PRCA changes name to Public Relations and Communications Association

The PRCA (formerly the Public Relations Consultants Association) has changed its name to ‘Public Relations and Communications Association’ following a four-month consultation with its members.

The rebrand includes a new website, logo and strapline: ‘The Power of Communication’.

The PRCA’s name change reflects its mission to represent the entire industry, rather than agencies and consultancies alone. It also represents the industry’s shift away from traditional PR roles, since many professionals are now responsible for a much broader communications remit.

Francis Ingham, director general of the PRCA, said: “As the UK’s largest professional body for PR and communications practitioners, the PRCA represents people in every part of our industry – consultancies, in-house teams, freelancers and students. So our name needed to change, because the days when we were home only to agencies are long gone – we’re now the natural home of every serious PR and communications practitioner.

“We also made the sensible decision to change our logo and our strapline, but to keep the acronym PRCA. We truly do believe in the power of communication, so we know that when a brand has such strong recognition and authority, you ought to keep it.”

The rebrand consultation period began in May, and plans for the new name were presented to the Board of Management on 26 July.

Founded in 1969, the PRCA started out as a membership body for PR consultancies and agencies. It began accepting in-house members in 2009, and in 2011 broadened its remit to include individuals.