Thinking ahead
Heading towards Christmas means only one thing in PR. Actually, that’s not quite true, it means quite a few things such as client lunches; Christmas parties; the likelihood of some challenging commuting situations and looking forward to a recharge of your batteries over your few days off, to name but a few. In media terms however, it means that it is time for the end of year review – and a look ahead to 2015.
It is a time for reflection on what has been, and what is to come. Clients can look back over their predictions of the year, hopefully with some smugness that they called things right, and also outline their views on the year ahead.
With so much volatility in the markets this year (not to devalue the volatility of the past few years) this has been no mean feat, yet the news media is always insatiably hungry for these kinds of stories.
So what of 2014? Central banks and their varying policies have continued to drive markets around the globe, and have been a regular source of comment for many of our clients. “To QE, or not QE” to quote one of them has been a central theme this year. As has the “will they, won’t they?” narrative around UK interest rates.
Corporate governance (or lack thereof) has provided many a headline, and many opportunities for some thoughtful comment from clients.
The varying fortunes of emerging markets; developments in the Middle East; the Scottish referendum and a number of significant geopolitical events around the world have made 2014 particularly volatile and interesting – and somewhat unpredictable.
Many of our clients are gamely looking ahead to make their outlook predictions for 2015 around now. It’s a fascinating time of year to work in PR, and especially on the agency-side where we hear our clients share a variety of views and thoughts with journalists. 2015 looks no less predictable than 2014, so my New Year’s resolution is to be ready for the rollercoaster ride ahead!