As Bob Dylan sang, “The times, they are a-changin’.” Public relations professionals today have to consider LinkedIn shorts and YouTube podcasts. Press releases are written by artificial intelligence.
In a world of AI, it’s natural to wonder: Where is public relations going? Is there a place for traditional PR? And as a communicator, what’s my place in this new reality?
To answer such existential questions, I look back before looking forward and ask: “How did we get here?”
In a new world, old requirements still apply.
Decades ago, I started my PR career using a manual typewriter. Back then, I was excited to get an electric model with an erase key.
I would drive to local television stations from the ski resort where I worked (Sugarloaf, in Maine), and hand-deliver copies of 3/4-inch video tapes to show the ski races we were hosting.
When the internet came along in the late 1990s, my boss advised me to learn how to use the new technology for strategic communications. A the time, we foresaw that public relations would become an online industry and displace what had been standard operating procedure until then.
Today, as the online world shifts into something else and we explore new frontiers, it is easy to identify the disruption. AI-generated content is everywhere, whether it’s a media-tracking database or a visual image for a press release. Whereas print advertising in a local newspaper used to guarantee high reader engagement, ads are now displayed on entirely different platforms — from Spotify to Snapchat.
Then there’s the world of work itself, which has become dominated by virtual meetings and remote messages.
It’s easy to forget that the old rules still apply to a changing game. Although the platforms may differ, the need to create compelling content remains.
Whether we’re writing a press release from scratch or editing one drafted by ChatGPT, it still needs a strong hook that will make reporters want to cover the story so the message can reach its final audience.
Content is still king, whether we’re publishing an op-ed in a local newspaper, a post on LinkedIn or a TikTok video that might generate millions of views. No matter the medium, the most compelling content rises to the top.
As PR professionals in today’s world, we must be experts in the message and the medium. We need to know how to craft the right message, where that message will resonate and with whom. And as always, we must understand timing and when stories are newsworthy.
Looking ahead to 2025, as PR practitioners, we need to know where our target audience spends most of its time — and how to deliver the right message through the right medium at the right moment.
In 2025, our PR expertise will require a clear understanding of changing media conditions. For example, to a Millennial male shopper, seeing your client or brand appear on the right YouTube podcast video might matter more than a LinkedIn ad or a radio spot.
That doesn’t mean traditional media are irrelevant. To the contrary, content that appears in a news publication — written by a reporter and vetted by an editor — still carries more weight than social media content from an influencer. One implies journalistic standards. The other does not.
Craft authentic messages.
In today’s climate, it’s crucial to come across as authentic, and authenticity is demonstrated by action, not by what we say. According to research from The Harris Poll, 78% of Millennial women say they want brands to “speak about current realities with honesty and candor,” and that is a useful first step. But 85% believe that brands should actively make women’s lives better — deeds, not just words.
Whether we’re involved in social activism or our brand markets a better ski jacket for female shoppers, PR needs to communicate — authentically, honestly and transparently — about how the brand will make a difference.
Communicated in the right way, in the right place, at the right time, our messages will benefit our brands. That has always been the case, and it will continue to be true in 2025.
Although the times are changing, values like authenticity, honesty and transparency still resonate. Your content is still king; we’re just consuming it differently.
Nancy Marshall, The PR Maven, is the founder and CEO of Marshall Communications, Inc. Based in Maine, the firm develops and implements long-term PR and marketing communications strategies through “The Marshall Plan” for companies and nonprofits in tourism, outdoor recreation, health care, and service industries.
Illustration credit: adobe art
