fbpx
Size of letters 1x
Site color
Image
Additionally
Line height
Letter spacing
Font
Embedded items (videos, maps, etc.)
 

EBA PR and Marketing professionals survey results in 2024

01/ 03/ 2024
  The European Business Association has conducted the third wave of its annual survey among marketing and communications professionals of its member companies. According to its results, the top priorities for 2024 include the development of digital channels (69% of respondents), brand awareness (65%), and the search for new activation platforms (56%). It is worth noting that these factors have been key for marketing professionals for three years in a row. In turn, in 2024, communicators will focus on building a reputation (57%), strengthening their presence in the information field (55%), and building/strengthening the employer brand (43%). The focus of communications professionals has been significantly affected by the full-scale Russian invasion. While at the beginning of 2022, the main priority was presence in the information field, for the second year in a row, respondents put their efforts into building a reputation in the company first. Working with the employers brand is among the top 3 priorities for the first time in three years. According to the survey participants, the top 5 factors that have the greatest impact on the reputation of companies include the quality of goods and services, industry leadership, customer service, employee competence, ethics, and company values. Among the PR and marketing factors affecting reputation, respondents mention the way crises and problematic issues are resolved, the ability to communicate and realize its mission and values, and the companys communication with its employees. The main challenges of the past year were a lack of resources (75%), high levels of professional fatigue and burnout (59%), and an increase in workload and workload (56%). As we can see, these factors are not professional but rather general. The main professional challenges for companies in 2024 include the complexity of planning and keeping the audiences attention, the growing scope of tasks, protecting reputation, short-term campaigns, and wartime communications. Companies made significant changes to their PR and marketing strategies immediately after the full-scale invasion and continued to transform them in 2023-2024. Most of the changes relate to shorter planning periods, shorter budgets, and fewer activities. Instead, businesses are focusing on CSR, social and charitable projects, social media, and their own media, and working on the employer brand. Despite the overall reduction in spending, there is a tendency for budgets to recover. Thus, 37% of surveyed companies will increase PR/marketing budgets in 2024 (15% had such plans in 2023). 10% will cut budgets (37% in 2023), and 47% will leave them unchanged. At the same time, these figures have not yet recovered to the level before the full-scale invasion, when 49% planned to increase their PR and marketing budgets. Companies focus on retaining and expanding PR and marketing teams. The majority, 59% of companies, do not plan any changes, while 35% will hire new people (20% in 2023), and only 2% will reduce staff. Among the main tools used by professionals in 2024, respondents name collaborations and partnerships, SMM, events and public speaking, media relations, and internal communications. Compared to last year, collaborations and partnerships have risen from fifth to first place, and media relations have dropped from first to fourth. More detailed results of the survey can be found in the presentation. For reference: The survey involved 63 specialists from EBA member companies, including 42% of PR specialists, 48% of marketers, and 10% of related specialties. The survey was conducted from December 26, 2023, to February 13, 2024.

The European Business Association has conducted the third wave of its annual survey among marketing and communications professionals of its member companies.

According to its results, the top priorities for 2024 include the development of digital channels (69% of respondents), brand awareness (65%), and the search for new activation platforms (56%). It is worth noting that these factors have been key for marketing professionals for three years in a row.

In turn, in 2024, communicators will focus on building a reputation (57%), strengthening their presence in the information field (55%), and building/strengthening the employer brand (43%). The focus of communications professionals has been significantly affected by the full-scale Russian invasion. While at the beginning of 2022, the main priority was presence in the information field, for the second year in a row, respondents put their efforts into building a reputation in the company first. Working with the employer’s brand is among the top 3 priorities for the first time in three years.

According to the survey participants, the top 5 factors that have the greatest impact on the reputation of companies include the quality of goods and services, industry leadership, customer service, employee competence, ethics, and company values. Among the PR and marketing factors affecting reputation, respondents mention the way crises and problematic issues are resolved, the ability to communicate and realize its mission and values, and the company’s communication with its employees.

The main challenges of the past year were a lack of resources (75%), high levels of professional fatigue and burnout (59%), and an increase in workload and workload (56%). As we can see, these factors are not professional but rather general. The main professional challenges for companies in 2024 include the complexity of planning and keeping the audience’s attention, the growing scope of tasks, protecting reputation, short-term campaigns, and wartime communications.

Companies made significant changes to their PR and marketing strategies immediately after the full-scale invasion and continued to transform them in 2023-2024. Most of the changes relate to shorter planning periods, shorter budgets, and fewer activities. Instead, businesses are focusing on CSR, social and charitable projects, social media, and their own media, and working on the employer brand.

Despite the overall reduction in spending, there is a tendency for budgets to recover. Thus, 37% of surveyed companies will increase PR/marketing budgets in 2024 (15% had such plans in 2023). 10% will cut budgets (37% in 2023), and 47% will leave them unchanged. At the same time, these figures have not yet recovered to the level before the full-scale invasion, when 49% planned to increase their PR and marketing budgets.

Companies focus on retaining and expanding PR and marketing teams. The majority, 59% of companies, do not plan any changes, while 35% will hire new people (20% in 2023), and only 2% will reduce staff.

Among the main tools used by professionals in 2024, respondents name collaborations and partnerships, SMM, events and public speaking, media relations, and internal communications. Compared to last year, collaborations and partnerships have risen from fifth to first place, and media relations have dropped from first to fourth.

More detailed results of the survey can be found in the presentation.

For reference:

The survey involved 63 specialists from EBA member companies, including 42% of PR specialists, 48% of marketers, and 10% of related specialties. The survey was conducted from December 26, 2023, to February 13, 2024.

If you have found a spelling error, please, notify us by selecting that text and pressing Ctrl+Enter.

Start
in the Telegram bot
Read articles. Share in social networks

Spelling error report

The following text will be sent to our editors: