This week in Amsterdam, Aspire brought together agency partners from across Europe, representing the UK, Italy @High Wind Area, France @Madame Kotoba, the Netherlands @Bengel Media and Spain @Lymbus – for the first Global Active Network roundtable at the International Running Expo.
The session explored the state and future of PR in the active lifestyle space, with an ambitious agenda spanning the evolution of earned media, emerging cultural trends, and opportunities for cross-market collaboration.
1. The State of PR: Evolving Media, Evolving Expectations
Across markets, it’s becoming harder than ever to connect with journalists, but more important than ever to build relationships that matter. While Spain is increasingly using WhatsApp for ease and speed, in France the best results still come from picking up the phone. The consensus? Emails alone don’t cut through, real connection does.
To earn attention in a crowded space, agencies are thinking more creatively: blending data, insight, and community voices to shape stories that feel both authentic and newsworthy. With smaller budgets, creativity, cultural fluency and relevance are winning out.
There’s also a growing need to educate clients that traditional media relations and modern PR are not an either/or choice. Real impact now depends on an integrated approach, where earned, paid, and community strategies work hand in hand to drive visibility and credibility.
2. Community, Culture and Authenticity
The discussion reinforced that the active lifestyle boom continues to open opportunities across Europe. From the rise of run clubs, padel and HYROX to the influence of Gen Z’s community-first mindset, brands need to show up with authenticity, long-term commitment, and real value.
Community PR and marketing are no longer nice-to-haves – they’re essential for building belonging and advocacy. Micro and “anti-hero” influencer strategies, co-created content, and purpose-led partnerships were all highlighted as powerful ways to engage audiences meaningfully.
Authenticity also means knowing when not to overreach: better to invest deeply in aligned communities than to chase broad exposure that feels hollow.
3. Smart Tools and Smarter Storytelling
AI featured prominently in the discussion – not as a replacement for creativity, but as an enabler of it. From campaign ideation to media list building and reporting, AI is helping agencies free up time for higher-impact work. Bespoke tools like ChatGPT for agencies are already supporting stronger pitch conversion rates and more strategic storytelling.
The takeaway: AI should amplify human creativity, not replace it. The “pull-through” will come from sharper narratives, smarter workflows, and stories that keep a human heartbeat.
4. The Power of Partnership
A shared belief across the group was that collaboration beats competition. From cross-market insight sharing to co-created campaigns and media collaborations, there’s huge potential to deliver greater collective impact for brands across Europe.
Agencies discussed plans to build on this first meeting with a regular rhythm of virtual and in-person sessions – ensuring that the Global Active Network becomes an active, ongoing forum for shared learning, trend-tracking, and innovation.
As the group agreed, “we’re stronger when we move together.”
Next steps
The Global Active Network will continue to evolve, with future sessions bringing in additional partners from the US, Germany and Benelux. The first shared insight project is already in planning for early 2026.
To find out more about the Global Active Network, please contact us at hello@aspirepr.co.uk.
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