International public relations news, global campaigns & essayshttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/Thu, 20 Jun 2013 04:59:15 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.dev/images/GlobalThinkTank.pnghttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/Every year the Latvian Leukaemia and Lymphoma Patients' Union organises Leukaemia and Lymphoma Day to raise public awareness of these rare blood cancer diseases. In 2012 we had an additional goal: to persuade the Latvian Government to reverse years of falling spending on treatments for these conditions. The state authorities claimed to understand patients' problems; in reality they were turning a blind eye to patients' pleas for healthcare support. This was shown most vividly in the declining...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/essays/latvia-cancerFri, 31 May 2013 05:58:27 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/essays/latvia-cancerState Farm is the largest insurance company in the US. We have been around for more than 90 years and our 65,000 employees now serve more than 79 million auto, home, life and health policies. State Farm is ranked number 43 on the Fortune 500 list of largest companies. We might be a large corporation but our work is all about improving neighbourhoods and improving individual lives. So we run an annual programme called the Neighborhood Assist grant through which each year we give away $1 ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/essays/state-farmFri, 19 Apr 2013 03:51:54 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/essays/state-farmTAROM is Romania's flag carrier. Established in 1954, we own one of the youngest fleets in Europe, consisting of 23 aircraft, and we now fly to more than 50 destinations worldwide. Ever since Romania joined the EU in 2007 TAROM has played an ever more important role in helping our fast-developing nation enter the European and global market. This role was accelerated when in 2010 we joined SkyTeam, the second biggest global alliance of airlines. This gave us access to an extensive global ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/essays/taromFri, 19 Apr 2013 11:01:16 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/essays/taromIn the fourth quarter of 2012 the Latvian economy was the fastest growing in the EU, expanding by 5.1% on a year earlier. Growth above 5% in both 2011 and 2012 has seen this Baltic state rebound positively from the 2008-09 financial crisis which saw nearly a quarter wiped off GDP. This economic resurgence has been reflected in the country's PR industry. Evija Ansonska, Chairwoman of the Board at the Latvian Association of Public Relations Consultancies (LSAKA), says: “In the past 12 months we...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/latviaFri, 12 Apr 2013 03:42:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/latviaEstonia has benefitted more than most from its membership the EU and from its relentless pursuit of pro-business economic policies. It joined the EU in 2004 and GDP grew by an average of 8% a year between 2003 and 2007. It was badly hit by the global financial crisis with GDP falling by 14% in 2009 but it has rebounded strongly, joining the euro in 2011 and enjoying GDP growth of 8% in that year. PR first reached the country during privatisation in the 1990s when foreign investors came to ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/estoniaFri, 22 Mar 2013 12:37:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/estoniaUltimately it is the role of a tourist board to promote visitor figures, length of stay and spend to its destination. Traditionally this is done by branding the said country or region and keeping it front of mind amongst consumers and the travel trade alike. However Dubai is no ordinary destination.  You will struggle to find anyone who has never heard of Dubai or anyone that does not have an opinion about it. Almost everyday stories can be read in the national press, it can be ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/essays/dubaiFri, 15 Mar 2013 03:04:24 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/essays/dubaiBanks are very much in the spotlight in Romania. The Government aimed for a rapid convergence with standards of living in other EU countries, and while the policy was highly popular at the time, it was founded on easily accessible consumer credit, and has led to many problems. Many people got new homes, washing machines, PCs, televisions, and so on all on credit. When the credit dried up it went sour, and for the past four years Romanians have been enduring a very bitter dose of financial ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/essays/romanian-banksFri, 1 Mar 2013 03:23:31 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/essays/romanian-banksThe second largest country in Eastern Europe with a population of 46 million, Ukraine is an emerging free market, with a gross domestic product that has experienced rapid growth in recent years. It made a major industrial and agricultural contribution to the Soviet economy but once the USSR fell apart Ukraine suffered severe economic woes during the 1990s, including hyperinflation and drastic falls in economic output. By 1999 its GDP was around half that of ten years earlier. It then grew ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/ukraineMon, 25 Feb 2013 02:04:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/ukraineHaving joined the EU and World Trade Organisation in May 2004, and helped by income and corporation tax set at the appealingly low level of 15%, Lithuania's economy grew on average 8% per year for the four years up to 2008. It was badly hit, however, by the global financial crisis and GDP plummeted by nearly 15% in 2009. It has posted low single digit growth since then, but industry insiders are optimistic about the future. “The PR industry is recovering along with the rest of our economy,” ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/lithuaniaMon, 25 Feb 2013 01:51:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/lithuaniaHow does a company of more than 7000 people across the UK, Ireland and the US establish a brand that is consistent across not only all those people and locations, but also across all its different products and services? It is a question with which we at Legal & General continually wrestle. Our strategy is to build an understanding of our brand across all staff - not only customer-facing staff - and to encourage everyone to feel as though they own the brand. Legal & General is...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/essays/legal--generalFri, 22 Feb 2013 01:41:45 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/essays/legal--generalOn 1st October 2012 the rial lost 15% of its value against the dollar starkly highlighting to the world the effect international sanctions are having on a country which for years had relied on oil exports to prop up an economy that was restricted by the ruling theocracy. This Black Monday was no one-off. The rial has lost 75% of its value in the past 12 months, GDP is still 2% below its 2008 levels, and perhaps most painfully for Iranians, Iraq now exports more oil than Iran for the first ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/middle-east/iranFri, 8 Feb 2013 12:31:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/middle-east/iranOnly 15% of Ethiopia's 91 million people work in any industry other than agriculture, and agriculture accounts for half of the country's total GDP. Yet it is a GDP which has been rising rapidly in recent years: up 7.5% in 2011%, 8% in 2010 and 10% in 2009.   This is all the more remarkable when you consider that there is almost no private business in Ethiopia. The state owns all telecommunications, foreign banks are banned, and if you are one of the millions toiling on the ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/africa/ethiopiaFri, 1 Feb 2013 03:53:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/africa/ethiopiaWhen Romania's economy contracted by 9% in 2009, and the government needed to assemble a $26 billion emergency assistance package from the IMF and EU, it seemed as though all the progress since the collapse of the Soviet Union might be undone. But just three years later, after a return to growth in 2011 and 2012, and a projected growth of 1.1% in 2013  the prospects looks rosier. These broad economic shifts have been reflected in the country's PR industry. It is a fairly well ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/romaniaFri, 25 Jan 2013 01:34:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/romaniaAngloGold Ashanti (AGA) is the world's third largest gold producer with 21 operations across four continents and more than 60,000 employees. Wherever we work we aim to leave communities better off for our presence, and nowhere is this more true than in the country where I work: Ghana. Education is a key area in which the company supports the communities where it operates. There is so much potential for mining in Africa, but we need to work with governments and NGOs to give people the skills ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/essays/african-mining-firm-prioritises-community-affairsFri, 18 Jan 2013 03:34:30 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/essays/african-mining-firm-prioritises-community-affairsOne might imagine that some of the best communications salaries are to be found in London, where more money is spent on PR than any other city in the world. Indeed, the UK PR industry has done a remarkable job of weathering the recession according to the 2012 annual benchmarking survey conducted by PRWeek and the PRCA. Despite the economic downturn, the survey showed that the average salary increase of respondents had been 4.1% while the median salary for a full-time worker in the UK rose just ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/essays/where-can-you-earn-the-best-salaryFri, 4 Jan 2013 12:57:15 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/essays/where-can-you-earn-the-best-salaryHigh value natural resources do not always bring happiness or even wealth to a nation – look at Angola which suffered a 25-year civil war over its diamonds. However, since independence in 1966 Botswana has married careful management of its vast diamond resources to a functioning democracy, a free media, and prudent fiscal policies. The result has been to lift it from the status of a Least Developed Nation in the 1960s to a Middle Income Nation by the 2000s with a standard of living ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/africa/botswanaThu, 6 Dec 2012 12:20:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/africa/botswanaOil and natural gas may have made Trinidad and Tobago one of the richest countries in the Caribbean, but it has left this country of 1.5 million people heavily dependent on that industry.  Carlos Cardenas, Deputy Head of Latin America Forecasting at economic forecasting firm Exclusive Analysis, says: “Its economy is not well diversified, and it is a source of concern that recent problems in supply of natural gas have led to the cancellation of several high profile foreign investment ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/americas/trinidadandtobagoFri, 30 Nov 2012 01:00:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/americas/trinidadandtobagoAngola's economy may still be recovering from a 25-year civil war that ended in 2002, but it is recovering fast. In fact, according to The Economist, this country which is rich in oil, gas, diamonds, and agricultural land, was for the first decade of this century the fastest growing economy in the world.  Its GDP grew at an average of 11.1% a year over that decade, and it is expected to continue to grow, by 8.2% in 2012 and 7.3% in 2013. Yet for all this stellar economic growth, the PR...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/africa/angolaFri, 23 Nov 2012 02:13:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/africa/angolaNearly a decade after the US and its allies began dropping bombs on Baghdad, Iraq's economy is finally showing signs of life, but it appears as though it will be many years yet before the country is ready for a PR industry of any note. The International Monetary Fund forecasts Iraq's economy will grow 11.1% this year to about $144 billion. According to Dunia Frontier Consultants, last year, Iraq attracted $55.67 billion in foreign investment and other commercial activity, a 40%...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/middle-east/iraqWed, 21 Nov 2012 04:30:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/middle-east/iraqThe Barbadian economy is heavily reliant on luxury tourism, and so was negatively affected by the global recession of 2009, contracting by 4%. Since then its economy has stabilised but struggled to recover, posting growth of just 0.2% and 0.4% in the past two years. Yet the island remains one of the strongest economic players in the region, and as multinationals look for new markets to replace the saturated and stagnated regions of North America and Western Europe that have been their ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/americas/barbadosFri, 9 Nov 2012 12:56:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/americas/barbados Rich in natural resources, benefitting from a quarter of a century of sound economic management, and boosted by the 2010 opening of the Jubilee offshore oilfield, the Ghanaian economy is in good health. GDP grew by 4% in 2009, 7.7% in 2010, and 13.6% in 2011.  Consequently, the PR industry in Ghana has seen significant progress in recent years.  The Institute of Public Relations now has around 1200 members. Yet, there is still some way  to go before it is comparable...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/africa/ghanaFri, 2 Nov 2012 12:54:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/africa/ghanaBack in August 2011, while the battle for Benghazi raged, as international will mounted to support the Libyan rebels, and as hundreds of Libyans lay dying or injured in hospitals, Muammar Gaddafi found time to send e-mails to several of London and New York's top PR agencies. Remarkably, he was looking to hire an agency that would issue daily press briefings on his 'moral' and 'legal' claims to power.  There is no evidence that any agency took on the brief - FD managing director ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/africa/libyaThu, 25 Oct 2012 12:41:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/africa/libyaJamaican may boast some of the world's fastest runners and beautiful beaches, but its economy is less of a success story. Unemployment is above 12%, government debt  stands at £11.2bn, and its debt-to-GDP ration of around 130% is not far behind that of devastated Greece. Yet, it received $1.27 bn from the IMF in 2010, its tourism industry continues to grow, and it remains the world's largest exporters of aluminium ore – a product much in demand by its huge neighbour to the ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/americas/jamaicaThu, 18 Oct 2012 10:24:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/americas/jamaica“Something extraordinary is happening in Peru,” reported Bloomberg in April 2012. Indeed the rapid shift of population from the countryside to coastal cities, annual GDP growth of around 6%, soaring exports and external investments, recently led the intellectual Alfredo Barnechea to declare: “We're a China in miniature.”  “With the constant economic growth in Peru over the last 12 years, our PR industry has grown,” observes one industry insider. “Many international PR...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/americas/peruWed, 10 Oct 2012 05:20:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/americas/peruWith a population of just over a million, only around two-thirds of whom are Bahraini, Bahrain is one of the smallest countries in the world. With dwindling oil reserves it is also one of the poorest in the Gulf. So, it has sought to position itself, through its Economic Vision 2030, as an alternative financial centre to Dubai. Its excellent communication and transportation facilities have helped with this; the Spring 2011 television images of Saudi tanks rolling into the country to crush ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/middle-east/bahrainMon, 17 Sep 2012 01:18:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/middle-east/bahrainThe future looks good for Sri Lanka. In May 2009 government forces seized the last area controlled by Tamil Tiger forces, bringing to an end more than 25 years of violence. In 2011 the country's GDP grew by 8.3%, making it one of the fastest growing economies in the world. The PR industry is growing too. Imal Fonseka, MD of CBL Foods (CBL), the country's largest food manufacturing company, says: “More and more marketers are recognising the value that can be gained by including PR within the ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/asia-pacific/srilankaFri, 24 Aug 2012 03:59:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/asia-pacific/srilankaLike so much else in the former Soviet republic, PR only really took off once the Soviet Union collapsed at the start of the 1990s. In 1993 the first global PR firm entered the market with Burson-Marsteller communicating around the USAID-funded privatization programme. Local agencies soon sprang up and by 1995 Kazakhstani universities were offering courses in PR. “Up until very recently PR in Kazakhstan has been synonymous with media relations,” says Mikhail Dorofeev, the former head of PR at ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/asia-pacific/kazakhstanFri, 24 Aug 2012 11:31:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/asia-pacific/kazakhstanWhen World War II ended, Iceland was one of the poorest and least developed economies in Europe. It joined the European Economic Area in 1994, liberalised its economy, and by 2007 had transformed its fortunes, becoming one of the richest economies worldwide in per capita terms. Then in November 2007 it all came crashing down in spectacular fashion with the collapse of the financial services sector and humiliating bailouts from the IMF and several other European countries. Today the Icelandic ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/icelandFri, 17 Aug 2012 02:31:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/icelandMy home town of Brussels is perhaps best known as the political capital of the EU with around 15,000 lobbyists, but it is also a significant communications capital with one of the largest press corps in the world with over 750 international journalists.  Moreover it is Europe's business capital with every industry represented here by over 1,600 European trade associations employing around 12,000 people. As the public face of an industry, a European association shapes media and ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/essays/ellwood--atfieldWed, 15 Aug 2012 01:24:12 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/essays/ellwood--atfieldSwitzerland may have a population of just 7.6 million but its workforce is highly skilled, and many are employed by a highly developed financial service sector and a thriving hi-tech manufacturing sector. As a result it has one of the highest GDP per capita rates in the world, and is an important consumer market. This is reflected in its PR industry. Renata Cavegn, Head of Marketing & Communication of Accenture in Switzerland has recently returned to the country having spent several ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/switzerlandFri, 10 Aug 2012 02:15:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/switzerlandKlavs Valskov, head of communications at Danish shipping giant Maersk believes that PR is fast moving up the agenda of Danish boardrooms. “Communication, branding and marketing teams are all increasingly important to executive boards,” he says. “They are beginning to think about how certain developments will affect their reputations, and how the media would respond to certain actions. As a result there is a slowly growing demand for PR professionals.” At many companies this is in the field of ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/denmarkMon, 6 Aug 2012 03:06:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/denmarkSince intervention by the IMF in 2002, and the subsequent restructuring of the economy, Turkey has been growing rapidly. When the financial crash came in 2008 it had low levels of public debt so was well placed, and between 2002 and 2010 GDP tripled from $231 billion to $736 billion. Furthermore, the OECD predicts that between 2011 and 2017 it will be the fastest growing of the OECD members with an annual average growth rate of 6.7%. As a result, the PR industry is growing rapidly. “There are ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/focus-on-turkeyThu, 5 Jul 2012 10:54:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/focus-on-turkeyFrance may be at the heart of the troubled eurozone, and it may have seen public debt rocket from 68% of GDP to 82% between 2008 and 2010, but it has weathered the global economic crisis better than most other big EU economies. A large public sector has kept domestic consumer spending relatively resilient, which has in turn maintained corporate sales and wages. France is home to many multinational corporates such as Orange, LVMH, Danone, Total, Carrefour and PSA Peugeot Citroen, and its PR ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/franceFri, 22 Jun 2012 05:29:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/franceSouth Africa is the economic powerhouse of the Continent, and the country multinational brands first think of when they plan their African launches. Although it was hit by an electricity crisis in 2009, the economy has recovered well and received a significant boost from the 2010 FIFA World Cup. It has a relatively advanced PR industry with a good number of sizeable agencies and many brands making good use of a thriving media sector. More than four million of the 49 million South Africans are ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/africa/south-africaThu, 21 Jun 2012 06:26:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/africa/south-africaWith its 85 million people Egypt is the most populous country in the Arab world. Furthermore, as Maha Abouelenein, head of global communications & public affairs at Google MENA observes, it also has one of the largest media industries: “Egypt has many media outlets and news organisations,” she says. “This year, online journalism has taken off. The size of the Egyptian media market presents many opportunities for companies to deliver their key messages to the large ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/middle-east/egyptThu, 21 Jun 2012 06:00:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/middle-east/egyptRami Jarrar, public relations assistant manager at Samsung Electronics Levant, believes that the PR market in Jordan is growing. “Jordan is a gateway to the Levant area and business is booming,” he says. “This makes for a competitive market, and in recent years companies have begun to use media coverage as a way to stand out. As a result, effective PR has become vital for corporate success in Jordan.”   Halim Salfiti, Chairman of the Board at Al-Tajamouat for Touristic Projects, adds ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/middle-east/jordanThu, 21 Jun 2012 05:49:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/middle-east/jordanThe Philippines, home to 7,100 islands and 95 million Filipinos, is one of the world's major markets. It is also one that is rapidly getting to grips with PR. “There is higher awareness of public relations today,” says Rochelle Gamboa Hilario, marketing and communications manager of Philex Mining Corporation, the country's largest mining company. For those in the extractive industry PR is predominantly about the firm's social responsibility. “We have learned lessons from Enron and BP,” says ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/asia-pacific/phillipinesWed, 20 Jun 2012 05:29:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/asia-pacific/phillipinesCareful management of North Sea oil and gas reserves, together with a cautious approach to public spending has left Norway relatively well positioned in the wake of the global financial crisis. According to official figures from Statistics Norway, GDP contracted by 1.7% in 2009, then returned to growth of 0.7% in 2010 and 1.6% in 2011. Looking ahead, Norway is not a part of the euro so is protected from the worst of that latest crisis, and a return to steady annual growth of around 2-2.5% is ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/norwayFri, 15 Jun 2012 03:49:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/norwayPortugal may be engulfed in a serious economic crisis, with a 78 million euro bailout, severe government spending cuts, sharp tax increases, and 24-hour general strikes, but those leading its PR industry report that this is having little adverse effect on them. In fact many even argue that tighter budgets are encouraging corporates to look to PR as a cost-effective alternative to other forms of marketing. “PR is becoming more and more important to us,” says Sandro Cardoso, marketing manager at...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/portugalFri, 1 Jun 2012 04:25:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/portugalThe Netherlands may be a relatively small market with just 16 million people, but it is nonetheless home to several international headquarters such as Shell and Philips, as well as to the European head offices of many US firms including Cisco Systems, Eastman Chemical, Nike, Starbucks Coffee and Office Depot. The PR industry is therefore, if not a major player compared to neighbours such as the UK, France and Germany, established and credible. It is an industry that has changed markedly over...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/the-netherlandsThu, 17 May 2012 04:58:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/the-netherlandsAlmost 80% of Czech GDP comes from exports, primarily of cars and heavy industrial products. While this has to a large extent protected the country from the worst of the global economic downturn, it has also for some time acted as a brake on the PR industry. “Few senior executives in these industries see value in building reputation among overseas customers,” explains Cristina Muntean, president of the Czech PR Klub, a not-for-profit association of communications professionals. “We saw this ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/czech-republicThu, 10 May 2012 01:46:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/czech-republicFor much of the twentieth century it seemed as though the UK's post-imperial decline was terminal. Then in the final two decades a remarkable transformation took place as successive governments shifted the country's economic base from manufacturing to finance, media and services. London became arguably the financial capital of the world, and, aided by North Sea oil revenue, the fortunes of UK plc began to improve.Then came the financial crash of 2008. The credit bubble burst and it all went ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/united-kingdomThu, 10 May 2012 12:09:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/united-kingdom For much of the past 15 years the Greek PR industry grew rapidly. For many Greek businesspeople it was a radical new concept, often imported by  those who had  spent time working in the more developed PR markets of Western Europe or North America, and it was a concept which many Greeks were keen to embrace. This rapid and largely unchecked growth has had both positive and negative results. “The Greek PR industry has entered new areas over the past 15 years and it ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/greeceMon, 30 Apr 2012 09:50:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/greeceBetween 1992 and 2009 the Australian economy grew every year, and by an average of 3.3% a year – way above the 2.2% average of advanced OECD nations. It is now one of the largest economies in Asia and the world. Furthermore, having in 2006 eliminated net government debt, it was relatively insulated from the turmoil and hardship that other countries have experienced in recent years. [AB1] It is little surprise therefore that its PR market is strong. There are many agencies of all types, from ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/asia-pacific/au-straliaThu, 26 Apr 2012 03:44:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/asia-pacific/au-straliaKenya is an increasingly important market for multinationals looking to break into Africa, and in the past five years Nairobi has become established as a hub for the strategic communications into the continent. This has led to a rapid expansion of the Kenyan PR market, a development that is perhaps best  demonstrated by the listing of one PR firm, ScanGroup, on the Nairobi Stock Exchange.   Three factors are shaping this explosion in Kenyan PR. Firstly, pan-African skills ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/africa/kenyaMon, 16 Apr 2012 03:56:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/africa/kenya“After many years of political uncertainty, and then a devastating flood in 2011, in 2012 Thailand's economy is finally showing signs of bouncing back,” says Vatcharaphong Siripark, senior vice president of Total Access Communication (DTAC), the second largest mobile telecommunications company in Thailand. He believes this is fuelling a boom in the PR industry. However, Pongthip Thesaphu, communications director at the Unilever Thai Group of Companies, believes the industry has been on a growth...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/asia-pacific/thailandThu, 5 Apr 2012 01:24:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/asia-pacific/thailandThe Vietnamese economy was the fourth fastest growing in the world in 2010, and rose from 88th place to 78th, according to the Vietnam Business Annual Report 2010, released by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the World Bank. In that year more than half a million new businesses were set up in this country of 85 million people. The PR industry is also growing, but from a low base in terms of both size and sophistication. In 2007 it was not even an official business classification;...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/asia-pacific/vietnamWed, 4 Apr 2012 10:50:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/asia-pacific/vietnamHoneywell International was founded in 1886 in the United States. It has grown steadily over the years and is now a Fortune 100 diversified technology and manufacturing leader turning over $36 billion. Honeywell's Process Solutions (HPS) division operates in 100 countries and employs more than 11,000 people. Around the world HPS is seen as a pioneer in automation control. In simple terms, we help industrial companies operate more safely, reliably and efficiently, and in a more sustainable ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/?archive=8Mon, 2 Apr 2012 04:43:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/?archive=8Just as brands are now global so is the PR/communications business, with social media being the glue that binds that world together. But just as brands have spent recent decades learning to "think global, act local", communications professionals have to follow the same mantra, not their assumptions. I follow a very informative, if gothically named, blog called NewspaperDeathWatch.com. From a US perspective it charts trends in digital advertising and innovations in on and offline ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/?archive=8Mon, 2 Apr 2012 04:43:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/?archive=8The Argentine economy is growing rapidly. Its GDP rose 9.3% in the third quarter of 2011, according to Bloomberg, and the country's PR industry is reaping the benefits of this overall growth. “The public relations industry in Argentina is growing and developing rapidly,” reports Raphael Salazar, marketing director at petfood company Royal Canin Argentina. He adds: “To a large extent this is driven by the uptake of social media by people and marketing departments, but many corporates are also ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/americas/argentinaThu, 29 Mar 2012 11:10:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/americas/argentina"To be honest George, none of us here are sure if our jobs are really safe - we're just taking it one day at a time". This quote comes from an ex-pat who currently works for a government organisation within the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council). Like thousands of other communications practitioners from around the world, he was drafted in to a senior post to carry out ‘world-class' communications work.  His job was typical of the sort of brief handed to us over the past three or...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/middle-east/?archive=5Thu, 22 Mar 2012 12:11:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/middle-east/?archive=5It is easy for us in the west with our flexible career paths and fluid labour markets to think that it was always thus. We would be wrong. It was not so very long ago that within the nobility the first born took the title, the second went in to the navy and the third the church. Commercial enterprise was viewed as dirty and demeaning. Even within the masses it was common for sons to follow in their father’s footsteps for generation after generation. Here in the Middle East the desire to walk ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/middle-east/?archive=5Thu, 22 Mar 2012 12:11:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/middle-east/?archive=5South Korea has had an up and down economy over the past four decades. In 1971 its GDP per capita was comparable with that of a poor African country. In 2004, it joined the trillion dollar club of world economies, and currently is among the world's 20 largest economies. The Asian financial crisis of 1997-98 hit it hard with GDP contracting by 6.9% in 1998, but then recovering by 9% the year after. Steady growth of around 5% a year ground to a halt in 2009, but by 2010 it was surging ahead at ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/asia-pacific/south-koreaThu, 22 Mar 2012 10:54:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/asia-pacific/south-koreaSince the discovery of oil in the 1970s, the United Arab Emirates has undergone a remarkable transformation from a collection of impoverished desert principalities into a modern state with a per capita income of $58,000, the fifth highest in the world. Furthermore, it has managed to reduce its reliance on oil and gas to such an extent that it now makes up only 25% of its income. The country was hit hard by the global financial crisis of 2009, and struggled to rebound in 2010. Dubai, with its ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/middle-east/uaeWed, 21 Mar 2012 05:20:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/middle-east/uaeOver the past decade Qatar has transformed almost beyond recognition. A decade ago it was a little-known peninsula bordering Saudi Arabia. Today it has the largest production of oil per person as well as the highest GDP per person of any country in the world. At the end of 2010, FIFA’s controversial announcement that it would hold its 2022 World Cup there brought the name of Qatar firmly to the world’s attention. Huwayda A.Aziz Mohamed, acting CEO of Al-Jazeera Finance, says: “Qatar’s business ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/middle-east/qatarWed, 21 Mar 2012 05:19:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/middle-east/qatarWith a population of over 27 million people, one of the largest oilfields in the world, and the expectation of double digit GDP growth over the next three years, it is little surprise that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia remains a highly important market for both local and international brands. This has not gone unnoticed by the global PR groups, and in recent years many have entered the market through distributors or joint ventures. These, together with a burgeoning local PR sector, are creating a...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/middle-east/saudi-arabiaWed, 21 Mar 2012 05:19:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/middle-east/saudi-arabiaKuwait may only have a population of 3 million, just a third of whom are nationals, but it is also home to 10% of the world’s oil reserves. That, together with its location between Iraq and Saudi Arabia, makes it a very important country in terms of regional politics and global business. Until fairly recently most multinationals operated in Kuwait out of Saudi Arabia or the UAE, and the same was true of their PR agencies. There was little local presence, but this is changing. Fadi Matar, ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/middle-east/kuwaitWed, 21 Mar 2012 05:18:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/middle-east/kuwaitWith a population of just over 4 million, Lebanon is a small country with a difficult recent history. During the country’s bitter, drawn-out civil war between 1975 and 1990, its capital Beirut became a synonym for the ravages of war, and, after 16 years of peace, stability and reconstruction, in 2006 conflict returned with the month-long war between Israel and Hezbollah.   These factors have combined to make Lebanon a less attractive prospect for foreign companies than other more ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/middle-east/lebanonWed, 21 Mar 2012 05:18:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/middle-east/lebanonAs with many developing economies, the PR industry in oil-rich Oman has come on apace in recent years. As Hannah Naji, marketing director at Jaguar Land Rover for the Middle East & North Africa observes: “There is definitely an increased understanding of PR in Oman with clients better appreciating the role it has to play and how it can deliver against business and communications objectives.” However, it remains primarily limited to media relations and stuck in outdated practices. Naji...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/middle-east/omanWed, 21 Mar 2012 05:18:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/middle-east/omanSince the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 the Polish economy has grown rapidly. It was ranked as Europe's top potential destination for foreign direct investment in a 2010 Ernst & Young European Attractiveness Survey, and the IMF forecasts that the country's economy will grow 3.8% in 2011 and 3% in 2012, well above the average European Union forecasts of 1.7% in 2011 and 0.6% in 2012. The PR industry has fared particularly well. Krzysztof Kouyoumdjian, corporate communication manager ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/polandThu, 15 Mar 2012 12:42:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/polandNew Zealand may be a well-off country – it has a GDP per capita similar to that of Spain - but, located 900 miles east of Australia and 600 miles south of Fiji and Tonga, it also is one of the most remote countries on Earth. With a population of just 4.4m it is also one of the smallest, and those working in its PR industry are acutely aware of these issues. Bryony Hillness, Director of Communication & Brand Marketing, Strategy & Communications, New Zealand and Pacific Islands ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/asia-pacific/newzealandWed, 14 Mar 2012 05:50:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/asia-pacific/newzealandTraditionally, PR in Japan has been very much the junior partner to advertising, and has attracted a tiny fraction of the budgets. As a result, the industry has struggled to gain a foothold. Despite this, the Japanese PR industry has many strengths.  Sarah Hall, Director of the Public Relations Office at Toys"R"Us Japan, says: “PROs here tend to have strong relationships with the media, fact-driven reporting leads to a welcome emphasis on facts and figures, and the high ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/asia-pacific/japanTue, 28 Feb 2012 04:43:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/asia-pacific/japanIf ever a country was going to be a natural fit for PR, then surely it is Ireland. It is of course a sweeping generalisation to describe the Irish as natural communicators who have been kissed by the Blarney Stone and are used to putting a positive slant on events, but it is a generalisation endorsed by many Irish PRs themselves. For example, Tamara Somers, PR & trade marketing manager at Philips Consumer Lifestyle in Dublin, says: “It's a cliché I know but Ireland is renowned for...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/republic-of-irelandThu, 23 Feb 2012 10:49:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/republic-of-irelandWith a population of 143 million and a land mass covering one-eighth of the world’s inhabited land area, Russia is undeniably big. As a nuclear power, a major military spender and a dominant force in both Eastern Europe and Central Asia it is also important. And with one of the largest economies in the world as well as vast untapped resources of oil, gas, forestry, and water it is also rich. So, it is little surprise that its PR industry is sizeable, benefitting from Russian companies and ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/russiaWed, 15 Feb 2012 04:11:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/russiaOver the past 30 years Malaysia has transformed itself from an exporter of natural resources such as rubber, tin and palm oil, into a middle-income industrial economy. Its economy slowed a little during 2009 but has recovered well, and this, combined with liberalised foreign investment regulations, means that the country is increasingly attractive to multinationals. Although its public relations market remains relatively underdeveloped compared to those elsewhere in Southeast Asia, it is ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/asia-pacific/malaysiaMon, 6 Feb 2012 10:51:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/asia-pacific/malaysiaEvery region of the world has its complexities, but in Europe they are particularly pronounced. Home to 800 million people, Europe's constituent countries vary tremendously: from culture and language, to climate and politics. This diversity presents significant challenges for pan-regional communicators. Refining for relevancy We have to think about how our corporate story and messages will resonate and be relevant in different languages and countries, with different histories and local ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/?archive=4Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:21:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/?archive=4Working with clients and brands that span Europe brings great opportunities but also great challenges. As Heather Knox rightly notes, countries across the continent have differences in media, culture and beyond that lead to many complexities; often making pan-European PR an intricate process that demands a multi-layered and diverse approach. Understanding digital diversity Added to this, the development of digital and social media at varying levels across the region creates a fragmented ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/?archive=4Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:21:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/?archive=4Emerging market communications is an exciting place to be, and none more so than in Africa. Africa is a hugely energising continent, diverse in its people and languages and rich in its culture and history. As one of the fastest growing developing market regions in the world, it is going through massive transformation, which in turn is attracting greater interest from the wider world. However, it is perceived by many as high risk. This is compounded by a wide negative perception of Africa that...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/africa/?archive=2Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:20:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/africa/?archive=2In the middle of a global financial crisis and in the face of political upheaval in the Middle-East, Africa finds itself in demand, whether for its natural resources, for access to its fast growing and increasingly discerning consumer market, its fertile agricultural land, or for its political votes in international institutions. Africa has always been naturally rich, but now finds itself consistently amongst the fastest growing regions in the world when it comes to GDP growth. The IMF expects ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/africa/?archive=2Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:20:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/africa/?archive=2In the US we have access to some of the most advanced media platforms in the world, we have some of the very best public relations professionals, and we are lucky to have all the resources we need to produce outstanding PR campaigns. That does not mean that PR in the US is easy. Far from it. Because everyone has access to those resources, to stand out from the crowd you need to do something special, to add value to the process in a way that no one else does. This forces us to be ever more ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/americas/?archive=1Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:20:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/americas/?archive=1PR has changed a lot during my career.  But the highest compliment of our profession remains the same – “you have great PR instinct!” On the surface, instinct sounds like something a person is either born with or not.  But of course, nothing could be further from the truth. Gina O’Reilly, COO of Nitro PDF, says their products help people let their instincts flow through.  As a company with Australian roots, “The Nitro Way” is to cut through the bull and let good work...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/americas/?archive=1Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:20:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/americas/?archive=1Asia is one of the world's leading growth markets at the moment, and we at Lenovo are right at the sharp end of that, experiencing not only the exciting opportunities that come from being a fast-growing Asian brand, but also the communication challenges this can create. The rise of the IdeaPad Founded in 1994, in 2005 we acquired IBM’s PC division. While the Thinkpad has long been a leading brand in the business sector, since buying IBM’s consumer division and the subsequent 2008 launch of the...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/asia-pacific/?archive=3Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:20:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/asia-pacific/?archive=3As Cecilia pointed out, one of the biggest challenges for marketers in Asia is maintaining a consistent brand presence in a region that is anything but consistent. The urban/rural challenge Not only are there vast differences between mature markets like Japan, Australia and South Korea, high-growth markets like Singapore, and emerging markets like Indonesia and Malaysia, but there is great diversity within each market as well. For example, China and India have bustling urban centers, whose ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/asia-pacific/?archive=3Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:20:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/asia-pacific/?archive=3Since the liberalisation of the economy in 1993 the Moroccan economy has enjoyed impressive growth. Between 2000 and 2007 it grew at nearly 5% a year, and a policy of investment in agriculture led to growth in that sector of 20% in 2009, helping insulate the country from the worst of the global economic slowdown. This has helped produce a booming PR industry. “The PR industry in Morocco has known tremendous growth in the last decade,” observes Houda El Khayati, senior marketing & ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/africa/moroccoFri, 27 Jan 2012 03:11:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/africa/moroccoFor a small country of just 10 million people with no indigenous multinational brands Belgium has a remarkably large PR industry. This is primarily due to the fact that is hosts the largest foreign press corps in the world, with correspondents using the city as a base to report on European Union and NATO affairs. It has though been through tough times in the recent years. Jean-Léopold Schuybroek, chair of the Belgian Public Relations Consultancies Association (BPRCA), says: “Belgium has...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/belgiumFri, 27 Jan 2012 12:22:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/belgiumIn 1914 the Sao Paulo Tramway Light and Power Company established a PR department and PR had arrived in Brazil. It was largely stifled during the dark days of twentieth century dictatorship, but since the first democratic presidential elections in 1984 the PR industry, and indeed the country, has gone from strength to strength. With 192 million people Brazil is the world’s fifth most populous country. It has the world’s seventh largest economy. After several years of annual GDP growth ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/americas/brazilFri, 27 Jan 2012 12:22:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/americas/brazilCanada has the world’s tenth largest economy, built on vast natural resources, a highly developed service sector and extensive trade with the US. Its wealthy southern neighbour absorbs about three-quarters of Canadian exports each year. Canada enjoyed solid economic growth from 1993 until 2007. Then the economy went into a sharp recession in the final months of 2008, and the Government posted its first fiscal deficit in 2009 after 12 years of surplus. However, Canada’s banks have always been...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/americas/canadaFri, 27 Jan 2012 12:22:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/americas/canadaIn March 1990, Chile ended General Pinochet’s 17-year dictatorship and elected a government which rapidly set about liberalising its economy. The country has flourished ever since. GDP has grown by an average of 4% every year since 1999. In 2006, Chile became the country with the highest nominal GDP per capita in Latin America. Much of that growth is the result of trade agreements with other countries. This culminated in May 2010 with the country’s accession to the Organisation for Economic ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/americas/chileFri, 27 Jan 2012 12:22:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/americas/chileThe Chinese economy, now the second largest in the world, has rebounded from a recession that continues to linger on elsewhere. The world’s largest brands have operated in China for many years, and now, as a growing proportion of the country’s income is transferred to its people, those brands are increasingly keen to claim a stake in its fast-growing consumer market. They are competing against confident, and increasingly dominant, local players. Furthermore, China is a complex country, ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/asia-pacific/chinaFri, 27 Jan 2012 12:22:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/asia-pacific/chinaGermany's PR market, by most estimates, ranks as one of the world's biggest. The industry may be dominated by a proliferation of small and medium-sized in-house departments and agencies but it certainly does not suffer from a lack of professionalism. There are no fewer than three PR trade bodies, with considerable attention paid to such areas as ethics and education. According to one trade body, the DPRG, there are some 40,000-50,000 PR practitioners in Germany. While 2009 was a tough year for ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/germany-germanyFri, 27 Jan 2012 12:22:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/germany-germanyFor centuries Hong Kong has profited from being a gateway into China and the rest of South East Asia, and that remains the case today. Indeed the tiny administrative region is one of the world’s leading financial centres, and as the world’s economic axis tilts ever further away from North America and Europe in favour of Asia, more and more corporates are pouring into Hong Kong. This has brought a host of opportunities for PR companies in the city-state. From government contracts, to commercial ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/asia-pacific/hong-kongFri, 27 Jan 2012 12:22:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/asia-pacific/hong-kongIndia’s PR industry is growing fast. A 2011 survey of 500 Indian PR professionals by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India, indicated that the sector was worth $6 billion in 2010, is growing at 32% a year and will be worth $10 billion by 2012. That growth is driven by an economy that rampages forward while much of the rest of the world falters. It is now the tenth largest in the world and is growing by 8.5% a year. The ICCO World Report has classed India as a 'fast emerging ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/asia-pacific/indiaFri, 27 Jan 2012 12:22:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/asia-pacific/indiaWith a population of around 230 million, Indonesia is the fourth most populated country in the world. It is also a functioning democracy with a free media, and so has a thriving PR industry. In the past five years it has grown exponentially, and corporates in Indonesia are now so keen on PR that even alcohol and cigarette brands are looking to gain editorial coverage in this Muslim country. Yet, many of those running the agencies, and their clients, decry the lack of skills and talent available...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/asia-pacific/indonesiaFri, 27 Jan 2012 12:22:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/asia-pacific/indonesiaAt the end of 2011 the overall Italian economy may be in dire straits with the French President and German Chancellor publicly laughing at suggestions that Italy could meet its debt obligations, but the same is not true of its PR industry. The EU's statistics body Eurostat says that Italian public debt stood at 116% of GDP in 2010 - the second biggest debt ratio in the EU after Greece. However, the 2011 Report from the International Communications  Consultancy Organisation (ICCO) ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/italyFri, 27 Jan 2012 12:22:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/italyMexico is the world’s 13th largest economy, and in the past two decades it has grown rapidly, helped firstly by its large and ever better educated population of around 112 million, and secondly by increasingly free trade with its rich northern neighbour.  Yet, 2009 was a tough year for Mexico. The deepest economic crisis in 70 years, which saw GDP plunge by eight per cent, was followed by the swine flu pandemic which affected the country’s reputation to such an extent that the capital ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/americas/mexicoFri, 27 Jan 2012 12:22:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/americas/mexicoWith a population of 155 million, making it Africa's most populous country and the seventh most populous in the world, as well as a wealth of natural resources, and an economy which the IMF predicts will grow by 8% one would expect Nigeria to host an active and growing PR industry. Yet PR in Nigeria has been hampered by corruption, political uncertainty, and a lack of industry unity. Corruption has long been a problem in Nigeria but the ‘Sanusi Tsunami' at the end of 2009 which led to the ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/africa/nigeriaFri, 27 Jan 2012 12:22:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/africa/nigeriaWith a population of around 180 million, Pakistan is the sixth most populous country in the world. It is not one of the richest, but World Bank figures show that its economy has grown at 6.6% a year for the past six years, and so it is an important market for many multinational brands. Furthermore, since media deregulation in 2003 an industry of just one state-owned television channel and three or four newspapers has blossomed into one of the largest and most vibrant media industries in the ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/asia-pacific/pakistanFri, 27 Jan 2012 12:22:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/asia-pacific/pakistanSpain has suffered more than many countries from the economic downturn of recent years. After 16 years of growth its economy shrank by 3.7% in 2009, and then by 0.2% in 2010, making it the last major economy to emerge from the global recession. This was primarily due to a collapse in the construction sector, plummeting property prices and the resulting fall in consumer spending. The unemployment rate hit 20% in 2010. While this has hit the Spanish media hard, with one agency director ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/spainFri, 27 Jan 2012 12:22:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/spainWith annual GDP growth of 6.4% in the first quarter of 2011, unemployment falling fast, and the public debt heading to below 40% of GDP, the Swedish economy is the envy of many around the world. It was affected by the 2009 downturn, but a strong manufacturing export base has seen it return rapidly to growth. The country’s PR industry did not even take a hit during the downturn. According to the Association of Public Relations Consultancies Sweden (Precis), the sector was largely unruffled by ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/swedenFri, 27 Jan 2012 12:22:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/europe/swedenPR should be big in the US. Aside from the obvious fact of the largest economy in the world with more than 300 million consumers and 28 million businesses, as well as one of the largest and most news-hungry media industries in the world,  there is the added advantage that a free press is enshrined in the First Amendment to the US Constitution. Indeed, the US is widely acknowledged as the birthplace of PR. In recent years crises of corporate reputation have further added to the ...http://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/americas/usFri, 27 Jan 2012 12:22:00 GMThttp://www.prweekglobalthinktank.com/regions-countries/americas/us