This week in PR (20 May)
About the author
Richard Bailey Hon FCIPR is editor of PR Academy's PR Place Insights. He has taught and assessed undergraduate, postgraduate and professional students.
It happened this week
Definitive ranking of the world's top 250 PR firms reveals a resurgent global PR industry. Headlines: 11% growth, +7% vs 2019, independents/midsize/UK/US lead the way, independents outweigh publicly-held for 1st time. https://t.co/y161G0ncoB
— Arun Sudhaman (@ArunSudhaman) May 16, 2022
- Research funding of up to £2,000 is available from the CIPR for individual members to conduct research projects that can be completed by the end of this year. Applications for 2022 funding close on 13 June. Outputs from 2021 research grants include a paper on ‘PR in a pluralistic society’ from Martin Turner.
Purpose and ESG
Today I discovered that Nestle’s Nespresso business is a B Corp. Today I also stopped wanting to become a B Corp. What’s the point when it’s already been subjugated by evil (I actually mean that) corporate powers? @BrownBare set me right!
— Richard Fogg (@TelcoGeek) May 18, 2022
- Clearly Team: Clearly Survey results: ESG intentions driven more by need to look good rather than do good (18 May)
‘The research found there was a meteoric rise in the number of companies adopting ESG policies since the Pandemic started.’
- Lucy Walton: Now Nuclear? (no date)
‘Is now the time for nuclear when arguably a much quicker route to energy independence is harnessing wind for hydrogen? Let’s see if nuclear rebuilds its reputation and wins over resistance.’
Consulting, teams and careers
- Jill Spurr: Sometimes I eat cheese (19 May)
‘For most of us who work in an agile way, or who are self-employed from home, the concept that work is something we do, not somewhere we go, has been a game-changer, creating a culture that allows us to thrive.’ - Ben Smith with Graham Goodkind and Alex Grier: One year on from the MBO of Frank PR [podcast] (19 May)
‘When you get to the end of an earnout you have to decide what happens next. A lot of agency bosses go to the beach and spend their latter years enjoying the proceeds of their efforts. In this case there wasn’t any desire to do so.’ - Son Pham: The Nomad S3E2 – Rhea Mathew (19 May)
‘I was born in India, in Mumbai which is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world. Growing up there meant I was exposed to different cultures, different types of people, different ways of working, and different ways of talking. When I was eight, I moved from Mumbai to Dubai, again, a very cosmopolitan city, a melting pot of cultures.’
Huge news at @KetchumPR @KetchumUK as @RedRobertino takes on a global leadership role, plus other promotions and departures. Great to speak to Jo-ann and @mikedoyle212 about their plans @Provoke_News https://t.co/Hjyk9cPkRh
— Maja Pawinska Sims (@SparklyPinchy) May 19, 2022
Gender, diversity and wellbeing
Are you from a working class background and common as muck? Working in – or wanting to work in – the creative industries?
Yeah, us too. Come join us. https://t.co/3g5MlWojDz
— Jed Hallam (@jedhallam) May 13, 2022
- Sara Thornhurst: Is PR about to take a wrong turn on the road to accessibility? (19 May)
‘Proclamations of the need for and importance of accessibility from an industry in which disabled people comprise a mere five percent are hard to take and even harder to believe.’ - Joelle Awad: Message not supported: How communicators can make media accessible for all (19 May)
‘I’ve invested a lot in creating accessible media, not just because I’m studying public relations, but also because I’m visually impaired and have found myself frequently dealing with inaccessible content.’ - Evadney Campbell: There’s life after 50: don’t let age stop you (16 May)
‘I was over 50 years old when I decided to leave my secure – well relatively secure job at the BBC to set up my own company, Shiloh PR, with my daughter. Almost nine years later, we’re still here and going from strength to strength.’
https://twitter.com/DanJonesGlasgow/status/1526852830425907200
Public and third sectors
Bradford on Thursday 13 October 2022.
Ticket release for everyone’s favourite public sector unconference will be announced soon on our socials, so keep an eye out. We can’t wait to see you for cake, hugs and the very best in comms practice and support.#CommsCampNorth #Bradford pic.twitter.com/YlQSd1RDnA
— Commscamp (@commscamp) May 13, 2022
- Vanessa Chance: Double denim for dementia, anyone? (17 May)
‘For Dementia Action Week 2022, Alzheimer’s Society has a new fundraising initiative: get your denim on for dementia.’
Politics, public affairs and public sphere
"If you are a lobbyist or work for an organisation that lobbies and are proud of your work and contribution to our democratic process, the UKLR is the best way to demonstrate that."@CIPR_CEO on the relaunch of our UK Lobbying Register (UKLR). https://t.co/JyEZyEzueW pic.twitter.com/3sQbZLDhS2
— CIPR (@CIPR_Global) May 18, 2022
- Laura Griffiths: Is a windfall tax the way forward? (19 May)
‘With inflation expected to increase, alongside another set of rising energy bills predicted for Autumn, the debate and potential introduction of a windfall tax is one that isn’t going to go away anytime soon.’ - Sabine Tyldesley: Trade Tuesday: Northern Ireland Protocol Bill – FAQs (17 May)
‘The Bill would mean that British goods moving for sale in Northern Ireland only have to meet British standards, and not those of the EU.’
- Gareth Jones: Apocalypse now? How should policymakers talk about inflation? (17 May)
‘As for the government, this intervention [by the Governor of the Bank of England] arguably puts them under further pressure to support households on the cost of living – after all, 10% inflation will represent a significant drop in living standards for most people in the country over the coming year – a factor that could be decisive at the next election.’
- Carli Harper-Penman: 5 things I’ve learned from hosting a Ukrainian refugee (17 May)
‘Channelling people into insecure work just increases their reliance on in-work benefits. It might be a candidate’s market right now, but as a principle we could do much better by people who are out of work by prioritising long-term sustainability and growth over short term targets.’ - Sophie Heywood: Levelling Up Mental Health (no date)
‘We have seen the broadening of mental health strategies across Government in recent years. Mental health is now gaining in prominence within key Government policy thinking and NHS planning.’
Brands, content, community and creativity
https://twitter.com/greenwellys/status/1527217560965500933
- Paul Sutton with Bethany Joy: Personality goes a long way: the importance of brand voice [podcast] (18 May)
‘It’s about thinking through: why does this brand exist? Who are they for? What are they about? And what are they like? Asking a lot of questions, doing a lot of thinking and then delving down into the language that’s going to demonstrate that personality and identity. My [English with Philosophy] degree was accidentally very useful in what I do now.’ - Tillie Holmes: How to Write a B2B Copywriting Brief (17 May)
‘In this blog post, we’ll be going overhow to brief a B2B copywriter effectivelyso that you’ll yield the best results. Additionally, we’ll look at ways you can make the process as painless and time-efficient as possible, allowing you to focus your attention back on what you do best.’
Risk, crisis and reputation
- Amanda Coleman: A moment of quiet reflection (19 May)
‘On Sunday it will be a day of reflection and remembering the 22 people who lost their lives in the Manchester Arena terrorist attack and the many, many people who were affected by what happened. It is hard to think that five years has gone by as I can remember the details of that night as clear as if it had been yesterday.’ - MHP Mischief: Reputation and litigation: what the Wagatha Christie trial can teach us (no date)
‘While most litigation won’t be front page news for days on end, the long-term reputational impact of legal proceedings can have serious repercussions for the individuals involved, and even call into question a businesses’ licence to operate.’
Media, digital and technology
- Simon Neville: Media titan Michael Bloomberg reckons business journalism in the UK needs a shot in the arm. (19 May)
‘Bloomberg has therefore announced the launch of a new UK-focused business news website. He sees a gap in the market with casual observers keen to better understand the business landscape and figure out either where to invest their money or to simply try and get to grips with topics that increasingly impact all our lives on a daily basis. The Financial Times has been having similar thoughts on the subject too.’
- Michael White: I spent the day in a decentralised metaverse (15 May)
‘This virtual world is a feat of technology, underpinned by a complex digital economy. Its main draw appears to be a celebration of art but also an investment opportunity for crypto enthusiasts. At face value though, it looks like an old game. Certainly not a place where I can imagine a digital twinning metaverse existence. It is perhaps just a taster of what the internet will become.’ - Sophie Frankpitt: How to increase your media relations pitching success (16 May)
‘Journalist engagement has decreased from 2021, with journalists only responding to about 3.37% of pitches… The one underlying theme for successful pitching is keep your pitch concise to maximise impact.’
SEO’s newest married couple @davepeiris pic.twitter.com/MlChdDz9jr
— Louise (@louisevparker) May 15, 2022
Academic and education