The Week in PR

‘The week in PR’ is a look at all the big stories in public relations as reported by the UK media in the week gone by. The highlights include a revival in advertising and PR spends according to WPP and PRCA surveys;  an overview of CIPR’s Public Relations Show in London; the ABPI agency pitch review, and  more. To have your PR News featured here next week, please email me at [email protected]

Leading the News

Companies with influential communicators as CEOs outperform rest of FTSE index by Mark Banham via PRWeek.com
A survey by Aberfield Communications has found that eight out of the ten companies with the most influential chief executives outperformed the FTSE 100 index this year.

The FTSE 100 rose by just 14.1 per cent in the period 2 January to 31 October 2013 but the share price of the ten companies with the most influential communicators as leaders rose by 34.3 per cent.

Downturn over for UK’s PR and advertising sectors, finds PRCA and WPP report by Priyanka Dayal via Cision UK
Optimism has returned to the advertising and PR sectors, signaling a revival of UK’s recession-ridden economy. According to the results from two separate survey reports, advertising and PR budgets are surging to pre-recession levels, lifting projected growth trajectories for the respective industries.

PR heavyweights unite to launch media consultancy by Terry Murden via The Scotsman
Former Royal Bank of Scotland adviser Andrew Wilson and ex-BAA communications director Malcolm Robertson have teamed up with Roland Rudd, one of Britain’s top public relations executives, and the Scottish merchant banker Sir Angus Grossart, to launch Charlotte Street Partners, a media consultancy.

The Public Relations Show 2013 by Priyanka Dayal via Cision UK
The inaugural Public Relations Show hosted by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) took place on 26 November at the Business Design Centre in central London. The free-to-attend event allowed the 1,000 PR professionals in attendance a chance to network, discuss business ideas and shop for the latest tools and solutions in the market to best match their PR strategy.

Account wins and movements

M&C Saatchi win One Piece spectrum of accounts by Steven Raeburn via The Drum
M&C Saatchi has won the digital, social, PR and experiential accounts for fashion brand One Piece following a competitive pitch.

Kaizo to oversee PR for Dunkin’ Donuts UK return by Arun Sudhaman via The Holmes Report
Kaizo has been appointed by Dunkin’ Donuts as PR agency of record for its return to the UK. The firm secures the business as the iconic US brand gears up to open 50 restaurants in Greater London over the next five years and 150 overall.

Last month, Dunkin’ Donuts hired Nexus/H to handle lead creative duties for the rollout.

Emma Burgess joins Context PR as account manager by Priyanka Dayal via Cision UK
Technology PR agency Context has hired Emma Burgess as account manager. She joins the agency from a global intranet company Interact, based in Cheshire where she was marketing and communications manager for three years.

Julia Conroy promoted to UK PR and marketing director at DigitasLBi by Priyanka Dayal via Cision UK
Global marketing and technology agency DigitasLBi has promoted Julia Conroy to the role of UK PR and marketing director.

In the newly-created role Julia will work to raise DigitasLBi’s profile in the UK while continuing to drive PR and communications strategy for the agency. She will also take on formal responsibility for UK marketing activity including awards, events and speaking engagements.

The Big Pitch

ABPI in review of public affairs work by Mark Banham via Campaignlive.co.uk
The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) has invited agencies to compete for its public affairs account, from which it dropped Luther Pendragon earlier this year.

The body, which represents research-based biopharmaceutical companies, has invited the incumbent, MHP Health, to repitch for the business.

Commentary

The Climate Change PR Disaster by Bob Pickard
PR and communications expert Bob Pickard addresses global warming from a communications perspective.

The ‘organised chaos’ of the world’s largest PR agency by Arun Sudhaman via The Holmes Report
A look at Edelman’s ‘turbo charged growth over the past decade.’

PRspective

Romain Casella of MAY Concepts by Priyanka Dayal via Cision UK
Romain Casella, founder and director at MAY Concepts, talks to Cision about prominent trends in the PR industry, the critical role social media plays in marketing today and the inspiration he derives from his job.