“PR is dead”
“Flood the internet”
Two phrases from Sir Martin Sorrell on Radio 4’s Today programme that lit an industry-wide discussion and united practitioners around one clear theme – that PR is misunderstood and it’s time this was dealt with.
Enter Don’t Flood The Internet, the PRCA’s very first storytelling unconference, launching at the start of National Storytelling Week.
This isn’t a conference.
There are no panels.
No podium politics.
No buzzword bingo.
Instead, at Don’t Flood the Internet, the audience decides what matters and which campaigns truly prove PR and PA’s value. And the pay off – the vote winning campaigns demonstrating real economic and societal impact will become part of our Don’t Flood The Internet campaign aimed at publicly rejecting Sir Martin Sorrell’s claims.
Why now?
Sir Martin Sorrell statement that brands should simply “flood the internet with content” landed like a grenade.
Not because it was provocative, but because it missed the point entirely.
Flooding the internet doesn’t create trust, reputation or lifetime value – it just generates noise.
PR isn’t about flooding anything.
It’s about judgement over volume.
Credibility over clicks.
Impact over impressions.
And instead of shouting about it, the PR community is doing what it does best:
telling better stories.
What is it?
A member-led storytelling unconference where:
· Practitioners take the stage
· Stories replace slide decks
· Evidence beats opinion
Each speaker gets 10 minutes to share a real PR campaign that delivered measurable societal or economic impact.
The top campaigns will become part of our wider campaign to assert PR’s value.
How it works
1. Submit your story
Pitch a real campaign you’ve worked on Don't Flood the Internet - Please note, you must purchase a ticket to the event for your campaign to be considered.
2. The community votes
Members decide which stories deserve airtime.
3. Quick-fire sessions
On the day, 13 speakers take the stage for tightly timed 10-minute slots.
The rules
To protect the integrity of the room:
· 10 minutes. Strict.
· No sales decks. No agency flexing.
· Real work only, no hypotheticals.
· Show impact, not activity.
· Share lessons, not just wins.
Key dates
· Speaker submissions close: 13th Feb
· Member voting: 16th Feb – 19th Feb
· Speakers notified: 20th Feb
· Storytelling Unconference: 3rd March (13:30 – 18:00 GMT, Four Comms)
Who should attend?
PR professionals who believe:
· Storytelling is about judgement, not volume
· The industry needs proof, not posturing
· PR’s value should be demonstrated, not defended
