Public Relations Across Borders: “Culture makes the difference in international PR”

Strategies, tactics, and effectiveness of Public Relations can vary significantly: What works in the US or Spain may not work in Germany, and vice versa. In international PR, understanding the nuances of communication in each market is crucial for success.

As a member of the International Public Relations Network (IPRN), JP KOM has more than 40 agency partners in 30 countries around the globe. As part of the interview series “Public Relations Across Borders: How PR Works in Different Global Markets”, hosted by Kieran Powell, CEO of New York-based agency partner Channel V Media, in Authority Magazine, JP KOM Managing Director Jörg Pfannenberg provides insights into the German communications landscape and the success factors in this market: “The German market is very special. This has to do with the language. Many Germans speak English quite well, but business and public life is still conducted in German. Our language has many double meanings.“

International studies show that the German culture is quite different from Anglo-American or Romanic cultures. “There are a lot of unwritten rules,” says Pfannenberg. “Germany is a low-context culture: It is very consensus-oriented, even though at first glance it seems technical and rational. Emotions are not shown openly. But on the other hand, Germans are quite open to charm and surprise.”

For more than 30 years, JP KOM is advising major German companies and hidden champions when they go international, and companies from the US (Amazon, Pfizer, Merck Inc. and Intuitive Surgical) and from Asia (Takeda, Mitsubishi Chemical) on their communication in Germany. Pfannenberg’s experience shows: “It is very important to have a local partner who can guide you through German feelings, the German language and the German media landscape.”

You can find the interview here.