Last year, Highlight PR exceeded the initially set objectives, registering at the end of the year a turnover increase of 60% compared to 2023. BR sat down with Aela Cotabita, the agency’s Managing Director, and took a deeper look at their success, the view on the communication market, clients and services, as well as how she sees 2025 and the future.
By Romanita Oprea
How was 2024 from a business point of view? Generally, it was a very intense year in the industry with many projects and campaigns until the last days. Was it the same for your agency?
2024 was an intense and successful year from a business perspective.
We set out with clear objectives: to strengthen Highlight PR’s position in the market while investing in the agency’s growth across multiple dimensions — from team expertise and service offering to the diversity of our projects and client portfolio.
Not only did we meet our goals, but we surpassed them. By year-end, we recorded a 60% increase in turnover compared to 2023, driven by the successful delivery of over 100 projects, each of them reflecting the breadth of our team’s expertise and their creative approach.
Our momentum remained strong until the very last days of the year, with a steady stream of integrated communication projects. December alone saw initiatives spanning employer branding, video content creation, internal communication, media relations, influencer marketing, and PR events — reflecting the dynamic and multidisciplinary nature of our work.
What were the most important changes & novelties in the agency in 2024?
If I were to sum up Highlight PR’s 2024 in one word, it would be “growth.”
This took shape through both business consolidation and a strategic redefinition of our service portfolio. We expanded into new areas such as photo-video content creation, online communication, and the coordination of integrated campaigns — all while further strengthening our established capabilities in PR and media relations, employer branding, internal communication, influencer marketing, and PR events. Every project we delivered was underpinned by a strong commitment to creativity and operational efficiency, ensuring high-impact results across the board.
When it comes to services, our core focus has always been — and remains — integrated communication campaigns, brand communication, media relations, internal communication and employer branding, PR events, and influencer marketing.
What do you offer differently than the competition?
What sets us apart is our truly integrated approach to communication—we don’t see PR as a standalone service, but as part of a broader strategic ecosystem. Our team combines a wide range of competencies and deep cross-disciplinary expertise, with a generational mix that allows us to connect authentically with diverse audiences.
We’re highly agile—both in how we anticipate and adapt to trends and technologies, and in the way we respond to client needs. At the same time, we remain grounded in efficiency and are fully focused on delivering measurable results. Every brief is approached with a balance of authenticity and creativity, ensuring our work is not only strategically sound but also culturally relevant and genuinely engaging.
What do you wish for the end of 2025?
As we look ahead to the end of 2025, our goal is to complete the consolidation phase of Highlight PR — a year we see as one of maturity and strengthening.
While our focus remains on refining our portfolio of services and deepening our competencies, as well as continuing to grow our client base through new business, our ambition is not solely financial. Instead, we aim to optimize the way we work — to run a more efficient, agile business, invest meaningfully in our people, and deliver a diverse range of projects that reflect both creativity and strategic depth. For us, 2025 is about building a stronger, smarter agency that’s fully equipped for sustainable, long-term impact.
What did clients want the most in 2024? Do you see any changes in their approaches?
Many clients were looking to connect with Gen Z, a generation that, in recent years, has grown into a major consumer segment with the power to influence brands and businesses.
This was right up our alley, as we have a deep understanding of audiences — and of this generation in particular — and consistently approach every project with authenticity and relevance at its core, ensuring alignment with brand values and a genuine connection with the target audience.
Our approach is always integrated, drawing on the diverse expertise of our team to craft solutions that are both authentic and relevant. At the heart of our storytelling lies a strong foundation of analysis and research. From there, every strategy is tailored — resulting in a distinct narrative every time. We don’t believe in one-size-fits-all solutions in communication, not even for clients within the same industry or facing similar challenges.
What do you consider to be the latest trends that are arriving in the PR industry and why?
The latest trends in PR emphasize even more authentic storytelling, data-driven strategies, and leveraging digital platforms — especially social media and influencer partnerships — to create deeper, more meaningful engagement with audiences, at the same time with an increased need for agility and the capacity for fast response.
Moreover, PR today is evolving into fully integrated communication that seamlessly blends media relations, events, digital, influencer marketing, and content creation to deliver cohesive and impactful brand experiences.
Where do you believe our industry’s main problems are and how can they be changed?
The PR industry in Romania is constantly evolving, and surprisingly enough many companies still don’t yet fully recognize PR’s strategic value—often seeing it as just media relations or event management.
Budgets can be tight, limiting the scale of campaigns and investment in new skills or technologies. However, we’re increasingly adopting a more integrated approach, combining PR with digital marketing and other channels, which is delivering outstanding results.
Attracting the right PR professionals is becoming more challenging as the demands of the industry grow—today’s PR experts need to be strategic thinkers, excellent communicators, and quick to adapt in a fast-changing environment. At the same time, this means agencies must be agile and ready to integrate multiple disciplines seamlessly.
Additionally, many businesses are still in the process of building robust crisis communication capabilities. In today’s fast-paced and often unpredictable environment, having a clear, well-practiced crisis plan is essential to protect brand reputation. Companies need to be prepared not only to respond swiftly to emergencies but also to communicate transparently and effectively with their audiences to maintain trust. Strengthening these capabilities is a critical step for businesses aiming to navigate challenges confidently and emerge resilient.
What do you believe to be the main DONTs in 2025 and why?
In 2025, the biggest PR missteps include overlooking authenticity, neglecting data-driven insights, and treating PR as an isolated function rather than part of an integrated strategy. It’s also critical to act with agility, embrace emerging platforms, tailor messaging to diverse audiences, prioritize internal communication, and be fully prepared for crisis situations.
What drives your daily passion for PR?
The chance to tell authentic stories that truly connect people and brands.
I thrive on the challenge of staying adaptable in a constantly changing landscape and the satisfaction of helping shape meaningful conversations that make a real impact.