Our annual audit of PR costs and charges reveals stark reality of opaque pricing

THERE are certain times when it’s great to be considered an outlier or an oddity.

Standing out is especially important in business where being different, unusual or just plain kooky can help set you apart from rivals.

Here at Holyrood PR, we know exactly what makes us different. We were the first PR agency in Scotland to proudly and prominently display our PR costs and charges on our website.

Strangely that transparency doesn’t make us normal in the world of PR. It makes us oddities and outliers and we remain among a vanishingly small number to publish rates.

Frankly we don’t mind being considered “a bit weird”. Why? Because consumers are a price sensitive bunch and the cost of goods and services are invariably the first thing we look for – not some trifling afterthought.

For the vast majority of us, financial reality means that we can’t afford to splurge on what we want without ever looking at the price tag.

Think about the amount of research you’d do  when making a major purchase: Does the seller have a trusted history? Are they experts in the product or service you want? Do they have good reviews? Can you see samples of their previous work? Are they easily contactable at any time and do they offer excellent accountability and customer service?

While all of these factors are crucial the biggest question is always “how much does it actually cost? Therefore, we believe it make absolutely perfect sense to be totally up front and clear about our fees and charges.

For more than a decade, we’ve conducted an annual review of pricing transparency in Scotland’s public relations and communications sector. Year after year, our findings reveal the “the norm” is that painfully few agencies disclose their PR costs—a pattern that continues in 2025.

This year we followed our tried and trusted research methodology to examine the websites of 72 PR, communications, and digital agencies operating in Scotland. Besides Holyrood PR, only two other organisations publish their rates online.

The rest leave prospective clients in the dark about what they’ll pay for PR support. This opaque pricing make it difficult for businesses who require PR support to effectively compare services and costs.

We are proud and delighted to be oddities and outliers. We have long believed that being utterly transparent about costs is critical for building trust with our clients. That’s why we carry out this annual audit – so you can make smarter decisions if you are choosing a PR agency.

Our commitment ensures that potential clients know exactly what they are paying and can be assured that other clients are not  getting different or better “deals”.

We are in no doubt that clear and accessible pricing benefits everyone by:

• Empowering businesses to make informed decisions about their PR investment
• Building trust between agencies and clients by removing uncertainty
• Creating accountability and encouraging competition

Explore our past research on PR pricing transparency:

2023/2024: YEAR 9
The difference between cost and value – and how our transparent fees ensure both

2022/2023: YEAR 8
Today’s lesson – why the lack of transparency on PR fees is such a headscratcher

2020/2021: YEAR 7
Three certainties in life: death, taxes and our transparent fee structure

2019/20: YEAR 6
Just 1% of Scottish PR agencies publish their PR costs and charges online

2018/2019: YEAR 5
The question everyone is asking finally answered: How much will it cost?

2017/18: YEAR 4
Shining a light on the murky world of PR fees – just why is it so opaque?

2016/17: YEAR 3
PR agency’s crusade for clarity on PR costs and charges hits the headlines

 2015/16: YEAR 2
Exposing the fiction of transparency over PR costs and charges

2014/15: YEAR 1
Why finding out the cost of PR in Scotland is a painful guessing game

If you are using or choosing PR services, make sure you speak to proven experts who are up front about PR rates

We’d love to hear about the challenges and opportunities for you business and to show how PR can help unlock the good stuff while overcoming many hurdles.

Getting in touch with us couldn’t be easier. Phone us on 0131 561 2244 or take a few seconds to fill and submit the simple form below and we’ll get straight back to you: