PR agencies competitor research: a verification checklist

For PR agencies competitor research, start with a verified record. Competitor research can describe a verified record. It cannot turn a registration, case study or award into proof that an agency is capable, available or suitable. Use this checklist for one buyer decision and leave gaps marked unknown.

What to take away

Competitor research can describe a verified record but cannot turn a registration, case study or award into proof of capability.
Label every claim by sourcefirst-party claims, independent primary records, and unknown gaps must stay separate.
Use the same fields for all subjects and never score an unknown as zero or let a strong portfolio compensate for failed checks.
Hold the comparison when legal identity is unresolved, first-party evidence is stale, or a source cannot be lawfully retained.
This checklist gives a verification method, not a shortlist or agency verdict.

Define the subject and baseline

State the PR service, buyer, period and England location rule before searching.
Include the buyer's in-house or manual route so that an external supplier is not the assumed answer.
Define the subject as legal entity, trading name, group, establishment or exact service. Do not switch units between rows.
Publish inclusion and exclusion rules before seeing favourable examples.

Stop if the comparison mixes media relations, advertising, public affairs, research and unrelated communications without a common service definition.

Define Subject and Baseline

State service, buyer, period, England rule
Include buyer's in-house or manual route
Define subject as legal entity or service
Publish inclusion and exclusion rules first
Stop if mixed services lack common definition

Verify identity without claiming quality

Capture legal name, company number, status, registered office, filing date and reported SIC code from the official record.
Reconcile the trading name and contracting party through current first-party information.
Retain the Companies House disclaimer: information on the register is not necessarily verified or validated.
Keep registered office separate from the operating establishment and delivery location.

Registration is not accreditation, endorsement, solvency evidence or proof of service capability.

Classify every claim by source

Label a supplier website, portfolio, testimonial or case study as a first-party claim.
Record the exact page, wording, geography and retrieval date without enlarging the claim.
Use the official Contracts Finder service only to verify the buyer, notice status, stated scope and dates of a public procurement.
Check the membership directory of the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) and applicable Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) membership or corporate affiliate records; record the exact entry found.
Check named award records, such as the PRWeek Awards, CIPR Excellence Awards and PRCA Awards, as separate evidence, not performance findings.
Mark missing evidence unknown instead of drawing an adverse inference.

An ended award does not establish current availability. A named client logo does not by itself prove permission, scope or outcome.

Respect people, content and databases

Define a lawful, documented purpose before collecting personal information about directors, staff, journalists or clients, and apply the UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018.
Keep research invitations separate from later direct marketing. Follow ICO business-to-business marketing guidance and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR); public business details are not blanket authority.
Check the ICO data protection fee register where applicable. An absent entry alone is not proof of non-compliance because exemptions may apply.
Collect the minimum fields, provide appropriate information and set correction, objection, retention and deletion routes, including a documented retention period.
Do not copy contact lists, photographs, campaign copy, reports or database contents merely because they are visible.
Check rights and permitted reuse against IPO copyright ownership guidance and the actual licence or terms.

For the live method, check the applicable requirements under the UK GDPR, Data Protection Act 2018 and PECR, as well as copyright and database rights. Use ICO and IPO guidance, the relevant register and the actual licence or terms; seek qualified review where needed.

Test comparability and conflicts

Use the same fields for scope, evidence, team, delivery, access, security, claims, measurement, contract and exit.
Disclose who conducted the research, funding, affiliate links, former clients, gifts and any excluded relationship.
Do not score an unknown as zero or let a strong portfolio compensate for failed data, rights or security checks.
Protect embargoed or confidential evidence using proportionate access and removal controls, informed by NCSC supply-chain guidance.

Produce an auditable dossier

For each subject, publish verified identity facts, attributed supplier statements, independent primary records, unresolved questions and editorial inferences in separate columns. Add the reviewer, source date and next check. Do not publish allegations or invented client experience.

Worked example: a PR agency record

Subject	First-party claim	Independent primary record	Unknown	Editorial inference
Edelman (PR agency)	None captured	Companies House, PRCA and CIPR records not yet checked	Legal entity, company number, status and any membership or award entry remain unchecked	None

This example demonstrates how to keep the columns separate; it makes no finding about Edelman's legal identity, membership, awards or performance. Next, identify the contracting entity from current first-party information, check the relevant records and enter the exact finding or leave it marked unknown.

Hold the comparison when legal identity is unresolved, first-party service evidence is stale, a source cannot be lawfully retained, common fields are missing, or a conflict cannot be managed. This checklist gives a verification method, not a shortlist or agency verdict.

Before you act

Define the service, buyer, period and location rule before searching.
Verify legal identity from the official record without claiming quality.
Classify every claim by source and mark missing evidence unknown.
Respect people, content and databases with a lawful documented purpose.
Test comparability and disclose conflicts of interest.
Produce an auditable dossier with separate columns for facts, claims, records, questions and inferences.

Common questions

What should you do if a supplier's case study or award seems impressive?

Treat it as a first-party claim, not proof of capability, availability or suitability. Record the exact page, wording, geography and retrieval date without enlarging the claim. An ended award does not establish current availability, and a named client logo does not by itself prove permission, scope or outcome.

How should you handle missing evidence about a competitor?

Mark missing evidence as unknown instead of drawing an adverse inference. Do not score an unknown as zero or let a strong portfolio compensate for failed data, rights or security checks. Hold the comparison when legal identity is unresolved or common fields are missing.

What legal and privacy rules apply when collecting competitor information?

Define a lawful, documented purpose before collecting personal information. Keep research invitations separate from later direct marketing. ICO guidance warns that public business details are not blanket authority.

Do not copy contact lists, photographs, campaign copy, reports or database contents merely because they are visible. Check rights and reuse against IPO copyright ownership guidance and the actual licence or terms.