EDITORIAL: PR enters 2002 wiser and maturer

Sir Martin Sorrell set a sombre tone for the year end at the UBS

Warburg Media Week conference in the US last week, when he confirmed

that his diversification into public relations had not, as he hoped,

rendered WPP recession proof. His predictions for marketing services

were downbeat and he claimed that PR and PA had suffered more than other

sectors within WPP.

In this, the last issue of 2001, PRWeek also asked a broad range of PR

experts to give their view on the changes wrought on the PR landscape

during the year, plus challenges ahead in 2002. The responses were, in

the main, realistic but resilient.

Some sectors have proved more robust than others, and no one is

suggesting the first quarter of 2002 is going to be any easier. But the

respondents to our survey of industry morale remain optimistic. The

industry seems to be taking a long-term view, convinced there are

lessons to learn and PR will enter 2002 a little maturer and wiser. Let

us hope prosperity for all will follow.