Influencer targeting, true purpose, humor through data…six trends from PRWeek UK Awards winners

This list of the main trends is not exhaustive, but points towards some key dynamics shaping PR campaigns in 2019.

Before we begin, I strongly recommend reading the write-ups of the winning campaigns over the coming weeks to learn more about these outstanding pieces of work.

PRWeek UK Awards Winners 2019: Healthcare: Ethical & OTC Consumer

Tasked with building awareness of Dexcom, a firm that manufactures continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), this campaign targeted the 400,000 people in the UK living with Type 1 diabetes.

Take me back to the PRWeek 2019 winners page

Allison+Partners commissioned a study with Type 1 charity JDRF that found 76 per cent of patients complained of suffering from stress, anxiety attacks or bouts of deep depression. This led it to shift campaign focus to demonstrating how CGMs can improve welfare.

PRWeek UK Awards 2019: last chance to see the shortlist before the big night

The expert jury panel of more than 100 leading global brands and agencies have decided which entrants are in with a chance of winning at the glitzy annual awards night, taking place at the JW Marriott Grosvenor House in Park Lane.

Hope&Glory tops this year’s 34-category shortlist with 14 nominations, while last year’s big winner with six awards, Taylor Herring, has 12 nominations this year.

How Gen Z Impacts Urban Mobility

A short time ago, the auto industry viewed millennials as the lost generation. Automakers expected car sales to plummet and prepared for change. But that didn’t happen. Instead, millennials delayed their adoption of cars until they started getting married, having children and discovering the suburbs.

Simultaneously, the growth of the smart mobility movement with the introduction of rideshare, car share, e-bikes, high-speed rail, scooters and automaker-backed subscription models have transformed how we define transportation. This dramatic change has birthed a mobility culture. The “me” foundation of car culture – where a car takes “me,” how it makes “me” feel about myself and how it represents my values – has been replaced by a “we” perspective.

“5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Became CEO of Allison+Partners,” With Scott Allison

“Enough money” is never actually enough. When we started the agency, it was my first job as a CEO. All the training for that role was on-the-job training. There are certainly financial challenges, and you never have enough cash when you get started. Everything seems to cost more than you think, particularly when you operate in expensive cities like London, San Francisco and New York. I specifically remember nine months into starting our business we had $4,000 in our checking account with $40,000 of payroll due the next week. The weight of that pressure was overwhelming. We had to make personal investments to make ends meet, which paid off in the long run. But I wish I had a better understanding of the financial pressures and needs from the onset.

I had the pleasure to interview Scott Allison. Scott is global chairman and CEO of one of the fastest-growing global communications firms in the industry. Known for its unique culture, Scott founded Allison+Partners with a vision to build a positive and entrepreneurial environment where talented people at all levels could do great work and thrive. Scott oversees the firm’s Global Board, while continuing to provide communications counsel to many high-profile executives and clients. He is an expert in issues management and crisis communications; presentation and media training; and is regularly called upon to speak about issues facing the public relations industry. Prior to founding Allison+Partners, Scott was the West Coast president of Connors Communications and a senior vice president and partner at The Gable Group. He is a member of the Arthur W. Page Society and serves on the advisory board for ISOThrive, The Fraternity and the Church of the Resurrection. He is a recipient of the Monty Award given to San Diego State University alumni and was a finalist for both the EY Entrepreneur of The Year® and the American Business Award’s Communications Executive of the Year. A patron of San Diego State University’s School of Journalism and Media Studies, Scott provided a founding gift to the Glen M. Broom Center for Professional Development in Public Relations and funds a scholarship that supports internship opportunities for students.

What’s at Stake for Nike & Other Top Brands as the NBA’s China Controversy Continues

As months of pro-democracy protests continue in Hong Kong, American athletic brands have found themselves swept up in several debates around free speech and censorship by the Chinese government.

Most prominent is the ongoing dispute between the NBA and China, which began on Friday when Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey tweeted his support for the demonstrators, sparking outcry from Chinese officials and fans. While the tweet — which included the words, “Fight for freedom, stand with Hong Kong” — has since been deleted, the rift with China has only widened in the days since as the league and team have attempted to mitigate the damage without issuing an outright apology.

Bellwether Survey: C-suite dinosaurs hold back communications

PRWeek and Boston University’s Communications Bellwether Survey has quickly become the most extensive and credible snapshot of the PR industry, winning awards, garnering positive peer reviews and being featured at high-profile academic conferences.

But this year’s second edition of the survey, based on 1,633 responses from in-house, agency and other practitioners, portrays an industry frustrated at the slow pace of change in their organizations and hampered by bureaucracy. (For an in-depth look at all the data and even more content, purchase the Bellwether Premium Edition.)

Acura targets performance-minded young drivers on Amazon, Bustle and Thrillist

Dive Brief:

• Acura unveiled a multichannel campaign aimed at younger drivers that highlights the brand's focus on high performance. "Less Talk, More Drive" will appear on network cable and national broadcast TV, including National Football League games and in top-rated programming and fall premieres on streaming video platforms, per an announcement shared with Marketing Dive.
• To reach younger consumers, Acura will include digital media programming on platforms Donut Media, PadSquad and Teads, in addition to digital placements on Amazon, Bustle, ESPN and Thrillist. The carmaker plans to support the campaign with imagery that's customized for each of its social channels.

Financial Times, HP Inc. and Critical Mass lead the Digiday Worklife Awards nominees

Financial Times, HP Inc., Critical Mass and more are nominees for the 2019 Digiday Worklife Awards, which recognize media and marketing’s top employers and the values that make them unique.

In years past, theSkimm, Bloomberg, HubSpot, RPA and New York Media were honored for their efforts to foster a collaborative culture and work-life balance among other accomplishments.

2019 SABRE Awards Asia-Pacific Winners

Shortlist for inaugural Purpose Awards revealed

PRWeek has revealed the finalists in the running for the inaugural Purpose Awards. 

The shortlist reflects the best in purpose marketing, which will be on full display on October 16 at Marshall’s Landing in Chicago during the first night of the PRDecoded conference. The awards recognize activations that use creative ideas to promote positive causes and to acknowledge the organizations and individuals behind them. 

PRCA National Awards 2019 Shortlist

THE UK'S MOST PRESTIGIOUS PR AWARDS!

• Promote the industry – We’re a not-for-profit, so all the profits from our awards are invested back into our industry to help teams and individuals maximise the value they deliver to clients and organisations
• Encourage your team – Shine the limelight on your team’s fantastic work and reward every member of your team that contributed
• Make your mark – Display and celebrate your success over the last year and be recognised by the world’s largest PR association
• Expand your network – Win new business and open opportunities for new clientele by rubbing shoulders with award-winning businesses
• Gain global recognition – Be globally recognised by the PR industry, with our judging process consisting of industry-leaders from across the world.

Get Personal When Networking To Build Relationships That Pay Off

According to the National Association of Realtors, almost 80% of consumers say they would work with their agent again, yet only around 12% actually do so. There's clearly a better way to handle relationship building.

Regardless of your industry, "How much money are you leaving on the table that you could have had if only you had stayed in touch?" asks Zvi Band, author of "Success is in Your Sphere: Leverage The Power Of Relationships To Achieve Your Business Goals."

Brands must remain silent about Hong Kong: PR chief

In the current volatile situation in mainland China and Hong Kong, brands have had to calculate their messaging and responses carefully, lest they get caught in a web of crisis comms. We’ve learnt in the last week that things could implode in a matter of minutes, and backlash can make or break a brand faster that one can say ‘tear gas’.

David Wolf, managing director, Allison Advisory at Allison+Partners, tells PRWeek Asia that this is simply the price to pay for doing business in China.

Brands must remain silent about Hong Kong: PR chief

2019 Regional PR Consultancies of the Year (Midsize)

The 2019 Asia-Pacific PR Consultancies of the Year are the result of an exhaustive research process involving more than 125 submissions and meetings with the best PR firms across the region. 

Consultancy of the Year winners are announced and honoured at the 2019 Asia-Pacific SABRE Awards, which take place on 12 September in Singapore. Analysis of all Finalists and Winners can be accessed via the navigation menu to the right or below:

Luxury brands must now show they are ‘good Chinese citizens’ after T-shirt territory anger, expert says

Western luxury labels will need to demonstrate that they are good Chinese citizens in the face of territorial sensitivities, according to an expert on branding in the region.

Fashion brands including Givenchy, Coach and Versace apologized last week when some Chinese social media stars canceled their endorsement deals after text on some of their T-shirts suggested that places such as Hong Kong are separate countries from mainland China.

SABRE Awards Asia-Pacific 2019 finalists

Industry News In Brief (August 12, 2019)

PRWeek UK Awards 2019: 'early bird' ticket deadline approaches

The annual awards night - one of the highlights of the UK PR calendar - takes place on Tuesday 15 October at the JW Marriott Grosvenor House in Park Lane. Click here for more details on pricing and to book tickets.

See the full list of categories and shortlisted entries below:

AGENCY BRIEF: A WONDROUS LAUNCH INTO SPACE AND A NEW BREAKFAST BREW

Allison+Partners Launches Headstand to Take on Conflicts and Provide Deeper Levels of Agency-Client Collaboration

PRWeek UK Awards 2019: shortlist revealed

News of Firms: Allison+Partners Does Headstand; Worldcom Adds MC Comunicaciones of Quito to Club; Public Relations Boutiques International Names Amanda Foley of Kiterocket President

Allison+Partners launches conflict shop Headstand

SAN BRUNO, CA: Allison+Partners has launched an integrated communications consultancy known as Headstand.

Zach Colvin, who is leading the firm as president, called Headstand a spinoff from Allison. Its services include creative campaign development and execution, brand identity and messaging development, content development, influencer relations, media relations, social engagement and digital programs.

Impossible Foods' CCO on making meatless meat burgers mainstream

Rachel Konrad joined Impossible Foods in 2016, the same year the Impossible Burger was born. At that point, the burger was only available at one restaurant: Momofuku Nishi in New York. 

"When I first started, we were at 100 employees," says Konrad, Impossible Foods’ chief communications officer. 

Podcast: The Evolution of Influencer Marketing with Cathy Planchard

On the Move: Hawthorne Hires David Nassar; Definition 6 Recruits Dani Newman; Allison +Partners Ups Tom Smith

Allison+Partners has promoted Tom Smith to president, corporate, North America, a newly created position. Smith previously served as managing director at the firm. In 2018, he was named a partner and was appointed to Allison+Partners’ North American Management Board, which oversees the growth and operations of the firm’s clients in the region. Before coming to Allison+Partners, Smith was an executive vice president in Ogilvy PR’s New York corporate practice. He has also served as a vice president in the corporate communications group at Fleishman Hillard, and held earlier roles at GCI Group and Makovsky + Company.

Allison+Partners' Tom Smith Named President of North American Corporate

Allison+Partners ups Tom Smith to president of NA corporate practice

NEW YORK: Allison+Partners has promoted Tom Smith to president of its North America corporate practice, a newly created role.

Most recently, Smith was MD of corporate in North America. He officially started in his current role in May and reports to Matthew Della Croce, global president of Europe and corporate.

Level with me: Eric Paslay podcast gives a voice to people with diabetes

Eric Paslay, country singer and songwriter hailing from Temple, recently launched a five-episode podcast aiming to give a voice to people across the country living with Type 1 diabetes.

Each episode of “Level with Me” includes a different interview facilitated by Paslay. As someone living with T1D, he peeks into the lives of others battling the disease and fosters an open an honest discussion of how the chronic illness impacts their lives and relationships. The first episode was released in mid-May, and the fifth and final episode of the season was released last week.

HSBC Marketing Chief Suresh Balaji To Chair 2019 Asia-Pacific SABRE Jury

Industry News In Brief (June 3, 2019)

Allison+Partners Launches Advisory Services to Help Clients Navigate Today’s Business World

Allison+Partners announced the launch of Allison Advisory, a management consultancy group within Allison+Partners. Led out of the firm’s Corporate practice, the group will operate across North America, EMEA and Asia Pacific, providing clients with counsel to business leaders across all functions as they manage corporate change, digital transformation, international expansion, risk mitigation, purpose development and challenges unique to startup and high-growth.

“Our work at Allison Advisory focuses on counseling the c-suite and board of directors through transformative change,” said Matthew Della Croce, Allison+Partners’ global president, Corporate + Europe. “Statistics show that nearly 75% of all significant enterprise transformations ultimately fail to achieve the desired return on investment. A core reason for the failure is that stakeholders aren’t embracing the change. This is where Allison Advisory can help, ensuring that decisions are rooted in and be guided by stakeholder expectations and thus forming the basis of lasting advantage. It’s a very different way of looking at solving those problems and an area to which our advisors bring unique expertise.”

MDC's Allison+Partners Introduces Corporate Consultancy Group

Allison+Partners (A+P) is launching Allison Advisory to expand the MDC Partners PR shop's "perception-management" services into business transformations, international expansion, and risk mitigation. 

Allison Advisory will be led by Matthew Della Croce, A+P Global President, Corporate + Europe and David Wolf, Managing Director of Allison+Partners’ Global China practice whose division will be rolled into the Allison Advisory offering. Wolf's new title will become managing director, Allison Advisory.

News of Firms: Allison+Partners Opens Management Consultancy

Allison+Partners has launched Allison Advisory, a management consultancy group that will be part of the firm’s corporate practice. The group will operate across North America, EMEA and Asia Pacific, advising business leaders in such areas as corporate change, digital transformation, international expansion, risk mitigation, purpose development and challenges unique to startup and high-growth. Matthew Della Croce, Allison+Partners’ global president, Corporate + Europe, is heading up the group along with David Wolf, who was previously managing director of Allison+Partners’ Global China practice, which will be rolled into the Allison Advisory offering. His new title will be managing director, Allison Advisory. “Statistics show that nearly 75% of all significant enterprise transformations ultimately fail to achieve the desired return on investment,” Della Croce said. “A core reason for the failure is that stakeholders aren’t embracing the change. This is where Allison Advisory can help, ensuring that decisions are rooted in and guided by stakeholder expectations.”

ALLISON+PARTNERS LAUNCHES ADVISORY SERVICES TO HELP CLIENTS NAVIGATE THE COMPLEXITY OF TODAY’S BUSINESS WORLD

SAN FRANCISCO (May 29, 2019) – Allison+Partners today announced the launch of Allison Advisory, a management consultancy group within Allison+Partners. Led out of the firm’s Corporate practice, the group will operate across North America, EMEA and Asia Pacific, providing clients with counsel to business leaders across all functions as they manage corporate change, digital transformation, international expansion, risk mitigation, purpose development and challenges unique to startup and high-growth. 

“Our work at Allison Advisory focuses on counseling the c-suite and board of directors through transformative change,” said Matthew Della Croce, Allison+Partners’ global president, Corporate + Europe. “Statistics show that nearly 75% of all significant enterprise transformations ultimately fail to achieve the desired return on investment. A core reason for the failure is that stakeholders aren’t embracing the change. This is where Allison Advisory can help, ensuring that decisions are rooted in and be guided by stakeholder expectations and thus forming the basis of lasting advantage. It's a very different way of looking at solving those problems and an area to which our advisors bring unique expertise.”

Allison Advisory will be led by Della Croce and colleague David Wolf, who have spent the last two decades helping clients navigate the unique communications and marketing challenges companies face during business transformations, expansions into new markets and globalizing business strategy. Wolf was previously the managing director of Allison+Partners’ Global China practice which, due to the group’s expertise in market entry, will be rolled into the Allison Advisory offering. His new title will be managing director, Allison Advisory.

“Traditional public relations focuses on ‘perception management,’ taking enterprise decisions already made and creating a narrative for key stakeholders,” Wolf said. “Our approach is different. An organizations’ executive team needs expertise in ‘enterprise behavior change.’ Through our approach we operate as advocates for our client’s stakeholders, providing advice and solutions to enable business decisions to achieve functional transformation and impact.  Our goal is to help executives accelerate growth by optimizing the intersection of business goals, customer needs, regulatory environments and employee experience.”

The new offering builds upon Allison+Partners’ significant track record helping guide C-suite executives and boards of directors through enterprise change and transformation. The Allison Advisory team of senior consultants bring a unique perspective and capability founded in data and analytics, employing proprietary methodologies to maximize efficiencies, minimize internal disruption and support business growth. The agency’s corporate expertise centers around corporate and financial communications, influencer relations, crisis and issues management, executive visibility campaigns, social impact and CSR, content marketing and digital strategies to help clients transform and achieve market leadership. 

“The team we have in place providing counsel through Allison Advisory are strategists who have an enterprise-level point-of-view that is informed by expertise in how stakeholders have evolved from mere ‘audiences’ to the true drivers of leading businesses,” Della Croce said. “We are able to ensure that our clients’ understand what the expectations are from their stakeholders everywhere in the world, and that they are building their businesses in ways that address or exceed those expectations." 

About Allison+Partners
Allison+Partners, an MDC Partners company, is a global marketing and communications agency driven by a collaborative approach to innovation and creativity. The firm was named The Holmes Report’s 2019 “Best Agency to Work For,” PRWeek’s 2018 “Best Place to Work” and The Holmes Report’s 2017 “Digital Agency of the Year.” Allison+Partners has 30 offices worldwide and is organized around five practices: Consumer Marketing, Corporate, Healthcare, Public Affairs and Technology. All Told, which combines research, content, creative, digital and measurement expertise into one offering, works across these practices to deliver integrated storytelling for clients. The agency also has a network and deep affiliations with firms worldwide through MDC Partners (NASDAQ: MDCA), a progressive marketing and communications network, championing the most innovative entrepreneurial talent. For more information, visit www.allisonpr.com.

2019 SABRE Awards North America Winners

2019 Best Agencies to Work For EMEA

Best Agency to Work For is possibly the only predictive award the Holmes Report gives out. By this, we mean there’s a direct correlation between the agencies on this list and those that take home our biggest honor (often times at some point in the future) — Agency of the Year recognition. That’s, in part, because firms that take culture seriously tend to attract and retain smart and creative talent who, in turn, produce stellar work. It’s a simple formula but one that’s easily overlooked amid the breathless pace and tremendous pressures that are a seemingly inevitable reality of agency life. But this pace is exactly why agencies shouldn’t underestimate the power its culture has on the work its employees produce.

The firms recognized on the rankings include a few holding companies firms, but mostly independents. Some have generous benefits, others prioritize professional development or interesting work that keeps talent engaged. We’re working on an in-depth feature that will more deeply explore the factors that drive employee engagement within our industry. All participating firms can also obtain their own results mapped against either the industry or its competitive set. (For more information on this, see FAQ.) 

Global top 250 PR Agency Ranking 2019

Nimble, fast midsize firms make their mark

It’s been the time of midsized firms for a while now, and this year’s data in the annual Agency Business Report does nothing to dispel that trend.

Agencies such as Prosek Partners (+21%), M Booth (+17%), Zeno Group (+14%), and Allison+Partners (+12%) far outperformed their big box rivals in global growth percentage stakes in 2018.

Allison+Partners

Rankings tables: PRWeek Agency Business Report 2019

Rankings Tables are set to Global Rankings as the default tab. To select from 23 other regional or practice sector data views, toggle between the different tabs.

Best Agencies to Work For

Best Agency to Work For is possibly the only predictive award the Holmes Report gives out. By this, we mean there’s a direct correlation between the agencies on this list and those that take home our biggest honor (often times at some point in the future) — Agency of the Year. That’s, in part, because firms that take culture seriously tend to attract and retain smart and creative talent who, in turn, produce stellar work. It’s a simple formula but one that’s easily overlooked amid the breathless pace and tremendous pressures that are an  inevitable reality of agency life. But this pace is exactly why agencies shouldn’t underestimate the power its culture has on the work its employees produce.

The firms recognized on the rankings include a few holding companies firms, but mostly independents. Some have generous benefits, others prioritize professional development or interesting work that keeps talent engaged. We’re working on a series of stories explore the factors that drive recruitment, retention and engagement within our industry. All participating firms can also obtain their own results mapped against either the industry or its competitive set. (For more information on this, see FAQ.) 

2019 North America Midsize PR Agencies of the Year

The 2019 North America PR Agencies of the Year are the result of an exhaustive research process involving more than 150 submissions and 50 face-to-face meetings with the best PR firms across the US and Canada.

Analysis of each of the 70 finalists across 14 categories can be accessed via the navigation menu to the right or below. Winners are unveiled at the 2019 North American SABRE Awards on May 7 at Cipriani 42nd St in New York. 

April Fools' Day: 5 brands (and a PR firm) you definitely shouldn't trust today

It’s bad enough that friends and family are out to get you, but each year it seems more and more of the country’s biggest brands feel compelled to produce April Fools’ Day pranks.  

The results are in from an April Fools’ Day poll PRWeek posted last week, asking comms pros if it’s wise to send a fake press release to reporters. 

ALLISON+PARTNERS LAUNCHES LATEST CULTURE INITIATIVE, “IT’S ABOUT THE PERKS”

**April Fools!**

Innovative Program with Over-the-Top Perks Designed to Attract and Retain Industry’s Top Talent




In a day and age where office perks are a dime-a-dozen, global marketing communications agency Allison+Partners is upping the ante on the corporate “perk off.” The agency is changing its long-standing company motto from “It’s About the Work” to “It’s About the Perks,” and introducing a series of enviable new perks for current and future agency employees.

2019 SABRE Awards North America finalists

Denny's brings on Allison+Partners as PR AOR

SPARTANBURG, SC: Denny’s has selected Allison+Partners as its PR AOR after the restaurant chain reorganized part of its marcomms structure.

Denny’s hired the agency after the chain restructured a "small portion" of its marketing functions for "even greater efficiencies" in recent months, said John Dillon, chief brand officer and SVP for the company.

Asia-Pacific News In Brief (March 18, 2019)