Tomorrow's Business Today
Are the Brits beating the Yanks at the PR game?
When I moved to the US in 2001 I had to deal with American banks, both as a reporter and a customer, for the first time.
I immediately felt bad for all the mean things I had written about British banks in the preceding five years.
On both fronts they were, and are, miles better.
Even the UK arms of US banks are better than the ones in America. Humans seem to work there. Some of them even answer the phone.
I’ve had a similar feeling the last few weeks dealing with large foreign companies and large foreign PR agencies.
It would be more fun, and about as productive, to simply bang your head on a table.
All of which is worrying for the UK hack given how many British PR companies have merged with foreign ones.
A sample: Tulchan was sold to Teneo. Maitland has now merged with other Havas agencies as H/Advisors. Finsbury is now FGS Global, a “strategic advisor for the stakeholder economy”. Which I’m sure means something to someone.
The reason for the deals is that global clients need global PR. Financial Dynamics arguably led the way when it was bought by US firm FTI.
Now, FTI in the UK is still good to deal with. Humans! With phones!
My fear is that the American corporate culture – something so tedious and bereft of humour you have to feel sorry for the folk who work within it – becomes the dominant one in UK corporate comms.
So far, the signs are optimistic.
If you ask a UK flak how their new American overlords are to work with there’s a pause while they roll their eyes.
But the Brits seem to be winning the culture war, seem to be persuading the Yanks that it might be handy to have good working relationships with hacks, even those that don’t always write things you like.
From experience, Dentons and Kekst, who have hooked up with CNC (new names to me), seem to get it, too, often because the lead people are from the London scene.
Maybe the foreigners will realise that the Brits are better at PR and let them get on with it.
Here’s hoping. Otherwise I’m going to need a new table.
Press release of the day
London employees have the highest chance of being made redundant this year says Wealth of Geeks. Thanks a lot.
It examined Redundancy Notice forms filed with the ONS to get to the figures.
Staff in Yorkshire and the Humber are second most at risk of losing their job.
February is the most likely month to get binned. Again, thanks very much.
Stories that will keep rolling
1) Traders abandon hopes of March rate cut. FT
2) Readie Construction heading for administration. Construction Enquirer
3) Police “not able to progress” with almost all CBI scandal allegations. Sky News
4) The battle to recharge Britain’s electric car market. Telegraph
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