Paul Allen, Managing Director of Paul Allen and Associates PR, looks at how his company has grown and what he sees as PR’s role in today’s environment

ACTIVITY

Our primary growth areas over the past year have been crisis management, cybersecurity communications and reputation management.

Clients are increasingly seeking rapid response strategies, particularly in sectors facing heightened regulatory scrutiny.

In addition, demand for strategic public affairs has grown as organisations navigate an evolving policy and political environment.

CRISIS MANAGEMENT

Demand for crisis management has surged due to reputational volatility, media engagement and dreaded social media amplification.

Our approach is proactive and integrated, combining traditional PR expertise with technical knowledge.

This allows us to act as strategic advisors and hands-on problem solvers.

With over 34 years’ experience, we deliver structured risk assessment, rapid response and recovery strategies, ensuring our clients remain in control when it matters most.

ROLE OF PR

PR today is ‘a guardian of trust and truth’.

In an era dominated by misinformation, disinformation and short attention spans, PR provides clarity, credibility and consistency.

Our role is not just about storytelling, it’s about protecting reputations, influencing opinion responsibly and ensuring organisations communicate authentically with all stakeholders.

EARNED MEDIA CHALLENGE

The biggest challenge with earned media is declining newsroom resources and an overloaded media environment.

Securing coverage now requires highly newsworthy content, rapid response capabilities and strong relationships with journalists.

We overcome this by integrating data, human stories and timely insights, and by leveraging our reputation for delivering credible, ready-to-use information to the media.