Lessons From Launching a U.S. PR Brand in the UK

Miles Hill

A year ago—almost to the day—we launched The Bliss Group’s UK office. We were confident in our model, thoughtful in our timing and realistic about what it would take to establish ourselves in a crowded new market.

Twelve months in, we’re not claiming global dominance (yet)—but we’ve built traction, won new clients, met some incredible people and learned a thing or two. And while it hasn’t always been straightforward, it has been rewarding.

This isn’t supposed to be a humblebrag piece about our pioneering, success-laden year abroad (okay, I’ll stop). It’s a reflection on what it actually takes to bring a successful U.S. PR agency to the UK: what we’ve learned, what we’ve (re)thought and how that’s ultimately making us sharper, faster and more valuable to our clients in both markets.

A few thoughts, lessons and observations:

Brand equity doesn’t travel as far as you think, and that’s okay

There’s nothing quite like building a reputation in a market where no one knows who you are.

It would be comforting to imagine that an agency’s reputation automatically crosses borders when you set up shop abroad. After all, we’re 50 years old and, at least in our B2B circles, well-known in the U.S.

In reality, while our track record mattered to some extent, UK clients (rightly) wanted to know what we could do for them, here and now—and whether we truly understood the issues, industries and media landscape specific to the UK and Europe, not just the US.

We weren’t naïve about that. But we were reminded, quickly, that every meeting, pitch and proposal had to stand on its own merit.

This article is featured in O'Dwyer's May '25 PR Firm Rankings Magazine

The good news was that this forced focus. We were pushed to be sharper in how we position ourselves in the UK. We’ve had to be crystal clear regarding what differentiates us from our competitor set (which, of course, is different in the UK than those we’re used to running up against in the U.S.). It means that we’re building a reputation that’s rooted in value, not name recognition.

And that clarity benefits our clients. It’s made us more deliberate about how we communicate value, more precise in how we define success and more disciplined in how we craft programs that resonate in different cultural and commercial contexts. In other words, the pressure of launching in a new market has made us better partners.

The American style is welcome—to a point

We all know that messaging should be tailored to different audiences. But in the UK, it’s not just about content—tone and style carry weight, and subtle shifts can make a meaningful difference in how your agency is perceived.

There’s a familiar stereotype of American firms entering the UK market—they come in with a trademark sense of American optimism, bluster and the assumption that their way is the right way.

From my personal experience, having grown up in London but spent the majority of my adult life in the United States, Brits, by and large, enjoy working with Americans. They appreciate the can-do, anything-is-possible attitude that is so firmly ingrained in the American psyche.

But the UK comms world is also incredibly proud of the innovation, creativity and talent that already exists in the industry here.

That’s why it’s so important to tend towards understatement versus overselling.

It comes up in client conversations, media engagements and even casual networking. It’s not about muting your message—it’s about understanding that confidence looks different here. Loud and bold isn’t always persuasive. Sometimes, it’s about being the person in the room who says the most with the fewest words.

Business development and networking as a discipline and a daily routine

One of the realities of launching in a new market is the sheer volume of conversations you need to on people’s radar. No one has been waiting for you to enter the market. You’re not a known entity—you’re new (at least over here). That forces you to explain, succinctly and repeatedly, who you are, what you do and why anyone should care.

In practice, that means treating business development and networking not as an occasional initiative, but as a daily practice.

Every conversation is part of the positioning. Every meeting helps sharpen your narrative. You learn how to describe your value proposition in a way that resonates with this market—not just theoretically but based on real-time reactions and raised eyebrows.

And somewhere in that repetition, the pitch gets better. Your thinking gets tighter. You start hearing, “I’ve heard of you,” instead of “So, what exactly do you do?”

What this experience underscored for me is how inextricably linked marketing and growth really are. Building a presence, driving awareness and telling your story clearly and consistently—these aren’t just brand-building exercises. They’re business critical. The relationships you cultivate, the way you show up, the clarity of your message—they all compound over time.

“Pronoia” and the myth of the aloof Londoner

Professionally, launching an agency in a new market has sharpened my strategic thinking. Personally, it’s challenged me in different ways.

By nature, I’m more introvert than extrovert. I’m generally not the type of person to work a room, and the terms “networking drinks” and “small talk” have historically sent shivers down my spine. But when you’re new to a market, networking is the job.

Early on, I came across a term that stuck with me: “pronoia.” In contrast to paranoia, it’s defined as “the delusional belief that other people are plotting your well-being, saying nice things about you behind your back and are secretly conspiring to help you.”

When I first read it, I thought it was a ludicrous and, frankly, hilarious concept. I still crack up to myself when I think about that definition.

But adopting that mindset—choosing to assume openness rather than skepticism —was unexpectedly freeing in how I’ve approached networking. It gave me the push I needed to initiate more conversations, follow up on introductions and go out for more coffees, even when my introvert instinct tried to hold me back.

Here’s what surprised me: it actually worked. I’ve found people to be open, friendly and willing to listen, offer a hand and make an introduction. Especially in London—a city often painted as fast-moving and closed off—I found a business community that was smart, generous and far more willing to help than any stereotype would suggest.

What started as a professional necessity has become a professional joy. The conversations I’ve had this year—often one-on-one, often over good coffee—have shaped how I think about the industry, how I approach growth and how we can build a business that delivers smarter, more human and more culturally fluent counsel.

It’s also a welcome reminder that our business is still inherently based on human connection, despite the amazing technology and digitization that we incorporate into our work every day.

Mid-size matters, especially now

Our approach, both in the U.S. and the UK, is not to be the biggest agency out there. But we are trying to be the most useful.

In a market crowded with big global agencies and small boutiques, we’ve found that our mid-size positioning resonates, particularly in the UK. Clients want senior attention, integrated services and people who understand the commercial context of their communications, as well as the support structures and teams to back that up. Our experience navigating both markets is reinforcing exactly that—giving us a cross-border perspective that’s practical, not just theoretical.

Especially in sectors like financial services, healthcare and professional services—where audiences are sophisticated, issues are complex and sticker prices for services are at a premium—the expectation for thoughtful, agile agencies is high.

The learning curve is real and valuable

This isn’t our first new office or our first new market, but there’s always a learning curve.

Every market has its quirks, and the UK is no exception. But what surprised us wasn’t the operational complexity; it was how much this move sharpened our strategic lens. Expanding into a new country is an exercise in humility.

We’ve had to rethink how we sell, how we pitch and how we deliver.

We’ve had to get even sharper on what our agency stands for—and what clients value in an agency partner.

But that friction has been incredibly productive.

It has forced us to get tighter on our value prop, to interrogate our internal processes and to reevaluate everything from our approach to internal comms to our pitch deck.

And that has been beneficial to us—and our clients—on both sides of the pond.

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Miles Hill is a Senior Vice President and Head of UK Office at The Bliss Group.