A communications agency’s co-founder has praised the way local newspapers can be “immensely effective” for national brands advertising their services.

James Murphy, left, says the “highly trusted” connection local media has with its community can’t be matched.

James is a co-founder of creative agency Adam&Eve, whose clients include Halifax, Unilever, John Lewis Partnership, Volkswagen and Hasbro, and was listed third in Campaign’s top 100 ad agencies this year.

In a piece for the Scottish Newspaper Society, he said rapid advances in technology had allowed advertisers and consumers the opportunity to connect “in the blink of an eye”.

But James continued: “In this context, it seems counterintuitive to say that local is more important than ever before. But the fact is that local community remains hugely important, with people spending a great deal of their time and money close to home.

“For brands, this is significant because it suggests that local insight and understanding continue to have a hugely important role to play in effective communications.

“By tapping into regional insights, an advertiser can position itself as an ally to people in a particular geography, reflecting and articulating local concerns, aspirations or humour.

“And when brands get this right it can be immensely effective. Local media, local newspapers in print and digital, is a natural platform for this kind of activity. The industry combines the sheer scale of 40 million readers each week with a deep-rooted connection with local community, based on a shared investment in local issues.

“Local papers campaign on things that matter to their readers – whether it’s keeping the local hospital open, raising funds for a school, or exposing town hall waste – with real, tangible results. No other media can match this unique, highly trusted, and participatory relationship with its audience.”