The cobbler's shoes

 
Public relations The BPRA is going on the offensive. The qualities of its members should become better known. 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
"In no other sector of the Swiss economy has competition become as fierce in the past year as among public relations agencies," explained Peter P. Knobel, President of the BPRA, at his association's annual media conference. The 17 members of the Association of Public Relations Agencies in Switzerland were still able to increase their turnover by 7.5 percent in 2007.
In 2006, however, the figure was 8.2 percent. The BPRA identifies "start-up fever in the PR sector and the associated sharp rise in the number of small PR offices" as the cause of this somewhat slower growth.
There is a growing need for PR in the business world. In addition, budgets for traditional advertising are also shifting noticeably towards information. This is tempting various journalists - for example from restructured newspaper projects - to set up a so-called kitchen table agency.
The BPRA estimates 2,200 such new agencies in 2007 alone. This trend towards fragmentation is also supported by a new emphasis on PR work. "Established agencies are increasingly only being used for highly qualified services, for example in the areas of strategy consulting and coaching," says Christian König from industry leader Farner Consulting. Clients are "increasingly doing the routine work themselves". And the many newcomers are vying for editorial jobs.
In order to continue to operate successfully in this changed environment, the BPRA is not only declaring the CMS II (Consultancy Management Standard) quality standard as a new mandatory criterion for members of the association. The quality certificate is also to be communicated publicly with a proper advertising campaign in an industry that is otherwise considered to be discreet. In the first phase, five different advertisements will be placed in the NZZ from May.
A total of 254 people were employed by association agencies last year. They generated a net fee volume of CHF 59.8 million.
The industry as a whole generated CHF 74 million. This means that BPRA members account for around 81 percent.
The ranking shows that the four largest agencies are responsible for 68 percent of total BPRA turnover. Farner Consulting generated CHF 13.8 million, Trimedia Communications CHF 11.3 million, followed by Burson-Marsteller and Freicom.
 
Andreas Panzeri