J. G. Navarro
Research expert covering advertising and marketing with a focus on South America
Public relations in the United States – statistics & facts
What comes after the storm: the rainbow or the calm? In the case of the American public relations (PR) industry, both. The United States continues to dominate the global PR market. Seven of the world's leading 10 firms are U.S.-based, including all in the top five. But after growing by over one-third between 2019 and 2022, emerging stronger after the pandemic, the sector practically stalled in 2023. U.S. leading PR firms' combined fee income increased by little more than one percent to approximately 11.55 billion U.S. dollars. The market credited the lukewarm result at least partially to the technology and health segments' budget adjustments. For instance, tech companies were among Omnicom Group's leading client categories in 2021 and 2022, accounting for 11 percent of the holding's revenue. In 2023, that share dropped to eight percent. The group controls FleishmanHillard, the world's fourth top PR agency by fee income.
Meanwhile, a survey released in the second quarter of 2024 revealed that U.S. healthcare marketers' average budget share allocated to PR stood at nine percent. That was below the investments in professional meetings and conferences or advertising in traditional media. Even the PR segment's growth, albeit modest, resulted in part from mergers and acquisitions (M&As). In 2023, the number of M&A transactions in the global marketing services sector – which includes PR – increased by over one-third. That indicates a more dynamic market share redistribution rather than a more attractive industry.
Meanwhile, a survey released in the second quarter of 2024 revealed that U.S. healthcare marketers' average budget share allocated to PR stood at nine percent. That was below the investments in professional meetings and conferences or advertising in traditional media. Even the PR segment's growth, albeit modest, resulted in part from mergers and acquisitions (M&As). In 2023, the number of M&A transactions in the global marketing services sector – which includes PR – increased by over one-third. That indicates a more dynamic market share redistribution rather than a more attractive industry.
