The search for solid ground
A shifting environment is forcing PR firms to rethink how they operate, even as the sector’s fundamental value lies in guiding organisations through complexity and fragmentation.
As we roll through event season, there is no mistaking the sense of instability that grips the PR industry. Further proof of this comes from Davis & Gilbert's 13th annual study of industry trends, which finds that 44% of PR firms are uncertain or anxious about the future, compared to just 4% that are very optimistic.
12 months ago, D&G's study found optimism among 70% of the polled PR firms. Meanwhile, the proportion of respondents that describe themselves as 'anxious' (14%), has tripled over the past five years. The biggest concerns reported by PR firms are familiar: flat/decreasing client budgets, followed by difficulty in growing top line revenue, slow decision-making by prospective clients, and difficulties in maintaining/increasing profit margin.
It should be noted that D&G's poll of 181 PR firms is considerably skewed towards North America, which accounts for almost 70% of respondents. But many of the findings will strike a chord with PR professionals across the globe. 35% predict a decrease in their 2025 revenue (up from 22% last year), reflecting an increasingly cautious financial outlook. Half predict an increase in revenue, the lowest proportion since 2021.
