The LCM presents the 10 trends in strategic communication and public relations for 2024

For the past 10 years, the Latin American Communication Monitor (LCM) has been the largest and most prestigious scientific study in the field of strategic communication and public relations in Latin America. 

According to its directors, Dr. Alejandro Álvarez-Nobell and Dr. Juan-Carlos Molleda, "it has aimed to contribute to the disciplinary and professional development of strategic communication and public relations, evaluating trends and changes taking place in Latin America and adding its own worldview to the global debate."

The study is organized by EUPRERA, and in this fifth edition (2022-2023), it has the support of 34 universities and the main associations in the sector, with the participation of 1,134 professionals from 20 countries, reaching a potential audience of 20,000 strategic communication and public relations professionals in Latin America. The LCM is one of the main academic references with 1,210 citations and 141 entries on Google Scholar. 

In this regard, Dr. Ángeles Moreno, Past-President of EUPRERA and founder of the LCM, and Dr. Ansgar Zerfass, Lead researcher Global Communication Monitor, state: "The independent diagnosis, based on scientific standards, has allowed for an accurate interpretation and anticipation of sector trends, which has been useful and valuable for professionals. That is our commitment."

The latest LCM report provides evidence on the debate regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), empathetic leadership, the digitization of communication departments and agencies (CommTech), strategic issues shaping the profession, dynamics and challenges of communication consultancy, salaries, and characteristics of excellent communication departments.

 "Undoubtedly, the results constitute the agenda for discussion in training, research, professional practice, and the social function that communication in organizations has, considering the special characteristics of Latin America," state Dr. Álvarez-Nobell, researcher at the University of Malaga, Spain, and Dr. Molleda, dean of the School of Communication at the University of Oregon, United States.

Thus, the LCM offers an extensive report available for free download, and it highlights these 10 trends in Strategic Communication and Public Relations that will be discussed in 2024:

1. Actions on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) reinforce stakeholders' trust.
2. Empathetic leadership increases engagement, improves mental health, and reduces turnover.
3. Digitization (CommTech) will have a transformative impact on the profession and work methods.
4. The benefits of using CommTech in different ways far outweigh its potential drawbacks and risks.
5. External communication consultancy represents half of the activity and becomes more relevant, diverse, and complex.
6. Strengthening the advisory role of communication is a key issue to the profession. 
7. The need to connect organizational strategies with communication deepens.
8. Sustainability remains outside the top-five priorities in communication management.
9. Women earn less: the gender pay gap continues to be a challenge in the profession.
10. The pursuit of excellence in communication, a growing vector of competitiveness for the sector.

The LCM is part of the Global Communication Monitor driven by the European Public Relations Education and Research Association (EUPRERA), which in 16 years has surveyed nearly 50,000 professionals in more than 80 countries. In addition to the Latin American region, the study is complemented by chapters in Europe (ECM), Asia-Pacific (APCM), and North America (NACM). 

"What sets these studies apart are their solid empirical standards based on scientific requirements in Social Sciences. Unlike a set of industry-produced studies, our results are independent and scientifically validated," says Prof. Dr. Ansgar Zerfass, Lead researcher Global Communication Monitor (EUPRERA).

The 2022-2023 edition is sponsored by the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (BCIE), the Institute of Public Relations (IPR), the University of Oregon (United States), and the Creative Campus of the Latin American University of Costa Rica. 

"The Latin American Communication Monitor (2022-2023) aligns with our clear commitment to promote initiatives that encourage the culture of communication and access to information," says Dr. Dante Mossi Reyes, Executive President of the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (BCIE). 

"This report reveals the predominant currents and subcurrents that shape our industry. In line with our mission to conduct, share, and sponsor research that matters to the profession, the LCM 2022-2023 is an excellent example of this, a critical study that creates aspirations and growth goals for our field in Latin America," says Ph.D. Tina McCorkindale, President and CEO of the Institute for Public Relations. 

Additionally, the research is academically supported by the Research Group on Regeneration, Well-being, and Positive Communication ReBiCom UMA Network at the University of Malaga (Spain); the Advanced Studies Group in Communication at the Rey Juan Carlos University (Spain); the Research Group in Communication Studies (GRECO) at the University of Medellín (Colombia); and the Latin American Network of Research in Organizational Communication (RedLAco).

• Access to the full report and executive summary HERE
• LCM´s website HERE

LCM 2022-2023 Contact

PhD. Alejandro Álvarez-Nobell

aan@uma.es

+34 606854215

PhD. Juan Carlos Molleda

jmolleda@uoregon.edu