Wadds Inc. is an industry specialist. We regularly publish sector insight and reports for clients.
If you are interested in exploring an opportunity with us please get in touch with Stephen Waddington.
Please find below a selection of our latest work.
● AI for Public Relations: A How-to Guide for Implementation and Management (Co-editor with Ben Verinder)
A practical guide for communications professionals on implementing and managing artificial intelligence across public relations practice.
Publisher | Kogan Page | 2026
● AI Strategies and Tools for Public Relations Practitioners (Chapter)
An examination of how AI tools and strategies are reshaping the work of public relations practitioners and their organisations.
Publisher | In: Cheng, Y. and Verčič, D. (eds.) AI and Strategic Communication. Wiley, pp. 105–124 | 2025
● The contribution of Ansgar Zerfass to public relations and management communication (Chapter with Ralph Tench)
A critical appraisal of Ansgar Zerfass's scholarship and its enduring influence on public relations theory and management communication research.
Publisher | In: Kommunikation als Strategie. Springer Gabler, pp. 43–57 | 2025
Research into the underrepresentation of women in senior public relations roles.
Publisher | CIPR/Socially Mobile | 2025
● People, pressure and purpose in international public relations
An exploration of the pressures facing communications professionals and the role of purpose in sustaining effective practice.
Publisher | The PR Network | 2025
● Pints & Profits: Digital Pub & Bar Report: Spring Update
A digital visibility update tracking the online performance of UK pubs and bars in the context of a rapidly changing hospitality market.
Publisher | Brew | 2025
● Use of AI in Corporate Communications and Public Relations: The Story So Far
This report highlights the challenge of integrating AI into workflows while addressing governance issues and striving for increased efficiency and effectiveness.
Publisher | Wadds Inc. | June 2024
● Measuring the Impact and Value of Public Affairs
A practical framework for public affairs professionals to evaluate and demonstrate the organisational value of their work.
Publisher | DeHavilland | 2024
● Pints & Profits: Digital Pub & Bar Report
An annual report tracking the digital visibility and online performance of the UK pub and bar sector.
Publisher | Brew | 2024
● The Evolving Nature of Crisis Communications Management
How the nature of risk is changing and its impact on organisations. Includes practical guidance on how to prepare, respond and recover from a crisis.
Publisher | Vuelio | March 2024
An exploration of the management role and contribution of corporate communication within organisations.
Publisher | NewsWhip | January 2024
● Intuition versus Insight: Digital Transformation and the Corporate Communications Function
An investigation into how data and digital tools are shifting the corporate communications function from intuition-led to insight-driven practice.
Publisher | NewsWhip | 2024
● From Hindsight to Foresight: Taking a Proactive Approach to Purpose and Polarisation
How the corporate communications function is supporting management impact on decision-making around socio-political issues.
Publisher | NewsWhip | May 2024
● #FuturePRoof Six: #PRstack: AI Tools for Marketing, Media and Public Relations
A comprehensive overview of how AI tools are helping marketing, media, and public relations practitioners work smarter and more efficiently.
Publisher | #FuturePRoof | November 2023
● Setting the Agency Agenda in Measurement and Evaluation (Editor)
A collection of practitioner essays setting out priorities and best practice for measurement and evaluation in public relations agencies.
Publisher | AMEC | 2023
● Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tools and the Impact on Public Relations Practice (With Andrew Bruce Smith)
An assessment of the opportunities and risks created by artificial intelligence tools for the public relations profession.
Publisher | CIPR | 2023
● From Pitching to Getting Published: A PR's Guide to Media Relations in 2023
An analysis of the evolving media relations landscape and practical guidance for practitioners on adapting to change.
Publisher | Vuelio | July 2023
● The Impact of AI on Public Relations
AI has the potential to help improve efficiency and effectiveness, but it also gives rise to several areas of risk, notably bias, copyright, privacy and misinformation.
Publisher | Wadds Inc. | June 2023
● Elevating the Role of Public Relations in Management (With Dr Jon White)
Making the case for the contribution of public relations to management and organisational success.
Publisher | Vuelio | November 2022
● Trends in the Integration of Marketing and Public Relations
An analysis of how the boundaries between marketing and public relations are shifting, with implications for team structures, skills and strategy.
Publisher | Vuelio | 2022
● Challenges and Opportunities for Public Relations 2022
A review of the opportunities and threats to public relations practice as society emerged from COVID-19.
Publisher | Wadds Inc. | January 2022
● Data Literacy in Public Relations (With others)
A practitioner-led examination of how data literacy is transforming public relations and what professionals need to develop their capabilities.
Publisher | PRCA | 2022
● COVID-19 UK Public Relations Agencies Start-up Report
An analysis of public relations startups founded during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Publisher | Wadds Inc. | May 2021
● The Environment, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) Opportunity for Public Relations (With Dr Jon White)
What is ESG? How is it different from CSR? And how is public relations adapting to the opportunities and risks?
Publisher | Vuelio | May 2021
● Beyond Share of Search: What Matters for PR (With others)
A critical evaluation of share of search as a public relations metric, with guidance on more meaningful approaches to measurement.
Publisher | PRCA | 2021
● COVID-19 Communications Advisory Panel Report
This report provides insights into the impact of the pandemic on communications professionals and some of the lessons learned.
Publisher | Government Communication Service | October 2020
● Exploring Public Relations and Management Communication (Co-editor with Ralph Tench, 5th edn)
The definitive textbook on public relations theory and practice, integrating academic research with professional application across 30 chapters.
Publisher | Pearson | 2021
● Role of the public relations practitioner (Chapter with Ralph Tench)
An examination of the skills, competencies and professional identity of the modern public relations practitioner.
Publisher | In: Exploring Public Relations and Management Communication, 5th edn. Pearson, pp. 108–143 | 2021
● Future issues for PR and strategic communication (Chapter with Ralph Tench)
A forward-looking analysis of the macro trends and emerging challenges shaping the future of public relations and strategic communication.
Publisher | In: Exploring Public Relations and Management Communication, 5th edn. Pearson, pp. 589–609 | 2021
● Platinum: A Celebration of the 70th Anniversary of the CIPR (Editor)
A crowdsourced anthology of essays celebrating the CIPR's 70th anniversary and showcasing excellence in modern public relations practice.
Publisher | CIPR | 2018
● Exploring the Mental Wellbeing of the Public Relations Profession (With Sarah Hall)
A report examining the prevalence and causes of poor mental health in public relations, with practical recommendations for employers.
Publisher | #FuturePRoof/PRCA | 2017
● Exploring the Public Relations Agency Business (With Sarah Hall)
An investigation into innovation and change in the public relations agency sector, drawing on insights from agency leaders across the UK.
Publisher | #FuturePRoof/PRCA/ICCO | 2016
● Chartered Public Relations: Lessons from Expert Practitioners (Editor)
An anthology of essays by Chartered PR Practitioners, published to mark the tenth anniversary of the CIPR's Royal Charter.
Publisher | Kogan Page | 2015
● A critical review: The four models of public relations and the excellence theory in an era of digital communication (Chapter)
A reassessment of Grunig and Hunt's four models and the excellence theory in light of digital and social media transformation.
Publisher | In: Chartered Public Relations. Kogan Page, pp. 290–301 | 2015
● My #PRstack 2: A Practical Guide to Modern PR Tools and Workflow (Editor)
A second crowdsourced collection of how-to guides covering more than 30 tools used in modern public relations and marketing workflow.
Publisher | PRstack/Blurb | 2015
● My #PRstack: A Practical Guide to Modern PR Tools and Workflow (Editor)
A crowdsourced guide to the tools and workflow shaping modern public relations practice, featuring contributions from 19 practitioners.
Publisher | PRstack/Blurb | 2015
● Wikipedia Best Practice Guidance for Public Relations Professionals (With others)
Updated guidance for public relations practitioners on the ethical and transparent use of Wikipedia in communications work.
Publisher | CIPR | 2014
● Share This Too: More Social Media Solutions for PR Professionals (Co-editor with Rob Brown)
A follow-up to Share This, bringing together more than 30 contributors to explore the evolving social media landscape for public relations.
Publisher | Wiley | 2013
● Wikipedia and reputation management (Chapter)
An exploration of Wikipedia's role in shaping organisational reputation and guidance for practitioners on responsible engagement with the platform.
Publisher | In: Share This Too. Wiley, pp. 163–177 | 2013
● Brand Vandals: Reputation Wreckers and How to Build Better Defences (With Steve Earl)
An examination of the reputational threats posed by organised online activism and how organisations can build resilience against them.
Publisher | Bloomsbury | 2013
● CIPR Social Media Best Practice Guidelines (With others)
Professional guidance for CIPR members on the ethical and effective use of social media in public relations practice.
Publisher | CIPR | 2013
● Share This: The Social Media Handbook for PR Professionals (Editor)
A practical handbook created by the CIPR Social Media Panel covering the full range of social media tools and techniques for public relations.
Publisher | Wiley | 2012
● The business of blogging (Chapter)
A practical guide to corporate blogging, covering the strategic rationale, content creation and the challenge of generating authentic organisational voices.
Publisher | In: Share This. Wiley, pp. 93–99 | 2012
● Brand Anarchy: Managing Corporate Reputation (With Steve Earl)
An investigation into the impact of social media on corporate reputation and how organisations can respond to the new dynamics of public discourse.
Publisher | Bloomsbury | 2012
● Wikipedia Best Practice Guidance for Public Relations Professionals (With others)
The first professional guidance issued by the CIPR on the relationship between public relations practice and Wikipedia.
Publisher | CIPR | 2012●