John Key's ponytail pulling scandal has been named the most embarrassing PR gaffe of the year.

The revelation the Prime Minister pulled the ponytail of a waitress at a Parnell bar has taken the top spot on Blackland PR's annual list of PR fails.

It's come ahead of the MPI's handling of the frozen berry recall, and Barfoot and Thompson's reaction to the leak of Chinese property buyer information.

Blackland PR director Mark Blackham said it definitely wasn't the Prime Minister's finest moment.

"That wasn't the best moment for the Prime Minister, and that tends to be the sort of thing which people regard as fails - that little moment of embarrassment that all of us can have in our life."

Meanwhile our preoccupation with food safety is proving a tough challenge for those in public relations. 

Blackham said many of the challenges they face are related to food production and safety.

"It shows that the public is getting even more concentrated with food and health, the safer our products become, the more fearful we are of health scares."

Blackland PR's annual list of PR fails:

1. John Key's ponytail pulling - an innocuous trait which should have been noticed and surfaced earlier.
2. Ministry of Primary Industry management of of frozen berry issue - where the story was public for many days before recall.
3. Barfoot and Thompson press conference about a Chinese property buyer list - that placed it in the middle of a political story.

Toughest PR gigs of 2015:

1. Flag campaign launch - Government
2. 1080 scare - Ministry for Primary Industries
3. TPPA trade agreement - Government 
4. SAFE calves campaign - Dairy Industry
5. Rates increase - Auckland City Council
6. Reduced milk payout - Fonterra
7. Foreign driver issue - New Zealand Transport Agency
8. Zero tolerance on speed campaign - New Zealand Police
9. Red Peak flag campaign - Government 
10. Return of Christmas Island detainees - Government
11. Roastbuster report, Police Conduct Authority - Police
12. Cricket World Cup - CWC organisers
13. Release of Chinese ownership list - Barfoot and Thompson
14. Solid Energy bankruptcy - Government 
15. Mount Eden Prison fight mismanagement/contract - Serco
16. Funding melanoma medicine - Government
17. Roastbuster report, Chief Social Worker - CYF
18. Fruit fly - Ministry for Primary Industries
19. New wharf - Ports of Auckland
20. = Match Fixing allegations - New Zealand cricket
    = Saudi Sheep Deal - Government