How to Tell Stories That Land in the US and UK: An Insider’s View

The US and UK share a language (Brits might dispute that), but stories get found, trusted and shared in very different ways.

Last week I swapped California sunshine for London drizzle and spent time in SourceCode’s UK office and met with clients. It felt like coming home, mostly because it is. I spent ten years in London before moving back to the US a decade ago, and I’m a citizen of both.

When I made the move, I braced for culture shock. I expected it in the work life, the social habits and the humor, and I wasn’t wrong. But one of the biggest shifts came from opening the morning papers and turning on the evening news.

The two media landscapes look alike until you try to work in both. And what crucial differences there are matter well beyond PR. How people find, trust and share stories now shapes everything from brand campaigns to what an AI says about your company.

“The two media landscapes look alike until you try to work in both.”

So, in honor of being back in my second home, here are a few thoughts on how our two markets differ.

Why does UK media feel so different from US media?

British media runs on wit, cynicism and a deep distrust of anyone a bit too pleased with themselves. Watch a politician get politely dismantled on the BBC and you’ll quickly get the idea. Pitch a self-congratulatory story to a London editor and you’ll get nowhere fast. The Brits can spot spin from a mile away, and sponsored content gets discounted. 

Americans, meanwhile, love a big story, whether that’s a hero’s journey, a bold claim, or a scrappy underdog. Where UK journalists see hyperbole as a red flag, US journalists often won’t notice a story that doesn’t come with a huge claim attached. 

Some of that comes down to the rules. UK broadcasters are legally required to stay impartial and accurate, while US TV news hasn’t had to stay balanced since the 1980s. It’s one reason American broadcast can feel so much more opinionated.

However, there’s a big caveat here. In recent years, US audiences have grown deeply skeptical – almost as skeptical as their cousins over the pond. Bold still works, but you need to be able to back it up with real customers, real data and someone other than you vouching for it.

“Where UK journalists see hyperbole as a red flag, US journalists often won’t notice a story that doesn’t come with a huge claim attached.”

Is the US media market really bigger than the UK’s?

On paper, yes. In reality, it’s shaped more like an hourglass. The US has lost roughly a third of its local newspapers in two decades, leaving big parts of the country as news deserts. In the UK, the national press simply filled the gap.

What keeps the US feeling big is local TV, with hundreds of network affiliates, and a specialist trade press the UK can’t match. For marketers, that means US reach gets pieced together from local broadcast, trades and creators. In the UK, a handful of national titles still set the agenda.

How is AI changing media visibility?

More people now get their answers from AI instead of clicking through to a website. As traffic dries up, publishers want original, opinionated takes, and in the US, they want them in hours, not days.

This is where comms and marketing really meet. A great placement in a trusted outlet builds credibility with readers, and it’s also what AI pulls from when it decides what to say about your brand. Your own content alone won’t get you there.

How should brands approach the UK and the US differently?

Think of UK campaigns as precision plays. A small group of editors values wit, proof and stories with several voices, so the road to big coverage often runs through your partners and customers.

In the US, it’s a ground game. You have to be fast, bold and local. “Made in America” carries real weight right now, so UK and European brands need US data, American customers and a US-based spokesperson. 

If you’re looking to land stories in both markets you need to adjust accordingly. If your story only has one accent, half the room tunes out. As someone with two, I can vouch for that.

What works in both markets?

For all the differences, three things hold true wherever I am.

Relationships matter. In the UK, it’s trust with individual journalists in a world where everyone knows everyone. In the US, it’s communities of peers and the people in the room. Either way, the brands that win are the ones people know and connect with. 

Credibility matters. Skeptical audiences on both sides want proof before they believe a word, and AI does too.

The story matters most. Whether you’re pitching a London editor, briefing a San Francisco affiliate or trying to show up in an AI answer, you need something real to say. No paid placement can fake that.

The best ideas I’ve seen rarely stay in one market. The more time I spend on both sides, the more I’m convinced the global lens isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s how you spot what’s coming next. 

Get in touch to talk about running campaigns that work on both sides of the Atlantic.