PR winners and losers review – September 2025

It’s time for our monthly PR winners and losers review, where we applaud those who pulled off a fresh PR masterstroke and commiserate those who’ve had a PR stinker.

STAYING FRESH: A Right Royal Welcome

First off, congratulations to the Royal Household and Royal Communications team for their expert planning and handling of a second state visit by President Donald Trump.

From welcoming the president and first lady when they touched down on Air Force One, to a carriage ride through the Windsor estate and glittering state banquet, the visit went perfectly from a Royal perspective.

Nice words were said by King Charles and the president, reiterating the UK and US special relationship. The potential for mishap was enormous and one can only imagine the diplomacy that went on behind the scenes to ensure everything ran as smoothly as it did.

The communications team kept the media busy, providing masses of detail on the visit’s itinerary, right down to which royal carriages Trump’s team were travelling in, what was on the menu for dinner, and how many pieces of cutlery the banquet involved (1,452 if you didn’t know).

GONE STALE: Fear of the Dragon

Meanwhile, it was commiserations to high-end adventure clothing brand Arc’Teryx which landed in hot water over a promotional firework display in Tibet.

Officials launched an investigation after the brand’s multi-coloured pyrotechnic display, intended to resemble a rising dragon, received a barrage of online criticism over fears it could damage the Himalayan region’s fragile ecosystem.

While the Canadian company was quick to apologise (and promised to appoint an external agency to assess any negative impacts of the stunt) it shows the danger of PR activity not being aligned with brand values and ESG issues.