Top reactive PR examples in 2025 that put the brand in the spotlight

Proactive PR is essential for any business that’s looking to build up their brand, mapping out a long-term strategy to ensure you have the tools you need to reach your business goals. But news moves fast in the online age, so when an unexpected story breaks, a new trend emerges or a cultural moment takes hold, reactive PR is an effective way to ensure your expertise is included in the surrounding chatter that exists, beyond that strategic roadmap.  

Otherwise referred to as ‘newsjacking’, a reactive PR agency will remain agile enough to deliver a proactive PR strategy while identifying any opportunities for reactive PR that may emerge. Sometimes the opportunities are huge, national news stories, with journalists actively seeking comment, while other opportunities may be less obvious trends that a keen eye can spot and showcase to publications before your competitors.  

Do you remember when the BT Tower was sold? Our team worked with our architect client, Able Partners, to share a creative reimagining of the landmark. It gained 14 media hits in publications including the Metro in print and online in just a few hours – making a huge impact for the growing London practice, and adding a brilliant boost to our planned PR that year.  

Reactive PR is a fantastic digital PR tactic that can build up relationships with journalists and gain plenty of inclusions in high quality publications, with lots of potential for securing backlinks.  

With the recent Muck Rack report - ‘What Is AI Reading’ - stating that 49% of citations in AI generated answers originate from journalistic content, it could go a long way in ensuring your brand’s voice is seen in this new influential output too.  

Here are some more examples of effective reactive PR campaigns that have worked well in 2025: 

Cybersecurity warnings after M&S breach 

This spring saw a wave of cyberattacks targeting huge retailers such as Marks and Spencer, Harrods and Co-op. As well as leaving customers unable to purchase products and creating discomfort over personal data, this became high profile news that put the risk in full focus for other businesses too. 

This was a key part of the news agenda, so journalists moved fast to get their articles live, making it the perfect opportunity for businesses with a relevant comment to step in. Speed is key in this instance, and Ecommerce platform Omnisend was one of the first, resulting in coverage in publications such as The Scotsman, Your Money and more. Cybersecurity app Pistachio was another voice seen in accompanying articles, leading to an exclusive in-depth interview in the Mail online.  

Aldi gets Oasis fever 

Aldi is no stranger to responding to a cultural moment, and the Oasis hometown show in Heaton Park, Manchester, was one of the biggest in Britian this year. The supermarket renamed its Greater Manchester store, based near Heaton Park, ‘Aldeh’ in a tribute to the legendary Manchester rock band, in a move that will have been planned out as soon as the show was announced.  

But once fans created a petition to keep the store name regionalised for good, the decision to honour it was a brilliant additional piece of reactive PR, tapping into the brand’s values and personality. Just weeks later, the supermarket’s team also responded to the viral Marks and Spencer strawberry sandwich with a cheeky, budget-friendly alternative shared on social media – an example of how different departments can work together to react to events as they happen, creating the perfect press piece.  

Busting TikTok myths with expert insight 

Rumours can quickly become rife online, particularly through social media platforms. When a series of TikTok posts sparked concerns amongst thousands of UK motorists, suggesting a new law restricting the use of GPS apps while driving, MoneySuperMarket set the record straight by combining information from the Department of Transport with their own consumer-friendly advice, helping outlets to create a story with plenty of public interest.  

Great performances deserve to be seen clearly  

While many might have wished for it, it would have been impossible to predict the historic win for the Lionesses at the 2025 Euros. Yet the team successfully defended their title in Switzerland, so Specsavers maximised on the energy felt across the nation by homing in on a trademark look seen on the champion-making head coach.  

Stating that ‘great performances deserve to be seen clearly’, the optical brand announced it will be giving away a free pair of glasses to anyone in England named Sarina, in honour of Sarina Wiegman who led the team to victory, leading to reams of press coverage and a whole host of User Generated Content on social media to follow once the namesake customers claimed their prize.  

What makes a good reactive PR campaign? 

Spotting opportunities in the right places 

Sometimes a major national news story will break, which is a timely but competitive opportunity for reactive PR. Beyond the far-reaching headlines, it’s also important to immerse yourself in the topics relevant to your specific industry, especially if you’re a B2B business. This will help to uncover topics that are important to your target audience, as well as relevant trade and niche publications, presenting more opportunities for a possible press inclusion.  

There are many ways to spot opportunities for comments, or emerging trends that are ripe for reactive PR. As well as staying on top of the news cycle and pop culture milestones - from sporting events and big film releases to new legislation from the Government - platforms such as Reddit, Google Trends, newsletters, Pinterest, and other social media platforms can all help to showcase topics of interest as they start to emerge. 

Speed, quality and relevance 

When a major event occurs, journalists are racing to be the first to cover the story so if your business can act fast then they’re far more likely to be included in those ‘hot off the press’ pieces. However, a speedy comment without any real value will quickly be discarded, so it’s important to craft an informative response that puts your expertise and advice at the forefront, rather than something that’s too commercial and throwaway.  

If your business has any internal data that can back something up or present a counter argument, including this in your comment can also help journalists to create a unique piece.  

Thinking beyond the comment 

Aldi’s use of social media is a perfect example of using brand-owned communities to quickly add your voice to a trending conversation. These platforms are visual by their very nature, so if a news story breaks, creating an eye-catching graphic and sharing it online could be a speedy way to grab the attention of press. Other platforms such as newsletters and blogs are also important and offer another way to capitalise on trending topics.  

Get in touch with our PR team

Alongside our strategic PR campaigns, each of our clients benefit from working with a team that keeps a keen eye on the topics that matter the most - and doesn’t miss an opportunity to act.  

Learn more about our work as a reactive PR agency and claim your free 30-minute consultation today.