How To Do PR For Automotive Clients and Land Coverage

The principles of PR for automotive clients is very similar to other industries, but the nature of the automotive media landscape does have its quirks. Understanding them is crucial to get your story to stand out in a journalists’ inbox. 

At PitBox91, we handle PR campaigns for automotive clients in the car, motorcycle, motorsport and commercial vehicle sectors, across B2B and B2C communications. Each of these sectors share a constant: there is an abundance of publications and media outlets covering different niches and subgenres, making for a rather complicated media landscape. Here, print is still king - more so than in other industries - and more ‘old-school’ pitching techniques tend to land better. 

When a client wants to target enthusiasts, having a deep understanding of this media landscape sets you apart from the competition. Petrolheads are tribal and strong communities form around certain brands or models of car, for example, so it’s vital to target your pitches accurately. Targeting fewer publications with highly personalised pitches is the key here. Yes, this is a golden rule for all PR, but it’s possibly even more exaggerated in the automotive space.

Or, if you’re going for broader coverage outside of the automotive press, the challenge is completely different. Any good automotive PR person will be a petrolhead, living and breathing cars, bikes, whatever their passion is. It’s important to step outside of this bubble, though, and think like a ‘normal’ person! To most people, a car is a tool to get from A to B, so they won’t be drawn to click on a car-related headline, especially if it’s too technical. Making these stories relevant is crucial, whether by linking to something more broadly topical (such as the cost of living crisis), relatable themes (commuting or weather etc.) or controversial transport topics that already have a broad reach (low emissions zones or smart motorways).

Jump on trends, but be creative. Again, this applies to PR in any industry, but the automotive sector has some hot topics that are everywhere, so standing out is difficult. Everyone has a position on the EV debate, so it’s wise to look for opportunities to join other conversations. I was particularly interested in an article in Autocar this week reviewing how each of the major political parties’ policies could affect drivers and the car industry as a whole. This was editorial research, not the result of PR, but it inspired me to think how our clients could use next week’s election to join the conversation as thought leaders. 

Most importantly, share your passion, but be accessible. Find the right balance so you can make what can be a fairly mundane everyday topic interesting to the masses, while still being able to ‘geek out’ with fellow petrolheads when you need to!