2012 PR Week's top 150

Figures In Context

The figures are in and they show an encouraging increase of pre-recession aggregate income fees for companies rated in PR Week's top 150. £900m compared with £858m back in 2008. The industry is buzzing despite the economic downturn. This has been accredited to the mounting respect for reputation in PR and also to the skill in the evolving ditital age of communication in which PR professionals have naturally excelled. http://www.prweek.com/uk/go/top150/
The top 15 are as follows:

1. Bell Pottinger Group
2. Brunswick
3. Webber Shandwick
4. Edelman
5. FTI Consulting
6. Freud Communications
7. Hill and Knowlton Strategies
8. RLM Finsbury
9. Grayling
10. MSL Group
11. Ketchum Pleon
12. College Hill
13. MHP Communications
14. Citigate Dewe Rogerson
15. Ogilvy PR


But are we viewing these figures in context?

Matthew Freud, chairman of Freud Communications said, "I have always liked lists and charts, but we should remember that they usually depict a relative hierarchy. For decades our industry has been close to the bottom of the marketing food chain. PR Week's Top 150 then has traditionally been an annual ranking of the tallest dwarves. " He makes an excellent point, the celebration of growth should be understood in full context. As Freud identifies, there have always been few seats for PR professionals at the advertising table. However as media is now available through more devices than ever, damaging press is more detrimental as a consequence. Newspapers no longer die at the hands of the waste paper basket and can be accessed online, at anytime. Reads can be recommend, posted and blogged about. Not only this but bad press can go viral at super speed. The same is true for positive however but it is the PR professional that deal with mitigating damage to reputation. The quantification for services of a protective shield is still tricky, yet increasingly it is a necessary cost. Growth of course is important in itself but I think that Freud is right, the work of PR professionals is becoming more valued everyday and it is time to seize this long awaited day.