Weekly Economy Summary

COVID-19: Weekly Economy Summary – 11 February

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The Economy Summary is part of our Weekly COVID-19 Bulletin, sent every Thursday. You can sign up to receive your copy here.

This week, the Government announced that businesses that took out Government-backed Bounce Back Loans to get through Covid-19 will now have greater flexibility to repay them.

The Treasury’s Pay as You Grow repayment flexibilities enable borrowers to tailor their repayment schedule, with the option to extend the length of their loans from six to ten years (reducing monthly repayments by almost half), make interest-only payments for six months or pause repayments for up to six months. They can also delay all repayments for a further six months, meaning businesses can choose to make no payments on their loans until 18 months after they originally took them out.

Pay as You Grow will be available to more than 1.4m businesses that took out a total of nearly £45bn through the Bounce Back Loan Scheme.

The resurgence of Covid-19 has led to a downward revision in forecasts of UK economic growth in 2021, made by the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR), from 5.9% to 3.4%.

In NIESR’s main-case forecast scenario, unemployment is expected to rise significantly following the end of job schemes in April, reaching 7.5% or 2.5m people by the end of the year. The report warns against Covid support being withdrawn prematurely and calls on the Chancellor to announce policies to support the labour market beyond April.

Similarly, Labour warned that businesses face a bombshell in April of more than £50bn, which will cost jobs and blow a massive hole in the recovery, as rates holidays, tax deferrals, VAT cuts, the furlough scheme and other Government support packages are due to end. On a similar note, IPPR published new analysis which concludes that more than half a million UK employers are at risk of collapse in the spring without the extension of business support, as cash reserves fall ‘perilously low’.

Resolution Foundation agrees with the extension of current support but also goes further, urging the Chancellor to introduce targeted grants for firms in the sectors most affected. Similarly, the Institute of Directors’ Budget submission calls for Chancellor Rishi Sunak to put entrepreneurs at the heart of his Budget and deliver a ‘shot in the arm’ through a stimulus package to unleash investment in start-ups alongside measures for the millions of owner-directors who have been without significant financial support for almost a year.

Members of the Work and Pensions Committee argued that the Chancellor must maintain for another year ‘at the very least’ the £20 per week increase in Universal Credit (UC) and Working Tax Credit introduced to support families during the coronavirus pandemic. The report warns that removing the payment as planned in April, while the effects of the pandemic are still being felt, would ‘plunge hundreds of thousands of households, including children, into poverty’ while dragging those already in poverty ‘down into destitution’.

While the Committee recognises that continuing with the increase would come at a ‘substantial cost’, it argues that this should be seen in the context of the Treasury’s own £280bn figure for total spending on coronavirus support measures this year.

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation has estimated that keeping the £20 rise would cost around £6.4bn in the next financial year. Similarly, in a new Women and Equalities committee report, committee members have issued 20 recommendations for the Government to tackle the gendered economic impact of coronavirus, including maintaining the £20 increase to Universal Credit.

PRCA Virtual International Summit 2021

Agenda revealed for PRCA’s Virtual International Summit in March

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The PRCA has revealed the agenda for March’s Virtual International Summit exploring how PR and communications practitioners are continuing to deliver value for clients despite the challenges of the last year.

International brands, agencies and organisations featuring at the two-day event taking place on 30-31 March include Campaign Middle East, Google, Microsoft, Standard Bank Group, Avian WE, Edelman, Omnicom, and Zeno Group, AMEC, Institute for Public Relations (IPR), FIBEP and The World Bank.

2020’s inaugural Summit attracted over 700 delegates from 35 different countries. Those attending this year will be given the opportunity to learn about emerging trends in comms practice across the world.

‘Our International Summit is truly global,’ said PRCA director general Francis Ingham. ‘With speakers from giant brands like Microsoft and Google to organisations like AMEC, who are at the cutting edge of measuring PR’s true impact, delegates will be treated to the very best global perspectives.

‘Last year was brutal for everyone, but growth is returning – and dare I say, considerably. Our Summit will explore these opportunities that lie in wait to help forge a new path for organisations and society across the world.’

More about booking places for this year’s Virtual International Summit can be found on the PRCA website.

More of the best PR podcasts

More of the best PR podcasts

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Following the first selection of our favourite PR and comms-related podcasts, here are a few more worth listening to if you’re hoping to sharpen up your creativity, sector knowledge or communication skills this year.

Have You Got 5 Minutes?
If you have, let podcast hosts Harriet Small and Rebecca Roberts answer ‘the things you would normally have asked someone really quickly about at an event or while making a brew in the office’. Grab a cuppa and catch up with Harriet and Rebecca on topics including unpaid invoices, learning to say no and the real reasons we procrastinate.

Outspeech: The Digital PR Podcast
From digital marketing agency Impression, monthly podcast Outspeech delves into the topics, campaigns and ‘beef (vegan options available)’ gaining traction in the industry. Most episodes are hosted by a member of Impression’s digital PR team, but guest speakers are very welcome. Listen in to recent episodes on traditional vs digital PR and check out more about the podcast in our previous interview with Jess Hawkes here.

Hanson & Hunt: The Talking Points Podcast
Hosts Hanson & Hunt are ACH Communications’ Arik Hanson and General Mills’ Kevin Hunt, who have many years of experience to share with their listeners on traditional and digital PR, corporate, external and internal, as well as marketing and comms. If you haven’t listened in before, check out their back catalogue of useful content including ‘Brand Journalism, KFC Gets Sexy, Hated Interview Questions’.

Hear It Podcast
If engaging the attention of young minds is your/your clients’ thing, the Hear It Podcast is one worth listening to. Featuring insight from practitioners working with youth audiences, pick up some youth marketing expertise from guests including Well HQ’s Dr Emma Ross, Lynn PR’s Shayoni Lynn and NHS Lothian’s Leanne Hughes.

The PRovoke Podcast
The PRovoke Podcast has a deep back catalogue of episodes and regularly features guest speakers from across the globe to cover developments happening in the marketing industry. Does coverage equal capital? How can you build a sustainable agency? And how exactly did 2020 change influencer marketing? Listen in to get the answers.

PRMoment
For more takes on the tough questions facing PRs, communicators and marketeers this year, the PRMoment podcast team are busy ruminating with guests working across the sector. Listen in to the latest episode tackling whether PR has an ethics problem, featuring thought from the co-authors of Public Relations Ethics Trevor Morris and Simon Goldsworthy.

Looking for more expertise from industry thought leaders? Check out our recommended reads for PRs.

Weekly Economy Summary

COVID-19: Weekly Economy Summary – 4 February

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The Economy Summary is part of our Weekly COVID-19 Bulletin, sent every Thursday. You can sign up to receive your copy here.

It has been reported that proposals to support the economic recovery will be published in the week of 22 February, alongside a ‘road map’ out of the current Covid-19 lockdown in England.

In a letter to business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) warned that the current lack of clarity for businesses is hindering investment. CBI has called for more details from the Government on which sectors will be allowed to reopen first and how any new tier system will work, to enable them to plan ahead. Running alongside the roadmap, CBI argued there must be clear parameters for determining what, and for how long, economic support measures remain in place. On this, the trade group UKHospitality is urging the Government to extend the current VAT cut for the hospitality sector for another 12 months, alongside a business rates holiday for 2021-22.

Rishi Sunak has been warned by the leaders of Britain’s most influential business groups and the trade union movement that he risks plunging Britain into a period of mass unemployment unless he extends the furlough scheme.

Before the upcoming budget on 3 March, both sides of industry told the Chancellor that the economy was too fragile to end the wage subsidy scheme at the end of April and that he risked undoing the efforts to protect jobs over the past year if he did so. Frances O’Grady, the TUC general secretary, said Sunak should announce immediately that furlough would remain in place until the end of the year. The British Chambers of Commerce also called for an extension. It warned that the planned phased relaxation of lockdown restrictions does not mean that the problems of business are at an end.

Last Friday marked the deadline for applications to the third phase of the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme (SEISS). The Labour Party suggests that 2.4m self-employed people who rely on the SEISS scheme will be ‘left in the dark’ for weeks, with no announcement on the fourth grant due until the Chancellor’s 3 March Budget.

Bridget Phillipson MP, Labour’s Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury said that ‘leaving entrepreneurs in the dark about future support risks pushing even more out of business – and that will damage our recovery’. Labour also called on the Chancellor to open his support scheme for the self-employed to the 200,000 people who only have a 2019/20 tax return.

The APPG on Poverty released its report on the impact on poverty of not keeping the £20 uplift in Universal Credit and working tax credits, and of not extending the uplift to legacy and related benefits. The report references modelling carried out by Policy in Practice which found that if the uplift was withdrawn, 683,000 households, including 824,000 children, would no longer be able to afford to meet their essential needs. This number grows by 11% when the impact of the two-child limit is taken into account.

Research by Save the Children indicates that parents who received the uplift predominantly spent the money on essentials such as food, rents and bills, and items for home schooling. The APPG received multiple submissions calling for the extension of the uplift to legacy and related benefits. This was particularly pertinent as most people claiming legacy and related benefits are disabled, carers or have a long-term illness – the majority of whom fall in the poorest 10% of the population.

Similarly, according to a report by the Trussell Trust, nearly a quarter of a million parents who receive Universal Credit say they would be likely to cut back on food for their children if the £20 uplift to the benefit is removed. Over 40% of people who receive the benefit, around 2.4 million people across the UK, would be likely to cut back on food for themselves, the report reveals, and the charity forecasts a rise in the need for food banks if the £20 uplift is removed. It recommends maintaining the uplift and extending it to legacy benefits.

Weekly Health Summary

Covid-19: Weekly Health Summary – 4 February

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The Health Summary is part of our Weekly COVID-19 Bulletin, sent every Thursday. You can sign up to receive your copy here.

Speaking at the Downing Street Press Conference this week, England’s Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty said that the number of cases, hospitalisations and deaths are on a ‘downward slope’.

This is the first time since the onset of the current wave that the numbers are being to fall, but despite this, the level of infection is still ‘incredibly high’ with the number of people in hospital with Covid-19 still above that of the first peak in April 2020. The Prime Minister suggested that by 22 February, the Government would be setting out a roadmap on restrictions including on plans to reopen schools in March.

Responding to the Press Conference, NHS Providers said it is ‘really good’ that infections are falling, but the situation for hospitals, the mental health community and ambulance services ‘remains extremely difficult’ with more than 27,000 Covid-19 patients in hospital and intensive care running at one and a half times baseline capacity. It argues that: ‘We should only loosen restrictions when we are absolutely sure we won’t risk triggering another wave of infections.’

On Wednesday, the UK recorded a further 1,322 deaths reported within 28 days of a positive test for coronavirus, bringing the total number of people who have died by this measure to 109,335, while a further 19,202 new cases were recorded.

Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures show that last week the number of deaths in care homes related to Covid-19 increased, accounting for nearly half of all deaths in care homes. Responding to the numbers, the Alzheimer’s Society has called on the Government to roll out the second dose of the Covid-19 jabs across care homes, and to provide a ‘concrete plan for safe meaningful visits to ensure people with dementia get vital contact with family carers’.

Nuffield Trust said the ONS figures represent another ‘terrible and deadly week of this relentless wave of the pandemic’. It has stressed that the level of death is ‘a long way from a typical winter’ highlighting that ‘excess deaths against the five-year average for this time of year are over 40% higher’.

Efforts to roll out the Covid-19 vaccine have continued this week with the Government reporting that more than 10 million people in the UK have received their first dose of a vaccine, including nine in 10 people aged 75 and over in England. It puts the Government in line with its Vaccines Delivery plan which aims to offer vaccines to the top four priority groups by the middle of February. It is thought that these top four groups account for 88% of COVID deaths, which is why the vaccines will play such a crucial role in saving lives and reducing the demand on the NHS.

Announcing that 10 million people have been vaccinated, the Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: ‘This terrific achievement is testament to the monumental effort of NHS workers, volunteers and the armed forces who have been working tirelessly in every corner of the UK to deliver the largest vaccination programme in our history.’ NHS Confederation said that the milestone is an ‘amazing achievement’ but called for clearer information on how well the vaccines will guard against ever-changing COVID-19 mutations as well as more clarity on the supply and delivery of the vaccines.

Finally, a study from Oxford University shows that the Oxford/AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine provides sustained protection of 76% during the three-month interval until the second dose. After the second dose vaccine efficacy from two standard doses is 82.4% with the three-month interval being used in the UK.

The study supports the 4-12 week prime-boost dosing interval being adopted by the UK. Furthermore, the study indicates that the vaccine may have substantial effect on transmission of the virus with 67% reduction in positive swabs among those vaccinated. This is the first study to show this trend.

 

PRCA

PRCA shares numbers on unregulated lobbying

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A PRCA analysis of entries published by the Office of the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists (ORCL) found a rise of more than a quarter (28%) in lobbyists failing to declare Code of Conducts between 2019 and 2020.

Established to improve lobbying transparency in 2014, the launch of the Government’s Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists was widely welcomed by the industry, while its narrow remit and exclusion of in-house lobbyists continues to be criticised by the PRCA among other groups. The introduction of stricter regulations on self-policed codes last August are thought to be behind the spike in declarations of no code.

PRCA head of public affairs Neha Khatwani said: ‘Lobbying is a fundamental democratic right. When practiced ethically and within the scope of a professional, independently enforced Code of Conduct, it improves decision-making and supports the democratic process.

‘Professional conduct in the practice of public affairs has never mattered more, and we would strongly urge those unregulated lobbying organisations to embrace professional standards, and to sign up to a robust and independent regulatory process.’

Duncan Hames, Director of Policy, Transparency International UK director of policy Duncan Hames welcomed the census: ‘People in the UK should be able to see a clear and comprehensive picture of who is influencing their Government, including on what issue, as is already the case in most other Western democracies.

‘It is past time to bring lobbying out of the shadows and lobbyists committing to ethical standards is an important part of that process.’

More information on these findings from the PRCA can be found on the website.

LGBTQ+ flag

LGBT+ History Month: Where we are now and what comes next

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February is LGBT+ History Month, making it an appropriate time to review the progress made so far with LGBT+ rights in the UK and also some of the issues where action is still needed.

As a helpful summary by the House of Lords Library shows, the last two decades have seen a sustained push forward at Westminster with legislation to deliver LGBT+ rights. This started with the equalisation of the age of consent in 2000, moving through the 2003 repeal of Section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988 (this forbade local authorities from ‘promoting homosexuality’ and schools from teaching ‘the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship’) and the 2004 introduction of civil partnerships and Gender Recognition Certificates, to the introduction of same-sex marriage in 2013.

There has also been action to right historic wrongs, most recently shown by the inclusion of posthumous pardons for army personnel convicted or cautioned for buggery under legislation dating back to 1688 in the Armed Forces Bill introduced last week.

Westminster has changed a lot since the era of the first openly lesbian MP Maureen Colquhoun, whose death was recently announced. 55 MPs identify as LGBT and the UK Parliament has been described as ‘the gayest in the world’, though there are no trans MPs.

Similarly, Government policy has moved on from the era of Section 28 – it has an LGBT Action Plan, which says its ‘vision is for everyone, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity or sex characteristics, to be able to live safe, happy and healthy lives where they can be themselves without fear of discrimination.’

Census and data
In another sign of progress, next month’s census will contain questions on sexual orientation for the first time. Iain Bell, deputy national statistician at the Office for National Statistics, says this will improve a situation in which ‘decision-makers are operating in a vacuum, unaware of the extent and nature of disadvantage which LGBT people may be experiencing in terms of health, educational outcomes, employment and housing’.

However, as Bell indicates, it is certainly not true to say that this progress means that LGBT+ people in the UK don’t continue to face significant challenges. The findings of the Government’s National LGBT Survey conducted in 2017 make for stark reading:

  • LGBT respondents were less satisfied with their life than the general UK population
  • Over two-thirds avoid holding hands with a same-sex partner
  • At least two in five had experienced an incident (such as verbal harassment or physical violence) because they were LGBT in the previous twelve months, yet over 90% of the most serious incidents weren’t reported
  • 24% had accessed mental health services in the previous twelve months
  • 2% had undergone so-called ‘conversion therapy’ and a further 5% had been offered it

Ahead of the 2019 election, Stonewall published a manifesto setting out a range of policies to address some of the issues facing the UK and global LGBT+ population. It is worth selecting just a handful of these to see where the Government is coming under pressure to act, and how it is responding.

Trans rights
Perhaps the most contentious issue is reform of the Gender Recognition Act. Stonewall’s manifesto called for reform to ‘remove the requirement for intrusive medical tests, introduce a simple administrative process based on the principle of self-determination, and provide recognition for under 18-year-olds and non-binary people’. The Government consulted on reform in 2018, noting that trans people find ‘the current system intrusive, costly, humiliating and administratively burdensome’ and ‘too few’ are able to get legal recognition.

However, when Liz Truss responded to the consultation last year in her capacity as Women and Equalities Minister, she said ‘the balance struck in this legislation is correct, in that there are proper checks and balances in the system and also support for people who want to change their legal sex’ but the Government would make the progress of applying for a Gender Recognition Certificate ‘kinder and more straightforward’ and open new gender clinics.

Speaking in a debate on Truss’s response, Conservative MP Crispin Blunt said it was a ‘crushing disappointment for trans people’, while Truss’s Labour shadow Marsha De Cordova described it as ‘deeply disappointing’. The decision fell within the broader context of a widespread debate around trans issues, with campaign groups raising concerns about the impact on single-sex spaces for women, and the NHS trust which provides the UK’s main gender identity development service for children currently appealing against a High Court ruling stopping it from referring under-16s to treatment that would block puberty.

LGBT+ education
In November, the BBC reported that the Government had withdrawn financial support from projects to tackle homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying in schools, although the Government insisted that the funding had always been due to run out. However, a change to the school curriculum from September 2020 means that the Government now expects ‘all pupils to have been taught LGBT content at a timely point’ as part of relationships and sex education.

Rachel Heah of Lancaster University has warned that the guidance is ‘vague’, while anti-bullying projects are required to ‘truly embed short and long-term positive changes for LGBT+ pupils’. That is this still a contentious subject was demonstrated in 2019 when the High Court upheld a ban on protests against LGBT+ relationships education outside a Birmingham school.

Hate crimes
Hate crimes against LGBT+ people also continue to be a problem, with the number reported to police trebling between 2014-15 and 2019-20 and rising by 20% in just the last year. While this could represent greater confidence in reporting them, the National Police Chiefs Council and Stonewall agree that they continue to be under-reported.

Nancy Kelley, Stonewall’s chief executive, said LGBT organisations were ‘definitely seeing a real increase in people reaching out for help’ and were ‘very concerned that this is a real rise in people who are being attacked because of who they are and who they love.’

Conversion therapy
Another area where campaigners would like to see more action is the ban on so-called ‘conversion therapy’ first promised by the Government as part of its 2018 LGBT Action Plan.

Speaking in the summer, Boris Johnson said the practice was ‘absolutely abhorrent and has no place in a civilised society’, and the Government would bring forward a ban once a study has been completed. In September, Truss said that she hoped this work would be completed by the end of the month, with further steps to be set out ‘shortly’ thereafter.

However, in January, Kemi Badenoch (Minister for Equalities) claimed that research was still ongoing.

National HIV Testing Week
This week is also National HIV Testing Week. Improvements in medicine have led to treatments which can make the virus undetectable and untransmittable, meaning that HIV/AIDS thankfully no longer has to lead to the awful consequences currently being so movingly portrayed in Russell T Davies’ drama It’s A Sin, which follows the lives of a group of young gay men in 1980s London.

To deliver the Government’s commitment to eliminate transmission by 2030, former health minister Steve Brine recently called for the Government’s forthcoming HIV Action Plan to include a commitment to make the ‘wonder drug’ PrEP which prevents HIV transmission available at GP surgeries, and for more routine HIV testing. Action is also needed globally, with the UN estimating that 38m people were living with HIV in 2019.

Finally, it’s worth remembering that the rights won so far are not guaranteed to remain secure. Promoting The Glamour Boys, his recent book about the gay or bisexual MPs who opposed Hitler,  Labour’s Chris Bryant warned ‘I often worry a younger generation of gay men and women think we will never go back to the era of repression. But I just say Berlin was the most liberal place in the world in 1930 – yet by 1934 gays were being arrested.’

Marie Fuller Simpler PR

PR Interview: Marie Fuller, founder of Simpler PR

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‘I love the world of PR as it is so fast moving and there is something to learn every day… such a fun, creative and fulfilling career,’ says Marie Fuller, founder of interiors and lifestyle agency Simpler PR.

While adjusting to work during COVID-19 has been anything but simple for those working in public relations and comms, Marie shares the positive changes it has sparked in her sector and how she’s finding work/life balance during lockdown.

How did you originally get into PR?
I began my media career with the Daily Mail and General Trust on their home-interest magazines before moving to their Ski and Snowboard Show and Magazine which, of course, necessitated lots of travel, particularly during the ski season. When I had my first child, I was reluctant to continue travelling and thought that as a people person, and being very creative, that PR would be the perfect fit – and it has been!

What did you think working in public relations would be like before you got into the industry – what were the biggest surprises?
I had worked with several PR companies in my previous roles so had expected it to be a little easier! I quickly realised that to be successful, you have to work very hard and invest a huge amount of energy into every campaign and account. I also had thought it may be more glamorous! Although I have had my share of amazing experiences.

How has COVID-19 impacted the interiors and lifestyle sector in particular?
I think for most of our clients there has been incredible disruption but also some benefits, especially for those with a strong online presence. COVID and working from home has meant we have immersed ourselves in our living environment 24/7 and have seen how much love our homes need, and deserve! I think we have all spent money on our homes and gardens which we might not have done in normal circumstances – and I think we as a nation are seeing the rewards of investing in where we live. A new sofa does probably offer better value than two weeks in the sunshine – and when we haven’t had that option, we suddenly realise that the new sofa has probably given us a lot more than a transient suntan!

How has the pandemic changed the way you work on a day-to-day basis?
As a team at Simpler PR we are all working remotely from home. I think it is actually working really well, so long as we keep in regular contact. Emails, phones, Zoom and Whatsapp are definitely the way forward. My working day is definitely longer and I feel more creative and engaged in what I am doing.

Many have struggled with work/life balance more than ever over the last year – how do you find your balance?
The balance is kind of thrown at me in the shape of a family and pets! Walking our Springer Spaniel Archie and making sure our teenagers are usefully engaged kind of forces the balance on me. I do think I could be tempted to work long into the evening if it wasn’t for the needs of my family… so I am grateful.

Have you ever disagreed with a client during a project, and how did you deal with the situation?
Only once! It was at a photoshoot and I really felt their decision was wrong, however with subtle persuasion we were able to include our ideas too and left the client to make the choice when the project was completed. Our clients know their products so well and we respect their views; we are just there to advise – we are all on the same side and looking for the same success…

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Never work with someone you don’t like. Definitely an excellent piece of advice. This applies to clients and suppliers as well as staff! Life is too short and we need to get on well to succeed.

Would you still recommend PR as a career in 2021?
Definitely; perhaps more than ever. There are so many areas of PR and so many new avenues to explore. I love the world of PR as it is so fast moving and there is something to learn every day… such a fun, creative and fulfilling career.

For advice on finding your own work/life balance, check out these tips for staying motivated in 2021. 

Scottish budget Kate Forbes

Scottish Budget 2021-22

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Vuelio’s Ingrid Marin writes about the highlights of the Scottish Budget, which aims to rebuild a fairer, stronger and greener economy.

As the Scottish Budget itself observes, this year’s publication ‘is like none before it, and is informed by the experiences and impacts of the past twelve months.’

The Budget has been developed against the backdrop of the clear and significant threat still posed by the virus, but also the hope for better days ahead, with Cabinet Secretary for Finance Kate Forbes claiming: ‘this is a Budget to provide help in the immediate term, but also to rebuild a fairer, stronger and greener economy’.

READ THE FULL SCOTTISH BUDGET SUMMARY HERE

The Scottish Fiscal Commission forecasts published with the Budget suggest that GDP will fall by 5.2% in the first quarter of 2021, but the vaccine rollout will allow a return to growth in 2021-22, though GDP is not expected to return to pre-pandemic levels until the start of 2024.

These forecasts have assumed that the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme will end in April and will not be replaced, acting as a driver for the forecast that unemployment will reach 7.6% in the second quarter of 2021. The Scottish Budget also notes the impact of Brexit on the Scottish economy; Scottish GDP could be 6% lower by 2030, compared to full membership of the EU.

In the immediate term, health must come first and lowering transmission rates remains the Scottish Government’s priority. The Budget supports the safe and sustainable recovery of the NHS, with record funding in excess of £16bn – an increase of over £800m in core Health and Sport funding. Acknowledging the impact Covid-19 has had on a significant number of people’s mental health, overall spending on mental health will be in excess of £1.1bn.

The Budget’s tax choices recognise the impact the pandemic is having on people, households and businesses. For example, in recognition of the unique pressures created by the pandemic on household incomes, the settlement includes an additional £90m to compensate councils who choose to freeze their council tax at 2020-21 levels.

The Scottish Government also announced that the 100% non-domestic rates relief for Retail, Hospitality, Leisure and Aviation sectors will be extended for at least three months. Should the UK Government bring forward an extension to their equivalent RHL relief that generates consequential funding, the Scottish Government will match the extension period as part of a tailored package of business support measures.

The Budget also helps people and households by securing £3.5bn for social security and welfare payments, including £68m for the ‘game changing’ Scottish Child Payment, which once fully rolled out will help lift an estimated 30,000 children out of poverty.

Seeing the first signs of hope and optimism for a better future, with the approval and roll-out of vaccinations and looking ahead to the COP26 summit, being hosted in Glasgow in November 2021, the Budget sets out a five year green economic recovery plan. The Scottish Government plans to spend £2bn on low carbon investment across the next five years, starting with £165m in 2021-22 towards large scale green infrastructure projects.

Similarly, over the next Parliament, the Scottish Government will deliver a new £100m Green Jobs Fund. This will invest £50m through enterprise agencies to help businesses which provide sustainable and/or low carbon products and services to develop, grow and create jobs. A further £50m will support businesses and supply chains to take advantage of public and private investment in low carbon infrastructure, and the transition to a low carbon economy, boosting green employment. In 2021-22, £14m will be allocated from the Green Jobs Fund.

The Scottish Government will provide £2.7bn across the Education and Skills budget. To ensure that the workforce can take advantage of the new and emerging employment opportunities as part of a green economic recovery, the Scottish Government will be providing support for individuals to retrain and upskill. In particular, it has developed the Climate Emergency Skills Action Plan and is planning to establish a Green Jobs Workforce Academy.

While this is an ambitious Budget to both protect and renew Scotland, Forbes highlighted that it also comes with significant fiscal uncertainty. She said: ‘In the absence of a UK Budget, much of the information we need to plan with certainty is missing. We must persevere with a Budget based on a partial

Weekly Health Summary

COVID-19: Weekly Health Summary – 28 January

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The Health Summary is part of our Weekly COVID-19 Bulletin, sent every Thursday. You can sign up to receive your copy here.

Official statistics this week showed there have been 100,000 deaths attributed to Covid-19 since the start of the pandemic. Speaking at the Downing Street press conference, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: ‘I am sorry to have to tell you that today the number of deaths recorded from Covid in the UK has surpassed 100,000, and it is hard to compute the sorrow contained in that grim statistic.’

In the House of Commons on Wednesday, he said he takes full responsibility for all the actions that Government has taken during the pandemic and promised to learn the lessons of what has happened. Meanwhile, Labour Leader Kier Starmer called the number of deaths a ‘tragic milestone’ and accused the Government of being slow in its response to the pandemic, including on entering lockdown, distributing PPE, protecting care homes and securing borders.

NHS Providers said it is a ‘tragedy’ that there have been over 100,000 deaths from Covid-19 and paid tribute to the commitment of NHS and care staff. It added: ‘We won’t know the true impact of Covid-19 for a long time to come because of its long-term effects – but, as well as the high death rate, it’s particularly concerning that this virus has widened health inequalities and affected Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities disproportionately.’

The Health Foundation has argued ‘the scene for the current crisis was set long before the virus arrived’, and suggests that a lack of long-term planning and historic underinvestment in public services led to an inadequate social care system, staff shortages in the NHS, and low capacity in public health. The Foundation has called for a full inquiry on the pandemic, which assesses if health and economic inequalities in the UK have hindered its response.

On Monday, the Office for National Statistics released figures on coronavirus related deaths by occupation. It found that between March and December 2020 there were nearly 8,000 Covid-19 related deaths in England and Wales within the working age population (those aged 20 to 64 years). Nearly two-thirds of these deaths were among men, with men in elementary occupations or caring, leisure and other service occupations having the highest rates of death involving Covid-19. Men and women who worked in social care or nursing occupations had a significantly higher rates of death involving Covid-19.

NHS Confederation said the figures ‘demonstrate all too clearly the toll the pandemic has taken’ on frontline workers and said that there must be measures to protect workers who are more exposed to the virus. Meanwhile, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has called for more detailed information on how Covid-19 is impacting health and care workers, including factoring in ethnicity. RCN Chief Executive and General Secretary Dame Donna Kinnair said: ‘The loss of life of health care workers is heart-breaking and is felt profoundly by every member of the nursing community…The fact the rate of death amongst nursing staff is significantly higher than the general population highlights the absolute need to properly investigate why this is happening and give them the protection they need.’

Speaking to the Health and Social Care Committee on Tuesday, NHS England Chief Executive, Sir Simon Stevens highlighted the pressures on the NHS front line in light of the ongoing pandemic. There are just under 33,000 Covid-19 inpatients in hospitals within England over the last two weeks, this is a sharp acceleration from Christmas, where the total was around 18,000. The level of coronavirus rates differs across the country, with the Midlands reporting that 75% of its critical care wards are filled with Covid-19 patients.

The latest Real-time Assessment of Community Transmission of Coronavirus (REACT-1) survey, published today, shows that although infections in England have flattened, case levels remain very high. Professor Paul Elliott, director of the programme at Imperial College London, said: ‘We’re not seeing the sharp drop in infections that happened under the first lockdown and if infections aren’t brought down significantly, hospitals won’t be able to cope with the number of people that need critical care.’

The Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock said the figures are a ‘stark reminder of the need to remain vigilant’.

Weekly Economy Summary

COVID-19: Weekly Economy Summary – 28 January

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The Economy Summary is part of our Weekly COVID-19 Bulletin, sent every Thursday. You can sign up to receive your copy here.

Recent Office for National Statistics (ONS) data shows that the UK unemployment rate, in the three months to November 2020, was estimated at 5%, 1.2 percentage points higher than a year earlier and 0.6 percentage points higher than the previous quarter. While youth unemployment has stopped rising, young people are bearing the brunt of the UK’s pandemic-induced economic crisis, with 18-24 year-olds accounting for almost half (46%) of the employment fall since the crisis began.

While the Government’s £2bn Kickstart jobs scheme was introduced to ameliorate the impact of the pandemic on young people, data from the Department for Work and Pensions showed that fewer than 2,000 young people have so far started new roles under the scheme. However, the programme, which launched in September, did create 120,000 temporary jobs to date. Chancellor Rishi Sunak said that coronavirus restrictions were making it harder for more young people to get started but he expected the number to rise once restrictions are lifted. Anticipating a rise in numbers, the Government has made it simpler for smaller firms to benefit from joining the scheme by removing the limit requiring they create a minimum of 30 vacancies to apply directly. This means that any business will be able to directly access the Department for Work and Pensions scheme without the need of Kickstart gateways.

Despite unemployment rising, a recent British Chambers of Commerce and Totaljobs survey of business recruitment intentions revealed that there was a ‘modest’ increase in the number of businesses attempting to recruit during Q4 compared to the previous quarter, though the figures are still below pre-pandemic levels. Firms in the public, voluntary and construction sectors were most likely to recruit, with hotels and catering firms the least likely.

During this week’s Treasury oral questions, the Chancellor recognised the significant impact of Covid-19 and stressed that the Treasury will review all its economic measures supporting businesses and jobs at the upcoming Budget in March.

Ex-Prime Minster Gordon Brown called for emergency measures to support businesses in the Budget after new research from the LSE warned almost 1m UK companies – employing 2.5m people – were at risk of failure in the next three months. Using data published by the Office for National Statistics, LSE found that the UK’s micro businesses, with less than ten employees, were particularly at risk of going under. Brown commented: ‘Governments cannot afford to be behind the curve – especially in a crisis. They have to be at least two steps ahead’.

According to analysis of a Bank of England survey by the Labour Party, the Chancellor’s ‘out of touch’ plan for economic recovery is set to ‘unravel’ because only 3% of UK households plan to spend the savings built up during 2021. Citing comments on savings and spending made by Rishi Sunak last month, Labour says the Chancellor ‘is wrong to pin his hopes solely on a consumer boom to get Britain on the path to recovery’, and calls on the Government to take urgent action to build confidence in the economy ahead of a series of ‘cliff edges’ including the deadline for applications to the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme and withdrawal of the £20 Universal Credit uplift.

There has also been much talk this week about those who are still not covered by the Chancellors economic measures. According to a report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies, over 1.5m self-employed workers who do not qualify for support through the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme could be supported at modest cost to the Government. The report says ministers have ‘actively chosen to exclude these people’ from the scheme, and the think tank argues that the Government could help the 1.3m people who receive less than 50% of their income through self-employment and another 225,000 people who have profits more than £50,000. Extending SEISS grants to those with income between £50,000 and £100,000 would cost £1.3bn per quarter with a payment of £7,500 per person, while extending the scheme to people with less than 50% of their income from self-employment would cost between £500m and £800m per quarter.

Supporting local business with local PR

Supporting local business with local PR

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This is a guest post from White Rose PR director Louise Pinchin.

I’ve always believed in the power of regional PR and marketing; it’s a vital element to being party of a community. In fact, being born and bred in Yorkshire, it’s one of the reasons I named my company White Rose PR. As a Yorkshire-based business we want to support other businesses local to us.

Over the past year, I’ve had the pleasure of working with several local businesses and in these challenging and unprecedented times it is always good to know that our work is keeping the wider business community thriving.

Why undertake local PR?

Local PR is a great way to build brand awareness in the community, to reach new and existing customers and build your brand reputation among an audience that is waiting to be reached.

By creating and maintaining a positive relationship with your local press, print and online, you are setting yourself up for ongoing coverage opportunities and positive press stories about you in the future. Regional PR has many advantages, one of which is that it is often less expensive than larger national campaigns. It’s also easier to see a direct impact on sales or business leads from a piece of regional PR, especially if it is done in isolation of other marketing activity. You are also targeting readily accessible customers through local PR, something that is entirely different with national activity.

Don’t think of regional PR as the poor relation to any other type of coverage your brand, company or service receives. It’s not a throwaway, easy-to-get activity and it shouldn’t be bottom of the priority list. Start thinking of it as a powerful tool in your marketing armoury when used in a timely and appropriate way.

As I always say to my clients, why wouldn’t you want the coverage? Why give your competitors column inches that you could be taking up?

Here’s a recent example from us…

Case study: Rubicon Technical

We work with Rubicon Technical, a technical services provider to the medicines, medical devices, food supplements and cosmetics industries. In late 2020, they opened their first European office in Amsterdam, just before Brexit. Why was this a good story? Because it was a positive story of a local entrepreneur who built up her business here in Yorkshire to a 15-strong team and expanded into Europe during one of the most challenging years this country has ever faced and at a pivotal time in our country’s political and economic history.

The result was extensive regional media coverage including the Yorkshire Post, Yorkshire Business Daily and Business Live as well as local coverage in Holland. The outcome was an increase in enquiries and business as well as increased social media engagement.

So, give it a try, because regional PR works.

You can follow White Rose PR on Instagram @whiterose_pr and the new company website will be launching soon.

PRCA

PRCA gateway for DWP Kickstart Scheme greenlights 60 new PR jobs

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The PRCA has been granted Gateway status by The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) for the Government’s Kickstart Scheme to help young people at risk of long-term unemployment.

Encouraging organisations to start six-month job placements for those between 16-24 who are on Universal Credit, the Kickstart Scheme is funded by the Government with £1,500 also going to organisations for each job placement they create.

So far, the DWP has greenlit the creation of 60 PR jobs at 25 PR agencies via the PRCA’s Gateway application. Over 30 other agencies have also applied through the PRCA to create new positions.

PRCA Director General Francis Ingham said: ‘Economic crises invariably cause the greatest impact on those at the start of their careers. The Government’s Kickstart Scheme is a lifeline for young people – but it’s also an excellent support mechanism for PR businesses recovering from the pandemic. I’m proud that the PRCA has been accepted as the Gateway organisation for the PR industry and I’m delighted with the interest our members have shown in the Scheme. It’s a win-win for all.’

More details on the Kickstart Scheme and applying using the PRCA as a representative body can be found here.

Women in PR

Women in PR welcomes new senior leadership team and committee members

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Anna Geffert Women in PR

Women in PR has appointed HERA Communications MD Anna Geffert as its president. Anna replaces Bibi Hilton, who will step down after three years of leading the organisation.

Other announcements made at the virtual AGM for members last week included the appointments of Powerscourt senior consultant Ngozi Emeagi as vice president and Prudential Group communications manager Addy Frederick as treasurer.

The Romans managing director Roxanne Kalha, Ariatu Public Relations founder Ronke Lawal, Ketchum managing director of consumer brands Sophie Raine and GSK communications consultant Jennifer Thomas were also voted in as Committee members.

‘Last year saw unimaginable difficulties and loss for our members; many of whom lost friends and family, employment and security, and the ability to lean on networks and contacts for guidance and confidence,’ said incoming president Anna Geffert.

Ngozi Emeagi Women in PR

‘As a result, Women in PR has taken on a new role in helping women to rebuild and shape their careers – balancing the professional with the personal and supporting each other to overcome these challenges and lay the foundations for growth and success in the year ahead.

‘It has been such an honour to work with Bibi and the inspiring women on the Committee over the last three years. Together, we have begun to breakdown barriers of inequality for all women in our industry. As ever, there is always more work to be done and the pandemic has raised fresh challenges for us all to face. I look forward to welcoming our new Committee members to continue our campaign for equality and also to provide new, supportive tools, skills and opportunities to inspire and empower our members into senior leadership roles.’

Bibi Hinton – who steps down from her position along with Vice President Sarah Samee and committee members Davnet Doran, Ebony Gayle, Abbie Sampson and Jo-Ann Robertson in line with Women in PR’s constitution – is looking forward to seeing what the new senior leadership team will accomplish.

Addy Frederick Women in PR

Hinton said: ‘It’s been an incredible privilege to lead Women in PR and to work alongside such a brilliant and inspiring committee and ambassador group. I’m immensely proud of everything we’ve achieved – from becoming a more diverse and inclusive organisation to launching our first group in Wales.

‘With her experience both of big agency and setting up her own business and her ambition, energy and exceptional leadership, Anna will be a fantastic new president for Women in PR. I know in partnership with Ngozi, Addy and the new committee will continue to drive WPR forward in our mission to increase the number and diversity of women in leadership in our industry.’

Find out more about new committee member Ronke Lawal in our previous interview and check out Addy Frederick’s work with UK Black Comms Network in our write up of its Two Steps Forward, One Step Black event.

Advertising Association

PRCA welcomes encouraging predictions from Advertising Association figures

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‘Excellent news for anyone working in PR, advertising or the media sectors’ is how PRCA director general Francis Ingham summed up Q3 2020 UK ad spend figures published by the Advertising Association today.

The latest Advertising Association/WARC Expenditure Report predicts that the UK’s ad market is likely to grow by 15.2% this year, with positive prospects for online platforms as well as double digit growth for the majority of media sectors.

Encouraging figures from the dataset, which includes those for Q3 2020 and predictions for the coming eight quarters, show that UK adspend showed better-than-expected internet growth, improving on its forecast of -17.9% made in October 2020. Internet spend also rose 10.1% to £4.2bn during the quarter, bolstered by a 14.5% rise in search spend.

‘PR and advertising operate within the same ecosystem and often run in parallel with one another, so I am very encouraged by the data published by the Advertising Association today,’ said Francis Ingham. ‘I’ve no doubt that 2021 will be the year our industry returns to growth and profitability.’

Read more reaction from the PRCA on the latest figures from the Advertising Association here on the website.

PR and Communications Tracker

Mental health and motivation are the biggest threats to the UK PR industry according to PR and Communications Tracker

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The PR and Communications Tracker from Carta Communications and The Pulse Business has found that mental health challenges and issues with staying motivated are bigger threats to UK PR teams than COVID-19.

Starting in late December 2020, the PR and Communications Tracker surveyed senior communications leaders in both in-house and agency MD positions and will run on a quarterly basis.

While 26% of industry leaders polled said that adapting to COVID-19 was the biggest threat being faced, this was behind the challenges of staff motivation and mental health, which was the top choice for 28% of those surveyed.

Despite this, 87% feel positive about the future of their business over the next year.

‘There are actually two pandemics running concurrently – COVID-19, and a shadow pandemic of mental health issues caused by social isolation, uncertainty and changes to working and living patterns,’ said Carta Communications’ founder and director Matt Cartmell.

‘We are fortunate in PR that we can work remotely and that there are always new opportunities, whatever the economic landscape. It’s great to see that so many leaders are feeling so positive – I look forward to seeing how sentiment changes through the coming year.’

The Pulse Business’ owner Imogen Osborne also sees potential in the results of the survey: ‘The findings from this Pulse suggest that once more, the PR and communications industry is bracing itself for re-invention. Some respondents are talking about how they are developing their company culture inside a flexible working model while others are coming up with new products and services that will appeal in a post-pandemic world.

‘Many of our comms leaders are bullish about the next 12 months, driven by an understandable focus on the numbers. Yet most acknowledge the issues around mental health are building and given the period for self-reflection the pandemic has necessitated, you wonder if this will lead to some radical changes in how people treat one another in an industry renowned for its competitiveness.’

The next Tracker is set to go live in March 2021 – those who wish to take part can email Imogen Osborne at [email protected].

Want more on PR trends to prepare for this year? Check out ten PR and communications trends for 2021 from industry thought leaders.

More of the best books for PRs

6 more of the best books for PR Professionals

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For those who haven’t yet given up on their 2021 resolution to read more, or who just want an inspirational read or two, here are six more PR-related books to get stuck into in your down time.

Get refreshers on creating ideas that stick, the need for diversity in leadership and how to tell powerful stories with meaning.

Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die by Chip and Dan Heath
If the theory of stickiness put forward in Malcolm Gladwell’s The Tipping Point has always stuck in your mind and you want more ideas for creating super-sticky campaigns, brothers Chip and Dan can help. Their 2007 book includes examples of stories that have stuck in the public consciousness and what those in PR and comms can learn from them.

#FuturePRoof Edition Five: The impact of COVID-19 on NHS comms from #FuturePRoof, founded by Sarah Waddington
NHS comms professionals continue to face extreme challenges during the global pandemic – November 2020’s FuturePRoof release gathers together 16 essays from those working in the field and covers the challenges of effective internal communications during times of such unpredictability. Read more about the latest from #FuturePRoof here.

The Art & Craft of PR: Creating the Mindset and Skills to Succeed in Public Relations Today by Sandra Stahl
Sandra Stahl’s 2018 book works as a manual for mixing your business objectives with creativity for successful outcomes. Putting forward the view that the PR industry needs those with expertise in psychology, human behavior and philosophy just as much as PR and journalism, here is where to pick up some skills to fine-tool your own craft.

Diverse Voices: Profiles in Leadership by Barry Spector and Shelley Spector
Public relations is an industry with much to do to become truly representative of the public it seeks to engage and inspire. Barry and Shelly Spector’s 2018 book features interviews with those in leadership roles across a variety of organisations and agencies to highlight the obstacles they’ve faced as well as lessons those in PR can learn from for success in their own careers.

Exploring Public Relations and Management Communication (Fifth Edition) edited by Ralph Tench and Stephen Waddington
Pearson’s fifth edition exploring aspects of PR and management comms features contributions from 35 international industry thought leaders and covers topics including media and measurement, brand reputation and celebrity. Check out its ethical frameworks, case studies and practitioners’ diaries – read more about the book here.

PR for Humans: how business leaders tell powerful stories by Mike Sergeant
Former BBC, Sky and Reuters reporter Mike Sergeant believes that ‘the most powerful communication is always delivered by humans, for humans’ – which is lucky for the human-filled PR industry that seeks to tell meaningful stories to its audiences. This 2019 book shares the secrets of good storytelling for all humans looking to communicate good ideas.

If you missed our first six recommended reads for PRs, check them out here.

GWPR Annual Index

Global Women in PR reveals results from its Annual Index

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Results from the Global Women in PR Annual Index for 2020 reflect a lack of advancement when it comes to gender equality in the public relations industry, but highlight areas of opportunity for women with children.

Part of a five-year plan to measure and track the working practices of women in PR and communications across the globe, latest results from the GWPR Annual Index cover working environment, barriers to leadership, the pressures of work, impacts of being a parent and the continuing gender pay gap.

Despite two-thirds of the PR workforce identifying as female, men still held 64% of boardroom seats in 2020. Key findings in the index include:

– 80% of PRs believe that having women in the boardroom improves working practices, with 89% believing that more needs to be done to welcome women into board-level roles.
– 78% cited childcare and caring responsibilities as the biggest barrier to the boardroom
– 60% believe men promoting in their own image is a major barrier to senior roles
– 47% of women reported a negative impact on their career due to being a parent

Despite longer working hours for women in PR who are also tasked with homeschooling during the pandemic, the ability to work remotely is seen by many who took part in the Annual Index as a path to future advancement.

GWPR joint president Angela Oakes said: ‘We can see from our research that there has been little change in 2020 in the gender imbalance in the boardroom, despite the widely acknowledged link between boardroom diversity and a company’s financial performance.

‘However, the COVID crisis has created change and quickly accelerated the trend towards remote working. Two-thirds of PR professionals believe that flexible working allows women to have a family, or caring responsibilities and still progress in their career. There is clearly a demand for this, as 69% say they would be more likely to choose a job that offered flexible working over one that did not. Employers need to recognise this and acknowledge the benefits of flexible working, so we can retain female talent in the PR industry.’

PRCA Director General Francis Ingham also sees the positives that have come from homeworking: ‘COVID can provide us with a reset moment for women in PR. It can replace the painfully slow progress of the past decade with true transformation through flexible working. And when we get through this period of crisis, it will be one of the positive changes that will last.’

Read the full results from the GWPR Annual Index on the website.

Taylor Bennett Foundation

Taylor Bennett Foundation appoints three additional trustees

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Taylor Bennett Foundation has expanded its board with the appointment of new trustees Marc Cohen, MD of The PR Office, Syma Cullasy-Aldridge, director of External Affairs at PUBLIC and Jo Ogunleye, tech PR lead at KPMG.

‘We had a large number of high calibre applications, and I am delighted we have been able to appoint three trustees, bringing a great diversity of experience, knowledge and skills to further strengthen our board at this key moment,’ said TBF Chair Sarah Pinch.

‘We have exciting plans for TBF in 2021 and beyond, growing our reach and ensuring the PR and communications industry continues to stand up to inequality, invest in diversity and make real change. We are change makers, and we are ready to work with more partners.’

Of TBF’s aims, Marc Cohen said: ‘The challenge of ensuring that our industry hires and retains an appropriately diverse range of candidates is no longer a nice-to-have or a philanthropic endeavour, but a critical business need. I am very much looking forward to helping with this essential mission’.

Syma Cullasy-Aldridge sees the potential for process: ‘I personally recognise the value that diversity of thought and experience brings to an organisation and whilst some progress is being made, there is much more to do to make the real change we need and I’m looking forward to getting involved and playing my part’.

Jo Ogunleye knows the work of the foundation can make a real difference: ‘TBF has the potential to change the face of one of the most impactful industries in the country and is often life changing for its trainees. To truly move the dial on ethnic diversity and enact lasting change in PR & communications, there has to be a sustainable pipeline of BAME talent and the right support from partner organisations. I know that talent exists’.

The Taylor Bennett Foundation has been supporting young BAME people with starting their careers in public relations for over 12 years.

For more on the aims of the Taylor Bennett Foundation, read our interview with chief executive Melissa Lawrence and watch our accessmatters session here.

PRCA PR Trends event

PRCA PR Trends event – Optimism and opportunity for PR professionals in 2021

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The theme of ‘optimism and opportunity’ in PR ran through all of the presentations at the PRCA’s ‘PR Trends 2021’ event on 20 January.

I joined five industry leaders – Stephen Waddington, Vikki Chowney, Adrian Ma, Shayoni Lynn and Rohan Shah – to explore the emerging trends impacting public relations and communications practice in 2021.

We delivered quick-fire presentations on an industry trend that we felt would define this year, and beyond.

At a time where ‘Zoom fatigue’ is high, the number and quality of the questions from attendees highlighted both the desire and energy that exists to shape modern PR practice.

Here’s the video for those who were unable to attend the live event.

In my presentation (which starts at 31:20), I suggested history has taught us that a crisis and shocking global events can provide a reset button and be catalysts for reflection, focus and innovation.

Many comms and marketing professionals have seized the opportunity to think differently and approach their challenges in a different way.

I highlighted that leading comms and PR agencies, specialists and in-house practitioners are using data in a smarter way.

There is a growing ‘data maturity’ in PR.

Comms professionals need to capture, track and analyse media, social media, search data, web analytics and first party data to inform corporate comms, brand messaging, creative, content strategy, campaigns and even which influencers or communities to focus on and work with.

The really smart ones are, of course, using Vuelio and our sister platform Pulsar to capture and blend this data.

Here’s a summary of what was discussed by each panellist.

Vikki Chowney, H&K Strategies

Vikki joined us from New York during Inauguration Day and focused on content trends:

  • We’re still ‘in the weeds’ but there is much optimism
  • The pandemic has meant that we’ve found new ways to be creative and we have found a real “creative resilience”
  • There are cost efficiencies to content today – clients are much more accepting of what can be realistically achieved against the backdrop of COVID and production restrictions
  • The five core themes in content in 2021 are:
    • Remote Directing – teams and individuals from around the world can be successfully brought into the creative and production process using remote technologies.
    • ‘Rough & Ready’ content is okay – content was mostly raw and realistic in 2020 and the world of content didn’t stop turning
    • Creator Inclusivity – events that would have been exclusive, behind closed doors or only seen by a few people can now be accessed by wider and global audiences
    • Humanising the spokesperson – we’re seeing a whole new side to corporate comms and company spokespeople. Virtual events have brought us into the homes of business executives and leaders and we’re seeing a new side of them
    • Influencers finding shared values – influencers are seeking to work with brands and businesses in ways that go beyond product placement. They want to work with those who share their values and are seeking partnerships and campaigns with meaningful societal impact

Stephen Waddington, Wadds Inc

Ever the consummate pro, ‘Wadds’ published his presentation during the event on his PR Top 10 Vuelio blog.

He highlighted the opportunity for value creation for PR agency start-ups and agencies scaling in 2021.

Stephen acknowledged that 2020 was a difficult year for many PR professionals working in sectors that have shut down, including culture, entertainment and travel.

But he also highlighted the 30 new agency start-ups in the UK that have seen the opportunity of building a business in a pandemic.

He recommended agency propositions should focus on the opportunities for value creation by helping organisations navigate these key topics:

  1. Britain’s place in the world
  2. COVID-19 recovery and rebuild
  3. Climate crisis
  4. Societal fractures
  5. Dispersion of education, healthcare, retail and work
  6. Media change: social and mainstream media
  7. Misinformation
  8. Workflow automation and artificial intelligence

Shayoni Lynn, Lynn PR

Shayoni focused on the trend towards increased application of data-driven behavioural science in communications campaigns.

As one of the ‘new breed’ of PR agencies carving a niche in this area, Shayoni and her team use audience data, behaviours and testing to inform their activity for their clients.

  • Behavioural insights help us understand conscious and the unconscious motivations that drive decision making
  • The application of behavioural science in communications campaigns can help improve vaccination take-up, convince people to adopt protective behaviours, engage with mental health services, etc.
  • We can’t afford to ‘stumble blindly’ anymore and we need to adopt a data-driven approach to communications planning
  • We need to understand audiences more deeply, including why they behave the way they do, why they make certain choices that they do, and what will drive them to take action.
  • Deeper insights into attitudes, habits and preferences can ensure our communications remain relevant, meaningful and effective
  • Nudge theory strengthens content, increases the visibility of calls to action and encourages users to take action
  • Cognitive bias are unconscious motivations that affect things like brand proposition, brand recall, consumer action, retention and loyalty
  • Consider yourself a ‘choice architect’ and design the optimum choice environment using human factors to help your audiences make better decisions quicker
  • Data has to monitor audience behaviour in real time
  • Behaviour changes are about context and what works once may not work again in a different context
  • Test in a randomised way, extract your data insights, learn from your test insights, and continually adapt your programme to ensure that you’re responding to your audience’s responses

Adrian Ma, Fanclub PR

Adrian talked about the role of PR in creating data and delivered the best joke of the day: ‘There were two types of forecasters, the ones that don’t know anything. And the ones that don’t know, we don’t know anything.’

  • Successful companies are deploying the use of big data and automation really well
  • Marketing has a larger technology ecosystem than PR
  • PR is one of the most powerful and impactful and cost-effective methods for generating brand awareness and managing reputation, but it hasn’t moved as fast as other marketing disciplines
  • BUT, more comms people are using the same data-driven language as marketers
  • 61% of all PR and comms departments are responsible for both digital and social content
  • PR provides a ‘smell test’ that marketers can use – ‘if we come up with an idea, and we can pitch it to a journalist and editor and a publisher, that is a proof point’
  • When PR is combined with content marketing it can drive much more value
  • PR should be tracking leads and mapping against customer journeys where we can
  • If we can do that, we create more trust in PR as an effective tool and can demonstrate ROI to ‘upper left brain’ results-focused marketers

Michelle Goodall, Access Intelligence

I highlighted that the leading comms and PR agencies, specialists and in-house practitioners are starting to use blended data in a much smarter way.

Drawing and acting upon evolving audience insights from blended data sources should be a big focus for comms professionals in 2021.

  • Crisis can provide a reset button
  • It’s an opportunity to think differently and approach our challenges in a different way
  • Many PR and marketing professionals are doing exactly that and looking at innovative ways to evolve and improve
  • It’s right to be optimistic about things – it’s a time of change in the industry
  • Many PR professionals have adapted to marketing and the converged space around paid, owned, earned and shared content and campaigns
  • There’s an evolving understanding of the breadth of data that’s available to PR practitioners to help shape messaging, creative campaigns and content.
  • Leading brands, organisations and agencies and specialists increasingly have ‘data maturity’
  • At a basic level, data enables us to develop insights and to measure the impact of our work
  • But there is an increasing sophistication in the way that agencies and brands and organisations capture, track and analyse that data to inform corporate communication strategies, brand messaging, creative content, strategy, campaigns, and even which influencers all communities and communities of interest to focus on to drill into
  • We’re moving from simple brand, competitor and messaging monitoring towards something much more sophisticated
  • For example, different groups of people talk about the same topics, brands and issues differently in social media
  • The shape of conversations around topics like Brexit, COVID, shopping, fashion and the way I talk about them and discuss them in my groups will be different to other audience groups or ‘communities’
  • Communities discussing the same topics can be segmented by demographic data, socio economic data, media, influencer and brand affinity, their interests, their habits, their mindsets, etc.
  • Identifying how multiple audience segments or communities discuss specific topics, brands and issues differently in social media, and how that evolves, can inform the shape of your campaigns and messaging over time
  • Technology enables this and we offer solutions to do this

Rohan Shah, Reuben Sinclair

And finally, Rohan provided an optimistic overview of the state of Comms and PR recruitment:

  • In April 2020, PR recruitment activity dropped by 80% with an uptick in September
  • Today, we’re back to pre-COVID levels and it looks promising – Tech, Finance, Healthcare are buoyant markets
  • Competition is fierce for talent – ‘be open to seeing good quality candidates when you can’ and tap into your network
  • No real evidence of change in salaries
  • Not having to travel to the office doesn’t mean a reduction in salary for job seekers – candidates should hold on to their true value
  • There is still demand for ‘publicists’, but agencies have been diversifying their services
  • Future proof your skills
  • There is demand for social media content marketing, research and insights and paid social media
  • Comms professionals need to understand data and connect it with impact
  • The industry is focusing on attracting people with these skill sets at entry level.
  • Get ahead on your remote training and development programmes now
  • Protect and enhance your employer brand – ensure the recruitment and retention experience is no different to how you treat your clients.
  • Make your recruitment processes robust and fair as possible. It’s an indicator to people of the type of company they want to work for

The optimism from the panellists was also shared by attendees on Twitter after the event.

It feels like 2021 could well be the start of a new and exciting era in the communications industry.

If you’d like to find out how tools can help you capture, track, analyse and provide insight for your communications campaigns, please book a demo.