{"id":141740,"date":"2022-12-14T14:43:39","date_gmt":"2022-12-14T13:43:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/?p=141740"},"modified":"2022-12-14T14:43:39","modified_gmt":"2022-12-14T13:43:39","slug":"the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-of-comms-in-2022","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/blog\/the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-of-comms-in-2022\/","title":{"rendered":"The good, the bad and the ugly of comms in 2022"},"content":{"rendered":"

Which brands, high-profile personalities and politicians have done a good job on their comms and reputation management this year?<\/strong><\/p>\n

To find out who and what have been naughty or nice this year, we asked the experts for their thoughts (since Santa is busy with his own lists this time of year)\u2026<\/p>\n

Rachel Roberts, CIPR<\/a> president and Spottydog Communications<\/a> founder<\/h3>\n

2022 in review:<\/strong>
\n\u2018Clients are telling me that they now realise they had their fingers burnt by cutting comms so quickly in response to COVID. It means they are more prepared to keep investing in people and external comms resource in tighter times because the hangover from a temporary pause or activity reduction in 2020 and 2021 means they don\u2019t want to go round the same cycle again. Overall for comms it means the covid era has resulted in greater recognition for the value we create.\u2019<\/p>\n

Great comms this year:<\/strong>
\n\u2018The communications clout of the Lionesses has helped to inspire the nation. Clearly a great performance on the pitch will always have provided a great catalyst for the Lionesses to reach an even bigger audience, but their genuine and authentic communications style has garnered affection, interest and engagement for Women\u2019s Football in a way that has always been realised on the back of other sporting success stories.<\/p>\n

\u2026however\u2026<\/strong>
\n\u2018On the flip side of the coin, the way some brands managed comms around the death of HM Queen felt a little disingenuous, going through the protocol motions to pay respects rather than a genuine and authentic reason to pay tribute. If a brand doesn\u2019t have a real reason to engage, it\u2019s better to say nothing rather than virtue gesticulation.\u2019<\/p>\n

Sarah Scholefield, PRCA<\/a> chair and Grayling<\/a>\u2019s global CEO<\/h3>\n

2022 in review:<\/strong>
\n\u2018Business leaders\u2019 perception of PR and communications has soared in the last year. In 2020, the PRCA surveyed FTSE250 business leaders on whether they considered communications to be important for protecting and strengthening reputation. At the time, 82% said yes. Fastrack to 2022, and that figure has risen to 96%.<\/p>\n

\u2018Further, in 2020, 68% of the same group said their communications provided strategic counsel to their senior management team.<\/p>\n

\u2018This year, the figure has climbed to 89%. Communications professionals are far more respected and trusted than ever before.\u2019<\/p>\n

Barbara Phillips, chair of PRCA\u2019s Race & Ethnicity Equity Board<\/a> and director of Brownstone<\/a><\/h3>\n

2022 in review:<\/strong>
\n\u2018I was delighted when Joe Lycett made mockery of what we pretend is an open unbiased media. First, when on the BBC he poker-faced described Liz Truss as the \u2018backwash of the dregs of the available Tory candidates\u2019 then his money-burning stunt in regard to the World Cup and a particular British ex-footballer\u2019s involvement. It was a win for PR because of the irreverence, creativity, and purpose combined. The message was heard. I know there is enormous creative talent in our industry and it shows that being more diverse in recruitment and subsequent opportunities will yield far more impactful results. Our industry wins when we advise our clients through the lens of humanity rather than profit. They are not mutually exclusive.\u2019<\/p>\n

A comms winner this year:<\/strong>
\nI\u2019m giving that to Sir Lewis Hamilton. The travesty that was Abu Dhabi Yas Marina 2021 [an F1 Grand Prix race] would have destroyed most athletes. Barbaric, naked racism. But not Sir Lewis. He fell silent on social media for three months, unfollowed everyone (millions). Instead of a justified rage, he let his fans and supporters do the talking. His fan base contributed to the FIA response and although there was no admission of wrongdoing the main person involved was removed. Sir Lewis then returned with enhanced GOAT status and with a few hundred thousand more followers to add to the 26m+. He is still the iconic face of F1 rather than the current F1 champion. Without uttering a word. That is some powerful reputation.\u2019<\/p>\n

Must do better:<\/strong>
\n\u2018The UK Government and the Royal family share the bottom slot. Clearly both are just playing to their gallery because whoever is running their PR and comms must see the broader negative impact of the messages and method of delivery. I don\u2019t get the sense that anybody actually cares. Extraordinarily poor from \u201cprofessionals\u201d.\u2019<\/p>\n

Stephen Waddington, founder and managing partner of Wadds Inc<\/a><\/h3>\n

2022 in review:<\/strong>
\n\u2018The public relations sector has continued to see growth and salary increases, created by demand and a shortage of talent.\u2019<\/p>\n

For who did not have a good 2022:<\/strong>
\n\u2018The UK Government failed us. FIFA had an own goal. Qatar proved the case for sportswashing.\u2019<\/p>\n

Laura Sutherland, Aura<\/a> and PRFest<\/a> founder<\/h3>\n

2022 in review:<\/strong>
\n\u2018This has been another great year for brands and organisations recognising the need for public relations and communication.<\/p>\n

\u2018But as for the sector as a whole, I\u2019m not entirely sure we\u2019ve had many wins. We\u2019re still terrible at EDI, we still underpay women and minorities, we still talk in echo chambers and we continue to disguise our weaknesses rather than identify and change.<\/p>\n

\u2018There are some great pockets of communities existing out there, like PRFest and Socially Mobile, but our industry seems so fragmented. These communities exist and thrive due to personal relationships and this is our industry\u2019s biggest opportunity, to grow communities.\u2019<\/p>\n

Favourite comms and campaigns of 2022:<\/strong>
\n\u2018I love the Asda Christmas ad, but the John Lewis ad really hit the mark and showed that it understands people.<\/p>\n