Global Communications Report 2017USC Annenberg School for Communication and JournalismOUR PARTNERS& a special T_h ank You to PennySometimes research creates more questions than it answers, especially when the topic being researched is in a state of change. When we embarked on the 2017 Global Communications Study the Ad-visory Board of the USC Center for Public Relations wanted to clearly def_i ne the role of the PR profession and its value to business and soci-ety. As one member put it, “to f_i nally put a stake in the ground about who we are and what we do.”We didnt reach that ground. But we took some important steps in the right direction by identifying the critical issues shaping the future of one of the worlds most dynamic and possibly misunderstood professions. -Fred Cook, Director, USC Center for Public RelationsIntroductionbullet.021Will PR and Marketing Mix? Almost half of PR professionals and more than 60% of marketing executives be-lieve that their two disciplines will become more closely aligned in the next f_i ve years. Some think PR will dominate. Others think it will be dominated. Perhaps the reality is somewhere in between. How this trend plays out may be the most critical issue facing the PR industry. Currently 18% of corporate communications departments report into marketing. If that number grows will their inf_l uence decrease? Currently, PR agencies report into marketing 21% of the time. If that number grows will their bottom lines in-crease?Recently, two major holding companies “bundled” their PR agencies with their Advertising agencies to provide clients with a more integrated solution. Internal-ly, some companies are restructuring their marketing functions to include public relations. Will these changes expand or diminish the role of the PR professional?PR Professionals Believe Public Relations Will.8%12%12%23%45%5%7%12%29%47%0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%Become a subset of marketingBecome a distinct and separate function from marketingPlay a dominant role over marketingPlay an increasingly important role compared to marketingBecome more closely aligned with marketingAgency In-HouseMarketing Professionals Believe Public Relations Will.8%12%12%23%45%5%7%12%29%47%20%5%1%12%61%0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%Become a subset of marketingBecome a distinct and separate function from marketingPlay a dominant role over marketingPlay an increasingly important role compared to marketingBecome more closely aligned with marketingMarketing Agency In-HouseCEO/President55%Marketing18%Operations4%Strategic Planning4%Human Resources4%Other15%CEO/President22%Corporate Communications39%Marketing21%Brand Management12%Other6%Whos the Boss?In-House Reporting LinesAgency Reporting LinesShould PR Rede ne or Rename Itself? T_h e answer is maybe. Eighty seven percent of PR executives believe the term Pub-lic Relations wont accurately describe the work they will be doing in f_i ve years. About half of them believe PR needs to be more broadly def_i ned, while the rest think the name should be changed. Who should answer this question? T_h e Arthur Page Society is doing a heroic job def_i ning the role of the CCO for its members. T_h e PR Council and PRCA are try-ing to do the same for their agencies. But who is responsible for educating the rest of society? Interestingly, not-yet-jaded students are far more comfortable with the current terminology than seasoned pros. Fewer than 20% think the name needs to be changed and most are pretty comfortable explaining it. Maybe we should all stop worrying and just get on with it.18%56%26%41%46%13%33%54%14%0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%Need to be renamedNeed to be defined more broadlyAccurately describe the work they will be doingAgency In-House StudentsIn 5 Years, the Term “Public Relations” Will.87%of professionals say that the term “Public Relations” will not describe the work they will do in five years18%56%26%41%46%13%33%54%14%0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%Need to be renamedNeed to be defined more broadlyAccurately describe the work they will be doingAgency In-House Students18%56%26%41%46%13%33%54%14%0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%Need to be renamedNeed to be defined more broadlyAccurately describe the work they will be doingAgency In-House StudentsStudent Confidence in Explaining Public RelationsNot Confident4%Somewhat Confident12%Moderately Confident37%Very Confident32%Extremely Confident15%Does Digital Storytelling Describe Our Future? When public relations executives were asked which communications trends will be the most important in the next f_i ve years, digital storytelling ranked above the rest, followed by social listening, social purpose and big data. T_h ats a dynamic combination and a striking example of how the industry has changed. Fortu-itously, these happen to be the same topics students are interested in.Emerging technologies, like VR and A