In conversation with…

In the latest edition of the ‘PR Show’ podcast we take a look at what is in store for the industry this year, whether you work in consumer, health, corporate comms or public affairs.

How should different sectors of the industry aid the comms operation supporting the rollout of the vaccine, has the comms function finally come of age, and what questions is the industry failing to ask itself?

Our panellists; Hearst Director of PR & Communications Effie Kanyua, Cicero/AMO Executive Chair Iain Anderson, Hope&Glory Co-Founder and chief creative officer James Gordon-Macintosh, Finsbury, Glover, Hering  UK, Middle East & Asia CEO Faeth Birch, and Pretty Green Account Director Sheeraz Gulsher, discuss these issues and more.

A record number of brands are sponsoring athletes and teams at the Tokyo Olympic Games. It proves the 'five rings' are still a major draw – but can sponsorship in such a cluttered environment deliver value? British Olympic Association’s Tim Ellerton, H+K’s Jamie Corr, M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment's Jamie-Wynne Morgan and The Playbook’s Nick Meakin discuss how brands are making the most of the Olympics, and other trends in sports marketing. 

PR professionals from ethnic minority backgrounds are being held back in their careers in what is a largely white industry. A combination of prejudice in the recruitment process, unconscious bias that favours white employees, apathy about the issue, and a lack of understanding is holding back BAME talent. BME PR Pros’ Elizabeth Bananuka, Manifest’s Julian Obubo and WX’s Zoe Stafford discuss the problem, why it exists, some positive programmes and what can be done to improve diversity in the communications industry.

Is it possible for an industry that is known for its 'always on' culture and insane deadlines to work flexibly? The answer is 'yes', but to date there are only a handful of agencies that do flexible working well. Some leading lights in flexible working, Golin's Bib Hilton, The PR Network's George Blizzard, Radioactive PR's Rich Leigh and Sesame's Emily Buckland, share their experiences and have called for a broader cultural shift to allow flexible working to become the norm. They warn the industry is at risk of 'flex washing' and there aren't enough flexible roles to retain young talent, and much more.

Agencies and brands are investing more of their marketing budgets into social cause campaigns, but not all are getting it right. Woke-washing has become a concern and some marketers are reluctant to be called out as hypocrites. Global expert on purpose marketing Sue Garrard used to lead Unilever’s sustainability and comms program. She joins Blurred co-founder Nik Govier and Freuds partner Lotte Jones to discuss whether brands should play in the purpose space, the tension between backing a social cause and being called out as a hypocrite, and how to do purpose marcoms effectively.

Agency leaders and many marketers believe the pitching process isn’t fit for purpose, but is this view shard by new business and procurement consultants? The answer is ‘yes’ and ‘no’. The process is far from perfect and can be improved, but us still a vital mechanism in how clients choose agency partners. That’s the verdict of procurement guru Tina Fegent and new business experts Tony Spong (AAR) and Charlie Carpenter (Creativebrief). They explain the parts of pitching that work well and how highly clients prioritise PR pitches – which may make for uncomfortable listening to some.

From the excitement of finding your dream home to the disappointment when you see the price tag or when something falls through the chain, buying a house is often an emotional rollercoaster.  

With so many elements to consider before signing on the dotted line, how do we prioritise the critical ones we need to look out for? How many of us stop to think whether the house is gas safe before taking the plunge and donning overalls?

To discuss the highs and lows of the house buying process, as well as the importance of ensuring your future property is gas safe is Homes Under the Hammer presenter, Lucy Alexander and Head of Communications at Gas Safe Register, Scott Darroch. 

At this year’s Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity,
established PR consultancies failed to score the top prize in the PR Lions. Is this a sign that PR agencies are still lagging in the creative stakes or is their cause for optimism? Edelman’s Michelle Hutton, Weber Shandwick’s James Nester and The Romans' Ottilie
Ratcliffe join us to discuss creativity in PR.

Pitching has recently been described as “broken” and a “shit show” by prominent agency leaders. In this episode we look at the pitch process and discuss whether it is fit for purpose and what can be done to improve. To unpack pitching, we are joined by James Herring from Taylor Herring, Mandy Sharp from Tin Man and Snapchat’s director of international communications, Tanya Ridd.