PR industry forecast to thrive in recession

The survey of UK businesses, conducted by research company Shape the Future, has highlighted the most frequent areas of marketing spend predicted by businesses over the next 12 months. These were identified as websites (58.9 percent) and PR (42.5 percent).

 These figures suggest a reversal on the usual slashing of PR and marketing budgets during hard times. Interestingly, a fifth of businesses surveyed (19.7 percent) also planned to increase spend on website optimisation.

The research also identifies a healthy opportunity for those in the marketing service industry, as companies intend to employ a more diverse range of tools in the tussle for market share.

"There is a clear message here that companies have really got to grips with the influencing power of the internet. With such importance placed on PR and the net, firms with a finger on the pulse of social media campaigns may well be the likely winners," said Peter Martin, managing director of Shape the Future and author of the report.

Sectors and Stats

·         Companies more likely to increase marketing spend were business services companies

·         More businesses in the property sector are likely to be decreasing spending than average, as are retailers and wholesalers

·         Businesses in the South East were more likely to be reducing their marketing spend (20.3 percent were maintaining or increasing, while 25.3 percent were planning to decrease)

·         Only 9 percent of companies surveyed planned to reduce their marketing budgets for the coming year

The online survey was conducted between 23 September and 4 October 2008, using a sample of 1,492 businesses across the UK, using Shape the Future's proprietary software and systems.

Source: http://www.shape-the-future.com