Evolution of PR: From Traditional Tactics to Business Solutions

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At a time when the communications industry is being reshaped by technology, business demands and the changing role of media, Cannes Uncovered: The Essential PR Experience You Can’t Miss – an ICCO-organised webinar – offered a timely and energising conversation about the evolution of public relations. The webinar brought together a global lineup of PR leaders including, Patrik Schober (PRAM Consulting), Cara Rich (SEC Newgate), Corinna Voss (HBI) and PRCA Young Lions winners Sarah Alsalem and Joudi Bakieh to unpack where the industry is headed and why the future belongs to agile, consultancy-driven communicators.

🏆 A PRCA Legacy at Cannes

The webinar opened with a special acknowledgement: PRCA was instrumental in the journey of both Sarah and Joudi, who won the Young Lions MENA competition under the PRCA umbrella. As Sarah noted, “PRCA facilitates the Cannes Lions regional competition in our region, and that set the stage for everything that followed.”

Their presence on this panel, backed by PRCA’s support, is a testament to the association’s commitment to nurturing young leaders in global PR.

Traditional PR is Dead; Long Live Business Solutions

Patrik Schober, founder of PRAM Consulting and organiser of the “PR in Cannes” event, framed the discussion with a bold statement: “We are no longer an industry that just sends stuff out and counts outputs. We are consultants helping organisations grow, improve reputation and do better business.”

This shift from outputs to outcomes was vocalised throughout the webinar.

Cara Rich, Group Director at SEC Newgate, built on this, observing:

“The biggest evolution for me is the shift from communications to really solving business challenges… Our strategies are now anchored in the business objectives of our clients.”

She stressed that PR consultancies now sit at the decision-making table, bringing agility and audience insight that complement broader marketing and advertising efforts.

AI in PR: Powerful, But with Boundaries

Naturally, artificial intelligence was a central theme. Cara Rich shared that SEC Newgate is developing AI-powered tools focused on reputation metrics, not generic automation.

“We’ve pulled away from looking at AI as a one-size-fits-all solution. Instead, we’re developing tools that align with our corporate affairs focus – laser-focused and intentional.”

Corinna Voss, Managing Director of HBI, spoke candidly about the regulatory challenges of AI in Germany, where GDPR compliance is non-negotiable. Her agency is now on its 10th iteration of internal AI usage guidelines.

“The biggest challenge is internal. People are carried away by what these tools can do. We’re working hard to ensure client data doesn’t end up in the wrong place.”

The consensus? AI must enhance, not replace the strategic expertise that PR professionals bring to the table.

 Media Relations Still Matter – But They’re Not Enough

While media relations remains a key tactic, all speakers agreed it should be part of a broader, integrated strategy.

“Media relations can’t be the only thing we measure,” said Corinna. “We have to focus on our consulting expertise, on helping the C-suite become thought leaders.”

Sarah and Joudi reinforced this from a Young Lions perspective:

“A PR stunt is essentially a marketing activation, with the right press strategy wrapped around it,” said Joudi. “It’s no longer about silos-PR, social, creative, marketing all need to work together toward the business goal.”

PR as C-Suite Advisors

One of the most exciting takeaways? PR is stepping into a formal consulting role for executives.

“Reputation management is what we do best,” Joudi explained. “C-suites are increasingly asking us to manage their personal profiles because they see the value in what we bring – timing, messaging and strategy.”

Corinna added, “If we don’t own thought leadership, who does? This is our sweet spot.”

What’s Next: ROI Over AVE

There was clear frustration with the lingering demand for AVE (Advertising Value Equivalents), a metric widely dismissed by professionals but still requested by some clients.

“We still have the AVE fans,” Corinna admitted. “Especially those outside comms. But we always contextualise it – it’s not the full picture.”

Patrik concluded with optimism: “Paul Holmes once said PR will save itself when we get into boardrooms. We’re getting there. Now, we must speak in the language of business.”

Partners in Progress

The event was hosted under the umbrella of PR in Cannes, organised by PRAM Consulting, and supported by, Worldcom, IW Group, AMEC, Team Farner, FIBEP, Breefcase, PRovoke Media, SEC Newgate, UNDP, PRCA and more. Together, these organisations are shaping the narrative and standards of public relations worldwide.

Final Word

The future of PR isn’t about press clippings, it’s about solving problems, advising leaders, integrating across channels and proving our impact. If the Cannes Uncovered conversation – an initiative by ICCO – is any indication, PR professionals around the world are more than ready for the challenge. More about the topic will be disclosed during the PR in Cannes conference on June 18th 2025: https://iccopr.com/princannes/.

Ten PR and Communications Industry Leaders Set to Speak at the World PR Day Fireside Chats on July 15 and 18

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Ten notable PR and communications professionals from across the world have been confirmed to speak at the World PR Day Fireside Chats on Twitter Spaces on Friday, July 15, 2022 and Monday, July 18, 2022 as part of the annual celebrations.

Themed “Trust, Truth and Transparency”, the second edition presents another opportunity for professionals to put forward a unified global agenda and propel each other to answer a call of duty, help stakeholders to communicate more responsibly and be more deliberate about using public relations to build, innovate and develop.

“The Fireside Chats give us an opportunity to hear from revered professionals across the globe on the need for practitioners to help people, companies and governments communicate more honestly and responsibly,” Convener, World PR Day, Ayeni Adekunle says.

Amongst the speakers are leaders of global PR associations, agencies, media and companies:

Alastair McCapra, Chief Executive, Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR)

Alastair McCapra, who has been Chief Executive of the CIPR since 2013 after working for several other professional membership associations, will join the fireside chat as a speaker. Alastair is renowned for introducing corporate affiliate membership, a new chartership assessment process taking the CIPR virtual in 2020. Nearly tripling the number of members who complete CPD each year is the achievement he rates as his most important.





Emma Wenani Chief Director, GMA Worldwide


Emma Wenani is a Communications Professional (Public Relations, Digital Marketing, Project Management and Events Management) with over 10 years of experience working in different capacities at senior management level in mainly consulting and media firms. Confirmed as the moderator of the fireside chat; Emma currently oversees the Communication Units for Global Media Alliance Group as its Chief Director leading her teams in providing strategic and objective advisory services to the clients they work with. The team currently works with and services clients in the telecommunication, banking, agriculture, non-governmental, nutrition, government, technology industries among others.

 

 

 

Francis Ingham, Director General of the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA)

Francis Ingham: For the past 15 years, Francis Ingham has been Director General of the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA), operating out of London, Singapore, Hong Kong, Buenos Aires and Dubai. Since 2013, he has also held the position of Chief Executive of the International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO). Representing over 35,000 practitioners, PRCA is the largest PR professional body in the world. ICCO is the global voice of public relations associations and its membership comprises 41 national trade associations, collectively representing over 3,000 PR firms.

 

 

 

 

Jacob Puthenparambil_Founder & CEO, Redhill

Jacob Puthenparambil is a communications expert, opinion leader, author, serial entrepreneur, and business leader with over two decades of global experience. Jacob is also the founder and CEO of Redhill, a global communications agency. Headquartered in Singapore and with a presence in eighteen countries and twenty-one cities, Jacob oversees a team of more than 150 talent across Singapore, Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia, Thailand, India, Greater China, Japan, Philippines, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, and Cambodia, along with growing teams in the Middle East, Europe, and the US.

 

 

 

Nitin Mantri, President, International Communications Consultancy Organization (ICCO)

Nitin Mantri is a dynamic leader in the world of communications. He’s the Group CEO of Avian WE and the President of International Communications Consultancy Organization (ICCO). He is also a member of the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA)’s Global Advisory Board and Co-Chair of PRCA Asia Pacific and PRCA Ethics Council. He was the President of the Public Relations Consultants Association of India (PRCAI) for five years – from 2015 to 2020.

 

 

 

 

Obabiyi Fagade, Marketing Manager Heineken, Africa, Middle East and Eastern Europe

Obabiyi Fagade is the Trade Marketing Manager for the Africa Middle East and Eastern Europe region at Heineken. In this role, he is responsible for identifying and unlocking growth opportunities, developing commercial toolkits for brand building and ensuring alignment and consistency of local brand initiatives with its global strategy. He has developed various global Heineken campaigns, especially for the brand’s biggest football sponsorship platform – The UEFA Champions league.
An experienced and award-winning marketing professional, Obabiyi is skilled in the development of digital communication and individualised data-driven marketing (iDDM). He is particularly skilled and experienced in Marketing Management, Innovation Management, Integrated Marketing Communication, Advertising, and Brand Activation.

 

 

Rachel Roberts, President of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR)

Rachel Roberts is the Founder and CEO of an award winning UK PR practice, spottydog communications. She is also currently serving as the President of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations and is a CIPR Chartered Practitioner. Rachel has worked as a communications consultant for over 20 years operating in-house for British Telecom and charity Cancer Research UK, and within the consultancy sector at Jackie Cooper PR (now part of Edelman) and Harrison Cowley (now part of Grayling).
In 2010, Rachel founded spottydog communications as an independent consultancy in Birmingham, UK and has organically grown the business to create the 20-strong team that now exists, picking up over 30 industry awards along the way, including in 2019 the accolade of PRCA’s DARE Awards Industry Leader of the Year.

 

Steve Barrett, Editorial Director, PRWeek

Steve Barrett: As the VP and Editorial Director, of PRWeek & Campaign US, Steve oversees content operations across Haymarket Media’s flagship business titles – PRWeek and Campaign US. In 2021, he received the Timothy White Award, named after the longtime editor of Billboard Magazine, which is given out annually by the Jesse H. Neal Awards to an editor whose work displays courage, integrity and passion. PRWeek is the premier global media business brand for the communications and PR industries, publishing online and in print.

 

 

Sylvester Chauke, Chief Architect – DNA Brand Architects

Sylvester Chauke: CNBC Africa Young Business Leader of the Year 2017, Sylvester is a multi-ward winning entrepreneur and founder of Adweek’s Top 100 Fastest Growing Agency in the world 2020, DNA Brand Architects.
After a lustrous career as the National Marketing Manager for Nando’s South Africa, Sylvester joined broadcasting giant, MTV Networks Afric,a as its Director of Marketing and Communication before establishing DNA Brand Architects; working with some of the most revered global brands on the African continent.
Besides running South Africa’s Large PR Agency of the Year 2021, Sylvester Chauke is one of the 22 young leaders from around the world sitting as the Advisory Council for the World Economic Forum Global Shapers and was selected to join the Harambe Entrepreneurs Alliance in 2018.





Yomi Badejo-Okusanya, President, African Public Relations Association (APRA) and Group Managing Director, CMC Connect (Perception Managers)

Yomi Badejo-Okusanya is the Group Managing Director, CMC Connect (Perception Managers) with over 30 years to his credit. He started his career in 1988 and he later founded CMC Connect Limited in 1992.
He is is a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) where he was past Chairman of the Lagos State Chapter. He also sits on the boards of several blue-chip companies in Nigeria.
As part of his continued efforts at mainstreaming Africa into global public relations practice, Yomi has served as a Board Member of the International Public Relations Association (IPRA). His love for Africa is evident in his selfless service to the African Public Relations Association (APRA) where he served as a two-term Secretary-General and is the current President. He was recently appointed as West Africa Chair for the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA).

 

 

Details on how to participate in the 2022 World PR Day celebrations are available on the World PR Day website – wprd.app/world-pr-day-2022.

World PR Day: Millions Around the World to Celebrate Public Relations on July 16

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Release by BHM, UK

Date – 1st July, 2022

Millions of Public Relations practitioners across the globe are set to celebrate the second edition of the annual World PR Day held on July 16, 2022.

Launched in 2021 to forge a global agenda of enlightening the world about the nobility and misconceptions around PR, World PR Day witnessed participation from thousands of practitioners, organisations, and public observers.

Set aside as a day dedicated to truth, honesty and reputation management in a way that is beneficial to all people across the globe, July 16 also honours Ivy Lee, one of the pioneers of Public Relations practice who was born on the same date 145 years ago.

The second World PR Day will further advance conversations on the topical understanding and outlook of the practice. It will extensively spotlight the strengths, limitations, and potential of the profession, as well as the utilisation of new tools and trends, value propositions, and funding.

BHM Founder and CEO, Ayeni Adekunle, said, “We decided to begin to have tough, largely ignored conversations about PR last year, and we want to show once again how the practice has deeper connotations to how our world functions than it gets credit for.

“It is in our collective interests for the world to continue to understand the role of PR in shaping and inspiring not only businesses or governance across the globe but critical human actions that can make or mar generations to come.”

As part of a three-pronged activity, the 2022 World PR Day will feature #MyPRStory – an inclusive new media activity where every PR professional will be encouraged to share one unforgettable memory from their journey in the PR industry. The stories will help to show the world the many facets of PR practice and how they impact society.

The event will also feature the PR Bible – a crowdsourced repository of PR resources from PR pros across the world.

A Fireside Chat on Twitter Spaces featuring top PR executives across the world to drive conversations and answer questions on trust, truth, and transparency will make up the third frame of the day’s activities.

Alastair McCapra, Chief Executive, Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR); Francis Ingham, Director General of the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA); Nitin Mantri, President, International Communications Consultancy Organization (ICCO); Rachel Roberts President, Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR); Sylvester Chauke, Chief Architect – DNA Brand Architects; Steve Barrett, Editorial Director, PRWeek and Emma Wenani Chief Director, GMA Worldwide, have been confirmed to speak at the event.

PR practitioners and enthusiasts across the globe are encouraged to actively participate in the celebration by hosting formal events, global recognitions, seminars, debates, or workshops and; reading up and learning about PR through CIPR, PRSA or PRCA publications.

Stephen Waddington, a WPRD Committee Advisor and the Managing Partner, Wadds Inc., a professional advisory firm said, “We urge practitioners to drive social conversations by sharing their thoughts about the value, opportunity, relevance, and future of the PR profession on social media or publish blog posts and opinion editorials on their LinkedIn page or company websites.

“Participants can add to the conversations by sharing videos of their PR experience on YouTube or Instagram tagging @wordprday or using the hashtag #WPRD.”

In the first-ever World PR Day celebration, BHM successfully propelled conversations around the world to extol the merit of PR practice. Conversations in the edition centred around the rise of digital communications over the years, the reductive view of PR’s scope of functions, and the common failure of organisations to attribute the results of PR activities to their top line.

BHM also drives the Global Day of Influence – an annual event launched in 2020 to raise awareness about the need to stop the abuse of influence.

The events are part of the international PR firm’s general commitment to continually propagate the appreciation of PR and its impact on the world.

You can learn more about World PR Day here.

 

Team Indonesia Win Gold at Cannes Young PR Lions

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Indonesia’s Randy Handoko and Joshua Tjandra, creatives at Leo Burnett Jakarta, are the winners of this year’s Cannes Young PR Lions competition. The team from Colombia, Rony Saavedra and Manuel Barbosa Granados won Silver, and from Germany, Alexander Walter and Katharina Kiriakou claimed Bronze.

At the global final, Randy and Joshua competed against 26 national winners to be crowned the world’s best young PR creatives. Teams had 24 hours to create a global campaign based on a detailed brief from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

The brief challenged competitors to create a campaign that would get the attention from youth around the world to help make a video combating racism. The winning campaign idea was a flight anti-racism video – a safety video created by youth around the world that protects travellers against racism.

Rob Morbin, ICCO Deputy Chief Executive, said:

“Congratulations Randy and Joshua, for developing a powerful campaign that I hope will come to life on every in-flight screen across the world. Their winning work sets the bar for the entire industry and is a celebration of creativity’s power to change the world for the better.”


Also, to our UK-based colleagues, on Wednesday, 29th June, the PRCA will be hosting a Cannes Debrief: Digital & Creative Groups (in-person networking) event for all interested to hear first-hand about what caught the judges’ attention this year.

Social & Influencer Lions Jury President, Caitlin Ryan – VP Creative Shop EMEA at Meta, in conversation with PRCA Digital Co-Chair, Candace Kuss, will show award-winning case studies, talk about inspiring work and emerging themes, and share top tips for 2023 submissions.

If you’d like to reserve a seat for this event, please register your interest here!

Dark Social: What Every PR Professional Needs to Know

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By: Richard Benson, Founder, Releasd

 

Dark social. Never heard of it? You are not alone! However, research shows that most of the content generated by the PR industry is being shared and talked about within dark social channels. We just can’t see it.

So let’s find out what dark social is and why it’s so important to modern day public relations.

What is dark social? 

Some platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Reddit share data relating to how people are engaging with content. These are called ‘open’ social platforms.

In contrast, dark social media channels do not share this information. Activity takes place behind closed doors, often amongst carefully curated groups of friends, family and colleagues.

If you’ve ever shared or received content via WhatsApp, Slack, WeChat, Linkedin Messages or Meta (Facebook) Messenger for example, you have used a dark social platform. And don’t forget email and text messaging too. In fact, you’ve probably used a dark social platform in the last 30 minutes.

According to eMarketer, there will be 3.09 billion monthly messaging app users worldwide in 2021, up by 6.1% year over year. They also predict that more than three-quarters of internet users worldwide will use a messaging app monthly by 2024. Meanwhile, research from GWI shows that Whatsapp is now the world’s favorite social media platform. Other dark social channels feature heavily in the top ten.

Traditionally, dark social channels have offered greater personal privacy and control. Messages are encrypted. Advertisers are not given access to data. Here, trust is vital and mistakes are punished. The Guardian noted that ‘A poorly explained update to its terms of service has pushed WhatsApp users to adopt alternative services such as Signal and Telegram in their millions.’

PR content is devoured by dark social

The scale of activity that is taking place behind closed doors is staggering.  According to RadiumOne, a whopping 84% of content shares take place on dark social platforms. The implications for the PR and social media industry become clear when examining the types of content being shared: links to news stories, websites, blogs and products all feature heavily. Much of this content represents the bread and butter of the PR industry. In many cases, users are discovering news stories on open social platforms, then pulling them into private networks where true feelings can be discussed.

The opportunity for the PR industry

Professional communicators have long accepted that the appearance of media coverage is merely the beginning of a story, not the end. PRs have become adept at tracking its reaction across social media, under the impression that they’re seeing the full picture.

As we have shown, this is far from the case.

It may be the case that a majority of the action is happening out of view. In fact, some of the stories that have seemingly failed to get traction may have gone viral amongst niche groups of highly engaged peers. We’ve also seen that there’s likely to be a significant discrepancy between the sentiment of public vs private conversations.

But the opportunity this presents is potentially huge.

The PR industry is built on the concept that editorial is more influential and consequential than advertising. We can assume that, when friends share curated stories with one another in a safe environment, the impact is greater still. The understanding anxieties of younger audiences in particular should increase the usage of dark social for years to come.

The Barcelona Principles 3.0 encourage communicators to focus on the business outcomes and impacts of their work. Given its unparalleled potential to spark engagement and drive action, the role of dark social clearly cannot be underestimated.

At Releasd, we have attempted to measure the unmeasurable. Our PR reporting tool now includes metrics that estimate how much activity is taking place for a given story within dark social channels. To learn more about dark social and how we measure it, download the free Primer: What Every PR Needs to Know About Dark Social

Knowledge is Power: Rewards and Awards

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One of the many definitions for Public Relations is the practice of managing and disseminating information for an organisation to the public to affect their public perception. So far so good. Many of you reading this will probably be thinking ‘why am I being told what I already know?’.

Well, there is a reason and that is the word ‘information’. It’s the cornerstone to knowledge in all its many manifestations and can have a powerful effect on campaigns. So, we want to take this opportunity to highlight how information acquired through market research cannot only help you reap rewards, but perhaps even win you an award.

When examining some of the most successful campaigns of recent years, unsurprisingly they were all informed by insight. That is to say, the messaging behind a campaign is developed with the help of research that helps them strike the right tone.

This is not hearsay. There’s a veritable bounty of award-winning campaigns whose creative direction was sparked by insight.

Take for example Don’t Cry Wolf’s activism campaign for Tangle Teezer. To create a campaign that could address a sensitive issue and more importantly prompt real change, Don’t Cry Wolf leant on research. The result was 3 awards, 2 finalists and 1 nomination.

That return is nothing to sneer at. And this is just one example. A former judge at Cannes Lions revealed that the one of the best campaigns he’s seen was driven by insight. He cited the example of a campaign by REI that one 9 (yes 9!) Lions.

Using insight gained via market research, REI developed a Twitter campaign that pushed back against the Black Friday buying rampage as the research found that its audience actually preferred not to shop on Black Friday. Insight sparked the idea that led to a wildly successful Twitter campaign that sparked a movement and challenged long-held assumptions about consumers.

Knowing this is one thing, but how can it help you? Well, these case studies can help you formulate your own campaigns. This advice comes not from us, but from Susie Walker, VP, Awards & Insights at LIONS. She recommends that those aspiring to win a Lion should learn from Lion-winning work.

If you look at some of the most creative campaigns of recent years, what connects them all is how they embraced insight and used it in their campaigns. Rather than seeing insight as an obstacle to creative, they used their new-found knowledge to get the creative juices flowing.

Let’s end with a word from Heather Kernahan, the CEO of Hotwire Global Communications. Heather is an ICCO partner and has won many awards for her work. Now, she has some advice for those who are looking to catapult into the pantheon of award winners:

“Knowledge is a powerful tool so embrace knowledge in all its forms. It won’t stop the creatives among you from coming up with all sorts of weird and wonderful ideas. Rather, it will give them a sense of structure and direction and help them to channel their efforts into the most productive avenues.”

Author:

Jane Hales who will be at Cannes Lions this year is the co-founder of the award-winning Sapio Research. Sapio Research is a full-service market research company supporting Agencies and Brands to make confident decisions or achieve extraordinary headlines. The team does this through their ABC process: Audience, Brand and Content Research.

Lithuanian PR Association Joins ICCO

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KIA, the PR association for Lithuania, has joined ICCO as the 42nd PR association member, bringing an 82nd country into membership.

KIA is an established PR association with an excellent tradition of industry development, codes of ethics and an active membership base. Arturas Jonkus, Partner at Agency 1323, and President of KIA will join the ICCO Board of Management to represent the interests of Lithuanian members.

 

ICCO Chief Executive Francis Ingham commented:

“I am delighted to be welcoming KIA and their members in Lithuania into ICCO. At such a turbulent time in Europe, it is vital that the international PR community works together for the collective benefit of the industry and stands up for our shared belief in the critical importance of free speech. Our growth during this period is testament to the growing confidence in the value of global membership bodies like ICCO”.

Arturas Jonkus said:

“We are very pleased KIA has joined ICCO. To gain access to international services and networks will be invaluable for our members. We also look forward to contributing insight, ideas and intelligence from Lithuania into the international industry dialogue and to working with other ICCO members to improve global standards. It is a vital time for the PR industry to pull together and collaborate on ethics, standards, and other critical issues ”.

BHM annual PR report expanded to now cover the entire African continent

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BHM Research & Intelligence has announced that starting this year, its annual report on the public relations and communications sector in Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy, will be expanded to cover the whole continent, adding 53 more countries with a combined economy of over $ 2 trillion and a population of over 1 billion.

This will be the first-ever report that will cater exclusively to the PR and communications industry within the African continent.

The Africa PR and Communications report is being compiled in partnership with the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA), the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR UK), CIPR International, International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO), Africa Communications Week (ACW), Wadds Incorporated, ID Africa, Plaqad Incorporated, and Magna Carta Reputation Management Consultants. Other partners are to be announced.

BHM Founder Ayeni Adekunle commented:

“Since we launched the Nigeria PR Report on January 29, 2016, we have witnessed the growth of the industry at home and abroad. Five years after, we are pleased to confirm we are now expanding our research to cover a continent that holds plenty of promise for the global communications sector. We hope the Africa PR and Communications report will quickly become the authoritative voice in the industry, providing insights, data, and useful information for those working here, as well as everyone outside looking in.’’

With 54 countries and an expected GDP of $5.6 trillion in four years, the continent is home to six of the top ten fastest-growing economies in the world. Africa accounts for around 17% of the world’s population, but only about 3% of global GDP.

If Africa sustains and accelerates structural reforms, some believe the continent can emulate China’s rapid rise over the last 50 years. It will, after all, have 24 million more people, on average, living in its cities each year between 2015 and 2045, according to the World Economic Forum.

The COVID-19 pandemic has, of course, taken a heavy toll, but the recovery is afoot.

The implementation of the ​​African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is further proof of the continent’s plans for the future, as it has the potential to create a continental free-trade zone with a combined Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of USD 3.4 trillion, according to the African Union (AU).

These advances are also being reflected in the continent’s burgeoning PR & Communication landscape – the industry best equipped to help fix the continent’s reputational issues.

The 2022 Africa Report will contain verified facts and statistics on the Public Relations industry, analysis that can guide governments and multinationals, resources and recommendations that assist practitioners in building better careers and business models, designed to enhance and deliver value to all stakeholders.

Ayeni adds:

“The past 28 months have been volatile for the world. It invariably highlighted our strengths and weaknesses as a continent. And the PR & communications industry was one of the first points of call in advising government and business leaders on wading through the times and supporting initiatives across the continent.
“Yet, this only showed a glimpse of the potential of the PR & communications industry. Because beyond health and financial crisis, as an industry, there is a dire need for professionals to be embedded in every area of policymaking, advisory, and management. It is important that the industry understands the almost impossibly heavy sense of duty it has to the continent and the people.
However, we cannot do any of these without data-driven insights that will enable us to give the proper advisory required. By modelling well-founded world reports such as the Holmes Report, World Development Report, Relevance Report, Edelman Trust Barometer, and others, we are hoping to create a standard global report that can easily be used for referencing details, instances and facts about the industry.”

Moliehi Molekoa, a member of the APCR board and the Managing Director of Magna Carta, a pan-African reputation management consultancy, says:

“PR professionals, now more than ever, have an increased duty to advise clients based on sound data and experience. APCR will be one of the key sources of that data. We are filling a void within the industry, and this report will better equip us as professionals as well as the businesses about the African PR landscape. It will provide valuable insights on how to build, manage and protect reputations with the overall aim of elevating the role the industry plays in brand building.”

According to the Economist, It is expected that Africa’s total population would reach nearly 2.5 billion by 2050. The continent will also be home to the world’s largest under-25 workforce, which will open the door to immense opportunities for growth and development.

BHM Group, through this seminal industry-wide report, therefore, seeks to foster an in-depth understanding of the world’s business, tech, commercial and communications landscapes, among others. It will tell Africa’s story by Africans, for Africa and for anyone else hoping to gain a deeper understanding and foothold on the continent and the immense opportunities it offers.

PROI Worldwide joins ICCO

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PROI Worldwide is committed to pushing communications boundaries and leverages the influence of its team of business owners to solve client problems worldwide.

PROI Worldwide is a network of some of the world’s most ambitious entrepreneurial firms, bringing together like-minded PR business owners. Now part of the ICCO membership of associations, direct members and partners, PROI Worldwide’s members will have access to ICCO resources, events, services and networks. Members can also benefit from increased visibility in and outside the global PR industry.

Ciro Dias Reis, Global Chair, PROI Worldwide and CEO, Imagem Corporativa, Brazil said:

“Many of the 85 PROI Worldwide agencies around the world are involved with the national associations that are the core of ICCO, and we are pleased to now better integrate at the global level as well. We are looking forward to being part of the ICCO community and fostering collaboration for our members among the global PR industry.”

Rob Morbin, Deputy Chief Executive, ICCO said:

“We are delighted to welcome PROI Worldwide into the ICCO family of members and partners. PROI members are shining examples of professional, progressive agencies that share the values of ICCO, striving for continuous improvement and high standards.”

New ICCO White Paper Challenges PR Industry to Confront Modern Communication Challenges

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The International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO) has launched its first ‘Modern Communication Challenges for Society’ white paper, setting out the PR industry’s role in improving the global media and communications landscape.

Following consultation with members and working groups, the white paper identifies freedom of media and freedom of speech, media literacy and education, and new technology and digital media ethics, as the three issues most crucial for the PR industry to have a leading voice on.

To tackle these challenges, the paper calls for a serious alliance across industries, including journalism, advertising, tech, and policymakers. The paper outlines the issues and impact on PR practice, and PR’s role in finding solutions. As part of this work, ICCO and its members have been contributing to the relevant committees within the Council of Europe, to discuss legislative and educational solutions.

Massimo Moriconi, ICCO Europe President, ICCO said:
“PR professionals both design the modern communication landscape, and are key players within it, dictating how media impacts people’s lives. Freedom of media to enable free expression, media literacy to fight fake news, and responsible use of artificial intelligence, are all at the core of today’s agenda for ICCO. This first white paper was created as a global collaboration, taking heed from the Council of Europe’s great work. The paper will inspire and support PR businesses and communications stakeholders in our efforts to collectively design a better communications landscape and benefit society.”

Patrick Penninckx, Head of Information Society, Council of Europe said:
“We look forward to working with the public relation industry, global institutions, and other relevant stakeholders, to tackle these critical issues at a time of great change for the global media landscape”.

Nitin Mantri, President, ICCO said:
“This paper can be the start of a great dialogue between all types of stakeholders as we tackle core issues facing communications today – with PR professionals rightly at the heart of the conversation.
“It’s important to acknowledge this paper is being published amidst war in Ukraine, in which systemic, sophisticated misinformation is being communicated by the Russian government. Through collective, international high standards, we can fight bad practice in a coherent and emphatic way.”

The paper calls on PR professionals and all media stakeholders to:
– Engage with the issues directly and understand the role of PR within them.
– Engage with national PR associations and projects locally
– Open dialogues that span PR, advertising, tech, and journalism
– Bring forth ideas and solutions as we create further papers, tools, standards and agreements to confront challenges together.

The paper can be viewed and downloaded here: Global Communication Challenges 2022
Contact rob.morbin@iccopr.com