Deputy Director and Head of PR at Avanti West Coast
My comms lens has a British slant, as most recently I’ve been U.K. based. However, we must step out of our silos and look more broadly to the Global picture; it’s an important lesson for us all. I don’t have a crystal ball, but these are my musings, taking a look at the factors shaping our reality and what they mean for us as individuals, as well as comms professionals. I prefer an existential and philosophical view of the world.
Our Nation State
The United Kingdom is in a challenging state. Economically, socially, and culturally, the country feels like it’s teetering on the edge of significant change, if not outright crisis. The recent story of our planet has been a Hollywood film, you couldn’t make it up!
Our online world is divisive, and societies are polarised. It’s time we changed this. To start afresh, to make human connections and to work together. We must keep fighting for our democracy, for our individual voice, for equity and for tolerance. We must listen to those we don’t understand, those who are different to us, those who have opposing views. There’s a beautiful African proverb, “If you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far, go together”. It feels particularly timely for 2025.
Economic Stagnation
Our economy is limping forward with anaemic budget growth, we’re in a silent recession. Officially, we may not call it that, but for households and businesses across Great Britain, the signs are clear: a flatlining job market, rising costs, and a lack of investment. In all sectors, the jobs market is flatlining. The competition is fierce, and employers are hesitant to take risks on those seeking career pivots or development opportunities. This stagnation will curtail not only individual ambition, but also the country’s broader potential for growth and innovation.
Meanwhile, the cost-of-living crisis persists. Everyone is experiencing the pinch of escalating food, gas, and electricity prices. Anecdotally, everyone I meet mentions with dismay that their food bills have doubled, yet again. Food banks are utilised more than ever. Local councils are struggling – the potholes are unrepaired, and all our public services are stretched thin. Most schools are in crisis, in both the independent and public sector with fee increases outpacing inflation. The NHS continues to battle crippling waiting lists and overburdened staff.
The Long and Short of It
It’s well understood that we need to keep our brands front and centre during recession for economic growth and investing in comms, not pulling back on budgets. But our comms budgets will continue to be scrutinised. And we’ll feel the budgetary squeeze, yet again. It’s our job to remind our brands and our boards that we need to hold the line. It’s the long and short of it. Keep reminding your stakeholders of that. Keep spending, keep up the brand comms. Pitch for budget, for traditional comms campaigns alongside complementary digital strategies; use the digital marketing data to prove your worth. Invest in hyperlocal, content rich storytelling. Pool budget with in-house colleagues, play nicely with other agencies for genuine integration around specialism and expertise.
Social Tensions
Our social fabric is under strain. Quiet racism and racial bias are on the rise. Whether in the U.S., Europe or The Middle East, the conversation on equality and inclusion is far from settled; we are regressing. Wars are still unresolved, consumers are tuning out of ‘hard news’ and ever sceptical of editorial bias and the political and media agenda.
Consumerism dominates our cultural landscape. Halloween 2024 was unprecedented in scale, with its commercial influence bleeding directly into Christmas, leaving little room for any reflection or respite. Traditional British seasonal rituals are increasingly overshadowed, shifting our values toward those of pure materialism and away from community and togetherness.
Fragmented Media Landscape
We’re not consuming ‘The Media’ enough, anymore. So many comms people I talk to tell me that they just don’t read the papers or ‘watch normal telly’. If we don’t consume all forms of media, how can we relate to others in society? How can we get a sense of the word on the street, or differing opinions? We’re all served content through the algorithms, spoon-fed politics and fake news to keep us sitting pretty and sleepwalking into spending our hard-earned cash. The lack of funding in broadcasting and journalism more widely means we’re at the behest of the advertisers and their whimsy. Our Media institutions are having comms crises of their own, The BBC’s has yet to crawl out of it’s own reputational crisis; both Elon Musk and News International have a lot to answer for on a global scale. Don’t get me started on male ‘talent’ on British television. But the tide is turning, thankfully the British Media is having its much-needed ‘me-too’ moment.
Environmental and Climate Concerns
Storms Bert and Darragh most recently reminded us of the severe impacts of climate change; extreme flooding and disrupted lives are becoming more commonplace. The anticyclonic gloom which we all endured in late autumn, underscored the growing unpredictability of former, ‘seasonal British weather’. As our environment shifts, so too must our human responses—from infrastructure planning to cultural resilience.
The State of Rail and Public Services
The rail network, a symbol of our national connectivity, remains embroiled in turmoil. Public services, from transport to healthcare, are emblematic of a broader governance challenge left unresolved by successive governments. There are a lot of things I could say about this, but for obvious reasons, I won’t!
The Way Forward
Amidst the gloom, there remains hope. It’s important to look for the positives. The U.K. has always prided itself on values of kindness, decency, and tolerance. While these seem under threat with the rise of the Far Right, they are not lost. We need to reconnect—with each other and with a shared sense of purpose.
Practical Ideas for Reconnection
I have a few ideas on how we can start:
1. Get out of your echo chamber: Talk to people outside your usual circles and keep an open mind.
2. We’re humans and we’re social animals. Engage in real-life interactions: Pick up the phone, grab a coffee, or go for a walk-and-talk meeting. Do these things IRL, don’t expect a virtual meeting to solve problems, sometimes it creates them.
3. Broaden your perspective and consume The Media: Read the newspapers, listen to unfamiliar radio stations, and watch programmes that challenge your views and the frivolous ones too—even if it’s an uncomfortable watch. Keep our Media alive, it holds our governments and institutions to account and rails against injustice. Without it, citizens will have no real voice, no power and our democracies will crumble.
4. Get Some Skills: With the increasing squeeze on budgets, comms professionals will be expected to do more, with even less. These skills will be demanded of all of us; they’ll no longer be a nice-to-have. If you haven’t already, then have a play with Chat GPT and with the social listening tools available. Take some courses in SEO and Google Analytics. There are lots of free courses out there that we can all do in our (limited) personal time! Don’t let yourself become a comms dinosaur. Make time, invest in yourself. *
5. Travel and Connect: Step outside your local area, meet people from different cultures, and experience new perspectives. Get on a bus if you don’t ordinarily; try a different journey to work; visit somewhere new in the U.K. or travel abroad to somewhere unfamiliar. Mix it up!
6. Resist Polarisation: Actively listen to opposing viewpoints; prioritise dialogue over division. We need to hear each other to unite, not continue to blame each other and assume the worst of one another.
7. Advocate for Equality and Fairness: Whether it’s women’s equity or racial equality; fight for inclusivity and fairness and against injustice. Our democracy and our rights could be taken away from us in a heartbeat. Do not close your ears to this and don’t become complacent.
8. Be Safe & Go Well: Take care of yourself and those you love. Be kind, work hard and be nice to people.
Conclusion
The comms landscape in 2025 will ask us to blend digital tech and human empathy. If we stay adaptable and focus our energies on authentic engagement, we’ll be able to navigate this dynamic environment to keep it real with our audiences. Keep consuming The Media, in all its forms, globally as well as locally. Maintain that sense of curiosity and an interest in a world view. Listen to others and try to understand the opposing view. Have an open mind, it’s the only way to find a common ground. Keep fighting for brand comms and learn to work with your digital counterparts. Keep working on your own personal development, keep learning, keep evolving. Because every day is a school day.
* By the way, I fed my first thoughts Chat GPT to write this article, based on the original brief. I then tweaked and amended it so that it felt more on akin to my tone of voice.
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