A diverse Central Europe leads the way in creating a new chapter for PR

Unprecedented regional co-operation behind “Focus Report 2024: PR in Central Europe”

Budapest, 24 October 2024 – Public Relations is especially diverse in countries of Central Europe and individual differences must be treated with respect – this is one of the findings of a new professional publication crowdsourced by four national Public Relations associations. PR experts from Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia came together in the largest regional co-operation to date to launch “Focus Report 2024: PR in Central Europe”, a unique publication that paints a portrait of their emerging markets and identifies key characteristics and trends of the Public Relations and communications sector.

The Czech Association of Public Relations (APRA), the Polish Public Relations Consultancies Association (PPRCA), the Hungarian Public Relations Association (HuPRA), and the Association of Public Relations Slovak Republic (APRSR) invited professionals to submit scripts to the book on topics ranging from strategy to ethics and the future of the profession to provide an invaluable thought leadership for the Public Relations industry.

Seventy PR-professionals – from corporations and consultancies alike - contributed, sharing their knowledge, insights, and opinion, and raising questions and concerns in eleven topics grouped around four themes: Principles, Practice Areas, Success Factors and Vision for the Future.

“The Focus Report will become an essential tool for regional PR players, facilitating knowledge transfer between the people, companies and brands in Central Europe, while also bringing together the industry’s different generations to strengthen professional cohesion”. - said Andras Sztaniszlav, CEO of ICCO, President of HuPRA and founder of the report – „ I am proud and grateful that while the PR industry in the region is considered to be under-resourced in comparison to large-scale markets, the intuitively inventive and resourceful public relations specialists have come together to produce this showcase of our talent and professional leadership.

The publication gives evidence of how the Central European region plays a leading role in creating a new chapter for PR. Countries of the region share certain historical and cultural links, however, the articles demonstrate the diversity of the region. What connects these diverse approaches is the positive and constructive attitude and the strong ethical principles each author manifests in their field.

“The four themes of Principles, Practice Areas, Success Factors and Vision for the Future cover eleven professional topics: Strategic Role of PR, Ethics, ESG, Public Affairs, Crisis communication, Employer Branding, Measuring efficiency, Strategy vs creativity, Education, Gen Z and the Future of PR. Topics were ‘crowdsourced’ by PR practitioners from the region. The articles – while displaying a diverse professional approach – underline that the principles and structures of Public Relations have not changed over the last hundred years. We still recommend ethical communication as a key asset for any organisation, believe in engaging stakeholders and consider communication to be a strategic element of the C-suite toolkit – and these concepts are all part of PR education programmes in the region.” - said Gábor Sarlós, Associate Professor of the University of Roehampton and the Editor-in-Chief of the Focus Report 2024.

The Focus Report follows the success of the 2021 PR Trendreport launched by the Hungarian PR Association that included articles from over 100 senior communication specialists. The publication – which was available in print and online – resulted in 2000 downloads in Hungarian.

“True PR cannot be mastered in isolation from the industry”. - says Péter Pantl, Group Corporate Communications & Marketing Vice President, MOL Group. – „It’s about understanding stakeholders, navigating media landscapes and building relationships with the right level of management at media outlets, as well as journalists who are constantly chasing the next big story. Public relations requires more than technical proficiency—it demands strategic thinking and a long-term vision. This is why communication professionals are increasingly burdened with greater responsibility. There’s no room for second chances or trial and error. When an issue arises, the moment is there and decisions must be swift, recommendations sound and solutions immediate. This all goes down to one thing: in a seemingly tech-driven era, human capacities, personal relationships and strategic thinking are not likely to disappear but the contrary – they’re more important than ever before.”

The publishers hope that the Focus Report will initiate professional dialogue, foster understanding and contribute to the further recognition of the Public Relations profession. The publication is available online here: focusreport.mprsz.hu