Great PR doesn't happen by accident. This framework helps you plan a PR campaign from objective-setting through to measurement. It covers the full workflow: define the news angle, identify target media and journalists, craft key messages, prepare spokespeople, build a timeline, and set measurable success criteria. The framework works for product launches, thought leadership campaigns, corporate announcements, and event PR.
When to use this framework
→You're planning a product launch and need an earned media strategy
→You want to build a thought leadership programme for your executives
→You're making a corporate announcement (funding, partnership, leadership change)
→You need to coordinate PR with a paid/owned campaign for maximum impact
→You're briefing a PR agency and need a structured campaign plan
What must this campaign achieve? Be specific: coverage volume, message pull-through, share of voice, reputation shift.
Position Monzo as the UK's most transparent bank by securing 20+ media placements around the annual transparency report, with 80%+ of coverage including the 'radical transparency' message. Secondary goal: drive 50K visits to the transparency report page.
Why would a journalist care? What's genuinely newsworthy? Data, firsts, contrarian takes, and human interest work. Corporate puffery doesn't.
Monzo is publishing detailed data that no other UK bank has ever shared publicly: exact fraud rates, complaint resolution times, and customer satisfaction scores by product — including the numbers that don't look good. The story isn't 'Monzo is great,' it's 'Monzo is the only bank brave enough to show you its bad numbers alongside its good ones.' Contrarian angle: 'Why we're publishing data that makes us look bad.'
Three messages you want to appear in coverage. Keep them short, quotable, and provable.
1. Transparency isn't a marketing tactic — it's how financial services should work. If your bank won't show you its numbers, ask why.
2. We're publishing data no UK bank has ever shared: real fraud rates, real complaint times, real satisfaction scores — the bad alongside the good.
3. Customers who trust their bank stay longer, spend more, and recommend more. Transparency isn't just right — it's good business.
2. Target Audience & Media
Who are you ultimately trying to reach? Customers, investors, regulators, talent? This determines which media matters.
Primary: UK consumers aged 25-45 considering switching banks (acquisition). Secondary: Fintech industry and regulators (reputation/influence). Tertiary: Prospective employees (employer brand).
The dream placements — national press, top-tier trade publications, broadcast. List specific outlets and journalists.
1. Financial Times — banking correspondent and Alphaville team
2. The Guardian — money section and tech desk
3. BBC News — business/tech reporters
4. The Times — banking editor
5. Sky News — business desk
6. Wired UK — fintech/tech culture
7. Bloomberg UK — fintech reporter
Industry publications, regional media, podcasts, newsletters. Often higher engagement than tier 1.
Industry analysts (Gartner, Forrester), social media influencers, or community voices who can amplify the story.
1. Martin Lewis (MoneySavingExpert) — brief separately with exclusive data
2. Key fintech analysts at 11:FS and Accenture
3. Personal finance influencers on YouTube (10K+ subscribers in UK PF space)
4. FCA contacts — private briefing on transparency methodology
3. Spokesperson Preparation
Who will be the face of this campaign? Name, title, and why they're credible on this topic.
Tom Blomfield (co-founder) or current CEO. Credibility: built Monzo from scratch, vocal advocate for challenger banking, authentic and unscripted in media appearances. Media-trained and comfortable with live broadcast.
What will journalists challenge? Prepare bridging answers. If you can't handle the tough questions, you're not ready.
1. 'Your fraud rate is higher than legacy banks — doesn't this show Monzo is less secure?' → Bridge: 'We're showing you the real number. Ask Barclays for theirs — they won't share. Our rate includes attempted fraud we caught. And we're investing £X in fraud prevention this year.'
2. 'Aren't you just using transparency as marketing?' → Bridge: 'If this were marketing, we'd only publish the good numbers. We're publishing everything — including metrics where we're behind. That's accountability, not PR.'
3. 'Monzo still isn't profitable — why focus on transparency instead of the business model?' → Bridge: 'Transparency IS the business model. Customer trust drives retention, which drives unit economics.'
What evidence supports your story? Data, customer stories, research, third-party validation.
1. Actual data from the report (embargo-ready stats)
2. Customer survey: 73% of Monzo users say transparency is why they chose Monzo
3. Comparison: zero legacy banks publish equivalent data
4. Third-party: Fairer Finance trust ratings
5. Customer stories: 3 pre-approved case studies
Week -2: Brief agency, finalise report, prep spokesperson
Week -1: Exclusive pitch to FT (embargo). Brief Martin Lewis separately. Brief analysts.
Day 0 (Tuesday): Embargo lifts 00:01. Report goes live. CEO blog post. Social campaign launches.
Day 0-1: Reactive media (broadcast, follow-ups). CEO LinkedIn post with personal take.
Day 2-5: Trade media pitches, podcast recordings.
Week +1: Follow-up pitches with segmented data angles (e.g., fraud data to security press, satisfaction data to consumer press).
Week +2: Results analysis and internal debrief.
How will you amplify earned coverage through owned channels? Blog, social, email, executive LinkedIn.
1. CEO blog post on monzo.com (live at embargo lift)
2. Twitter/X thread from @monzo with key stats as graphics
3. LinkedIn posts from CEO + CPO + Head of Customer Ops
4. In-app notification linking to the report
5. Email to all customers with personalised stat ('You contacted us X times this year, and we resolved 94% within...')
6. Re-share every media placement on social with pull quotes
How will you measure success? Coverage volume, message pull-through, SOV, web traffic, lead gen, sentiment.
1. Coverage: 20+ placements across tier 1 and tier 2
2. Message pull-through: 80%+ of articles include 'transparency' or 'radical transparency'
3. Web traffic: 50,000 visits to report page in first week
4. Social: 5,000+ shares of the report or coverage
5. Sentiment: 90%+ positive/neutral coverage sentiment
6. SOV: #1 share of voice in 'UK digital banking' for launch week
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