PRs are generally not very good at their own PR. Seems absurd I know but we are so focused on the clients and companies we support we often just forget to shout about the great work we’re doing and the real difference we make, every day.
That’s why I like award season. It makes us stop in our tracks and talk about the impact we have delivered - the creative that‘s cut through, the audience engagement secured, the teams that have gone above and beyond.
We recently held the regional PRCA DARE Awards and it was a joy to see the shortlist and winners on the night. It was a showcase of great agencies and in-house teams with campaign awards spanning care homes, police, foodservice & hospitality businesses and law firms. What struck me was the breadth of sectors and brands benefiting from the PR talent we have in region.
And this reassures me. It is likely, alongside many other industries, that we are going to face a challenging rest of year. We may need to diversify our services so we can activate more widely across channels, audiences and disciplines; explore different sectors to create new revenue streams; and expand skillsets to maximise new technology and platforms. In short, we need to do all we can to ensure we are in good shape to weather and grow over the next five months and beyond.
But I’m not concerned for our industry as I said I am reassured. You may feel I am being over confident but here’s why. I have been lucky in my position as PRCA chair to meet many of the great and good PR teams and freelancers across the South West. Some are hugely experienced having worked in the industry for many years and some are new bringing fresh thinking, skills and approaches. I know this combined talent will work to continually evolve the industry in the face of challenges, building its value and delivering even more great work
The thing that many of us love about PR is that it is continually evolving and reinventing itself. It’s scary but that’s what makes it interesting. And that is what will ensure a healthy future for us all.