We are talking with Agenda PR’s Managing Partner Janika Ritson about daily news, burnout, AI, and more. The esteemed communications agency had stepped away from TULI activities for some time, but now we are back in the same boat.

Agenda PR has rejoined the Marketers Association after a break. Why?

We always want to be fully committed to the initiatives we participate in, but our primary focus is on serving clients. Four years ago, when we paused our TULI participation, we had taken on too many commitments. Our people lacked the resources to attend TULI events, take part in projects, foster cooperation, etc. Now that the company has grown, we once again have those resources available. Not only do we want to contribute to the Marketers Association again, but we are also able to do so.

The main value of professional organisations—we are also members of the Communications Managers Association, for example—is networking. We also look beyond Estonia and maintain active relationships with our international partners through the PROI network of agencies.

Half-jokingly: Are PR agencies particularly good networkers? After all, it is all about communication!

Most people in the communications field do, indeed, have a broad outlook and network, which is a significant advantage in this job. Agenda just celebrated its eighth anniversary, and we haven’t had to advertise ourselves in the traditional sense so far.

Clients come primarily through word-of-mouth referrals or recommendations, sometimes through competitions. To even be invited to submit proposals for consultation on important topics, we must have already distinguished ourselves with a strong background and good work. The team’s experience and wide network are key to an agency’s success.

In PR work, it’s important to have a broad perspective, and we expect this from the entire team. It’s not just about daily politics or news. A broad perspective enables to generalise and find creative ways in communication to increase your clients’ visibility. It helps you understand where the world is heading and what trends are dominating.

You need to have a broad perspective, but how do you reach people who are in their own bubble and say they’re not interested in anything? It seems that the number of people who don’t want to read news at all is increasing.

We all shape the society in which we live. If you’re not interested in anything, what value are you creating? What is your contribution to making life better in Estonia?

I started my career in the advertising and marketing world and later moved to PR and communications. I’ve seen a market driven by advertising. There was a time when a television commercial was enough to reach all Estonians, though, of course, it needed a creative idea and had to be very well executed. 

Now the market is fragmented, and the battle for attention has become much more complex. When was the last time you actually watched a television commercial? Many who say they don’t read or watch news still consume social media actively or communicate within their closed groups.

With so many platforms and channels, you need to be more strategic in addressing your target audiences. Messages must be carefully crafted and presented effectively to reach even those people who say they aren’t interested in what’s happening in Estonia or the world.

Along with the general fragmentation of the information landscape, the role of strategic communications agencies has increased. Previously, our partner on the client side was the communications and marketing manager, but increasingly it is also senior management or business owners. Communication is a management tool, and good managers use it very successfully.

As PR consultants, we need to be equal partners with our clients, understanding their business and target audience – even when the target audience says they aren’t interested in anything. There is always a way to find angles that resonate with them. Taking a strategic approach and finding creative opportunities are certainly among Agenda’s strengths.

What about the next generation in the PR field? Some interviews have revealed that people are not always satisfied with young people’s language skills and other qualities.

Our field is best suited for people with a strong sense of language. Just as you cannot do communication work without knowing what is happening in the world, you cannot do this job if your native language skills are weak.

One universal recommendation I give to both my children and to young people seeking internships or university students: read Estonian fiction regularly and write in Estonian. The habit of reading and writing is fundamental to maintaining and developing language skills. Preserving and developing the Estonian language is not only important for doing our job, but also essential for preserving a small nation and culture. Additionally, it is our unique competitive advantage— from Warsaw or London, it is impossible to perceive the nuances of our small, intricate language sufficiently to relocate marketing or communications away from Estonia.

At Agenda, we are quite demanding when it comes to the quality of our work, and correct language is one aspect of this standard. If we write an opinion article, press release, or social media post for a client, it is not their job to correct our spelling. The client should not have to tolerate carelessness.

At the same time, avoiding mistakes has become significantly easier. The role of a junior employee can now largely be replaced by AI. AI can be a faster and better content creator than a young person just starting their career. As a result, it is now more difficult for young people to enter the market.

What else does a young person need to enter the field in 2025? We’ve talked about perspective and the benefits of having read a book or two in one’s lifetime.

(Laughs – ed.). For young people, the most important qualities are interest and a genuine spark in their eyes. Working in a strategic communications agency means having the opportunity to truly influence Estonian life. We participate in various projects that develop Estonia, stimulate the economy, help the country stand out, and identify competitive advantages. We make life in Estonia better.

Perhaps I’m not entirely objective, but I increasingly feel that whenever something important happens in Estonia, we at Agenda are somehow connected to it—whether it involves disconnecting from the Russian electricity market, taking a company public, or launching a reserve forces fund to increase our defence capabilities.

On Republic Day, we launched the new educational programme TI-hüpe together with private sector initiators, the Presidential Office, and the Ministry of Education and Research, aiming to transform learning in Estonian schools. We help remove fears associated with using artificial intelligence and show that if we learn to use AI smartly, it not only provides the right answers but also helps develop analytical skills and critical thinking, allowing for personalized learning methodologies for each student.

In addition to such major projects that advance life in Estonia, Agenda is also known for cultural projects that are more entertaining and engaging for the masses. For example, we were involved when the Banksy exhibition came to Estonia. I have also advised the production teams of 25 different films on communication strategy. When young people come to us, they usually mention that they know Agenda through films, such as “The Apothecary Melchior”.

Communication is a great opportunity for a young person who is genuinely interested in a career where something new and exciting is always happening. However, they must consider that as PR consultants, we are the public face of our clients. We maintain a low profile, acting as their strategic support system and backing our clients to help them shine. In PR communications, the most successful projects may be those that you cannot publicly discuss—some averted crises or the successful implementation of changes.

There have been many cuts and layoffs in the advertising industry, and several design agencies have closed for different reasons. Is PR faring better, or is it facing similar struggles?

I have many friends and former colleagues in the advertising and design world. At times, it is sad to watch what is happening; for example, last year was difficult for several branding agencies. The reasons vary, but the fact is that businesses don’t close down when everything is going great.

In PR, we haven’t seen such news; rather, the stronger agencies are doing well, but this success comes from a lot of hard work. Our turnover last year was 1.7 million euros, and today, we have 16 team members. Both our turnover and team size are steadily and consistently growing. Other major players are also doing fine.

The fact that there is work to be done shows that communication is needed even in difficult times. When challenging decisions need to be made and justified, the role of communication is just as important as when introducing something new, big, and positive.

The strength of an agency is built on two pillars: a team with diverse competencies and experienced consultants, and a solid client base. We also have clients whom we have advised since Agenda was founded, such as Coop Bank, with whom we started cooperating even before the bank launched its new name.

There are quite a few PR firms in Estonia; we are among the five largest. Sometimes one leads, sometimes another. A new dynamic in the market is that two out of five firms now have foreign owners, which might put growth pressure on their Estonian employees.

On one hand, this increases competition; we increasingly see active sales efforts in our field as well. On the other hand, it gives a competitive edge to agencies with local owners, because local decision-making allows us to better motivate our team, offer a less pressurized environment, and dedicate more time to projects that align with our interests.

Is burnout a major concern in PR?

Burnout prevention is a broad topic that needs attention in any high-pressure sector where responsible work is done in a high-stakes field, with constant crises and time pressure looming in the background. To prevent burnout, it is important to prioritize time off and actively maintain a work-life balance. Here, of course, I’m stronger in theory than in practice. Work should not be too serious—you still need to be able to have fun in the office and celebrate achievements.

PR is well suited for a person who is ready to commit. We are available 24/7 for our regular clients. These cases are rare, but we have promised that in crisis situations, we can always be reached.

So you can’t even go to the theatre!

We apply the four-eyes principle, which means that at least two people advise each client. We cover for each other when necessary, and if a client needs help urgently, we assist them even during our personal time.

We still go to theatres and exhibitions, quite often with the team as well. Engaging with creativity keeps our own creativity fresh and helps generate new ideas. Our creativity differs slightly from that of a creative agency—it lies in noticing media opportunities, setting messages, and implementing ideas. The more creativity you consume, the better ideas you generate. In addition to immersing ourselves in culture, we communicate with international partners and cooperate closely with agencies in neighbouring countries. This broadens the mindset and prevents stagnation.

We also consider technological leadership important. We stay up to date with developments and try new technologies. But this doesn’t happen on its own. We need hands-on experience with how AI can help us do our work better—not take it away or produce shallow content that no one bothers to consume.

A recent study in Estonia showed that only 19% of people use artificial intelligence for work. At Agenda, everyone uses it. We are constantly learning new ways to apply AI more efficiently and strategically to achieve our clients’ goals.

How does AI help you do your job better?

There are different applications that are already very good at creating content today. One model works better for background research, another for writing texts, and so on. Where we once relied on Google searches and personal conversations, we now have an additional tool. However, the users themselves must have good ideas, and they must ask the right questions. If the user lacks intelligence, AI won’t be helpful either.

Once, people wrote by hand, then came the typewriter, and life became easier. Later, the computer and the internet transformed everything. Now there’s AI, which in our field is like a writing assistant. It doesn’t replace writing but, if you’re a good operator, it makes the process faster. Since everyone can use AI, a competitive advantage lies in being strategic, creative, and skilled in using these new tools.

Of course, there are many risk areas, such as the spread of false information and copyright issues. PR people are content creators. How do you navigate a world where nothing can be trusted without verification? You can’t become complacent or lose vigilance.

AI is likely to impact social media the most. So much AI-generated content is created that the question arises: who has the time to consume it all? I believe that handcrafted content will gain value. Just as handmade chocolates are more expensive than industrially produced ones, content that reflects strategic human effort—even when AI assists—will be worth more. 

Agenda PR, one of Estonia’s largest communications firms, started operations in 2017 and offers services ranging from marketing communications to government relations. The company’s client portfolio includes several well-known companies, such as Coop Bank, Elering, Tallinn Airport, Nõo Meat Industry, Olerex, Verston, Tallinn Water, Ekspress Group, Ragn-Sells, Coop Estonia, Telia, and others.

Author: Siim Kera, TULI

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