The PR News Review: The politics of farce, FIFA’s PR disaster and Mbappe the communicator

This episode of the PRmoment News Review frames Andy Burnham not just as a skilled communicator, but as a potential reset figure in UK political communications, operating in a structurally hostile environment.Ben Smith positions the discussion around a pivotal political moment – Burnham’s ascent to national leadership – and asks whether he is “more than a better communicator than Keir Starmer.” Angie Moxham’s core argument is that Burnham’s strength is not superficial performance but value‑driven communication: his clarity and fluency are rooted in conviction and a sense that Labour has drifted from its founding values. This gives his messaging an authenticity that is hard to manufacture and may underpin a more energetic, “forward‑moving” government narrative.However, Mark Borkowski stresses the expectation‑management gap. Burnham’s team, he argues, has not matched high emotional appeal with clear, visible policy detail—especially on social care, in a way that echoes Starmer’s own family stories. Mark characterises the UK as operating on an “economy of hope”, drawing a parallel with the England football team: audiences project outsized hopes onto symbolic figures, while structural problems (seven prime ministers in ten years, deep‑rooted social and fiscal constraints) remain.The panel converges on a key comms challenge: Burnham must sell hard trade‑offs—notably higher taxes to fund social care and other public services—in a fragmented, hyper‑critical media environment where “bad news sells” and social platforms amplify outrage. For PR professionals, this raises the question of whether a leader can sustain a truth‑telling, “hard ass” narrative about limits and sacrifice without being politically destroyed.Burnham’s minimalist media strategy is a central theme. Angie notes that he limits access, grants few interviews (Gary Lineker being one!), and deploys allies like Steve Rotheram as surrogates—essentially a tight‑circle, low‑exposure model.Mark likens this to carrying a “Ming vase” during Starmer’s campaign: minimal risk, minimal visibility. The open question is whether this approach can survive the “brutal” post‑honeymoon phase, when scrutiny intensifies and media (including right‑wing outlets) actively seek to puncture his legitimacy.Strategically, Burnham’s focus on regional power and the North is both a policy and branding choice. Angie suggests he will prioritise domestic issues, the machinery of government, and devolution over grandstanding on the international stage, in contrast to Starmer’s more statesmanlike positioning. This is likely to sharpen political polarisation—a clearer Labour identity versus a Conservative counter‑narrative led by Kemi Badenoch—even though Burnham will likely need to command the political centre to retain power.For PR and comms leaders, the episode underscores three imperatives:Expectation design as a core comms function, not an afterthought.Narrative discipline that ties personal storytelling to concrete policy.Building resilient strategies for fragmented media—where influence, not just coverage, must be actively architected.This week's PR News Review's top quotes:On Burnham vs Starmer – substance and style“He’s painted as ‘just Keir Starmer with better comms’ – and that’s absolutely not the case. He’s way more than a communicator, he’s just bloody good at it.” Angie Moxham, [00:01:17]On the UK’s ‘economy of hope’“We live in an economy of hope. He comes down from the North bearing communication gifts – but we’ve had seven prime ministers in ten years. That’s a shocking statistic.”Mark Borkowski, [00:02:10]On the brutal post‑honeymoon reality“The real test comes after the summer honeymoon – when the brutality of the autumn hits and he has to sell more tax for everything we say we want.”Mark Borkowski, [00:02:10–00:04:00]On Burnham’s toughness and intent“It’s not going to be an easy job, of course it’s not. But he’s made of tough stuff, he’s a hard worker, and I think he’ll rip up rule books as quickly as he can.”Angie Moxham, [00:04:52–00:06:00]On minimalist media strategy“The interesting question is whether he’s going to continue as a minimalist media communicator – because so far he’s just not interested in walking into the bear pit of press conferences.”Angie Moxham, [00:07:20–00:08:00]On the new comms puzzle for politicians“Everybody is struggling to work out the new way of communicating to the electorate. The old world of the Sun and the Mail ‘winning elections’ has gone – but nobody’s really mastered the new one.”Mark Borkowski, [00:08:17–00:09:30]On Britain’s status and hard truths“We are not a superpower; we’re an ailing nation dealing with difficult social themes and great poverty. We need a hard‑ass prime minister who tells some hard‑ass truths.”Mark Borkowski, [00:12:25–00:13:30]On media sensationalism and public mindset“I’m fed up of clicking on headlines that promise one thing and deliver rubbish. That sensationalism warps how people think and feel about the world.”Angie Moxham, [00:10:48–00:12:10]On the UK’s hidden strengths“We are a nation of talent. We’re spawning amazing companies and, against many of our European neighbours, we’ve been performing far better than people think.”– Angie Moxham, [00:10:48–00:14:00]On what politics now needs“We’ve lived off far too much hope. The real mark of the man will be whether he can do what needs to be done – however uncomfortable it is for the electorate to suck it up.”Mark Borkowski, [00:12:25–00:14:00]

The episode of the PRmoment Podcast titled “PR Pitch Hacks” features host Ben Smith in conversation with agency Hannah Sharratt of Axe & Saw, exploring how PR pitching currently works and how it should evolve. Ben opens by noting that pitching, alongside timesheets and AVE, is one of the most emotive issues in PR, with recent years marked by excessively long shortlists, reverse pitch auctions and widespread ghosting of agencies. Here is the link to a previous PRmoment Podcast with Tui's Amy Dowling, where she outlined a recommended 12 stage PR pitch process.He argues that in‑house teams often overcomplicate what should be a structured, courteous process, and that following a clear best‑practice model would save agencies time and deliver better client–agency fit.Hannah, who likens pitching to dating with its “icks, tricks and hacks,” describes both the traditional pitch process and her more disruptive alternative. Traditionally, brands move from longlist to shortlist, run chemistry sessions with three or four agencies, issue a written brief, then hold pitch meetings where agencies present polished strategies and big ideas before a Q&A, followed by a delayed decision and often poor feedback. From an agency standpoint, chemistry sessions are critical for understanding how clients think, why the brief exists, what their vision is, and who the real decision‑makers are. She stresses the need to research and challenge in advance to bring a point of view, not just show up passively.Hannah’s proposed four‑step model retains the chemistry session but demands a much clearer, more brief. She insists on explicit budgets, not necessarily large but realistic, so agencies can shape ideas to fit. She also wants success metrics and decision‑maker clarity set out from the start. Her major innovation is replacing traditional pitch theatre with a live workshop. In this setup, the brief lands shortly before the meeting—perhaps 24 hours in advance—and the pitch itself becomes a collaborative working session. The agency leads, dissecting the brief, challenging assumptions and building ideas in real time with the client. She argues that this is far better for assessing how an agency thinks, responds under pressure and will work day‑to‑day than judging them on speculative deck polish. This is reinforced by her estimate that only about 10 to 15 percent of pitched ideas are ever implemented once legal, brand and procurement weigh in.The conversation also covers red flags and etiquette. For Hannah, no budget, fuzzy timings, overlong unfocused briefs and “blue‑sky thinking” requests without a defined sense of “bold” are strong warning signs. She is particularly wary of tissue sessions dominated by junior stakeholders that send agencies down the wrong path before senior decision‑makers appear at the final pitch. On ghosting, both she and Ben are blunt: decisions should come within 10 days to two weeks, and losing agencies deserve meaningful feedback, ideally via a phone call.Finally, they discuss how independent agencies like Axe & Saw use pitching strategically. Averaging roughly one pitch a week has helped them nearly double revenue in a year, but Hannah emphasises intentional growth: each win should either pay the bills or shift the agency’s trajectory, and profile is built as much through consistent, visible work as through formal announcements and awards.“I think pitching, agency pitching, is like dating. Everyone loves to talk about the icks and tricks and the hacks, and everyone gets very heated and irate.”— Hannah Sharrett, [0:01:58]“We’ve seen extraordinarily long long lists, reverse pitch auctions, and loads and loads of ghosting… it’s one of those topics that always stirs the passions, particularly with agency folks.”— Ben Smith, [0:00:03]“I don’t think it should be slick‑Rick presentations at all. I think the best pitch should feel like a live working session.”— Hannah Sharratt, [0:03:16]“If they can’t make a decision throughout the pitch process, that probably suggests they can’t make a decision that easily throughout your working relationship.”— Hannah Sharratt, [0:06:29]“I’m actually not looking for the biggest budget. I’m looking for the most honest conversation about where the budget actually is.”— Hannah Sharratt, [0:03:16]“In a dream world, 10 days, max two weeks. Anything longer than two weeks is offensive, or you can’t make a decision.”— Hannah Sharratt, [0:11:42]“If you don’t win, proper feedback is the most valuable thing you can give an agency. It’s the one thing that says, ‘This hasn’t all been for nothing.’”— Hannah Sharratt, [0:11:42]“If a client says they want bold but they can’t define what bold means to them, they’re probably not ready to buy bold.”— Hannah Sharratt, [0:17:39]“Bold without a budget—that’s the ultimate destructive combo.”— Hannah Sharratt, [0:18:43]“Every pitch matters because every client changes your trajectory.”— Hannah Sharratt, [0:24:48]

In this episode of the PRmoment Podcast’s weekly news review, Ben Smith is joined by Angie Moxon and Mark Borkowski for a wide‑ranging discussion spanning British politics, football, FIFA’s reputation, and Wimbledon.The conversation opens with what Angie has dubbed “the politics of farce”, focusing on Nigel Farage, the Reform party, Count Binface, and the Clacton by‑election. Angie predicts Count Binface could “trash” Farage and laments that, despite the historic struggle to win the vote, British politics has descended into something comical and depressing. Public disillusionment, she argues, is understandable given the corruption and behaviour of politicians.Mark acknowledges Farage’s skill as a communicator and campaigner, noting how effectively he has handled tough questions about a £5 million donation from Christopher Harborne. However, he suggests that Farage has “crossed the line” regarding rules on political funding and now faces appropriate scrutiny, potentially including police investigation. Mark argues that Farage’s strengths as a campaigner do not necessarily translate into being a capable constituency MP, and suggests many Reform supporters may worry about his actual ability to represent them.The trio then discuss the strategic move by other major parties to unite against Farage by refusing to play his “let the people decide” by‑election game. Mark sees this as a rare moment of unity against political outliers that, if repeated more often, might strengthen parliamentary democracy. Angie reflects on the demographic profile of Clacton – likely older voters – and suggests this still favours Farage, though national mood and protest votes could yet shape the result. Ben points out that Reform typically struggle to exceed 30–35% of the vote, making them vulnerable if they face a single unity candidate.The discussion shifts to sport, starting with the World Cup and Kylian Mbappé’s handling of a racist remarks from a Paraguayan senator Celeste Amarilla. Mark praises the transformation in elite footballer behaviour, contrasting today’s professionalism with the troubles of past stars such as Gazza and Wayne Rooney. Top players like Mbappé, Ronaldo, Bellingham, and Kane are portrayed as heavily media‑trained, acutely aware of their social‑media power, and highly responsible communicators who understand their status as global icons. Angie adds a personal perspective, recalling the open racism she heard on football terraces as a child and highlighting how far, despite serious remaining problems, things have improved.From there, the panel turns to FIFA’s communications and governance. Mark brands FIFA’s PR an “absolute disaster” and is scathing about Gianni Infantino’s ego and political manoeuvring, including the rescinding of a controversial red card and the theatrical awarding of a “peace prize” to Donald Trump. Angie broadens the critique to the systemic corruption and “jobs for the boys” culture she sees in male‑dominated sports administration and corporate leadership, arguing this erodes credibility and is terrible public relations.Finally, the conversation moves to Wimbledon. Ben notes that, in a World Cup year with a depleted British tennis contingent, organisers must have been worried about interest – until Arthur Ferry’s unexpected run to the semi‑finals. Angie welcomes him as a much‑needed “Great British hope” whose success can lift viewing figures. Ben closes by observing that the power of sport to capture attention and provide a temporary escape from a troubled world is as strong as ever.“We’re now in a season of political farce – and that’s a tragedy for a country where people fought so hard to win the vote.” Angie Moxon [00:00:49]–[00:01:20]“Farage is a remarkable communicator – but he’s never been a man who embraces rules, and this time he’s crossed the line.” Mark Borkowski [00:01:29]–[00:02:15]“If you woke up from a 40‑year sleep and saw the last two weeks’ headlines, you’d ask: what on earth has happened to this country?” Mark Borkowski00:02:56]–[00:03:18]“Count Binface’s best strategy might be to stay quiet – and let Farage’s circus speak for itself.” Angie Moxon  [00:05:04]–[00:05:35]“Today’s superstars – Mbappé, Bellingham, Kane, Ronaldo – are not just great players; they’re some of the sharpest communicators in global sport.” Mark Borkowski[00:06:17]–[00:08:06]“I grew up hearing vile racism on the terraces as a little girl – so when modern players call it out, it really matters.” Angie Moxon[00:08:25]–[00:09:10]“FIFA’s PR has been an absolute disaster; Infantino’s ego is centre‑stage while the credibility of the organisation collapses.” Mark Borkowski[00:09:10]–[00:10:18]“This is a classic ‘jobs for the boys’ structure – male, closed, and corrupt – and it’s terrible PR for football.” Angie Moxon[00:10:51]–[00:11:22]“Despite all the scandals, the World Cup still pulls in more than half the planet – that’s the scale of spectacle we’re talking about.” Mark Borkowski [00:11:43]–[00:12:37]“Arthur Ferry turning up in a Wimbledon semi‑final is exactly the kind of underdog story broadcasters dream of in a World Cup year.” Ben Smith (with context from Angie)[00:12:46]–[00:13:17]

In this episode of the PRmoment Podcast News Review, Ben Smith steers a sharp conversation with Mark Borkowski and Angie Moxham about one big idea: expectation management as a core comms discipline, using England at the World Cup and Andy Burnham as parallel case studies."We've been in a melee of misery with Starmer… now in comes Burnham, coming up on the left wing, dribbling the ball of hope alongside Kane and his team." – Angie Moxham [0:03:44]Mark opens by reframing “hope” as both asset and liability. For England, he argues, the data says we’ve already over-performed historically: given the country’s size, winning in 1966 was an outlier. Yet every tournament is framed as “win or failure,” a narrative supercharged by 24/7 media and influencer culture. His mantra — never over‑promise, never under‑deliver — is basically a risk‑management doctrine for communicators. The problem, he says, is we “don’t have the language to manage expectation” at a national level. That’s a damning indictment of both political and media comms: we’re great at hype, dreadful at landing people safely when reality bites.Angie extends this into mood politics. The country has lurched from a “melee of misery” under Starmer’s early leadership into a fragile “moment of hope” pinned on both Harry Kane and Burnham. Her point is brutally simple: when you load that much symbolic weight onto a football match or a leader, the inevitable downside is a national emotional crash when they fall short. She explicitly links this to GDP, underlining that expectation isn’t just psychological theatre – it has real economic consequences.Both guests converge on a core technique: use statistics and framing to create perspective. Mark uses probability (England’s slim chances; the structural difficulty of governing in a weak economy) to temper fantasy. Angie echoes this in her client advice: frame stories with facts and stats so journalists can anchor coverage in reality, not fantasy. This is effectively a playbook for PRs: don’t just pitch hope; quantify risk, odds, and timelines.The Burnham discussion is where the political application crystallises. Angie praises his early “quick wins” and symbolic moves (e.g. moving Number 10 north) that signal momentum without waiting for legislation. That’s clever expectation design: visible, low‑friction actions that buy time for slower structural change. In contrast, Starmer’s early period is described as “rabbits in the headlights” — a textbook case of failing to capitalise on the expectation window at the start of a mandate.Mark’s take on Thomas Tuchel adds a personal brand layer. Tuchel, he argues, has engineered a no‑lose positioning: if he fails with England, he still exits as a scarce, elite coach. His softer English‑language persona versus his more aggressive German‑language style is framed as deliberate audience‑specific self‑editing — expectation management at the level of tone and character.Editorially, the through‑line is clear: good comms is not about fuelling euphoria; it’s about designing the landing. The sophisticated operator uses data, symbolic gestures, and controlled language to keep hope alive without guaranteeing miracles.More quotes from this week's show:"Never over‑promise and never under‑deliver."– Mark Borkowski [0:01:07]"We don't have the language to manage expectation, in this country."– Mark Borkowski [0:02:57]"With every person who follows England, the phrase is it's the hope that kills you."– Mark Borkowski [0:01:40]"We've been in a melee of misery doom with Starmer leading the country… now in comes Burnham, coming up the left wing, dribbling the ball of hope alongside Kane and his team."– Angie Moxham [0:03:44]"When, if and when we lose, which we're likely to statistically, the mood of the nation is going to be absolutely crashing and burning."– Angie Moxham [0:04:15]"The media have a lot of responsibility here… the language that they use, the way they corral the nation's mood."– Angie Moxham [0:04:37]"The World Cup impacts GDP, it literally does."– Angie Moxham [0:04:58]"He's heralding in a new age of politics… he's just a normal guy, he's a man of the people."– Angie Moxham [0:09:19]

This episode of the PRmoment Podcast, hosted by Ben Smith with guest Andrew Bloch, reviews June 2026 UK PR pitch wins and M&A activity in the PR and wider marketing sector.Market sentiment and pitch environmentBloch describes the UK PR pitch market as buoyant and optimistic at the mid‑year point. Agencies are reporting record months, strong new‑business pipelines, and clients releasing healthy campaign budgets on top of retainers. Despite political and economic uncertainty, including wars in Ukraine and Iran and rising energy prices, there is a “heads‑down and busy” pitch environment. Investment is particularly strong in social, consumer, and experiential work, with agencies that can prove genuine commercial impact winning out.Notable pitch winsA series of high‑profile wins illustrate where spend is flowing:Delphi wins UK comms for Gen Digital (Norton, Avast, LifeLock, etc.), a $4–5bn revenue cyber safety and financial wellness group. Wild Signal secures the global remit after an 11‑way pitch, then brings Delphi in for the UK.Tin Man, Appella Advisors, and Gladstone Place Partners win National Lottery operator Allwyn, spanning consumer activations and corporate advisory, taking over from Brunswick.Wonderland secures Ocean Spray across earned, creator, social, and trade, reinforcing its strength in food and drink/FMCG.Red wins Grant Thornton’s corporate comms to challenge conventions in professional services.Speed is appointed by Beko plc (Hotpoint, Whirlpool, Indesit, etc.) to oversee all six brands, building on a strong client of Brabantia, Post Office, Co‑op already Speed Clients.New agency Knock Three Times (founded by Kat Thomas) lands Westfield’s consumer comms, with a client explicitly citing their “creative storytelling and AI‑era visibility” proposition.Shook wins Innocent’s retained consumer press office, while Tin Man adds Yoplait; Boldspace wins Playmobil; and Smarts secures Costa Coffee.A clear pattern emerges: successful agencies combine sector specialism (FMCG, retail, lifestyle) with integrated capabilities (earned, influencer, social, retail activation) and a strong commercial/strategic narrative.M&A themesOn M&A, Bloch says the “M&A world is super busy”, driven by needs for scale, specialism, and social/creator capability:Accenture Song acquires Whalar, signalling how seriously big consultancies now take the creator economy and its projected $40bn+ value.LADbible Group buys a 75% stake in Uncovered for an initial £26m, aiming to combine publisher scale and insight with social‑first creativity, and to shift revenue towards more predictable, direct partnerships.Far on the Hill merges with Fourth Day to form an international tech PR agency across London, New York, Paris, and Manchester.Fleet Street takes a minority stake in KAM Insight in hospitality, potentially a strategic “try before you buy” move, deepening shared data and insight.Bacchus, a luxury lifestyle and hospitality specialist, is acquired by Mazarin Group, reinforcing the power of niche, best‑in‑class specialists.The long‑running Golin–Ketchum merger is finalised under the name Golin Ketchum, creating a large‑scale creative communications powerhouse within Omnicom, with Matt Neale as global CEO and Tamara Norman as global president.Across these deals, Bloch stresses that scale + specialism + strategic/creative clout are becoming decisive, while content alone is commoditising under AI pressure, pushing value into strategy, creativity, and data‑driven effectiveness.The podcast in quotes:Market mood & impact focus“The agencies that can prove genuine commercial impact are winning, Half two of the year is here. Let’s get on with it.” – Andrew Bloch [0:02:35]On the M&A climate“The M&A world at the moment is super busy. There is nobody sitting still… there are deals happening. There is movement, and it is buoyant for sure at the moment.” – Andrew Bloch [0:03:14]On Delphi’s Gen Digital win“This is a four to five billion dollar revenue business… a significant win for an agency of that age and size.” – Andrew Bloch [0:04:33]On Knock Three Times and AI‑era visibility“Knock Three Times offered something we hadn’t seen elsewhere – a progressive proposition that puts creative storytelling and AI‑era visibility on equal footing.” – Andrew Bloch (quoting Westfield’s head of marketing) [0:10:16]On publishers buying agencies & the social sector“This is a play for the future, and this will not be the first deal you will see in this space of this nature.” – Andrew Bloch, on LADbible–Uncovered and social agencies [0:24:28]On AI and commoditised content“Content is becoming very much a commodity service… AI is an enormous threat to any agency that is in the content space. The agencies that will survive… have the strategic relationships, the creative relationships at the top table.” – Andrew Bloch [0:23:31–0:24:28]On Golin Ketchum’s ambition“Our ambition is to become the defining agency of the decade, and I love that, because it’s a massive ambition.” – Andrew Bloch, quoting Matt Neale [0:33:39]

The episode explores whether the PR jobs market is in crisis, how AI and economics are reshaping recruitment, and what candidates and employers should do next.Ben Smith frames the discussion by noting a “complex scene” where firms are still recruiting but “lots of really good people” are looking for work, with visible redundancies, especially in holding companies.Is the PR jobs market in crisis?Recruiter Olivia Skone rejects the word “crisis” but calls the environment “challenging” across the creative industries. There are still “great roles for exceptional talent,” yet several pressures combine into what she calls a “perfect storm”: economic uncertainty, squeezed margins, clients “wanting more for less,” cautious hiring, and application volumes “drastically increasing” due to technology and AI [0:01:40–0:03:00].She stresses candidates struggle less with rejection than with opaque processes:“It’s actually not rejection that candidates are finding tough, I think it’s the visibility as to why they’re not getting through” [0:02:33].Volume of candidates and structural changeAgency founder Kat Thomas reports an unprecedented wave of jobseekers:“Since… end of February, early March, I’ve had well over 300 people contact me on LinkedIn, looking for work, and that’s extraordinary” [0:03:11–0:03:27].She’s seeing especially mid‑to‑senior people (around 10–15 years’ experience) across comms and creative:“I’ve just never seen it like it… I think it’s structural… the legacy of the industry shape shifting and redundancies at scale” [0:03:32–0:05:02].AI: “demon of mediocrity” and employer’s marketOlivia argues the core driver is still the economy, but AI is being used as “a really good excuse… to clean house a little bit” [0:06:16–0:07:32]. She predicts AI will be “the demon of mediocrity” – replacing lower‑level, process‑driven work, not top‑tier client leadership and original thinking.Kat describes today as “an employer’s market” with “overwhelming” choice [0:07:35–0:09:35]. Building an AI‑centric agency, she looks for people who are “AI literate or at the very least AI curious,” noting juniors are almost “AI natives,” while senior understanding is more mixed. AI, used well, creates “bandwidth” so teams can spend more time with clients and media [0:07:35–0:09:30].Broken recruitment channels and AI “CV slop”LinkedIn is now a firehose: roles can attract “over 500 applicants” in days [0:11:33–0:12:28]. That’s driving AI‑based screening and, as Olivia notes, a “homogenization of CVs” where“everyone looks brilliant on paper” [0:12:59–0:13:23].She warns of “robots writing the CVs, robots reviewing the CVs… robots interviewing humans” and insists “you cannot replace the human in the loop” [0:13:35–0:14:47].Advice and outlookOlivia tells redundant candidates:“Don’t be ashamed of this… it doesn’t define you or your worth” [0:23:53–0:26:46].She urges them to craft a clear narrative, visibly use downtime (speaking, writing, consulting), and avoid AI‑generated LinkedIn posts and CVs that erase individuality. Specificity, sector expertise, and a strong human voice matter more as tools make everything else look similar.Looking ahead, Olivia expects risk‑averse clients to favour sector specialists and leaders who combine transformation capability with high EQ and psychological safety [0:32:48–0:34:49]. Kat is broadly optimistic: AI can “supercharge your knowledge” while leaving creativity and originality firmly human [0:29:40–0:31:54].

This episode distils the six most important financial KPIs PR agency leaders should track, with Rachael Marshall, founder of specialist accountancy firm Magic Digits.Market contextRachael describes the current PR agency landscape as highly competitive and uneven: some agencies are “absolutely flying” while others are under real strain from rising costs and longer times to land business.“It’s been a rough year (for PR)… it’s a really mixed bag at the minute.” – Rachael [0:02:26]1. Cost of Sales (~30% of turnover)Third‑party delivery costs (freelancers, client‑specific software, etc.) should sit at about 30% of turnover. Higher levels can work for project-based agencies only if those costs are correctly rebilled to clients.“Anything you can do to rebill any of these third‑party costs is going to increase your revenue.” – Rachael [0:06:10]2. Staff Cost Ratio (50–60% of fee income)Direct, billable staff (including employers’ NIC, pensions, and proportionate directors’ salaries) should be 50–60% of fee income.Below 50%: team likely overstretched and near burnout.Above 60%: usually a pricing problem or inefficient structure.3. Gross Profit, Overheads and Net ProfitA 40–50% gross profit gives agencies the “oxygen” to operate without constant stress.“If you’ve got a healthy gross profit, everything’s easier… if it’s not, everything’s harder.” – Rachael [0:16:32]Overheads should be around 20%, leaving room for a target net profit of 20% (though many are currently at 5–15%).4. Cash, Debtor Days and ResilienceRachael recommends three months’ cash reserves plus the next corporation tax bill, with debtor days ideally 30–45. She underlines that:“Profit doesn’t equal cash… it matters what you’ve got in the bank to pay people.” – Rachael [0:29:45]

In the latest PRmoment Podcast news review, host Ben Smith sits down with PR heavyweights Mark Borkowski and Angie Moxham to dissect a packed agenda covering political downfalls, tech trillionaires, and sports geopolitics. Before diving in, Smith drops a crucial reminder to secure tickets for the upcoming PR in AI Masterclass, featuring an incredible lineup available both face-to-face and virtually.The Politics of War and a Leadership VacuumThe discussion kicks off with the unraveling of Keir Starmer’s leadership following high-profile exits like John Healy over defence budget shortfalls. Angie Moxham delivers a scathing review, calling the exit the "last weapon of mass Starmer destruction" and the "final nail-in in Keir’s coffin." She describes Starmer as a "wounded dog limping towards the exit door," concluding simply that "he's not a leader."Mark Borkowski highlights the internal party despair, noting insiders have long since "given up on Keir."Looking ahead, Moxham predicts Manchester's Andy Burnham will secure a slim win at the Makerfield election and ultimately "end up in number 10."Elon Musk and the Illusion of ValueThe panel then tackles Elon Musk’s trajectory toward becoming the world’s first trillionaire. Borkowski holds nothing back, blasting Musk for "interfering with British politics from the other side of the world with some really disgusting and inciting language." He strongly challenges the cultural idolization of "mega tech bros," asking if they should be viewed as examples for humanity: "I argue you're not."Moxham balances this critique with a critical lesson for comms professionals, noting Musk has "absolutely managed the art of perception to drive value in his businesses." For any CEO doubting PR's bottom-line impact, Moxham argues Musk is the ultimate proof of its power—even if he completely rewrites the rules of public accountability.The World Cup Paradox: Unity vs. GeopoliticsFinally, the conversation shifts to the upcoming North American World Cup. Moxham underscores the immense emotional and cultural stakes of the beautiful game, sharing a striking quote: "The World Cup is the only event on earth where a billion people cry at the same time. The question is... whether those are tears of joy or tears of hatred."While Borkowski notes that toxic global politics is already seeping into the tournament, he remains optimistic that great football will ultimately win out and rescue everyone from politicians to brands.Master the Future: PR in AI MasterclassAs technology and perception continue to redefine the global corporate landscape, staying ahead of the curve is non-negotiable. Head over to the PRmoment homepage to grab your tickets for the PR in AI Masterclass. Tickets are flying out the door for both the face-to-face and virtual sessions—don't miss out on learning from an absolutely amazing lineup of industry experts!

In the May 2026 edition of the PRmoment Podcast, host Ben Smith sits down with new business maestro Andrew Bloch (AAR, PCB Partners) to dissect a shifting UK communications landscape. The overarching theme of the month highlights a widening divide between agencies riding massive waves of momentum and those experiencing localized, procurement-driven hesitation.Before diving into the market data, Ben shares two critical industry diary dates for your radar:AI in PR Masterclass (July 2nd, 2026): Titled The Age of Algorithms, Predictive Analytics, and Risk, this event is a comprehensive guide to navigating future-facing tech. Secure your virtual or face-to-face London spot at PRmasterclasses.com.The Creative Moment Awards: The absolute final entry deadline is closing fast on Friday, 19th June 2026. Ensure your team's best creative work is in the running by submitting over at creativemomentawards.co.Key Themes1. The procurement squeeze and market polarizationAndrew Bloch defines the current climate as one of "cautious optimism" mixed with macro anxiety. Pipelines are active, but growth is unevenly distributed. Agencies with sharp specialisms—particularly in sports, consumer lifestyle, and social—are thriving, while others face gridlocked client sign-offs. Furthermore, clients are heavily relying on procurement to extract maximum commercial impact, shifting expectations entirely away from traditional "column inches."2. The independent "David vs. Goliath" surgeA massive takeaway from May's pitch cycle is the clear dominance of independent agencies over legacy network holding companies. Clients are progressively prioritizing agile storytelling and pure earned media capabilities over sheer corporate scale.3. M&A Strategy: earned media as strategic platform glueWhile private equity (PE) and trade buyers are exercising strict valuation discipline, high-quality independents remain hot targets. Private equity is increasingly viewing standout consumer PR agencies as anchor platforms to bolt on smaller social, data, and AI-enabled services.Major pitch wins & M&A DealsNotable Wins: Words and Pixels scooped the coveted UK/Ireland brief for tech giant Pinterest, beating out legacy networks. Newly launched Joe Public landed Sneak Energy, and The Romans expanded their sports footprint by securing Oakley’s global and North American remit. Other wins included Grayling taking the Croatian National Tourist Board and Hope and Glory onboarding Ask Italian.M&A Highlights: Publicis made a massive $2.2 billion bet on tech infrastructure by acquiring data collaboration platform LiveRamp at a 30% premium. Meanwhile, Havas snapped up Paris-based corporate influence firm Format, and Mike Worldwide acquired workplace communications agency Hudson Lake.Quotes from Andrew BlochOn maintaining agency momentum:"In a market like this where budgets could disappear overnight, momentum is really the closest thing you can get to having security... You can't stand still in this market. Standing still is going backwards."On why private equity is hunting for PR firms:"What's really encouraging for the PR space is they're seeing earned media as actually the glue that ties together lots of different bits of the marketing mix."On the resurgence of pure storytelling:"A lot of agencies have almost forgotten the art of storytelling and the art of earned media... Let’s not forget how important earned media is. That’s where PR is."

In this episode of the PRmoment Podcast, Ben Smith and Will Hart, CEO of PRmoment Leaders, engage in a timely debate surrounding the structural integration of public relations and artificial intelligence. Moving decisively past the initial "experimental" phase where practitioners simply played with basic prompts, the industry has rapidly arrived at a critical juncture. Today's leaders are forced to confront foundational organizational design questions, evolving agency structures, and entirely new talent profiles.While Hart highlights the profound excitement of being able to fundamentally rethink traditional operational workflows, Smith offers a grounded counter-perspective: the core objective of public relations—using distinct channels to strategically influence audiences—remains fundamentally unchanged. However, the infrastructure utilized to achieve these goals is shifting dramatically. A primary catalyst is the democratisation of predictive analytics; a concept that was once a cost-prohibitive dream for marketers is now an accessible reality for modern PR targeting. Yet, this technological leap brings multifaceted risks. Agency leaders are navigating intense client pushback regarding intellectual property security, deepfakes, corporate reputation vulnerabilities, and looming sector-specific compliance regulations.A significant portion of the dialogue focuses on agency workflows and the existential threat of automation. Smith warns against a reductive approach to AI, noting that if an agency’s sole strategy is the integration of basic tools, it triggers a "race to the bottom" since everyone has access to the same software. True competitive advantage relies on human curiosity and the ability to navigate strategic ambiguity. This technical evolution directly challenges the traditional agency pyramid model. As AI automates the "grunt work," leaders must figure out how to train junior entry-level staff who historically relied on those repetitive tasks to learn the trade. Concurrently, in-house corporate communications roles are experiencing a major boardroom elevation, transforming CCOs into critical stakeholders guiding their broader enterprises through the AI revolution.To master these urgent structural friction points, PR professionals should secure tickets to the upcoming AI in PR Masterclass (full agenda details at https://www.prmasterclasses.com/masterclass/pr-masterclasses-ai-in-pr/agenda).Curated by Smith, this advanced, pitch-free session is not a how to write prompts for ChatGPT tutorial - it’s a high-level strategic activation. The elite speaker lineup includes Sal Della Monica (MikeWorldwide) discussing how to prevent efficiency from diluting work effectiveness, Allison Spray (Burson) exposing AI implementation traps, and Andy Barr revealing critical research on which media titles influence LLM results.Additionally, leading copyright lawyer Luke English will break down the legal landscape, Mike Robb (Boldspace) will showcase agent-based workflow redesigns, and Kat Arnull will delve into the power of market mix modeling. The day also features a powerhouse corporate panel with in-house communications directors from L&G, Tenable, Procore, and Verizon, wrapped up by Peter Heneghan (Albie) forecasting the ultimate redesign of future communications teams. Available both in-person and via virtual live stream, space is strictly limited.Will Hart on the scale of the AI shift:"AI in PR got real very quickly. It's massively exciting though. How many times in your life in your working life do you get to be in a place where you can fundamentally rethink everything you do and how you do it."Ben Smith on the hidden danger of over-automating:"You might run the most beautifully efficient PR business by integrating AI into your workflow. But if you're not very careful about the quality of your work, your level of insight may well decrease."Ben Smith on why relying solely on tools backfires:“If your strategy is the integration of tools and agents in your business, it's a race to the bottom. Because everyone's basically got access to that."Ben Smith on how predictive analytics solves PR's historical budget issue:"One of the things that has always had the handbrake on PR budgets is that unpredictability of outcome because there's so many other things going on... but AI has made predictive analytics accessible for a fraction of the historical cost. For PR that is going to change the game"