As part of the Distinguished Speaker Series, Regent’s welcomed Richard Dawes, Co-Founder of DawBell, Europe’s leading entertainment publicity agency. In conversation with journalist and Regent’s academic Jacqui Swift, Richard offered a candid and insightful look into three decades of shaping narratives for some of the biggest names in music, culture and entertainment.
Building a modern PR powerhouse
Richard founded DawBell 16 years ago with his business partner Stuart Bell, starting with clients such as Sir Paul McCartney and Take That. Over the years, the agency has grown into a major force, representing artists including Sir Elton John, Pharrell Williams, Oasis, Harry Styles, and the groundbreaking ABBA Voyage project. Reflecting on the company’s evolution, he said: ‘The company is fundamentally different from how we started … it’s crazy and cool to think about how much we’ve grown’.
He stressed that PR is constantly evolving, and the key to success is staying modern, authentic, and endlessly curious. ‘I’ve been very lucky to do what I enjoy every single day’, he added.
Navigating fame in the age of abundance
Richard spoke openly about the challenges of managing publicity for globally recognised artists in what he calls ‘the age of abundance’. With stories able to break before campaigns even begin, PR has become about ‘controlling the narrative and enhancing it’, ensuring authenticity remains at the core of an artist’s public presence.
He described today’s media landscape as being shaped by ‘click farming’, noting that the rush for views can damage credibility. DawBell’s approach focuses instead on substance: ‘Leave the fast food aside - we provide a full meal’.
Storytelling, strategy and the Oasis reunion
Richard gave a behind-the-scenes account of Oasis’ long-awaited reunion shows. After working with Noel Gallagher for many years, they were sworn to secrecy for several months before the reunion story broke. DawBell helped manage an extraordinary global response: 14 million fans attempted to buy tickets, leading to expanded shows and worldwide excitement.
Richard explained how his team used narrative, timing, and trust with carefully chosen media outlets to manage intense speculation while avoiding unnecessary noise stating, 'the reunion story was enough – we could let the music speak for itself’.
Expanding into film and navigating crises
DawBell has recently broadened its work into film publicity, bringing music-industry knowledge to biopics on cultural icons such as Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan. ‘We realised there was an explosion of opportunity - we can add value to film PR’, Dawes said, underlining the importance of audience engagement and cultural insight.
On crisis management, he stressed calm decision-making, values-driven judgement and speed: ‘Get ahead of it before it becomes a story’.
Advice for the next generation of entertainment PR Professionals
For students entering the industry, Richard emphasised networking, curiosity and real-world experience. ‘The first 8–10 years are learning - learning by osmosis’ he said. ‘Stick your hand up, get involved, go to the gigs, go to the events. Concentrate on nurturing a small number of meaningful relationships’ as ‘there’s nothing more powerful than a referral’.