The Stream

Happy 20th Birthday to Allison+Partners! Yes, a full 20 years ago, Scott Allison and Andy Hardie-Brown sat down to sketch out a plan for a fledgling agency, with a dream to create a new kind of business. 

Two decades later and Allison+Partners is one of the most exciting names in the PR industry worldwide. From its home in California, Allison+Partners has expanded into more than 30 cities across North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. At any time of the day, odds are there will be someone in the world working in an Allison+Partners office (even if some of us are still working remotely).

Andrew is joined by extra special guest Scott Allison, founder and CEO of Allison+Partners, to find out more about the agency’s past, present and future.Like our podcast? Why not leave us a review? And don't forget you can always find out more about the team here at Allison+Partners at www.allisonpr.co.uk.

The impact of talent on a company’s ability to achieve its strategy can’t be overstated. Research from McKinsey & Company in 2017 suggested high performers can outproduce average performers by 50% to 800%, depending on the complexity of the work. Yet the same study noted some 82% of Fortune 500 executives don’t believe their firms recruit highly talented people.  We believe the power of Employer Brand is too often underestimated as a driver of talent acquisition and retention. The Employee Value Proposition (EVP) is a key tool in delivering the “whole brand” to the market - to customers and talent alike. 

By Dan WhitneyAfter a difficult year, to put it mildly, this summer’s Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games have provided headlines that finally make us smile. No wonder, then, that many brands have pushed their partnerships with the Games to the forefront.Now that the Paralympic Games have reached their conclusion, here’s how the best brands have been going for gold – and what we can all learn from them.

Every year on the 26th August, Women’s Equality Day is celebrated in the US to commemorate the adoption of the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution, granting women the right to vote. But this year it feels different.Over the last century, great women have proved what women are capable of achieving when given the opportunity, from the likes of Emmeline Pankhurst and Florence Nightingale fighting for civil rights and equality to great scientists such as Marie Curie, Rosalind Franklin and Jane Goodall.So why does this year feel different? The current situation in Afghanistan has served as a stark reminder that women’s equality has grown to mean much more than just sharing the right to the vote. Across multiple media platforms, there has been countless reports of Afghan women being denied access to education, forced out of their jobs, and becoming victims of domestic abuse and violence, illustrating the struggles that women still face today.While organisations like The Fawcett Society and Women’s Aid are continuing to work to provide women with equal opportunities to education and employment, pushing against suppression and violence towards women, and against discrimination and stereotyping, at A+P we wanted to show our support.Earlier this month, Allison+Partners Women’s Leadership Program vowed to match donations our employees made to support Afghan women during the current crisis. With the agency match, Allison+Partners contributed $8,000 across three non-profit organisations outlined below.

There are of course other ways you can help those in need in Afghanistan, such as supporting women’s media and female reporters or signing a petition. You can find more details on how to do this here.Please see below for some of the DE&I content that we read and discussed in August.

By Adina James and Kate LynchThe release earlier this month of the Sixth Assessment Report on the climate by the International Panel on Climate Change was described as a “code red” for humanity by the UN secretary general, António Guterres. It was yet another wake-up call for the world and made many people reflect on how they can make real changes in their lives to reduce global warming and help reverse the stark realities presented in the report.Enter the ‘ethical consumer’. The idea of ethical consumption is not a new one. For instance, in 2019, Co-op released a study which revealed that total ethical spending had risen almost fourfold in the past 20 years and outgrown all UK household expenditure. With the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, consumer habits were further and notably impacted as it prompted many people to reevaluate how they were living their lives, with research by Accenture revealing that consumers “have dramatically evolved", and that 60% were reporting making more environmentally friendly, sustainable, or ethical purchases since the start of the pandemic, with 90% planning to continue long-term.So what exactly is an ethical consumer?

We've all heard that the PR agency world is fast-paced, competitive and often lands on the most stressful jobs lists – along with doctors, surgeons, dentists, firefighters and police officers.   

No, public relations is not life and death – it’s PR, not ER. It’s exciting, rewarding and fun. PR people are storytellers, and most importantly, industry professionals who want to help their clients tell their stories to their numerous stakeholder audiences.  

The greatest thing about PR agency life is that you can work on various industries and clients or specialise in one industry. PR agency people support numerous types of companies from corporate, consumer and hospitality, entertainment and sports, healthcare, public affairs, reputation management, and crisis communications. Our teams are responsible for helping our clients convey their messaging to build their brands. Whether working in a small agency, mid-size agency or large agency, there are so many milestones we have the chance to participate in with our clients, including launching companies and their products, taking them public, promotions and events, cause-related marketing, natural disasters, to cybersecurity and digital and social media campaigns. Still, there are also great opportunities: lifelong clients and friendships, incredible colleagues, rewarding accomplishments and fun. 

Why is agency life fun?

If 2021 had a mantra it would undoubtedly be: “time for change”. The pandemic brought all the challenges (and opportunities) for brands. In fact, marketers often pondered what to say, how to say it and whether they should even say it at all. Coming out of self-isolation people want greater meaning and authentic connections with brands. Reflecting this, over 80% of marketing leaders are looking to rescale or reinvent the majority of their key strategies (Gartner, Jan 2021). CMOs need to reach higher business level KPIs while reducing costs. Brands that understand disruption for what it really is — the gateway to innovation — will be on the best footing to not just survive but thrive in the coming months and years.Read the full article on The Drum.