✅ Public relations industry backs voluntary code to fix 'broken' pitch process
Corporate communications, public relations, media and management insight
Public relations agencies pitching for new business face budget uncertainty, ghosting and intellectual property misuse. This is the stark conclusion of the Pitch Forward report by the PRCA aimed at improving standards.
It calls for more transparent, ethical, and streamlined industry-wide pitching processes. The PRCA says it intends to address this as an output from the report. 88% of agency and client respondents said they would support this initiative.
Pitching: a zero-sum game
Agencies describe being caught in a demanding pitching cycle, participating in an average of 14.4 pitches yearly.
Half of agencies pitch monthly and some pitch weekly. The average investment in a pitch is more than £7,000 and up to £20,000. The average pitch process typically takes two to three months, and the win rate is one in three.
Winning a pitch doesn’t always result in an agency securing work. More than a third of agencies report the frustration of successful pitches that never materialise into actual work, with reasons ranging from sudden budget cuts to unforeseen client business issues.
Even when projects do move forward, agencies often face delays in receiving contracts, waiting an average of nearly three weeks.
Intellectual property is also an issue. Nearly half of agencies report that ideas shared during a pitch have been used without recompense.
Recommendations and action
The Pitch Forward report identifies areas where clients can improve the briefing process to ensure more productive and effective pitches. The voluntary code will address these issues.
✅ Budget transparency
Providing a budget or at least a range can help agencies tailor their proposals appropriately and avoid wasted effort on financially unviable ideas.
✅ Clear and specific objectives
Including SMART objectives in briefs ensures that agencies understand the client’s goals and can propose targeted strategies.
✅ Involving key decision-makers
Clients should ensure that all relevant stakeholders are involved in the briefing process from the outset to avoid miscommunications or changes in direction.
✅ Streamlining procurement processes
Simplifying procurement requirements and shortlisting agencies earlier in the process would save time and resources for both clients and agencies.
We’ve posted additional insight and a link to the report on the Wadds Inc. blog.
Have a good week.
Management
📑 CRISIS GUIDELINES: A new CIPR Crisis Communications Network guide sets out best practices for handling social media during organisational crises. The comprehensive resource details five key stages - mitigate, prepare, ramp-up, manage and recover - emphasising the need for advance planning, clear protocols, and appropriate tone of voice when using social platforms during a crisis. Source: CIPR.
🏥 NHS DIVERSITY SURVEY: The NHS Taskforce for Diversity in Communications has launched a comprehensive survey to understand the experiences of ethnic minority communication professionals, both inside and outside the NHS. The research, which runs until October 31, aims to identify barriers and solutions for improving diversity in NHS communications roles, particularly at senior levels. Source: NHS Confederation.
Social Media
📱 BLUESKY GROWTH SPURT: X offshoot Bluesky has reached 13 million users and secured $15 million in new funding while developing plans for subscriptions and creator monetisation. The platform gained 2 million new users recently as people looked for alternatives to X, though it still trails behind Meta's Threads which has 200 million active users. Source: Social Media Today.
🧵 THREADS TIPS: Meta has released new educational resources to help users grow their audience on Threads, revealing that replies make up nearly half of all views on the platform. The company recommends posting 2-5 times weekly, using a mix of text and media formats, and engaging on weekends for better engagement while noting that topics such as TV, movies, and photography tend to drive the most conversations. Source: Meta.
Artificial Intelligence
🤖 AI GUIDELINES: Brighton-based digital transformation agency Brilliant Noise set out ten essential principles for using AI in business, emphasising that AI is a tool that requires clear direction and critical thinking. The guidelines stress the importance of AI literacy, hands-on learning, and using AI as a productivity enhancer while maintaining human oversight and ethical considerations. Source: Brilliant Noise.
Media
📻 RADIO REMAINS STRONG: The latest RAJAR data shows radio continues to dominate UK media consumption, with 88% of adults (51 million people) tuning in weekly, generating over 1 billion listening hours. Digital platforms now account for 74% of all radio listening, with DAB radio leading at 59% of digital hours, followed by smart speakers at 23%. Source: RAJAR.
📰 ENDORSEMENT BLOCK: Jeff Bezos reportedly stopped The Washington Post from publishing its planned endorsement of Kamala Harris, making it the second major newspaper owner to block a Harris endorsement after the LA Times. The decision led to reader cancellations and staff concerns after the paper instead published a column explaining why it wouldn't endorse any presidential candidate. Source: The Verge.
📧 SUBSTACK SUCCESS: Speaking at a media trends event, Substack's UK head, Farrah Storr, says newsletter subscribers prefer intimate, exclusive content over high-volume content. She noted that many journalists successfully run Substacks alongside traditional media jobs and suggests news organizations should encourage reporters to maintain newsletter side projects rather than view them as competition. Source: Press Gazette.
📰 CENTRALISED CONTENT HUB: Media company Reach is hiring 60 new journalists to work across its major news websites, including the Mirror and Express. The roles are focused on video content and general assignments. This expansion follows a March reorganisation that moved 300 journalists to their Content Hub, though the company had previously cut 700 jobs in 2023 amid revenue challenges. Source: Press Gazette.
📰 CELEBRITY CULTURE: In a Guardian op-ed following Liam Payne's tragic death, publicist Mark Borkowski discusses the dark side of fame and its impact on celebrities' lives. He explains that while famous people understand they're trading privacy for fame, few truly comprehend the depth of that sacrifice. He also notes how social media has intensified the pressure on celebrities rather than giving them more control over their narratives. Source: The Guardian.
Thank you to Mark Borkowski, Catherine Frankpitt, Jon Gerlis, Alan Morrison, Antony Mayfield, Andrew Bruce Smith, Sarah Waddington CBE, Gabriela Weiss Clarke and everyone who shares and debates the stories in the newsletter via our Facebook community. You‘d be welcome to join us.