The PR pitch wins and M&A run down for March

Welcome to the News Review on the PRmoment podcast. In this weekly show I’m joined by Angie Moxham and Mark Borkowski.In the PR News Review we look at the biggest news stories of the week from a PR perspective. This week, we're talking about Huw Edwards' publicist Barry Tomes leaving GMB hosts Susanna Reid and Ed Balls speechless, what to expect from Meta and Google as social media gets its Big Tobacco moment and whether new BBC director general Matt Brittin has the hardest job in media.Tickets for The PRmoment Awards are now available for both London and Manchester, go to PRmomentAwards.com to grab your tickets.Huw Edwards' Publicist BacklashThe panel expressed shock and disbelief over Barry Tomes' appearance, agreeing that his highly visible and unprofessional interview set the PR industry back. Mark Borkowski called the attempt to resurrect Edwards’ career equivalent to trying to float the Titanic.Big Tech Accountability ForecastDiscussion covered the potential 'big tobacco moment' for Meta and Google, which was considered long overdue, having been predicted 10 years prior. Mark Borkowski anticipates Big Tech will employ a 'responsible product defense' strategy rather than using the exact big tobacco playbook.New BBC Director GeneralThe panel agreed that leading the BBC is the hardest job in media, with Angie Moxham confirming that Matt Brittin is a sensible choice. Brittin’s background from Google is expected to apply a different, necessary lens to the organization, which is currently often viewed as being in a 'slow motion crisis'.

Our March review highlighted a resilient M&A market and increased pitch activity with specialist agencies dominating wins.Pitch and M&A Market HealthThe PR pitch market is good with high agency confidence, but client decision-making timelines are lengthening, creating a sustained grind. The M&A market is robust, demonstrating strong resilience with high demand for specialist, technology-driven agencies, particularly from US buyers.Major PR Wins SecuredMultiple high-profile pitch wins were announced, including Edelman securing Vista Global and Mischief winning Schweppes' global creative strategy. Hope&Glory's Wagamama win reflects a trend of PR firms successfully competing for social and influencer mandates against specialist social agencies.Strategic Agency AcquisitionsSeveral major acquisitions reinforced the demand for specialised capabilities, with Parity acquiring One Strategy Group to enter the US corporate advisory space. Publicis acquired AdgeAI, an AI-powered analytics platform, reinforcing the industry's focus on technology and predictive performance insights.

Host:  Will Hart, dean of school, PRmoment LeadersFeaturing:Victoria Usher, CEO and founder, GingerMayDavid Phillips, co-founder and CEO, PangolinThis is a special one-off edition of the podcast, hosted by Will Hart who heads up the PRmoment Leaders programme.  Joining Will are Victoria Usher and David Phillips, both founders of successful independent agencies operating for over 10 years and specialising in separate sectors (respectively, GingerMay in b2b and Pangolin in consumer). Both are also on PRmoment Leaders as it approaches the second anniversary in May.The discussion began with Victoria and David reflecting on what they know about leadership today that they did not know when starting their agencies.  They also explored their key relationships within their businesses, David’s with his co-founder Will Cookson and Victoria with her team lead now by Amy Lawrence.  They discussed the key attributes required of agency leaders, including decisiveness especially when pivots are required of the business.They also explored how their time is most effectively used, including the split between current operations, client revenue and future-focused business strategy.  Other key topics covered included how to properly delegate and empower your agency teams and the critical importance of getting hiring right.The podcast concluded with Victoria and David sharing their thoughts on what they’re enjoying most and taking away from their participation in the PRmoment Leaders programme.DETAILSWelcome and Context: The discussion was framed as a special one-off edition of the PR Moment podcast, with Will Hart hosting because May marks two years of the PR Moment Leaders program, providing a timely opportunity to reflect on leadership. Victoria Usher is the founder and CEO of Ginger May, a B2B specialist agency started in 2010 with 35 employees, and David Phillips is the co-founder of Pangolin PR, established around 12 to 13 years ago, with approximately 25 employees.Reflecting on Early Leadership Knowledge: When asked about what they know about leadership today that they did not know when starting their agencies, Victoria stated she initially knew nothing about leadership and that the reality differs vastly from the initial fantasy. She likened running an agency to having children, emphasizing that it is a constant, difficult job with a multitude of decisions. David concurred, describing his journey as a steep learning curve since leaving his roles at Freud's as junior account directors.The Co-Founder Relationship: David detailed the evolution of his working relationship with co-founder Will Cookson, noting that while they are close friends outside of work, they maintain a necessary professional distance during the intense work week. They find that their personalities complement each other, enabling them to quickly reach decisions without major disagreements, attributing this success to mutual respect. Will observed that many successful independent PR agencies are co-founded, acknowledging Victoria's "extreme bravery" in founding Ginger May alone.Challenges of Being a Solo Founder: Victoria admitted that the benefit of a partner is discussing nuanced business issues, as she previously had to manage problems alone, which was a "visceral" experience when your livelihood is on the line. She confirmed the difficulty of solo-founding and advised others to adopt David’s' co-founder model. Having a trusted managing director, Amy Lawrence, has since provided a partner in crime, marking a significant turning point for the business.Leadership Decisiveness: Will suggested that decisiveness is often sought and respected in leadership roles because agency professionals are commonly criticized for being poor at making quick decisions. David confirmed that quick

This week the PR News Review panel of Angie Moxham, Mark Borkowski and Ben Smith explore Nigel Farage's data-driven political stunt, the gossip surrounding Zendaya and Tom Holland and finish with a discussion about Banksy's identity reveal.Farage's political stuntNigel Farage's action of paying an entire street’s electricity bill was deemed a clever stunt to draw attention to the energy debate and, perhaps more importantly, collect valuable data for Reform UK campaigns. Zendaya and Holland’s publicity powerSpeculation regarding Zendaya and Tom Holland’s marriage was viewed as a powerful, controlled publicity move that created "catnip" marketing and forced the press to follow the celebrity-driven narrative. This approach demonstrated modern film marketing’s focus on seeding gossip and hype, amplifying stories via social media.Banksy identity impact debatedThe reported revelation of Banksy's identity as Robin Gunningham was confirmed as an old scoop, but it was agreed that Banksy's anonymity significantly impacted the value of his work. The consensus was that the identity reveal will not damage the brand but will likely increase their power as a "national treasure."

Welcome to the News Review on the PRmoment podcast. In this weekly show I’m joined by Angie Moxham and Mark Borkowski.In the PR News Review we look at the biggest news stories of the week from a PR perspective and this week we're talking:Starmer, Mandelson and the Iran WarMusk, Tesla and Ofgem PR Ethics, Lobbying Rules and why PR firms need to be increasing careful in choosing their clientsBefore we start do check out The PRmoment Awards shortlists, they are an incredible selection of the best work happening in UK PR right now.Starmer, Mandelson and the Iran WarKeir Starmer's choice of Mandelson as ambassador was labeled a "nasty stain" despite Starmer taking responsibility for the move. Angie Moxham predicted that the recurring controversy would fatally damage Starmer's premiership.Musk, Tesla and OfgemIn the PR News Review we discuss Elon Musk's re-engagement with the UK media after Tesla secured an electricity supply license from Ofgem for domestic and business electricity.PR Ethics, The Lobbying Act and controversial clientsThe need for PR firms to ethically select clients was emphasised, citing controversies that make PR firms part of the story when representing controversial clients. The Prime Minister has requested the Ethics and Integrity Commission review UK lobbying rules. The PR News Review panel acknowledged "gaping holes" in the 2014 Lobbying Act.

In this week’s show Ben Smith and Michael Kempner discuss the current US political climate. Michael Kempner talks us through the organic growth of MikeWorldwide from a garage in 1986 to a “$70 million turnover”, crediting early success to "intentional serendipity," a strong network, and a focus on problem-solving outside of traditional PR conventions. The discussion also covered Michael Kempner's optimism about the future of PR and Michael’s advice on risk, failure, and the importance of hiring and retaining the right people.Ben Smith also reminded listeners that the shortlists for the PRmoment Awards in London and Manchester are now live and that ticket sales for both events have opened.

Ben Smith, Angie Moxham, and Mark Borkowski discuss the Greens' bi-election win in Gorton and Denton, attributing the success of the candidate, Hannah Spencer, and Zack Polanski's  effective communication campaign that provided a message of hope, local authenticity, and leveraged identity politics against Labour. On the show we also discuss the language of war in the Iran conflict, where Mark Borkowski noted the problematic trend of naming military operations like video games and the increased control of narrative through restricted journalist access.Angie Moxham critiques the current political rhetoric as incendiary and thoughtless. DetailsThe Greens' Bi-election Win in Gorton and Denton: Angie Moxham suggested that the Greens' success, led by Zack Polanski, was anticipated because they effectively campaigned on a message of hope and optimism, which resonated with people fatigued by negative news. They concluded that the victory was more attributable to effective communication than to the specifics of the party's policy.Authenticity and Identity Politics in the Bi-election: Mark Borkowski emphasized the authenticity of the successful candidate, Hannah Spencer, who was described as a working-class local person with a background as a plumber and plasterer. This local identity and seeming distance from the "Westminster bubble" provided credibility and appeal to the electorate, suggesting that identity politics played a significant role. Angie Moxham added that the lack of a genuinely working-class Labour leader, referencing Keir Starmer, highlighted the smartness of the Greens' communication strategy.Campaign Strategy and Protest Vote Analysis: Mark Borkowski noted that a clever local campaign, including the alleged dark arts use of an image connecting Keir Starmer with Indian President Narendra Modi, to target the Pakistani community, was effective in the constituency. Regarding the nature of the win, Angie Moxham concluded that the victory was likely a combination of the local grassroots efforts and a broader desire among people for hope, especially considering the current negative climate in the UK.The Language of War and Conflict Communication: The discussion shifted to the communication strategies observed in relation to the conflict in Iran, involving the US and Israel. Mark Borkowski noted the concerning trend of giving military operations evocative names like "Operation Roaring Lion" and "Operation Epic Fury," suggesting that the conflict is being "sold" as a "Call of Duty type of game". This language aligns with the increasing mechaniaation of warfare, making it easier to engage in conflict without physical "boots on the ground".The Danger of Incendiary Political Rhetoric: Angie Moxham described the language of war, particularly from figures like Trump, as "absolutely excruciating" and incendiary. They expressed concern that this thoughtless, insulting rhetoric will only lead to more death and destruction, likening the political climate to a "child's playground.”Mark Borkowski agreed that there is a current lack of calming voices on the global scene, emphasising that the aggressive language is driven by the 24/7 news cycle.Media Control and Propaganda in Modern Warfare: Mark Borkowski highlighted the extreme control of the narrative, specifically citing the IDF’s restriction of independent journalists, which they contrasted with earlier conflicts where journalists had more access. They pointed out that both sides understand the power of propaganda, referencing ISIS’s carefully staged executions for YouTube, concluding that the current age amplifies the loudest voice, making it easier to create factionalization.

Ben Smith and Andrew Bloch reviewed the UK PR pitch and M&A market in February, noting that the pitch market was "steadier" with clients taking longer to decide, while agency M&A was "booming" with high demand and competition driving up prices for agencies around the £20 million enterprise value, especially those leveraging AI. PR pitch wise we saw significant client wins for Edelman, Words and Pixels, Brazen, W, and Hope&Glory, and key acquisitions included Resident acquiring Okay Cool, Future Group acquiring Alfred's assets, Kink acquiring Lobby PR, Havas acquiring a 51% stake in Acento, and Source Code acquiring Rally Point. WPP's strategy was discussed, as it shifts into four unified business units, including WPP Creative under which PR brands will sit.

 Ben Smith moderated a discussion between Howard Kosky and Lynsey Barry about the effectiveness of virtual versus in-office PR teams, with an emphasis on how both agency culture and leadership styles are impacted by physical location. Howard founded and ran Markettiers for 30 years and built the group to a £38m + turnover. Like most businesses it was office based until Covid and then developed a hybrid in office, virtual set up.Lynsey Barry is CEO and founder at Five not 10, a B2B PR firm with 9 employees founded in 2021.Barry, a proponent of remote-first, asserted that culture is behavior-driven and requires deliberate virtual leadership, while Kosky emphasized the value of an office as a central base for culture development, in-person talent coaching, and cultivating young talent's social skills, though both agreed that leadership is crucial irrespective of the physical setting. The speakers also explored the challenges of scaling agencies, the complexity of hybrid models, the importance of employee well-being, and how the office should be viewed as an investment rather than merely a cost. 

Ben Smith, Mark Borkowski, and Angie Moxham discussed several key topics including the difficulty of the Downing Street director of communications role and the need for a fresh perspective, Jim Ratcliffe's controversial "colonialisation" comment, and the emergence of fake AI experts.Angie Moxham and Mark Borkowski analysed the Washington Post redundancies, attributing reduced war coverage to "war fatigue" and economic factors driving editorial decisions, and concluded that PR professionals have an opportunity to engage the public with entertaining and mood-lifting campaigns amidst negative news fatigue.