Take part in the Global Communications Report Survey

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We are pleased to announce that the USC Center for Public Relations’ 2018 Global Communications Survey is now live!

The third annual Global Communications Report (GCR), is presented in partnership with the AMEC, Global Alliance, ICCO, Institute for Public Relations, Arthur W. Page Society, PR Council, PRCA UK/MENA, PRSA, PRSSA, The Holmes Report, WorldCom Public Relations Group and Edelman.

Findings from the survey will inform the annual GCR which provides insight into what lies ahead for one of the world’s most dynamic professions and for the students entering the field. The results will be presented at the Kenneth Owler Smith Symposium at USC Annenberg on April 12, 2018, featuring keynote speaker Richard Edelman.

We appreciate your participation and encourage you to share the survey with your fellow PR and communications colleagues. Thank you for joining us in this important undertaking.

Click here to access the 2018 USC Global Communications Survey

The deadline for responses is Friday 9th February, 2018

ICCO Reveals 2017 Hall of Fame inductees

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Five global industry leaders have been chosen to join the International Communications Consultancy Organisation’s (ICCO) International Hall of Fame.

Introduced in 2003, ICCO’s Hall of Fame represents an exclusive recognition of the exceptional progress its members have made towards the internationalisation of the public relations industry.

The inductees are Christopher Graves, President, Ogilvy Center for Behavioral Science; Renate Skoff, Co-Founder, The Skills Group; Madan Bahal, Managing Director, Adfactors PR; Maxim Behar, CEO, M3 Communications Group; Francis Ingham, Managing Director, PRCA and Chief Executive ICCO.

These people have enhanced the discipline and expanded the scope of public relations activity globally.

The group was inducted into the Hall of Fame following the official announcement at the ICCO Global Awards 2017 at the Andaz London Liverpool Street Hotel in London.

Elise Mitchell, President, ICCO, said: “The ICCO Hall of Fame recognises a very select group of professionals who have made exceptional contributions to the public relations industry and the larger business community. These individuals are game-changers who have made a real impact through their leadership, innovative thinking and business success. We are delighted to recognise their professional accomplishments with this honour and are grateful for their contributions.”

The International ICCO Hall of Fame can be viewed here.

Revealed: how much marketers spend on social media influencer campaigns

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Article by Lubna Hamdan for arabian BUSINESS

Around 43 percent of marketers spend up to $10,000 per social media influencer campaign, with 63 percent claiming fees requested by social media influencers are ‘reasonable’, according to data from a new survey.

The BPG Cohn & Wolfe Influencers Survey, in association with YouGov, showed that almost half (49 percent) of those polled currently work with social media influencers in the region to market their brand.

It also claimed that 94 percent of in-house marketers in the UAE believe social media influencer marketing plays a major role in the success of their brands.

The survey questioned over 100 in-house marketing and communication experts and brand managers across a range of industries in the UAE.

The majority of brand managers surveyed said influencer marketing allowed them to tap into the digital community and reach their target audience more effectively, resulting in good marketing return on investment (ROI).

BPG Cohn & Wolfe is the public relations arm of the BPG Group marketing communication house. Group chief executive Avi Bhojani said the survey shows brands are using social influencers to tell their stories in new and creative ways in what seems to be a highly competitive industry.

Moreover, 39 percent of brands said key factors for choosing the right influencer for their campaign included a large following and appealing content. But 55 percent said their biggest challenge when picking influencers was finding relevant ones that relate to the brands. 41 percent said negotiating terms and conditions was also a major concern, while 39 percent claimed communication during an assignment was also a challenge.

The survey revealed most influencers expect to be compensated based on the number of deliverables such as posts, images and videos, rather than the success of a campaign through measurable results including sales and website visits. However, only six per cent of marketers said they compensated influencers based on such results or Cost Per Acquisition (CPA).

To view the original article, click here: http://www.arabianbusiness.com/industries/technology/383606-revealed-how-much-marketers-spend-on-social-media-influencer-campaigns

ICCO Global Awards 2017 shortlist announced!

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ICCO is thrilled to announce the shortlist for the ICCO Global Awards 2017.

The black-tie awards ceremony will be held on Wednesday 29th November at the Andaz London Liverpool Street Hotel in London, UK. The awards will attract PR professionals from around the globe for a night of networking and celebration. The host of the evening is CNN news anchor Hannah Vaughan-Jones.

If you would like to book a seat or table at the event, please click here. If you are interested in sponsoring a category and presenting an award on the night, please contact awards@iccopr.com.

The shortlisted candidates and campaigns are:

NETWORK OF THE YEAR (EMEA / AMERICAS / APAC)

Cohn & Wolfe

FleishmanHillard

Hill+Knowlton Strategies

Golin

Weber Shandwick

 

INDEPENDENT CONSULTANCY OF THE YEAR (EMEA / AMERICAS / APAC)

Instinctif Partners

The Honey Partnership

Netprofile

Lansons

MWWPR

Imagem Corporativa

COSMO PR

Avian Media

Rice Communications

Value 360 Communications

S.P.A.G.

Sling & Stone

 

WORLD’S BEST PR CAMPAIGNS – MEDIA RELATIONS

FleishmanHillard Fishburn – Astounding the front row at London Fashion Week with Crocs

State Street Corporation – Fearless Girl

PR Inc. – Watch and Do

Engage Burson-Marsteller – SportPesa AllStars, Kenya

Spark PR & Activate – DB Export Beer Bottle Sand

Orta Communications Group – KFC Battle

 

WORLD’S BEST PR CAMPAIGNS – CONSUMER

Nanyang Technological University, Singapore – A young university on a rapid rise globally

Hill+Knowlton Strategies – Huawei P10: From Selfie to Self-Expression

Orta Communications Group – KFC Battle

Weber Shandwick – ManFran

Genesis Burson-Marsteller, Fuzion PR – Winning Back Trust

 

WORLD’S BEST PR CAMPAIGNS – DIGITAL & NEW MEDIA

Ketchum – 2030: Smart City Life

Netprofile – From Trump to Jump in Sales

International SOS – Travel Risks and Realities

fischerAppelt – #CATCHCURIOUS

Ketchum – #NuggsForCarter

 

WORLD’S BEST PR CAMPAIGNS – B2B

TCS – #DigitalEmpowers

State Street Corporation – Fearless Girl

LEWIS – Ready for the AI Revolution?

Geelmuyden Kiese – The Truck Driver’s Mother

International SOS – Travel Risks and Realities

 

WORLD’S BEST PR CAMPAIGNS – CSR

Ketchum – Care Counts

State Street Corporation – Fearless Girl

Genesis Burson-Marsteller – Keep India Smiling

Orta Communications Group – KFC Battle

Creation – Microsoft: Girls In STEM

FleishmanHillard Vanguard – #DontWaitDrive: Take Your Mother for a Doctor’s Check-Up

 

WORLD’S BEST PR CAMPAIGNS – NOT FOR PROFIT

ORCA Affairs – Road Safety Campaign “Lieber sicher. Lieber leben.”

New Moment New Ideas Company – One Book for Peace

Hill+Knowlton Strategies – The World’s Most Beautiful Night Trek

FleishmanHillard Vanguard – #DontWaitDrive: Take Your Mother for a Doctor’s Check-Up

SPN Communications – Children’s Aid Fund

 

WORLD’S BEST PR CAMPAIGNS – TECHNOLOGY

Netprofile – From Trump to Jump in Sales

Racepoint Global – Huawei: Creating a Global Brand

LEWIS – Ready for the AI Revolution?

FleishmanHillard Fishburn – Seagate

 

WORLD’S BEST PR CAMPAIGNS – CRISIS & ISSUES

OUT OF THE BOX – An oil spill crisis in the Saronic Gulf, Greece

Weber Shandwick – Gender Neutral Titles

SEESAME – Hands off of my insurance!

 

WORLD’S BEST PR CAMPAIGNS – BROADCAST

Nanyang Technological University, Singapore – World’s top 15 most beautiful campus

markettiers – Summer Gateway

 

WORLD’S BEST PR CAMPAIGNS – HEALTHCARE

Ketchum – Amazon Warriors Safe Collection

Genesis Burson-Marsteller – Back to Work

Edelman – IO NON SCLERO – Projects Dreams don’t stop for MS

Creation – MS: No Filter

OneVoice Connect – Future Health Index 2017

FleishmanHillard Vanguard – #DontWaitDrive: Take Your Mother for a Doctor’s Check-Up

 

RISING STAR OF THE YEAR

Adam Gaworski, FleishmanHillard Fishburn

Erin Salisbury, Ketchum

Simon Richards, FleishmanHillard Fishburn

Ella Roche, Honni Global

Peter Steigauf, PR Clinic

 

PR LEADER OF THE YEAR

Amanda Moulson, Access

Kunal Kishore Sinha, Value 360 Communications

Mark Terry-Lush, The Honey Partnership

Matt Neale, Golin

 

For more information visit: awards.iccopr.com

Fake news reinforces trust in mainstream news

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Kantar ‘Trust in News’ study reveals ‘mainstream news media’ reputation remains largely intact while social media and digital-only news platforms sustain major reputation damage as result of ‘fake news’ narratives during recent election cycles.

London – 31 October 2017: Kantar today releases the results of its global ‘Trust in News’ study. The report, which surveyed 8,000 individuals across Brazil, France, the United Kingdom and the United States of America about their attitudes to news coverage of politics and elections, finds:

  1. The efforts to brand ‘mainstream news media’ as ‘fake news’ have largely failed. The reputation of traditional print and broadcast media outlets has proven more resilient than social media platforms and online only news outlets, primarily as a result of the depth of coverage being delivered.
  2. Audiences are becoming more widely informed and sophisticated in their engagement with, and evaluation of, news content.
  3. The public retain a belief that journalism is key to the health of democracy – but have become more sceptical. Specifically, in both in Brazil and USA, where a significant percentage of the population believe ‘fake news’ impacted the outcome of their most recent elections.

Who do we trust?

The reputational fallout of the ‘fake news’ phenomenon has been predominantly borne by social media and messaging platforms, and ‘online only’ news channels. Print magazines, at 72%, are the most trusted news source, closely followed by the other traditional outlets of print newspapers and TV and radio news. Only one in three recognise social media sites and messaging apps as a trusted news source. (see figure one). ‘Online only’ news outlets are trusted by half of the population, significantly less than their print and broadcast brethren. Interestingly, the online presence of print and broadcast media are trusted slightly less than the originating titles and channels.

Social media and messaging platforms have sustained significant reputational damage as a source of trusted news. News coverage of politics and elections on social media platforms (among which Facebook is dominant with 84% usage in the preceding week) and messaging apps (of which Whatsapp is the most used) is ‘trusted less’ by almost sixty percent of news audiences (58% & 57% respectively – see figure two) because of the ‘fake news’ phenomenon. ‘Online only’ news outlets also sustained significant reputational damage in this respect: ‘trusted less’ by 41% of news audiences.

Print titles have proved more resilient, experiencing a smaller loss of trust, with print magazines and newspapers both ‘trusted less’ by 23% of audiences. However, both categories also experienced similar increases in trust in their coverage (23% and 17% respectively). Print media nets out with more than three quarters of news audiences trusting them ‘the same’ or ‘more than’ before the ‘fake news’ phenomenon. 24-hour news channels also retain a strong position as a trusted source with 78% of news audiences trusting them ‘the same’ or ‘more than’ before the ‘fake news’ narrative.

Across all four surveyed countries, 46% of news audiences believe ‘fake news’ had an influence on the outcome of their most recent election. This was most pronounced in Brazil – where 69% believed fake news had an impact, and the USA where 47% believe there was an influence. There is though some recognition that companies like Facebook and Google are taking steps to tackle ‘fake news’. (13% of UK news audiences claiming to have seen efforts vs a third of Brazilians, 16% in France and 22% in the US).

News consumption habits are evolving.

The news-reading public are becoming a more widely informed audience. 40% of news audiences have increased the number of news sources they use compared to 12 months prior. ‘All online’ has overtaken television as the primary source of news (figure 3). With under 35 year olds, social media – despite its reputational issues –almost matches television as a source of news (65% Vs 69%).

The news audience is additionally becoming a more thoughtful audience. Contrary to ‘news filter bubble’ or ‘echo chamber’ narratives, we find 40% of social media users explore alternate views to their own and almost two thirds worry that ‘personalisation’ will create a ‘news filter bubble’. More than three quarters of news consumers claim to have independently fact-checked a story, while 70% have reconsidered sharing an article – worried that it might be fake news. On the flip side, almost one if five admit to sharing a story after reading only the headline.

The Kantar ‘Trust in News’ survey conducted representative sample surveys of 2,000 individuals each in Brazil, France, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.  A more complete summary of the survey can be found on Kantar Insight pages, along with access to the full report.

 

 

 

Quotes:

Eric Salama, CEO, Kantar

“Traditional news media have largely seen off the “fake news” accusations and continue to enjoy high levels of trust among news audiences. The challenge now is for those companies to monetise that loyalty and we’ve identified some routes for them to explore. Traditional news media need to have the confidence to invest in their brands, while devising flexible subscription models for younger generations of consumers who have grown comfortable with subscription models. Trust in News will prove a rich source of insight for all news providers trying to navigate this societally-important and fast-changing market.”

 

Sir Martin Sorrell, CEO, WPP

 “I am pleased to see Trust in News confirm that brand recognition is still a key driver for direct engagement between news brands and consumers. We know the major social media companies have started to address the ‘fake news’ problem. In quantifying the extent to which ‘fake news’ has damaged the reputations of social media brands as sources of news, this study reinforces how important that work will be moving forward.”

Author: Kantar Media

Credit: https://www.kantarmedia.com/global/newsroom/press-releases/fake-news-reinforces-trust-in-mainstream-news

Changing the Industry, One Award at a time

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Fred Cook, Chairman, Golin
Charlie Coney, Executive Creative Director, Golin

Over the past few years, it feels like ‘award’ has become a bit of a dirty word.

Whether it’s large organizations turning their backs on Cannes, the proliferation of new and niche shows which are hard to keep track of, or political protests overshadowing the red carpet, it seems celebrating the successes of our industry has become less and less, well, celebratory.

It feels like “awards” is all too often a word junior staff associate with directors who strut out of the office in tuxedos, and come in late the next day with a headache and a need for pizza.

It’s a word associated with egotistical creative teams seeking validation – recognition of their brilliant thinking, their lightning bolt of inspiration and their wittily crafted piece of content.

It’s synonymous with nervous account leads, wary of spending time and money on producing
assets, writing entries and working out whether it’s fair to ask the client to cover the entry fees.

It’s a word used all too often as a shortcut for big thinking, often by those not entirely sure what big thinking looks like, or what it needs to achieve.

This may seem like rather an odd introduction for an awards show but, in my opinion, something needs to change. And the clue is in the word “change”.

Now, many of us like to say we’re in the reputation business – building it, measuring it, shifting it – and we measure our success in many ways. We measure it in clippings, in AVEs, in likes, sign-ups and in sales. If none of this changes, we’ve not done our job.

It’s our job to appreciate and recognize the sheen and glamour of well-produced piece of content, the sharply written piece of copy or a well-told story brought to life with a compelling activation. But, no matter how well-crafted this output is, it’s essentially worthless unless something happens as a result.

The work we do does not live in a vacuum, the brands we represent don’t (in the main) have legions of consumers desperate to hear from them, audiences aren’t desperate to have their most recent episode of CSI Miami interrupted by a commercial or message from our sponsor.

And, in many ways, that’s what sets the ICCO awards apart from the others – it’s got nothing to do with the input, little to do with the output, and absolutely everything to do with the outcome. While these awards recognize the proliferation of media channels, the shifting consumer landscape and the rise of data, they’re all primarily viewed as context and background color – a filter or litmus test through which we identify work that cuts through.

For this is not a show that awards creativity, strategy, media relations or content. It’s not a show that applauds a novel use of a platform’s API, a compelling piece of research or a well-judged influencer. Naturally, many of these can be effective levers for change – but this is not a show about the levers, but one that’s all about what happened next.

It’s a show that awards change.

Because change is the business we’re really in. We’re here to change a brand’s reputation, to change perception, to change the number of people queueing outside the store or picking up a particular product.

And change is something everybody can get behind.

“Change” is how we persuade junior staff to view awards as the pinnacle of career success – a sign they’re working at an amazing agency, alongside smart ambitious people with a determination to change the lives, reputations and fortunes of their clients.

“Change” is how we tell creatives their idea was more than just an idea – that they did something tangible that transformed the client’s business. After all, it’s easy to create, but hard to create change.

“Change” is how we measure the true impact of our work. Impact that’s more than the number of clippings or impressions we generated, or the number of likes our piece of content got, but what the people that saw those clippings and content did afterwards.

“Change” is how we communicate to both account leads and clients that the awards they’re seeking signify the work they’re doing and buying has purpose, meaning, value – that they’re drivers of business as much as drivers of reputation.

That’s why the ICCO Awards are important – because they show the power of our industry to effect change. And if you’re still unsure about the importance of these awards, or the impact of the work we do, I’ll leave you with the words of Margaret Mead; “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

If you’re interested in entering or attending the ICCO Global Awards 2017, please email ICCO General Manager Charlene Corrin at charlene.corrin@iccopr.com or awards@iccopr.com.

awards.iccopr.com

Asia-Pacific News In Brief (October 23, 2017)

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Holmes Report 

New people in new roles at The Practice, Ogilvy Australia, Spurwing Communications.

NEW DELHI—The Practice has appointed Arijit Sengupta as vice president, public advocacy, focusing on identifying policy engagement opportunities, developing issue based campaigns, and strengthening stakeholder network. Sengupta has worked closely with the governments and stakeholders in countries like Bangladesh, Africa, Singapore and India. His most recent stint was with the BBC, where he managed projects with the Gates Foundation. He began his career in advertising and has worked with Lintas, Enterprise Nexus and Mudra.

SYDNEY—Ogilvy Public Relations Australia has appointed Bridget Jung to the newly created position of executive creative director. Jung joins from Marcel Sydney where she was creative director. Prior to that she worked in Paris with both DigitasLBi as its chief creative officer and ECD at OgilvyOne.

SINGAPORE—Jonathan Parry has joined Spurwing Communications as an account director, bringing experience from the food and agriculture industry. Parry joins from Grow Asia, a multistakeholder partnership platform catalysed by the World Economic Forum, where he was country partnerships manager. He also worked on the corporate affairs team at Syngenta in APAC and ASEAN roles.

Read the original article here: https://www.holmesreport.com/latest/article/asia-pacific-news-in-brief-(october-23-2017)

ICCO announces Helsinki Declaration for ethical behaviour at ICCO Global Summit 2017

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The International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO) has called on the worldwide PR industry to stand by 10 principles of ethical behaviour, at the ICCO Global Summit in Helsinki.

The principles, named the Helsinki Declaration, have been launched today, aimed at uniting the global PR industry under a single banner of ethical behaviour. It takes into account the increasing influence of PR around the world, and the considerable dangers associated with unethical behaviour.

The Helsinki Declaration stands for the importance of PR work that is ethical and in the public interest; that is truthful and respectful of privacy; that does not cause offence; and that upholds the reputation of the industry. It also points to the dangers of “astroturfing” and fake news; and the potential for misuse of social media.

The Helsinki Declaration builds on the framework outlined in the Stockholm Charter, which was adopted in 2003 and replaced the Rome Charter, originally adopted by ICCO in 1986. The Stockholm Charter lays out a code of professional standards that aim to define our industry.

Speaking at the ICCO Global Summit, Francis Ingham, Chief Executive, ICCO, called on members, non-members, and other PR communities to stand in support of the Helsinki Declaration: “My firm conviction is that the PR industry is fundamentally a very ethical one. But I know that in this era of ever increasing transparency, we will be scrutinised more and more, and judged on our behaviour rather than just our words. The Helsinki Declaration is an important step forward for us as we prepare for those increased levels of scrutiny – a simple, easy to follow statement of ethical practice. Principles that are as applicable in Singapore as in Paris, London, New York, or indeed anywhere else around the globe. These are ICCO’s standards -judge us and our members by them.”

 

The Helsinki Declaration

 

Mindful of the considerable and increasing influence and importance of public relations, ICCO members commit at all times to abide by the following 10 principles:

 

1.                   To work ethically and in accordance with applicable laws;

 

2.                   To observe the highest professional standards in the practice of public relations and communications;

 

3.                   To respect the truth, dealing honestly and transparently with employees, colleagues, clients, the media, government and the public;

 

4.                   To protect the privacy rights of clients, organisations, and individuals by safeguarding confidential information;

 

5.                   To be mindful of their duty to uphold the reputation of the industry;

 

6.                   To be forthcoming about sponsors of causes and interests and never engage in misleading practices such as “astroturfing”;

 

7.                   To be aware of the power of social media, and use it responsibly;

 

8.                   To never engage in the creation of or knowingly circulate fake news;

 

9.                   To adhere to their Association’s Code of Conduct, be mindful of the Codes of Conduct of other countries, and show professional respect at all times;

 

10.               To take care that their professional duties are conducted without causing offence on the grounds of gender, ethnicity, origin, religion, disability or any other form of discrimination.

 

We invite ICCO members and organisations, non-members, and other professional public relations communities to join in support of these principles.

 

GWPR survey reveals significant gender gap at top

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Leading international networking group GWPR (Global Women in PR) revealed that although women represent two-thirds of the global PR industry, 78% of the CEOs in the top 30 PR agencies worldwide* are men and that they also occupy 62% of seats at the PR boardroom table.

The data collected from the GWPR annual survey, into the working practices of the global PR industry, highlights the fact that very few PR women make it to the top of the profession.

When it comes to salaries women are also falling behind. Comparing like for like, the average salary for men in PR is US$61,284 (£46,156) compared to women US$55,212 (£41,584) – revealing a gender pay gap of $6,072 (£4,572).

By far the biggest gender pay gap is at boardroom level. There is a staggering gap amongst the highest earners, with more than double the number of men (28%) earning over US$150,000 (£113,700) compared to 12% of women.**

The PR workplace does not appear to be more gender equal as we get older – 36% of women believe the PR industry is ageist, compared with 25% of men.

The GWPR survey also provided an important insight into the work/life balance and working practices giving clues as to why more women are not better represented at the top of a profession where they dominate.

One noticeable finding was the confidence gap. Twice as many women (26%) say they are ‘not confident’ asking for a promotion or pay rise, compared to 13% of men. And when asked if they think they will reach the top of the career ladder – 28% of men believe they will ‘definitely’ get there, whereas only 18% of women believe this.

When women were asked what was holding them back the top responses were: ‘it would be too difficult to juggle the demands of a boardroom role with my home and family commitments’ (34%) and ‘I’m not confident enough’ (30%).

Nor surprisingly, 83% of the survey respondents who were parents found balancing childcare and work commitments challenging and 2/3 of women said they took on the main responsibility for organising childcare.

Questions about the workplace clearly revealed the desire for more flexible working. Over half (56%) of the survey respondents believed they could do their job just as efficiently if they didn’t have a fixed office work space.  And a resounding 81% said they felt they would be just as efficient if they could choose the hours they worked. The global PR industry average working week was found to be 44 hours.

Commenting on the survey findings GWPR Co-founder Angela Oakes said “With 24-7 communications and the ability to stay connected anywhere in the world, why do we need to keep to the traditional 9-5 office working day? The PR industry needs to shape up to a newer, more modern way of working. This in turn will help women better manage the demands of work and family commitments so they are given the chance to reach the top of the career ladder.”

“The other clear issue raised by the survey is women’s lack of confidence. We know that gender stereotypes are determined at a very young age and there are social implications. However one solution is mentoring and training women to build confidence. Learning from other successful women that have made it to the top can help enormously in developing the right attitudes to leadership. GWPR represents senior women in the PR industry and we are committed to acting as role models to help the next generation succeed.”

ICCO Chief Executive Francis Ingham added, “It’s imperative that we address the gender gap, so we can retain talented women in the PR industry. A more balanced boardroom makes sound business sense. We need to work together to make this happen and to shape our industry for the future.”

* The Holmes Report Top 250 Agencies ranking 2017

** Holmes Report Salary Figures 2017

For further information please contact Co-founders and Joint Presidents Angela Oakes +44 (0)7860 492914 (angela@globalwpr.com) and Susan Hardwick +44(0)7710 260743 (sue@globalwpr.com)

www.globalwpr.com

ICCO launches World PR Report 2017

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The World PR Report 2017, published by ICCO, has today launched at the ICCO Global Summit in Helsinki, Finland.

The report, presented by Francis Ingham, Chief Executive, ICCO, is the annual analysis of the international public relations industry. Drawing on ICCO’s 40 associations and 13 direct agency members, operating in 55 countries, and representing 2,500 agencies, the World PR Report provides insights into where global PR is now, and where it is going to be in the coming years.

The Report includes the ranking of the top 250 global agencies developed by The Holmes Report, market analysis from regional leaders, and a report on agency growth, opportunity, investment plans, and talent challenges.

The Report reveals that agency heads are reporting new levels of optimistic. On a scale of 1-10, the global average for optimism is 7.8, up from 7 last year. The most optimistic markets are Latin America (9.4) and Asia Pacific (9.2). The least are Middle East (6.7) and Eastern Europe (6.9).

When asked about their expectations of profitability, Latin America came in highest with a score of 8.2, followed by Asia Pacific at 7.8. Africa came in lowest at 4.7.

Noted areas of growth include social media community management (56%); multimedia content creation (39%); and digital build and production (32%). These growth areas vary by region, reflecting differing local priorities and differing levels of market maturity.

On the subject of measurement, the Report reveals that 44% of global respondents do not use AVEs. The main global reason given for the use of AVEs is that it is expected by clients (40%). The prevalence of AVEs is highest in the Middle East, where only 17% report that they do not use them.

For the first time, the Report included figures on the gender pay gap, developed by Global Women in PR. The average gender pay gap is £4,572. 28% of male directors earn over US$150,000 (£113,700), compared to only 12% of women.

Commenting on the Report, Francis Ingham said: “The big headline is surely this – PR is in great shape. Agency heads are optimistic that the PR market is growing. And that is true of every single region of the world, with the highest levels of optimism to be found in Asia Pacific. They also expect their agencies to be more profitable this year. Ours is a great, dynamic industry, capable of growing in tricky economic circumstances. How many other industries can say that?

“There are, of course, challenges. Agency heads cite keeping skills current in the digital field as their number one challenge. We are simply not good enough at attracting and retaining agency employees. And why don’t we charge enough? Because we invest insufficient time and resource in proving the impact of PR and communications. Evaluation lies at the heart of our industry’s future, and while much progress has been made, there is more that needs to be done.

“But for all these challenges, these are great days to be in PR. And the days that lie ahead are brighter still.”

Full analysis and commentary of each of the markets is available in the World PR Report 2017, as a free download at: https://iccopr.com/services/world-reports/