Lee Hopkins has written a couple of posts in the last few days about the PR industry in Australia and its adoption / advocacy of the blogosphere as a critical communications tool.
He says that the PR industry is:
Lee has a point that the Aussie PR industry is, in general, behind the rest of the world when it comes to engaging with customers, prospects and communities via blogging channels and representing clients in the blogosphere. There re some exceptions with the larger agencies leading the way with strengths in consultancy, products and services. I would put Burson-Marsteller (my employer, my team), Text 100, H&K and Edelman in this bucket.
As an agency, Burson – like many of the other global firms – has made big strides globally to develop its service offering, educate clients, up-skill staff and bring in people to strengthen our proposition.
It’s more a challenge for the small local, independent and boutique firms to add social media as a core competency and I have heard Principals of well known boutique firms state that they have no interest in making this leap. I think that’s dangerous because in time digital PR will become a core competency for every PR consultant, it will be part and parcel of strategy and tactical execution – not a fancy smancy add-on, not a cool factor and not a nice to do, as it can be perceived today.
The PR industry clearly has a responsibility to educate clients and earn trust, it will, after all, create new revenue opportunities for agencies. We (Burson) are very focused on this part of the process and have landed some great projects as a result.
There is a long way to go until Australia catches up with the rest of the world – particularly corporate Australia – and we need more people on-side to shorten the journey.
I am returning to blogging after a lapse caused mainly be a lack of time, which is another big barrier for agencies that need to develop new service offerings.
Note: Like one other big agency in Sydney, we’ll be rolling out a new website in the very new future.
Related posts:
G’day Daniel,
I extend to you and the team at B-M the same courtesy I have extended to the other agencies: tell me of your success, tell me of your activities. Thrill me. Show you understand this new landscape by actually reaching out to one of a small number of aussie bloggers who are on the reading lists of pr students and future employees.
Engage with me, thrill me, excite me. In return I’ll blog about it and you will become an employer of choice in the eyes of those looking to enter your exciting industry!
Cheers,
Lee
Thanks Lee, lets catch up when you are next in Sydney. I will drop you a line.