PRmoment Podcast

On the show today, I’m chatting with Will Hart, who is the CEO of PRmoment Leaders.Before becoming CEO of PRmoment Leaders, Will was the group MD of Unlimited Group and, before that, the managing director of PR agency Nelson Bostock for over ten years.Will joined PRmoment in January this year to lead its subscription training programme for agency directors - PRmoment Leaders.The first semester of masterclasses has just been released and includes the following themes:How to build and develop your agency businessRachel Bell, founder, Brand SpankingHow to improve the diversity, inclusion and retention of PR teamsSheeraz Gulsher, co-founder, People Like Us and BraverHow to lead a pitch more effectivelyKat McGettigan, founder, Fine LinesThe financial controls you need in a modern PR firmAdrian Talbot, CFO, Miroma Group, Formerly Global CEO of HotwireHow do you build a great agency team?Frankie Cory, ex co-CEO, W CommunicationsWhat is the contribution of comms in the modern corporate world?Bruce McLachlan, director, Consumer Communications, International, AmazonWhat does a great agency: client partnership look like?Sian O’Keefe, Vice President of Corporate Affairs, Mars Wrigley Europe, CIS and TurkeyHolly Clarke, regional senior manager - consumer PR, Mars WrigleyFinally, thanks so much to the PRmoment Podcast sponsors the PRCA.Here's a summary of what Will and PRmoment founder discussed:4 mins: In partnership with our friends at Censuswide PRmoment, we recently conducted some quantitative research into the attributes of modern PR leaders. Will talks us through the top 5 trends emerging from that research.PR agency leaders believe in themselves. They have confidence in their abilities.The biggest issue for PR agency leaders is how to handle unrealistic client expectations.PR agency leaders lack confidence in the business of PR and their ability to futureproof the agencyPR Agency leaders want to get out of their own agency’s echo chamberPR agency leaders don’t have enough time15 mins Will has worked in the London PR market for 25 years. When agencies have scaled quickly - what have you observed that they are doing right?“PR is a team sport.”16.30 mins Conversely, when agencies fall off that growth line, are there any common traits in terms of the mistakes they make?“The key to happiness? Make yourself small.”“So often those second generation (PR agency appointments) don’t quite work.”“No one goes to work to make the founder a millionaire.”20 mins What are the skills and attributes of a modern PR leader?23 mins PR firms have spent the best part of 10 years playing around with their structure to try and replicate the setup of ad agencies. Does hindsight suggest that was a wrong move for PR?“There’s some magic in the generalist account team-focused PR agency structure.”“PR planners are some of the best planners on the planet.”“There’s a beautiful sweet spot between the old-school PR structure and ad agency world (structure.)”29 mins Will talks us through what PRmoment Leaders is all about and how you hope it can help the PR leaders of tomorrow.“We’re focussing bespoke training on senior people in PR businesses to prepare them for leadership.”

This week on the PRmoment Podcast, I’m interviewing Mitch Kaye, co-founder and CEO of The Academy, as we look back on ten years since he and Dan Glover launched The Academy.The Academy is an independent PR firm in London with a fee income of approximately £7m. It has 56 employees and was co-founded by Mitch Kaye and Dan Glover in 2014. If you want to join your PR peers, don’t forget to buy your tickets for The PRmoment Awards. The Manchester Awards are on Thursday 11th April and the London Awards are on Thursday 25th April.3 mins How is the consumer PR market ATM? “We’re in a good moment. 2023 was our best ever year and 2024 has started in the same manner…We’re enjoying where we’re at but I do speak to lots of other people who are having a hard time.”“There’s definitely work out there and there's definitely people winning.“5 mins It's ten years since Mitch and Dan Glover founded The Academy. When they launched, what was the plan, and how much did they need to adapt that plan?7 mins Second time around doesn't happen too often with PR founders; most people seem to have only one start-up in them. Why is that, do you think? “Ambition is the biggest thing for me.”8 mins What's been easier the second time around? And what has been harder?The second time around, “the highs are not as high, the lows are even lower, but you're braver, you're more experienced, and you have seen problems before…so you can call on that body of work.”10 mins Where is the PR market now compared to 10 years ago?“PR is in a much better place. It is a brilliant time for consumer PR. As a discipline we take ourselves more seriously and we are taken more seriously.”“Some agencies now, and I would include us in that, have the ear of much more influential people.”“The job is more difficult now but more rewarding too.”16 mins The Academy has had some impressive client wins and the work coming out of the business is very good at the moment. How does an agency get itself in form?“The hardest thing to do in this business is to win. It’s very, very easy to come second in a pitch.”19 mins The Academy has a high fee income per head compared to its peers. A PR income ballpark of £100K per head is tough to achieve in consumer PR. And you’ve got a fee income per head of £125K. How have you done that?“We’re not the cheapest agency on the block. We’ve got great people. We’ve never shied away from that, really.”21 mins Has The Academy been immune from the decreasing number of retainer client relationships towards increased project income?“We’ve probably got a disproportionate amount of retainers versus our competitors.”“We hire ahead of our needs and retainers help you do that…the challenge of retainers is energy.”23 mins Last year, The Academy had an 80% win rate on 15/20 pitches. When you were at Mischief, you did 70 pitches a year. That's quite a change in strategy.“If you're pitching three times a week, you’re not spending an awful lot of time with your clients.”“The biggest opportunity you have is with your existing clients. They've already hired you, they already trust you.”“Doing three pitches a week is never the answer.  Whatever the question is.“

Welcome to our March 2024 Review of PR Pitches and mergers & acquisitions in the UK PR scene with Andrew Bloch, where we will discuss the biggest, most seismic pitch wins and mergers and acquisitions that the PR sector has seen in 2023.Andrew is the lead consultant - PR, Social, Content and Influencer at the new business consultancy firm AAR and a partner at PCB Partners, where he advises on buying and selling marketing services agencies.Andrew launched Andrew Bloch & Associates in 2020.Before we start, here is a plug for our latest launch:  our new subscription training service for senior folks within agencies' PRmoment Leaders. Do take a look and let us know if you like it.And if you fancy joining us at the PRmoment Awards in either London or Manchester you need to get your tickets quick.Thanks also so much to the PRmoment Podcast sponsors the PRCA.2.30 mins Andrews updates us on this month's PR Pitch winsPukka Organic Herbal teas appoint Grayling.Global Brands (who own VK and Hooch) appoint Prohibition.Pepsi appoint Hope & Glory.Taco Bell appoint EarniesPopeyes appoint The Romans.Pizza Express appoint Pretty GreenCook appoint Don’t Cry Wolf.Carlsberg Group appoint Richmond & Towers for a global PR and social media strategy for Brooklyn Brewery brand.National Hockey League appoint Mischief.Casio appoint Kingdom Collective - (Part of Splendid group.)Nobu Hotel appoint W Communications.Franks Hot Sauce appoint Pangolin.18 mins A discussion of the state of the PR new business market at the moment.“It’s not a bed of roses for everyone, but there is still business out there.”You have to show resilience and dig deep. ..running an agency is always a bit of a roller coaster. It’s often a question of how quickly you come out of the dips. It's not plain sailing. Anyone who runs an agency and tells you it's a piece of cake, I’d call them a liar.”19 mins A round-up and discussion of March’s M&A activity.21 mins Ruder Finn acquire Atteline - expanding its Middle East and global footprint.Woodrow has formed a partnership with Paris-based Taddeo to expand both organisations' work across the UK and Europe. Jim Donaldson, the former CEO of Fleishman Hillard, joined Woodrow as non-exec chair in February this year.Stagwell acquire Sidekick. Sidekick launched in 2021 after the merger of experiential agency Kreate and content agency Many Makers.MHP acquired creative content above-the-line agency La Plage.Havas acquires Wilderness in its second acquisition this year already.

Braver co-founders Darain Faraz and Mike Levaggi on the PRmoment podcastWelcome to the PRmoment Podcast. On today's show, I’m chatting with two of Braver's co-founders: Darain Faraz and Mike Levaggi.Previously, Darain spent 11 years in-house at LinkedIn. Mike's career has included roles at Seventy Seven, Hope&Glory and Snap.Alongside Sheeraz Gulsher, they launched Braver in September last year. Braver is a talent consultancy specialising in helping PR employers increase the diversity of their teams.Before we start, here is a plug for our latest launch:  our new subscription training service for senior folks within agencies' PRmoment Leaders. Do take a look and let us know if you like it. Thanks also so much to the PRmoment Podcast sponsors the PRCA.Darain and Mike, welcome to the show3.30 mins Mike talks us through Braver’s approach to trying to help PR with its diversity problem.6 mins Darain talks us through why he and his brother Sherazz launched People Like Us.“My brother (Sheeraz) was baffled when he landed in the (PR) industry. He asked what’s going on? Why is it quite so homogeneous?  We should be doing something about this. He was rightly furious. I’d become a bit apathetic about it.”10 mins Do we believe employers in the PR sector want to be more diverse? “The reality is that we’re inching along in our progress… The industry is keen to make progress, but it's not sure how to get there.”12 mins What is PR’s ethnicity pay gap?“PR’s ethnicity pay gap is 22.3 %.” “There is obviously a point when people leave the sector…from the conversations we’ve had, it's because they have felt they weren't given the same opportunities and promotion at the mid to senior levels. Agencies have to do 2 things: hire intentionally so their workforces more accurately represent the audiences they are communicating to 2) make sure that their workplace gives equal opportunity for people to thrive.”25 mins How are PR employers trying to become more diverse? What are they getting right? What are they getting wrong?29 mins What does best practice look like when it comes to increasing the diversity of your PR team?“For it to be effective, you need an ongoing dialogue between people across your organisation and senior leadership.”“Public sharing of salary bands is really crucial.  so important. We (Braver) refuse to work on roles where we can’t share the salary.”33 mins Are Rooney Rule shortlists a good idea in PR?35 mins Many PR firms are doing better at increasing the diversity of their employees, but are they getting the inclusion part wrong.42 mins To what extent are clients, through procurement policies, only buying PR from agencies with diverse teams?“There is a moral imperative.. but ultimately, it is a commercial imperative.”

On the show today, I’m chatting with Jo Ogunleye, B2B Communications Lead at Google UK  and Laura Wheeler, Head of Communications UKI, Middle East, Turkey and Africa, Google Cloud.Both are B2B communicators, and we’re going to talk about what creativity looks like in B2B communications, how it can be used and how it can be integrated across the appropriate B2B channels.Thanks to the PRmoment Podcast sponsors, The PRCA.A quick mention about the relaunch of PRmoment. If you take a look at PRmoment.com, you'll see a brand new design with lots of new features, hopefully, easier navigation and also the launch of our new subscription training service for senior folks within agencies' PRmoment Leaders. Do take a look and let us know if you like it. Thanks also so much to the PRmoment Podcast sponsors the PRCA.Here is a  summary of what Jo and Laura and PRmoment founder discussed:2 mins Jo and Laura talk about what a modern, integrated approach to B2B communications looks like.6 mins What are the priority channels for most B2B communications?“Your company blog or your website should always be your priority channel.”14 mins A discussion of the rise of influencers within B2B markets17 mins Is creativity used less in B2B markets because communicators are more risk averse, or is it because of budget?“Creativity is a critical part of B2B PR…You need to stand out from the crowd. …B2B buyers are usually bombarded with information.”20 mins Why is creativity important in B2B PR? 21 mins Laura gives some examples of how Google Cloud uses creativity in its B2B campaigns.28 mins How to craft your B2B campaigns to reach multiple objectives, including impact on sales.31 mins Does creative content drive more sales in Google’s experience?38 mins Bearing in mind how specific the target audience is, are B2B campaigns easier to measure?41 mins As in-house communicators, what is the role of the PR agency in B2B markets? To what extent do you look for creativity in your agency partners in B2B?

Welcome to the PRmoment Podcast. On today's show, I’m chatting with Charlotte West, executive director of corporate communications at Lenovo, and Jo Patterson, UK MD at Zeno.Today, we’re discussing the findings of the Global Women in PR Annual Index, a research programme that aims to measure the status of women working in PR and communications worldwide.Before we start, we should pay tribute to GWPR co-founder Angela Oakes. Angela sadly passed away after a brief illness last year but her legacy of helping to change the landscape for women working in our industry will go on.Here are some topline findings from the report:Flexible working has become an accepted normLevels of flexible working have been maintained since this time last year and are anticipated to stay.Women continue to see progression and promotions slower than men, and boardrooms continue to be male-dominated.According to the report, half of female PR professionals globally have experienced harassment or inappropriate behaviour at work. But before we start, a quick plug for our latest webinar launch. The topic is “How to track the success of an earned media campaign." Tickets are free, and we’re putting this one on in partnership with our good friends at Carma. TAlso a quick mention about the relaunch of PRmoment. If you take a look at PRmoment.com, you'll see a brand new design with lots of new features, hopefully easier navigation and also the launch of our new subscription training service for senior folks within agencies' PRmoment Leaders. Do take a look and let us know if you like it. Thanks also so much to the PRmoment Podcast sponsors the PRCA.Here is a summary of what Charlotte, Jo and PRmoment founder Ben Smith discussed:3 mins The report reckons PR professionals expect to be working remotely for an average of 2.5 days a week, a slight drop in comparison to 2022 (3 days.)What remote working policies have Charlotte and Jo established at Lenovo and Zeno, respectively?“At Lenovo, the corporate guide is in the office three days a week.”6 mins A discussion of how remote working changes the culture of work - for better and for worse.“At the moment, the 2-day working week in the office is working well for us (Zeno).”9 mins Jo talks about the impact of flexible working for women working in PR.11 mins How has flexible working changed the culture at Zeno?20 mins “Most people in PR don’t have a work-life balance. What we can’t lose is work-life flexibility.”Some stats from the Global Women in PR Annual Index“The benefits of working flexibly continue to be regarded positively amongst PR professionals. With regard to well-being, seven in ten (75%) feel it helps employees maintain their mental well-being and four-fifths (82%) feel it helps maintain a healthy work-life balance, up from 77% in 2022.“75% believe flexible working allows women to have a family or take on caring responsibilities and still progress in their careers; up slightly from 71% last year. Whilst 74% agree that it helps retain female talent (increasing from 68% in 2022).A third (32%) believe that flexible working helps women progress into the boardroom.”23 mins Does flexible working slow down or speed up the PR careers of women?27 mins What does the next generation want from work? Is the generational divide amongst work-based teams becoming more pronounced?

Welcome to our February Creativity Review. Here, we are talking about the best bits of PR creativity we’ve seen this month.On the show today are:James Gordon-MacIntosh, Co-founder and Chief Creative Officer at Hope&GloryLeila Mountford, Partner, Creative Director at PortlandKim Allain, Creative Lead, MSL UKTo remind the listeners of the only rule of our global creativity review, our creatives are not allowed to choose their own work!This is part of our regular series of creativity reviews, so if you like what you hear, look back at the PRmoment Podcast archive on iTunes or Spotify to listen to more creative ideas.This special PRmoment Podcast about creativity is, naturally enough, bought to you in partnership with Creative Moment. You can subscribe to Creative Moment here.A quick mention about the relaunch of PRmoment. If you take a look at PRmoment.com, you'll see a brand new design with lots of new features, hopefully easier navigation and also the launch of our new subscription training service for senior folks within agencies' PRmoment Leaders. Do take a look and let us know if you like it. Also, thanks so much to the PRmoment Podcast sponsors the PRCA.Here is a summary of what Kim, James, Leila and your host PRmoment founder Ben Smith discussed:4 mins Lush Saltburn BathbombYou can read more insight on what made this campaign a creative bit here. 6 mins Michael Cera and CeraVeYou can read more insight on what made this campaign a creative bit here.12 mins Uncommon’s RatbootYou can read more insight on what made this campaign a creative bit here. 15 mins Taylor Swift mania in Australia sees the release of  ‘Tay Tams’ to celebrate 60 years of the iconic treat19 mins MSCHF’s Global Supply Chain HandbagYou can read more about this campaign here.23 mins Kitchen roll supplier Plenty gives couples a chance to win a wedding.Does kitchen roll need a purpose?27 mins Hello Down There: Martin Scorsese directs Squarespace Super Bowl adYou can read more about this campaign here.32 mins PETA’s Dangerous Leather Warning to the publicYou can read more about this campaign here.35 mins Dove’s “It’s Hard Knocks Life” campaign.39 mins Changing Narratives' Campaign Challenges Racial Stereotypes41 mins An Ordinary bottle floats down the Thames.You can read more about this campaign here.45 mins Aldi’s Rogue Vogue

Welcome to our February 2024 Review of PR Pitches and mergers & acquisitions in the UK PR scene with Andrew Bloch, where we will discuss the biggest, most seismic pitch wins and mergers and acquisitions that the PR sector has seen in 2023.Andrew is the lead consultant - PR, Social, Content and Influencer at the new business consultancy firm AAR and a partner at PCB Partners, where he advises on buying and selling marketing services agencies.Andrew was also co-founder and managing partner at PR agency Frank, before stepping back in 2020 to found Andrew Bloch & Associates.A quick mention about the relaunch of PRmoment. If you take a look at PRmoment.com, you'll see a brand new design with lots of new features, hopefully, easier navigation and also the launch of our new subscription training service for senior folks within agencies' PRmoment Leaders. Do take a look and let us know if you like it.Thanks also so much to the PRmoment Podcast sponsors the PRCA.2 mins Andrew talks us through this month's biggest PR pitch wins in the UK:Tortilla, the Mexican fast food restaurant,  appoints PR agency Houston.Orlebar Brown - a luxury swimwear brand owned by Chanel - appoints PR agency W.Bolt appoints PR agency BoldspaceBurger King appoints PR agency The AcademyVersuni (Philips brand owner) appoints PR agency Smoking Gun.(Ketchum continues to partner with Philips. Tin Man continues to handle global comms.)Heineken’s trade PR goes to food and drink  PR specialist Fleet StreetBallantines Whisky appoints Pangolin on a global brief.M&C Sport and Ents retain the global music brand strategy brief and Firstlight Group handle corporate comms.Four Seasons appoints Red - replaces PRCO after a 30-year client-agency relationship.Greggs appoint That Lot for a social media brief.Santander appoints two agencies - Lansons Team Farner for its consumer PR and MHP for its public affairs work.eToro appoints Lansons/Team Farner on a combined corp and brand brief.British Gas appoints Smarts for a consumer PR brief. (Working alongside BCW)“If there is a lack of long-term client commitment you have to adjust your cost base accordingly. The great agencies do that.”“We don’t do this for fun. There is no point running an agency that doesn't make any money.”16 mins Andrew talks us through February's M&A activity:Faith Brand Communications is acquired by Fantastic MediaSEC Newgate acquires a 70% stake (over five years) in Athens HQ V+O Group.Real Chemistry acquires Avant Healthcare.Havas acquires b2b marketing specialist Ledger BennettCognito, an independent global PR agency, has completed the majority acquisition of its German operation Cognito DACH.

Welcome to the PRmoment Podcast.Today, we’re talking PR Ethics, basically because Mary Beth West, who is a senior strategist at Fletcher Marketing PR in the US, has funded research by the Institute of Business Ethics (IBE), which compares and contrasts 24 global ethics codes of PR.On the show today, Mary Beth is going to talk through some of the themes of this research. Today’s podcast also sees the return of the finest voice radio voice in PR - Trevor Morris, who I suspect will bring some practical thoughts on the real-world implementation of PR ethics codes. Trevor and his co-author Simon Goldsworthy wrote the book Public Relations Ethics.A quick mention about the relaunch of PRmoment. If you take a look at PRmoment.com, you'll see a brand new design with lots of new features, hopefully easier navigation and also the launch of our new subscription training service for senior folks within agencies' PRmoment Leaders. Do take a look and let us know if you like it. Thanks also to the PRmoment Podcast sponsors the PRCA.Here is a summary of what Trevor, Mary Beth and PRmoment founder Ben Smith discussed:2 mins Do published ethics codes serve a critical role in public relations? “Of all the ethics codes in PR…accuracy and honesty were the values that were universal.”“There are other elements of codes that are not universal, such as guarding of conflict of interests. ““AI is another one that is not dealt with in codes.”“PR ethics codes are an important benchmark. You have to have them… But the reality is that very few people have read them.”“When they do get used it’s often after the event. When something has gone wrong.”“For the codes to be effective, they need to be memorable. Shot, sharp and memorable.”6 mins Mary Beth talks us though the differences in PR ethics codes globally.“Another element of this white paper was to determine how old some of these codes are. There is a prominent code here in the US, which is a very good code. But it hasn’t been updated in nearly 25 years.”9 mins What are the compliance gaps in global PR ethics currently?“Of the 24 ethics codes we evaluated, 20 of them had an order to comply with the code to be a member. Only 13 of the codes, however, say that they are enforced.” “Only 6 of the codes made it easy to submit an (ethics) complaint.”“Only 2 of the 24 codes offered whistleblower protection mechanism.”11 mins “Very few PR people have ever been prosecuted for anything related to their work. There are far more lawyers and accountants that run into those kinds of problems.”13 mins “Trust is fundamental to the career of a PR person. If you lose that trust, it is potentially career-ending.”14 mins To what extent does PR have an ethics problem?“I think we have a lot of ethics problems in this industry. When you look across the full scale of all of the different acres in which communication can be manipulated to mislead.”“There is a danger that the codes start to behave like a priest, that you must never say anything that is not 100% transparent. And I don’t think that is possible.”“Ethics codes are not a silver bullet. If a public relations profess&

On the show today, I’m chatting with Delphi co-founder Ellie Thompson and ZOE’s communications director, Danielle Restivo, about how to find your organisation's reputation North Star.Ellie was previously CEO at Harvard. She launched Delphi alongside Louie St Clare and Pete Marcus in May last year.Danielle has had in-house experience in senior roles at the likes of Linkedin, SAP, Google and Vodafone. She joined ZOE as its communications and PR director in 2023.The central premise behind the subject for today’s show is that if reputation were prioritised where it should be within organisations - communications directors would be the CEO’s best friend. And currently, in the main, they are not.So today, we’re going to chat about the reasons for this - who’s at fault, and hopefully, we’ll touch on some suggested solutions for any comms directors out there who can empathise with this issue.Before we start a plug for our latest webinar launch. The topic for this one is “How to track the success of an earned media campaign." tickets are free, and we’re putting this one on in partnership with our good friends at Carma. The event is promoted on the homepage of PRmoment.A quick mention about the relaunch of PRmoment. If you take a look at PRmoment.com, you'll see a brand new design with lots of new features, hopefully easier navigation and also the launch of our new subscription training service for senior folks within agencies' PRmoment Leaders.  Do take a look and let us know if you like it. Thanks also so much to the PRmoment Podcast sponsors the PRCA.Here is a summary of what Ellie, Danielle and PRmoment founder Ben Smith discussed:2 mins Why do organisations need a reputational North Star? “A reputation north star gives you your reputational requirement…It gives you absolute clarity. …It’s a living shifting thing.”“It’s about what reputation we need if that’s what we want to achieve as a business.”4 mins What is the difference between a Reputational North Star and your comms team’s objectives?6 mins Do many companies try to define their reputational North Star?7 mins How should companies define their reputation North Star?10 mins Your North Star Gap: How far away is your organisation’s reputation from your reputation, North Star?12 mins Do you think too many in-house comms teams get beaten down by the day-to-day?15 mins How have we got to a place where, for some organisations, comms doesn’t play a leading role in an organisation's reputational management?20 mins To what extent is the in-house comms role a process of internal stakeholder management?24 mins Danielle explains ZOE’s reputational North Star.28 mins How can communicators make the shift from brand awareness amongst their target audiences to a good reputation?32  mins For some comms teams, there is an increasing emphasis on impact on sales. To what extent is this a product of reputation, and to what extent should a comms team take a shorter-term lead generation approach?39 mins Ellie’s theory of Reputational Capital: Your reputation is like a bank account. You will have to make deposits into it and withdrawals from it. But don’t go into your overdraft!46 mins What are the attributes of a successful in-house comms team?

Welcome to the PRmoment Podcast.This is a bonus podcast where we chat about RAJAR results for Q4 2023 with Alex Blakemore, newsroom producer at Markettiers. For those of you who aren’t aware of RAJAR - it was established in 1992 and operates the single audience measurement system for the radio industry in the United Kingdom.Each quarter, it publishes the listenership figures for UK radio. This offers a really interesting insight for PR people on how the UK public engages with this important channel.Before we start, a quick mention about the relaunch of PRmoment. If you take a look at PRmoment.com, you'll see a brand new design with lots of new features, hopefully, easier navigation and also the launch of our new subscription training service for senior folks within agencies' PRmoment Leaders. Do take a look and let us know if you like it. Thanks to the PRmoment Podcast sponsors, The PRCA.Highlights for this bonus pod include:2 mins “88.5% of the UK population listen to the radio each week- that’s around 49.5m adults.”“20.5 hours a week is the average listening time for live listening.”“Commercial ration is on the rise.”“13% of people are using catch-up radio.”4 mins The BBC has lost share in these most recent Rajar results. The BBC share is now 43%, down from 47% in Q3 2023.7 mins This is the first set of Rajar results since the BBC started using more syndicated programs across its radio stations in the afternoons.9 mins Alex talks us through some highlights of radio stations that have seen big increases in listenership in the last quarter.10 mins The continuing growth of podcast as a channel.11 mins Alex looks ahead to the Olympics and the Euros and the broadcast opportunities for PR people.12 mins Finally, Alex talks about potential interviews and story opportunities trends around the UK election later in the year, including the period of purdah.

Welcome to the PRmoment Podcast. On the show today, we've got Matt Neale, Golin's global CEO. I first met Matt just after we launched PRmoment in around 2008 when he was co-CEO of Golin in London.Since then, Matt's moved to New York, been promoted goodness how many times and now runs Golin globally. It's great to see a Brit in a global role at a big global agency.Matt joined Golin in 2005 from its then sister agency Weber Shandwick - he was appointed joint MD of the London office alongside Jon Hughes.It worked out, and Golin London started to fly. Matt was promoted to President International in 2011 and was appointed global CEO in 2019. It’s been widely reported that Golin had revenues of approximately $300 m in 2022. Golin works predominantly in the consumer and healthcare sectors.Thanks so much to the PRmoment Podcast sponsors the PRCA.Here is a summary of what Matt and PRmoment founder Ben Smith discussed:2 mins Matt predicts whether Trump is going to win.6 mins Matt reflects on the news that BCW and Hill & Knowlton are going to merge to form Burson.11 mins Matt talks about the Group CEO role and how it's different from the CEO role.16 mins Matt reveals how the move to America came about.19.30 mins Will Matt be the last Brit to make it to hold one of America’s big PR jobs?20 mins What does America think of the UK now? “8 times out of 10 - when the UK makes it onto mainstream news - it’s about the Royal Family.”25 mins How much bigger are PR budgets in the US than in the UK?“A good rule of thumb is that the US PR budget is 10x the UK budget.”27 mins  Matt explains the reason behind the higher salaries in the US.29 mins  Matt gives his advice to anyone who's at the start of their PR agency CEO journey.35 mins Matt talks about how three people have mentored him: Fred Cook, David Brain and Andy Polansky.40 mins How has the PR agency model changed in recent years?43 mins Does Matt reckon he’ll ever live in the UK again?

Welcome to our January 2024 Review of PR Pitches and mergers & acquisitions in the UK PR scene with Andrew Bloch, where we will discuss the biggest, most seismic pitch wins and mergers and acquisitions that the PR sector has seen in 2023.Andrew is the lead consultant - PR, Social, Content and Influencer at the new business consultancy firm AAR and a partner at PCB Partners, where he advises on buying and selling marketing services agencies.Andrew was also co-founder and managing partner at PR agency Frank, before stepping back in 2020 to found Andrew Bloch & Associates.Before we start, a plug for our latest webinar launch; the topic for this one is “How to track the success of an earned media campaign." tickets are free and we’re putting this one on in partnership with our good friends at Carma. The event is promoted on the homepage of PRmoment.Thanks also so much to the PRmoment Podcast sponsors the PRCA.2 mins We kick off with some thoughts from Andrew and I on WPP’s merger of BCW and Hill&Knowlton“It’s really nice that they are honouring Harold Burson.”“It’s potentially going to be the biggest PR agency in the UK… taking them ahead of Brunswick.”“You rarely merge two firms together because they are doing so well.”“It's been reported that both of these firms had a tougher time in America; they’ve had a better time of it in the UK.”“It just makes sense. You don’t need that many agencies in one group, especially when they have that much overlap.”7 mins A discussion of January’s biggest PR pitch wins:The Dept for Science, Innovation and Tech appoint Unlimited and Pablo as lead creative and strategic partners, with Nelson Bostock Unlimited providing the PR support. Andrew pays tribute to Nelson Bostock co-founder Roger Nelson, who passed away recently.Iceland appoints Tangerine for creative consumer, corporate, sustainability, crisis and social.“A massive win for Tangerine.”The Savoy hires the PR agency Fox Communications to handle media relations, digital media, and influencers.“A lot of specialist agencies have done extremely well in the last few years.”Sudocrem appoints Brazen.Kidney Cancer and UK Reflo, the sustainable performance wear brand, appoint PR agency PHAOatley appointed Blurred for consumer, corporate and public affairs work following a 6-way pitch.  Nest - Britain's largest pension scheme backed by govt - also hire Blurred. Henkel appoints BCW (soon to be Burson!)  The Ministry of Justice appoint Kindred on £1.3m Luke “The Nuke” Littner -the teenage dart sensation who reached the final of the world championships, has appointed Soapbox London.Airbnb appoints The Romans. Previously, Hope&Glory has held the Airbnb account for nine years, and Andrew and Ben pay tribute to that body of work.Giff Gaff appoint Splendid for a strategic and creative comms brief.Stonegate Group - Pitch. The UK's largest pub company, operating nearly 5,000 pubs, includes brands like Slug & Lettuce and Walkabout. “It’s busy and this time of year is always busy. We’re still facing some of the challenges we saw last year...which is delaying decisions.”"Whenever there is a lack of confidence in the economy, there is a lack of confidence in making appointment decisions.”30 mins A round-up of PR’s January’s M&A activity“2024

 Welcome to the PRmoment Podcast. On the show today, I’m chatting with Sharon Bange, joint managing director at Kindred.Sharon has been at Kindred for an extraordinary 20 years. In that time, the business has seen huge change, including nearly going out of business when the then-new Conservative government came into power in 2010. It’s one of those firms that has consistently punched above its weight when it comes to creative, award-winning work.Kindred is a consumer PR firm that has a fee income of £3 million and 35 employees.Before we start, we’ve got some huge news - you need to enter The PRmoment Awards 2024 quickly.There are some exciting changes this year; we’ve tweaked the categories, refined the entry form and with no additional entry fee, we’ve launched a regional champions scheme so we can reach the work right across the UK. The final entry deadline is 26th January.Thanks so much to the PRmoment Podcast sponsors the PRCA.2 mins Sharon talks about why she originally wanted to be a social worker, rather than work in PR?4 mins Sharon talks about why she’s currently undertaking a Psychology Master's.7.30 mins Has an increased knowledge of psychology made Sharon view PR campaigns differently?8.30 mins Sharon has spent 20 years at Kindred. How come?“It’s not been one job. There have been many different guises over the years.”“When you’ve been somewhere that long, you help shape the values of the place.”“It’s not that I’ve never had a reason to leave…it’s that there’s always been lots of reasons to stay.”13 mins. We covered it in 2019 when Sharon previously came on the show, but briefly, she talks us through how and why Kindred, with a fee income of approximately £8/9 million at the time, lost 90% of its clients in a couple of months back in 2010.“90% of the clients were in the public sector…by the summer, the business had been completely decimated.”18 mins Sharon reveals her in hindsight lessons of her career1. Don’t be a clone“20 years ago, I felt the pressure to conform to how I thought PR people should be…it was still trouser suits back then.”2. Question everything“At Kindred, we want and expect people to have more of a voice; it’s their agency, too.”3. Know your role as an employer “We’re a business, an employer. Not a family.”4. People are specialists, not generalists, and that’s fine“We don’t have generalists any more. We have multi-specialists.”29 mins How has PR changed?“There are more people with deep expertise that make PR more sophisticated.”31 mins Does Sharon worry about the current state of the media?33 mins How has Kindred kept its creative edge after all these years?34 mins. How tough was the process of becoming a B Corp for Kindred?

Welcome to the PRmoment Podcast. On the show today, I’m chatting with Ashwani Singla, founding managing partner of Astrum - Reputation Advisory. Astrum is an Indian PR firm which specialises in reputation management and corporate communications.It employs 30 people in India and one in America!Ashwani set up Astrum in 2015, previously he worked for the likes of Genesis Burson Marsteller and Penn Schoen Berland.Most of the listeners of this podcast are in Europe, so I thought it would be good to get an Indian perspective on how technology is likely to change PR. The scale of India’s technology sector is obviously huge, and it’s interesting to get a perspective from a country whose GDP is growing at over 7%, compared to the UK’s at about 0.5%.Before we start, we’ve got some huge news - The PRmoment Awards 2024 are OPEN! The final entry deadline is on January 26th.There are some exciting changes this year; we’ve tweaked the categories, refined the entry form and with no additional entry fee, we’ve launched a regional champions scheme so we can reach the work right across the UK. Do check out the PRmoment Awards microsite.Also, thanks so much to the PRmoment Podcast sponsors the PRCA.Here is a summary of what Ashwani and PRmoment founder Ben Smith discussed:2 mins Astrum recently published a report on how communicators can navigate the digital disruption we’re seeing currently. Ashwani talks us through the three conclusions coming out of that report.3 mins The report was titled “Technology Reshaping Communicators?” What were the lessons from the report about how AI is likely to change the framework for effective reputation management?9 mins How are consumers responding to AI-produced content in India?“Content consumption is going to become more personalised, experiential, and immersive.”11 mins Does AI mean that reputation management as a business function requires a reboot?“Social science, data science: to be able to assimilate information and patterns quickly to be able to create content.”“You must be proficient at making videos…visual storytelling is the next skill you must acquire.”14 mins Ashwani talks about the example of Prime Minister Modi as a 360-degree communicator.16mins “Largely our consumption of content is going to go through the mobile phone.”18 mins What are the dominant channels on mobile in India?19 mins Where does India see itself from a global economic and political influence perspective? “India sees itself as the voice of the global South.”“India is not dependent on exports like China, it is largely a domestic economy. That makes it unique and a robust, stable economy.”25 mins Are we seeing a change in how consumers use social media? Closed digital channels such as WhatsApp are ever more popular. That has huge implications for how brands use social media.27 mins Aswani talks about how deepfake content has already become an industry and how it was used in the Bangladesh elections."Big tech has become a big risk for governments…so compliance is going to play a very big role in the reputation (of big tech firms.)”34 mins Do we have enough good senior in-house corporate comms decision-makers to lead the PR sector through this period of huge change?“I see a FOMO factor in the (PR) industry.”

Welcome to the PRmoment Podcast. On the show today, I’m chatting with Lewis Iwu, founding partner at Purpose Union, about the intersection of Purpose, ESG and CSR.Are the terms interchangeable? Has Purpose superseded CSR and how much confusion is there both amongst communicators and consumers about the crossover between these terms?Purpose Union was co-founded by Lewis in 2019, has about 20 employees and previous clients include Natwest, Sky and The Wellcome Trust. The agency specialises in corporate counsel and communications strategy. All its work is purpose-related.Before we start, we’ve got some huge news - The PRmoment Awards 2024 are now - OPEN!There are some exciting changes this year; we’ve tweaked the categories and refined the entry form, and with no additional entry fee, we’ve launched a regional champions scheme so we can reach the work right across the UK. The final entry deadline is 26th January.Do check out the PRmoment Awards microsite.Also, thanks so much to the PRmoment Podcast sponsors the PRCA.2.30 mins From a communications perspective, how does Lewis define the differences between purpose, ESG and CSR?“ESG is investor relations communicating to markets about your credentials as a sustainable business, a business that cares about society.”“There is a movement away from CSR... Companies have become more sophisticated.”7 mins To what extent have brand purpose and ESG been negatively impacted by the anti-woke movement?10 mins What is the role of comms in purpose policy within a business?13 mins As a comms agency, is your role to help companies find their purpose or is the assumption that they already know that?15 mins Purpose Union has developed a scorecard model that helps companies decide whether they should speak out on specific issues. Lewis talks us through how that model works.17 mins How do companies balance the risk of not speaking out versus the risk of not speaking out?21 mins Has an organisation's purpose become more important for its employees than its customers? 24 mins Does the structured nature of the B2B buying process make purpose more important for some B2B brands than those targeting end consumers?26 mins Do most consumers really care about the purpose positioning of one company, compared to its competitors? Don’t consumers care more about the product, the price and the convenience of the distribution?29 mins What are the three questions Lewis asks organisations before they respond to purpose-related issues?34 mins The CEO is completely crucial to an organisation's purpose strategy, right? If they don’t get it, you're doomed, aren’t you?35 mins The purpose and environmental event caravan grows every year. What are the roles of events like Davos and COP? Do they help drive progress, or have they become a distraction?37 mins What is the role of the comms director in setting and driving an organisation's purpose strategy?

Welcome to the PRmoment Podcast. On the show today, I’m chatting with one of my favourite people, the wonderful Bieneosa Ebite. Bieneosa is head of communications and government affairs, inclusion & diversity at GSK.In this regular format of the PRmoment Podcast with Ben Smith, we’ll be catching up with UK public relations leaders - and our guests will share their, in hindsight, secrets that they wish they'd known when they started their careers!Bieneosa Ebite joined GSK 18 months ago. Previously, she was at Centrica for eight years. She ran her own agency, Bright Star Public Relations, from 2007 to 2014, but Bieneosa is best known as the chair and co-founder of Ignite, which was the original not-for-profit organisation established to promote the benefits of cultural diversity in public relations. Before we start, we’ve got some huge news - The PRmoment Awards 2024 are now - OPEN!There are some exciting changes this year; we’ve tweaked the categories, refined the entry form and with no additional entry fee, we’ve launched a regional champions scheme so we can reach the work right across the UK.Also, thanks so much to the PRmoment Podcast sponsors the PRCA.Here is a summary of what Bieneosa and PRmoment founder Ben Smith discussed:2 mins Bieneosa tells us why, for the “first time in my life, work doesn’t feel like work.”“My purpose as a human being is aligned with what I’m doing professionally.”“How do we get more people from underrepresented groups into the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) sector careers.”5 mins Improving diversity is a wide remit: Bieneosa talks us through where she tries to make a difference in your current role.9 mins Does science and, more broadly, STEM have the same diversity issues as public relations?“One of the things that is missing is representation at the senior level in the public relations sector.”“When I started in PR, I didn’t feel like I belonged.”“People have left PR because they don’t feel welcome.”14 mins  Bieneosa and Ben reminisce about how and why Ignite was a trailblazer!“Having a community is great, but I’m all about campaigning to make change.”“What I found was that at that time, diversity and inclusion almost was like a fashion for PR…it was in vogue for a time, and then it would go quiet.”18 mins Here is the link to Ben Smith's interview with Taylor Bennett Foundation alumni  Kwaku Aning, Shanice Hoo Mills and Toni Adeola on a recent PRmoment Podcast.“If you want to see change, you have to agitate. Otherwise, nothing will happen.”“When it’s something that affects you…ten years is too long… You want change now.”“If you address things head-on, you stand a better chance of being able to solve issues. If you skirt around it and don’t want to say the word (racism) - nothing will ever change.”32 mins What would  Bieneosa do differently in her career if she had her time again?“Investing in a mentor or a coach is something I didn’t do early enough.”34 mins What is the difference between a mentor and a coach?39 mins Looking back at public relations’ DE&I journey - how does Bieneosa think PR is doing?40 mins What KPIs does Bieneosa a look for when assessing a sector's progress on DE&I?

Welcome to our 2023 Creativity Review, where we talk about the best bits of PR creativity we saw last year.On the show today to help us review some of the best creative work are:Clare Morris, Clare Morris, associate director, PremierDon Ferguson, Don Ferguson, deputy MD, Hope & Glory PRLora Martyr, creative director, Taylor HerringTo remind the listeners of the rules - our creatives are not allowed to choose their own work! You can enjoy the video version of this episode here. This is part of our regular series of creativity reviews, so if you like what you hear, look back at the PRmoment Podcast archive on iTunes or Spotify to listen to more creative ideas.This special PRmoment Podcast about creativity is, naturally enough, bought to you in partnership with Creative Moment. You can subscribe to Creative Moment here.If you’re listening to this show and you’re inspired to shout about your creative credentials, why not enter our work into the PRmoment Awards? The PRmoment Awards 2024 are now - OPEN! The final entry deadline is on Friday, 26th January.There are some exciting changes this year; we’ve tweaked the categories, refined the entry form and launched a regional champions scheme with no additional entry fee.Do check out the PRmoment Awards microsite.Also, thanks so much to the PRmoment Podcast sponsors the PRCA.Finally, thanks to PRmoment’s data and insight partners, Meltwater, for supporting the show.Here are the campaigns that made it into this 2023 creativity review:2 mins January: 1072 Bad Apples4 mins February: IKEA and Shelter6 mins March: Dove TurnYourBack7 mins March: Adidas, Wiggle and Muslim Hikers9 mins April: Jacquemus Bags on Wheels in Paris13 mins April: People Like Us Auto Correct Billboards14 mins June Netflix and Black Mirror16 mins June: Barbie, Barbie and more Barbie21 mins July: Enchanté gender equality?24 mins July: Maybelline CGI stunt27 mins September: Alzheimer’s Research UK31 mins October: Norwich City FC’s video for World Mental Health Day34 mins October: Jaffa Cakes, Bonnie Tyler and the Total Eclipse38 mins November: Doritos’ ‘crunch cancellation’ for noisy gamers

It’s been a funny old PR year. Some firms have had a tough time. Some firms have sadly gone bust, but many, possibly the majority, have seen growth of 5-10%. And in a decent number of cases, they’ve grown more than that.So it’s a difficult year to try and sum up, but on the show today, I’m joined by W founder Warren Johnson, and we’re going to talk through the key themes and challenges that 2023 has brought to the PR agency market.Warren founded W Communications in 2009, and it now has global revenues of £25m and an employee headcount of 200 globally, with 120 in London at W, 40 at Lotus, 25 employees in Singapore and 15 in New York.W has grown at low double digit growth in 2023.Before we start, The PRmoment Awards 2024 are now - OPEN! The final entry deadline is on Friday, 26th January.There are some exciting changes this year; we’ve tweaked the categories, refined the entry form and launched a regional champions scheme with no additional entry fee to reach the work across the UK.Do check out the PRmoment Awards microsite.Also, thanks so much to the PRmoment Podcast sponsors the PRCA.Finally, thanks to PRmoment’s data and insight partners, Meltwater, for supporting this podcast.2 mins How has 2023 been for W Communications?“We’ve delivered our EBITA numbers, but it’s felt like a real slog this year.”“We had a super strong start to the year; the summer was very flat, and we’ve seen a strong recovery in Q4.”4 mins Ben Smith asks Warren: “Does W have lots of fantastic clients who don’t spend enough money?”“The dynamics of the industry have changed radically over the past couple of years and we’re now at this weird hybrid of low retainers with projects on top…When the economy starts spluttering, that model collapses a bit.”“Nothing got cancelled. It just got delayed!”“That's why we’re seeing bankruptcies; this is coming off the back of the biggest wage inflation we’ve seen in a couple of decades.”“There was a massive fight for talent last year. People overpaid for often mediocre talent… So you’ve got the highest wage bill you’ve looked at, just as the days of the guaranteed retainer become a thing of the past.”“A lot of PR people want to be liked… If your revenue is dropping, the only way to protect your margin is to reduce headcount. And most people don’t like to do that.”9.30 mins Why are clients reducing spend?10.30 mins Are clients willing to pay for the extra specialist advice that agencies are employing? 11 mins How is PR’s battle with other marketing services agencies going?“We’re (PR) is doing great. It feels like there are a lot more social briefs knocking around.”“If you can apply an earned media mindset and lens to influencer, to talent, through to live, through to advertising, you are going to provide solutions that can often be more cost-effective than what their (the client) is normally getting.”12 mins Has the gradual reduction of retainer accounts and the formation of a low retainer/project hybrid client relationship made the PR agency business model less profitable than it used to be? “We’re looking at a much more dynamic, agile resource-based (talent) system now for agencies.”14 mins How can PR firms rebuild their margin?“There is still the same amount of money in the market, you just need a sharper business model.”“The opportunity to go beyond PR is vast…we’re increasingly doing earned advertising campaigns. Clients are interested in a more earned mindset when it comes to above the line.”“The last two ye

Welcome to our 2023 Year in Review of PR Pitches and mergers & acquisitions in the UK PR scene with Andrew Bloch, where we will discuss the biggest, most seismic pitch wins and mergers and acquisitions that the PR sector has seen in 2023.Andrew is the lead consultant - PR, Social, Content and Influencer at the new business consultancy firm AAR and a partner at PCB Partners, where he advises on buying and selling marketing services agencies.He is the founder of Andrew Bloch & Associates, where he advises firms in the marketing services sector. His portfolio includes non-executive director, board advisory, consultancy and project roles for a range of businesses and agencies.Andrew co-founded PR agency, Frank, where he is still a shareholder.Before we start, The PRmoment Awards 2024 are now - OPEN! The final entry deadline is on Friday, 26th January.There are some exciting changes this year; we’ve tweaked the categories, refined the entry form and launched a regional champions scheme with no additional entry fee to reach the work across the UK.Do check out the PRmoment Awards microsite.Also, thanks so much to the PRmoment Podcast sponsors the PRCA.Finally, thanks to PRmoment’s data and insight partners, Meltwater, for supporting the show.2 mins Andrew talks about December’s M&A activity: PHA acquired Leeds-based creative comms consultancy MCG.Premier acquired Edinburgh-based The Corner Shop PR. It will be renamed Premier Scotland.Brands2Life was acquired by the Scandinavian holding company Paritee. Brands2Life has a fee income of £21 million and circa 180 full-time employees.“It’s not easy for an agency to remain at the top of their game for so many years, and that is what Brands2Life has done.”6.30 mins December pitch wins: 8 mins Our Review of Pitch PR Wins and M&A Review for 2023January 2023 Pitch Highlights10 mins January’s PR M&A Highlights“One of the biggest M&A deals in the sector. ““Teneo will give Tulchan an international footprint.” “I don’t think this will be the last acquisition we see from Teneo.” 12.30 mins February 2023 Pitch wins highlights“They become part of a roster that included Cow and Edelman...the first in a stellar year for The Romans.”“Kuoni is a big big win.”13.30 mins February’s PR M&A highlights“A landmark deal for Markettiers”15 mins March’s pitch wins highlights“A very significant win for MSL, who have one of the strongest social media units within the PR space.”17 mins March’s 2023 M&A Highlights20 mins April’s pitch wins highlights:“Supermarket comms is about as tough as it gets.”23 mins April’s 2023 M&A Highlights“Goat is a very data-driven influencer influencer agency.”“This will give Camarco global reach and deep expertise in corp advisory.”25 mins May’s pitch win highlights:27 mins May’s M&A Highlights28 mins June’s pitch win highlights29 mins June’s M&A Highlights31 mins July’s pitch win highlights33 mins July’s M&A Highlights:.34 mins August’s PR Pitch Wins35 mins August’s M&A Highlights36 mins September’s PR Pitch Wins37.30 mins September’s PR M&A Highlights<