WHAT DOES BREXIT MEAN FOR THE UK’S PR INDUSTRY?

The United Kingdom’s PR industry has grown from 62,000 employees in 2013 to around 86,000 employees today. According to the PRCA (2018), 86 per cent of the industry is made up of British professionals. The second most represented nationality are Non-UK EU nationals, making up just 7 per cent; a decrease of 2 per cent since 2016.

In research conducted by the PRCA 361 PR agency heads and directors in the UK were asked what their preferred Brexit outcome would be. The UK exiting on WTO terms was the least popular, garnering 5 percent of the vote. Extending Article 50 was chosen by 9 per cent. The UK exiting on the terms agreed by the Prime Minister was favoured by 18 per cent; and the UK exiting but remaining in the Customs Union favoured by 23 per cent. The most popular option was for Article 50 to be rescinded, favouring 45 per cent.

Executive summaries and reports have been published by the PRCA and CIPR to guide practitioners on potential outcomes, common concerns and statistics. In a survey of 251 respondents, the CIPR found just 31 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with the statement ‘We are helping/have helped clients prepare for Brexit’.

Will London lose the PR crown?

A common concern for PR professionals in the UK is whether Brexit will impact London’s position as the European PR hub. Being in an English-speaking country with over 750 consultancies, London has worn the crown. Once Brexit takes effect, one possibility is that headquarters will move. Whether that be Amsterdam, Paris or Germany is up for debate.

The UK’s talent pool

If London’s position is to be affected by companies relocating, a by-product effect of this is the talent-pool of the industry being impacted, which is arguably the greatest concern among PR professionals. The ‘battle’ for talent is being fought in every business sector: everyone wants highly skilled professionals who have initiative and get results. PR is an industry heavily dependent on talent, many of whom are drawn from countries across the EU, which is predicated on the Freedom of Movement. 

What the PR industry has already seen

A change the PR industry has already seen is in workload. PR agencies and professional services across the UK and no doubt, the EU, have seen an influx in inquiries from clients, customers and stakeholders about how Brexit will impact them and their business. This has led to a surge in blog posts, advice articles and online engagement. However due to the nature of Brexit, nobody is certain of the outcome and is unable to give objective advice and consultation.

Opportunities

The PR industry may see positive impacts from Brexit, including strengthened ties beyond the EU. No consideration of the global PR community today can ignore the reshaping of the world economy and the rebalancing of global political power. This perhaps poses opportunities to strengthen relationships with the likes of the UAE, South Africa and Australasia.

In terms of the future of public relations, and in relation to Brexit, the conclusion is; ‘Nobody knows’. Since the Referendum in 2016, Parliament have come to no set-solution for Brexit, and the uncertainty around it is not exclusive to Parliament and the political field. In terms of the industry, the foundations of public relations; media relations, reputation, crisis and issues management; will remain the same. It will inevitably evolve and adapt with whatever happens; precisely as it has done in the past decade since the emergence of the smartphone.

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