Five years and counting…

We’ve always put client services at the heart of what we do at The PR Network and we’re proud of the fact that as our client briefs grow, evolve and change, we are flexible enough to go on that journey with them.

There’s not too much data out there on the tenure of PR agency client relationships, but various articles in the broader marcomms world show that in the ad industry, for example, the length of agency relationships has dropped from over seven years to less than three. We’re proud that our average client relationship lasts much longer than this and today we’re celebrating that we’ve reached the five-year mark with Workday.

There have been many things that have contributed to how we have reached this milestone together, but the underlying fundamentals include (in no particular order):

• Trust: The opportunity to grow as a team as the Workday business scaled has provided the best environment in which to work together, troubleshoot and reshape the communications programme in partnership. The internal team we work with has doubled over our tenure and it’s been a pleasure to work with and alongside each and every one of them to continue delivering as we challenge ourselves daily.

• Breaking the mould: Delivery of the first EMEA-wide campaign (followed by a global study the following year) around the state of diversity and inclusion in EMEA saw real ownership of the belonging and diversity conversation. After the campaign launched, Workday was the only brand linked to belonging and diversity in Google autocomplete. This is just one of the many proof points that saw us shortlisted for two AMEC awards.

• Local expertise: Independent agencies and experts on the ground in EMEA markets who provide the counsel and local insight to ensure campaigns and corporate news lands in the most culturally relevant light is paramount. We are lucky to work with some of the best and brightest minds in this regard.

• Storytelling: Not only have we been successfully telling the Workday story to media and influencers, but we have also been involved in helping shape these amazing customer stories with Alison Harper and the customer advocacy team that demonstrates how the brand’s technology is used in real-life scenarios.

• Fun: It's no accident that our company values definitely align on this point! Doing the job well together but also keeping a sense of humour has definitely kept us in step along the way.

Thank you Grant Currie and Kate Falcone for leading the charge on this front. Here’s to the next chapter together.

#pr #pragency #team #clientsuccess

AI and its impact on PR and comms

There's no escaping ChatGPT and the power of AI tools to revolutionise the way we work. To better understand the implications of AI on the global communications industry, we hosted a client event with our resident digital comms expert Andrew Bruce Smith in conversation with PRovoke's EMEA editor, Maja Pawinska Sims.

It was a fascinating evening that could have continued into the small hours of the night. This brilliant visual record from our resident artist Caroline Chapple provides a detailed summary.

Issues we discussed with our comms leader community included:

💡 How fast AI is evolving and why it shouldn't be feared (overnight we've seen the launch of GPT-4 which will shortly be able to understand images as well as text, and turn text into video...)

💡 Some of the ways in which AI will benefit PR professionals

💡 The ethical and legal considerations of using AI, and potential governance

💡 What AI might mean for the shape and structure of the industry, and how those in the earlier stages of their PR careers will learn and develop in future, if a lot of the basic administrative tasks will soon be automated

💡 The impact on the client/agency relationship. Agencies will need to evaluate charging models to reflect task automation. This is a positive as client budgets can stretch further and we can offer greater value by focusing more time on impactful activities, but will require openness and transparency

💡 Why prompt engineering is a skill all comms professionals should be aware of

We'd love to hear of any developments you're seeing in this space, whether you're in-house or consulting to clients - and the implications you predict for our industry. Get involved in the conversation with us on LinkedIn.

#AI #comms #PRNCollective

https://chapplecartoons.co.uk/

https://www.provokemedia.com/

Emilie's first month at PRN

It's been just over a month since I started my new job as Client Services Director at The PR Network (PRN) and in the lead-up to my first day I was intrigued. How do you start off at a remote agency, where all your colleagues work from home in different parts of the country? What does a “first day in the new job” look like without being marched around an office, meeting hundreds of people whose names you promptly forget and getting lost while looking for the loos?

Well, it turns out my first day, and in fact my first month, at PRN have been just great, and looking back I think there have been a few key factors at play:

1. Before joining I was invited to the PRN Christmas party at the gorgeous Groucho Club in London, which was the perfect way to meet my new colleagues and clients. Because yes, PRN has such great relationships with their retained clients they invite them to their Christmas parties!

2. I received a well-organised induction plan on day one from our MD Eileen, which included a packed schedule of meetings, a mix of video calls and face to face, and which meant I got to meet and spend time with everyone across the agency in my first few weeks.

3. I was lucky to join just in time to accompany the whole team on an amazing trip to Amsterdam to celebrate the agency’s 18th birthday! We spent three days there, eating, drinking, having fun and exploring that amazing city, and I couldn’t think of a better way to get to know my new work family.

4. I joined one of our all-team planning sessions in London for the day, during which we worked on the business plan for the agency as well as taking part in a brand vision workshop (more on that very soon).

5. And last but not least, my fabulous bunch of new colleagues have gone out of their way to make me feel welcome and show me the ropes, both virtually and IRL.

In fact I think that’s one of the best things about PRN. During both stints working for the agency, first as an Associate a few years back and now in my new role, I’ve been struck by the supportive work environment and complete lack of egos. Consider this: I have sat in busy offices surrounded by people while feeling totally isolated, and now, sitting by myself in my home office, I’m part of one of the closest and most collaborative teams I’ve ever worked with.

So if you’re considering applying for the PRN role we’re currently advertising but are unsure about the virtual element, my advice is don’t let that put you off! PRN has been virtual since day one in 2005, and 18 years on we really are perfectly set up for working this way. And at least you won’t have to repeatedly ask where the loos are on your first day…

#team

#pragency

#agencyculture