A list of 10 things that mark out 2009 as a funny old year in PR, as inspired by popular hit parade ‘toppers’ of the 1980s:

10. All those calls to clients to show that you care even more than usual about them, given persistent budget jitters (I Just Called To Say I Love You, Stevie Wonder)

9. Profits are thin, roll up thy sleeves and do whatever is necessary to fight through the turds (Just Like Starting Over, John Lennon)

8. The general state of the sector (Do You Really Want To Hurt Me, Culture Club)

7. Sweat and grind of the tooth ‘n’ nail fight to keep clients satisfied no matter what (Never Gonna Give You Up, Rick Astley)

6. Those rumours of which agencies are laying off the most staff (Careless Whisper, George Michael)

5. “We love you guys, but we just had our budgets cut by 100%” (Don’t Leave Me This Way, Communards)

4. The one in, one out charting of progression against the moderate growth plan (Every Loser Wins, Nick Berry)

3. “You’ve won the business, we’re not ready to start the work yet though” (Making Your Mind Up, Bucks Fizz)

2. That board meeting to formulate a 2010 business plan (The Only Way Is Up, Yazz & The Plastic Population)

1. “That which does not kill us makes us stronger” (When The Going Gets Tough The Tough Get Going, Billy Ocean)