The emotive word there is pain. Let’s not spend too long on that though, because hopefully anyone who reads this blog regularly, or has tripped across it and reads through some of the other posts, will recognise my point of view on this – PR is in pain because it must continue to modernise, and too few people who call the shots have figured out what to do about it.

I state that as if it were fact, while of course it’s merely my opinion. Feel free to challenge it, but be prepared for a passionate barrage of evidence and anecdotes that add elephantine weight to the argument.

Like pre-lunchtime tummy rumbles, I feel a list coming on: here are 10 points of pain that are making PR agency bosses feel most uncomfortable at the moment:

1. Digitising media. The media doesn’t know what it’s doing either mind. But PR agencies either have digital ghettoes of coneheads while the big bosses fight shy of the internet or they’ve given the whole job a digital lick of paint, or they’re clinging stubbornly to the darlingluvvy world of print. All will founder if they carry on that way.

2. The value of media relations (as we knew it) is sliding away

3. Most agencies have a fudged take on what the future holds for them so struggle to communicate any meaningful vision to their staff, instead banging on about how they influence influencers and such like

4. The counsel that’s most valued is about how media is changing and how we can create new value for clients, yet too many just want to stick to their knitting

5. Too much international or global business is held by firms that are part of large listed groups beholden to advertising. Advertising is even more pained than PR. So investment in modernisation for the agencies who have those big global accounts is hard to come by, and the fear is they’ll fall behind. Double ouch

6. Lack of transparency about business plans and performance can leave staff feeling undervalued. But those who haven’t started modernising may not have much good news to share, beyond the short-term

7. Everyone feels they should talk about how the market seems to be looking up, but they know that’ll mean people who’ve had pay freezes want more money. Modernisation costs money. Quick fix or long term improvements – what balance is best?

8. Evaluation is no longer woolly stuff that can be pulled over the eyes. It needs to be done properly. But without having modernised to embrace all media it is difficult to do it meaningfully. And clients can be reluctant to pay for it – you could make them understand the value, but that might mean they see you haven’t got the bigger picture of the conventional/digital media future cracked (in fact you’re turning a blind eye to it)

9. People are getting itchy feet because they’re not getting the skills they need to allow them to do the PR jobs of the future, and the recruitment fees for replacing them might wipe out your training budget. Catch 22.

10. Some are still not convinced that digital isn’t just a passing fad. Perhaps their predecessors used to think the same about TV

What’s the impact of the Generation Y issue on all of this?
Doesn’t help, does it?

To be honest, I don’t think that’s really what the point is. It’s more that with everything else that’s going on in the turbulent world of PR at the moment, the growing issue of Gen Y seems to have fallen by the wayside. Which is pretty short-sighted.

And fair enough. Agencies do need to modernise. The PR people who call the shots and set the commercial wheels in motion do need to knuckle down and transition their businesses, their management approach, their services and their marketing to meet the rapidly changing needs of where the industry is heading.

PR has enough problems without Generation Yers not pulling their weight (at least that’s the kneejerk view of some senior/experienced agency people).

But if PR agencies aren’t able to modernise in a way that enthuses and engages Gen Y, the impact of the modernisation won’t be long-lived. Because Gen Y will sod off to do something entirely different.

Should Gen Y just wise up and fall into line with everyone else?
No, of course not. Honest guv. Agency businesses are not charities (despite the odd expenses claim I have to sign off) and can’t model themselves around the new needs of a new generation. Equally though, agencies have to wake up and get to grips with generational change and the pace of evolution now in play.

Tomorrow I’ll try to blog some conclusions. Which won’t be easy. But I have some ideas.

Thanks for those who’ve sent comments, collared me in person and sent emails/DMs with input this week. Some interesting views. Strangely though, very few from Gen Y.

Perhaps the crusties do read blogs after all.