have the advantage when it comes to leveraging PR. Here are some tips for smaller brands:

1. Really pinpoint your audience, and don’t worry if the key group is small. Going mass market has its place, but consumers engage more when they feel part of a community that’s seen and heard. Smaller brands have a great opportunity to tap into and nurture that.

2. Find an agency that won’t be an agency, but a true partner. People that match your values, ambitions and footprint, and want to help you grow.

3. Don’t overlook the power of hyper-local and regional PR. Some of the best national stories start small – just like some of the best brands.

4. The perfect PR paradox – think big. Small is mighty, and there should be no holds barred when it comes to big thinking, if applied in a smart way – from picking the right channels to being clever with budget.”

Paul Charles, CEO of The PC Agency: "The key for smaller brands is to be highly nimble and flexible. Being smaller may mean smaller budgets, if any spend is available, but it also means a brand can move faster than a larger player in the same or similar space. Working with smaller players opens up greater creativity as agencies have to think or work harder on how to achieve positive coverage with little money. Smaller brands are also more likely to sign-off smaller, more creative approaches to media and influencers.

"I’ve found some of the most effective approaches include media gift drops with the smaller brand’s product nicely-wrapped; brief one-on-one meetings with the brand’s CEO over coffee at the journalist’s office or nearby café; sending a thank you bottle of wine if a journalist has written a positive feature about the brand; and finally, to show that the smaller brand cares, sending a small gift if a journalist has a birthday or has given birth etc.

"Small brands can benefit enormously if the owner or CEO is highly visible by being seen to care. Often larger players don’t have the time or focus to behave in such a way."

Olivia Thwaites, account director at Axe + Saw: “In the ever-changing media landscape, it can be intimidating for small brands to get cut through. However, they might be the ones with the advantage. Unlike big businesses, smaller brands can be more reactive and, without the same layers of red tape, small brands can take bolder creative risks.

“With this in mind, a small budget might seem like a disadvantage, but it can spark the most creative ideas. Different constraints such as timelines and resources can push teams to think outside the box, developing powerful campaigns that capture audience attention. This creativity, paired with the ability to be agile, means small brands can move quickly with culture, and jump on opportunities larger players might miss.

“The best reactive opportunities come from monitoring trends and conversations daily, even hourly, to identify timely cultural moments. By staying relevant to your target audience through culture, small brands can increase their share of voice and tell stories with true impact. When it’s done right, PR and storytelling is how small brands can level up against the big industry giants.”

Kath Myers, UK MD at Milk & Honey PR: “It's not a case of ‘can’ PR elevate small brands, but rather ‘must’. Yes, it's not easy getting journalists and influencers to pay attention to smaller or unknown brands, but powerful PR is the way we cut through by ensuring the brand is different, interesting and arresting. It's about leaning into strengths: small brands are likely to be faster, braver and more challenging than the established players. And, as we know, smaller budgets often supercharge creativity. These are the essential building blocks of successful PR. Through strategic media placement, influencer engagement and smart partnerships, PR establishes credibility, builds trust and grows a highly engaged audience - elevating smaller brands so that they can go toe-to-toe with the big beasts.”

Greg Jones, European CEO at Smarts: “The power of PR certainly isn’t limited to brands with big budgets. The principles of any campaign apply: a culturally-relevant insight, that attracts consumer attention, deftly executed. For the most successful start-up brands, it’s not about competing with larger players, but finding a long-term place in culture and conversations. Here, the importance of understanding your audience’s cultural values and demonstrating yours, over time and across channels, is the way to consistently make a mark. Identifying the calendar moments that are a natural fit avoids chasing a topical trend into a far-reaching corner of the internet. A clearly communicated message ensures that journalists don’t need to decode your positioning to reach for a comment. These aren’t 'clever PR' – they’re the fundamentals of long-term cultural endurance.”

Nicola Burton, director at Hope & Glory: “PR is one of the most powerful, efficient and cost-effective tools a small brand has at its fingertips. Small brands can be nimble in a way large, global companies can't and the ability to be reactive should be taken advantage of. Meanwhile, global equivalents are still on the third round of approvals. Whilst many small brands won’t yet have the household name status that larger competitors might, they are free from the reams of red tape that comes with it. My advice is to use this to your advantage and take the risk that bigger brands can’t. Stand out from the crowd by having a fresh opinion, playful creative and – dare I say it – invite debate and conversation to cement your brand in the minds of your audience as something they should care about.”