African PR industry emerges from pandemic in position of strength

The study, which surveyed more than 550 practitioners from 27 countries across Africa, paints a picture of a vibrant, growing industry that has emerged in a position of strength despite the disruption from the past two years. In fact, 33% of respondents said their strategic counsel is valued more than ever by business leaders and a further 27% said they feel valued at board level.
 
However, the pandemic has created significant challenges for the African PR industry, with 36% of respondents having had their employment affected. And despite the growing overall optimism, 62% believed reduced budgets still posed the greatest threat to the PR industry’s future.
 
The importance of ethical, effective communications has never been more evident than today, as the world grapples with disinformation across various media. Encouragingly, most PR practitioners feel the profession is viewed as ethical. Thirteen percent of respondents said they had been asked to act unethically within the past 12 months.
 
Other Key Findings:

– The research revealed the scale of the challenge facing the industry’s attempts to adopt more rigorous measurement and evaluation methods to prove the power of its work. Troublingly, the universally discredited Metric Advertising Value Equivalent (AVE) remains the most common form of measurement.

– Nearly half (47%) of PR professionals say that they will be back in the office full-time once Covid restrictions are fully lifted. Many will spend at least some of their time working from home, while a small number are still unsure.

– Poor measurement and evaluation, and reduced budgets, are viewed as the biggest threats to the PR industry in the immediate future. Recruitment and retention, and technology and innovation, are also substantial risks.

– Digital and social media is a clear leader in terms of increased importance during the past two years. It was closely followed by reputation management and crisis management, both of which have been particularly relevant during the pandemic.  

PRCA Africa Chair Jordan Rittenberry said: “The pandemic’s impact has been felt differently in different parts of Africa, and elsewhere in the world. But what all geographies have in common is a heightened appreciation of the value of good communications.
 
“Whether through public health campaigns promoting Covid-19 safety measures, to reassuring crisis communications from companies facing unexpected incidents, those organisations able to effectively connect with key audiences and stakeholders have been more effective and resilient during the pandemic.
 
“Meanwhile, those without proper comms capacity have suffered. These trends are confirmed in this report, with the majority (67%) of African PR professionals feeling that the perception of PR has improved since the start of the pandemic. This, and 33% of respondents saying that business leaders are increasingly reliant on PR counsel, with another 27% feeling valued by their board, shows that the future is bright.”