PR in the Real World
PR in the Real World
Podcast Description
PR in the Real World offers a unique perspective into the world of PR through the lens of an independent, award-winning, regional PR agency, Viva.The podcast offers insights into PR, marketing, and communications and it is shaped by the communities Viva serves—both geographically and across key sectors such as healthcare, advanced manufacturing, education, and the public sector.The podcast highlights Viva's ethos that PR should be impact-driven, and guests offer tips on how to gain real-world results without necessarily relying on huge budgets or celebrity names. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast explores themes centered around public relations, marketing strategies, and community influence, with episodes featuring practical advice on topics like employee ownership, securing broadcast coverage, and crisis communications within law enforcement.
PR in the Real World offers a unique perspective into the world of PR through the lens of a regional PR agency, Viva – recently named the CIPR’s UK Small PR Consultancy of the Year.
The podcast offers insights into PR, marketing, and communications and it is shaped by the communities Viva serves—both geographically and across key sectors such as healthcare, advanced manufacturing, education, and the public sector.
The podcast highlights Viva’s ethos that PR should be impact-driven, and guests offer tips on how to gain real-world results without necessarily relying on huge budgets or celebrity names.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode of PR in the Real World, Joe Marley, Executive Director of Marketing and Communications at Alcohol Change UK, takes us inside the thinking behind Dry January – one of the UK’s most recognisable and enduring behaviour change campaigns.
This episode is all about what it really takes to build — and sustain — a campaign that has become part of the cultural calendar, while staying rooted in evidence, trust and real-world impact.
Joe shares the origins of Dry January, from its humble beginnings as a personal experiment to a global challenge used by millions of people each year. We explore why January works so well as a moment for behaviour change, and how the campaign deliberately avoids judgement or prescription — instead meeting people wherever they are in their relationship with alcohol.
From a communications perspective, Joe unpacks the realities of running an annual campaign for nearly 15 years. He explains how Alcohol Change UK keeps Dry January feeling fresh by leaning into participant stories, community ambassadors and long-term outcomes. We also talk about the pressure of year-on-year comparisons and why ‘sanity metrics’ matter more than vanity numbers when you’re focused on genuine change.
The conversation also dives into the strategic role of tools like the Try Dry app, the science behind supported behaviour change and why the most important day of Dry January might actually be the 1st of February. Joe also shares how creative activations — including the ‘Funny AF’ comedy campaign — are used to challenge cultural assumptions about alcohol while keeping the tone approachable, human and engaging.
A must-listen for PR and communications professionals working on behaviour change, health campaigns, or any long-term initiative where trust, evidence and impact matter more than quick wins.
Links and References
Alcohol Change UK: https://alcoholchange.org.uk
Dry January campaign: https://alcoholchange.org.uk/help-and-support/managing-your-drinking/dry-january/about-dry-january/the-dry-january-story
Try Dry app: https://alcoholchange.org.uk/help-and-support/managing-your-drinking/dry-january/get-involved/the-dry-january-app
Alcohol Change UK Campaigns: https://alcoholchange.org.uk/get-involved/campaigns
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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