Key trends that herald the dawn of the Age of On-Demand PR

When Facebook and Twitter brought social media to the masses, it fundamentally changed the way   PR practitioners applied their craft. Agencies scrambled to understand how this new way of communicating would affect their strategic communications efforts as well as those of their clients. It’s arguable that not a single PR agency has had the luxury of “business as usual” following social media’s arrival. And now we’re facing an even greater change in the way PR services are delivered.

A tectonic shift

There is a prevailing human need for convenience driven by a desire to get access to services without having to pay the often prohibitive fees associated with ownership. Uber meets this need well by making high-end sedans available at one-off fees that are linked to travelling distance. As with the technology sector’s adoption of cloud computing, this usage-based payment is driving innovation in entirely new economies across all sectors.

Access to everything is now at the touch of a button or app on your smartphone. But is this true for the PR industry? I would argue that the following five trends show a growing need for an on-demand model for the PR industry:

A climate of uncertainty

The world is in a state of flux as political, ideological and financial boundaries are redrawn and the balance of power shifts into new, often uncharted territory. Leadership changes for several world powers (think UK and USA) combine with continued economic uncertainty to create a general climate of uncertainty. Navigating these times requires agility and flexibility, both key premises of the on-demand economy. As marketing budgets strain against slow economic growth, companies will become increasingly wary of investing in restrictive long-term retainer agreements. The on-demand economy provides them with a viable alternative.

The adoption of design thinking

Design thinking, which places the needs and experience of the end-user at the core of product development, has experienced a rapid rise in the past decade as more firms adopt a customer-centric business approach. In PR terms, brands and businesses are becoming disenchanted with old-school traditional retainer agreements that often serve only the agency’s need for financial predictability. On-demand PR services give clients access to top PR talent without the cumbersome and restrictive retainer agreements the industry was largely built upon.

The influx of millennial talent

Millennials are bringing fundamental changes to the working world by favouring interesting projects over long-term employment. For PR agencies, this creates an immense challenge, as clients often balk at regular changes in account managers on their accounts. If agencies are to utilise the considerable skills and technological expertise of this millennial generation, they have to adapt to a new way of working. An on-demand PR model allows millennials to opt into specific projects that appeal to them and that match their skills, while agencies get to tap into specialist skills without having to incur the overhead costs of long-term employment. It’s an often uncomfortable shift for traditional agency bosses, but a necessary one if they are to adapt to the changing landscape.

The work-at-home mom

While no industry is immune to its female staff leaving in favour of full-time motherhood, the PR industry is arguably at greater risk than most. In fact, the PR industry loses some of its greatest talent at the peak of their professional prowess as they exit the industry to raise children full-time. Many never return, as traditional agency structures require long hours and regular overtime. The on-demand PR model allows this immense talent pool an opportunity to continue to exercise its considerable talents without having to commit to long-term employment (or even a daily commute). Agencies that get this right will enjoy a considerable advantage over competitors as they outpunch on quality while maintaining cost efficiencies.

New requirements of PR

Clients are no longer looking for “just a PR agency” – instead, brands big and small alike want partners that can provide strategic business advice as much as they provide communication services. By creating an on-demand talent pool, PR agencies can offer a far larger scope of services without having to incur prohibitive talent acquisition costs. For example, think of what a management consultant, brand strategist, IP lawyer and strategic communicator can jointly do for a client launching a new product or service. With an on-demand model, these types of collaborations are not only possible – they are bound to become the norm.

The big take-out: Marcus Brewster’s Andre Fourie analyses a number of trends in the industry that call for a new approach to PR – the “on-demand” model.