Ahead of CHARGE Europe 2025 in Istanbul, we caught up with Nick Medic and Mark Pursey, communications experts at BTP Advisers, to talk about their experience in media pitching and strategy and what attendees can expect from their workshop, Dragon’s Pen: Pitching Your Story to the Media.
In their session, participants will be challenged to write a short media pitch and present it live to Nick and Mark, who will play the roles of journalist and editor. It’s a chance to get direct, practical feedback — and to build confidence in telling your company’s story under pressure.
1. Tell us a bit about BTP Advisers. What kind of work do you do, and what projects are you currently involved in?
BTP Advisers is an award-winning international communications agency. We advise leaders, officials, governments, entrepreneurs and organisations on three service areas: international media relations, political campaigns, and legal communications. We deliver campaigns to change hearts and minds, through pro-active media engagement and positive coverage.
2. How do you typically work with organisations in the energy sector?
Our experience of working in the energy sector is broad: on the one hand, we have led on publicity for COP events, and advised trade associations; on the other, we have generated coverage for energy multi-nationals, as well as for new-energy start-ups. We understand the energy business: the regulatory, consumer and commercial pressures that drive it, as much as the cutting edge technology that powers it.
Typically, with an energy company we would start with a purpose-driven approach: what is the company trying to achieve in the short to medium term? We would then analyse how that purpose ties in with wider public narratives on energy, the environment and the economy. Finally, we would define a strategic communications plan, that would deliver a series of wins over a period of 6 months to a year. We would then review the outcomes at periodic intervals to accelerate progress.
3. In the Dragon’s Pen workshop, attendees will pitch their stories to you live. What do you hope they’ll take away from that experience?
There are so many misapprehensions of the media, especially now that we have a proliferation of new communication channels. The energy sector is dominated by engineers and technically minded people, who might not always appreciate how journalists think. Also, there isn’t a deeper understanding of how various genres of old and new journalism are structured. Here I am talking about the news item, the interview, the feature, the long-form video clip, and so on. Remember, when you are pitching your story to a journalist, you are talking to a person that produces content all day every day. On average, they could be receiving something like 10 press notices every working hour, and filing 5 to 8 stories a day. Why would they be interested in you, your company, your product or your plans for the future? And if they are, what is it that they should be doing: writing a 250-word news story, interviewing your CEO, or flying half-way round the world to see your latest project?
4. What makes a story genuinely newsworthy in the eyes of a journalist — and how can companies better spot those opportunities?
Well to get an answer to that, best attend our workshop! As a little taster thought, why not go back to the basics? Have a really good think on what is, at the fundamental level, that building block of all media coverage: the news item. What is news?
5. You’ve both spent years pitching to editors. What’s the biggest mistake people make when trying to get media coverage?
That you assume they’ve heard of you! Or if they have, that they possess more than the vaguest notion of who you are and what is it that your company does. “I’m calling on behalf of Consolidated Virtual HVDC Renewable Devices Ltd, and I would like to speak to the Managing Editor…” Hold on, what?
6. The energy sector can be complex and full of technical language. How can teams turn jargon-heavy updates into stories that resonate with a broader audience?
Well, that is really the million-dollar question for everyone in the energy sector: “Our new solar plant produces 125 MW of electricity at peak power”. Ok, good for you… Now I’m off to watch some funny cat and dog videos. But, on a serious note, to hint at a possible solution, why not start talking to your PR team right at the start of whatever is that you want to do. Before you stick that first wind-turbine foundation in the ground, actually before you log that planning application, or before you send off those Gerber files to China for a mass production run, get comms experts on board, just as you would retain lawyers, H&S consultants and other professionals.