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Posted on 10 January 2017 by Ceris Burns

2017 PR trendspotting

It’s an exciting time for PR, which has always been a fast-paced industry but now has to be more adaptable than ever. Disruptors are changing the rules, with Donald Trump providing a prime example.

newspaperInstead of White House briefings and detailed press releases providing information on the US government’s latest policy stance, more often than not Trump uses tweets to by-pass the media altogether and speak directly to the world.

Instantly reaching millions in one hit, each of his 140-character tweets gain him column inches in huge volume whether he is addressing the media or not.

But unlike a press release, tweets don’t come with a note to the editor – or in fact anything to anchor them in the context of policy or thought leadership. This leaves them open to interpretation, or misinterpretation as the case may be.

Regardless of whether muddying the waters is Trump’s intention or not, his communications ‘strategy’ got me thinking about how the wider world of PR could develop this year, and while I don’t think we’re about to abandon the press release en-mass any time soon, here are my key predictions:

  • Content will get shorter: from press releases to blog posts and newsletters, brevity is the soul of wit in such fast-paced times.
  • At the same time, the need for specialist PR will grow – the deep experience of boutique agencies in their chosen sectors is critical if you have to respond more quickly and intelligently than ever before.
  • In a ‘post-truth’ world, client transparency will be more important than ever this year. Clients championing sustainable agendas, for instance, must have hard facts and evidence to back up their credentials. Anyone just giving lip service to going green should expect to be called out on it.
  • Contrary to what Trump may think, we do need the media, but co-ordination of messages and content never mattered more. With so many channels to get your voice out there, it is crucial for campaigns to be synchronised with a clear goal in mind. Otherwise you risk getting lost in the noise.
  • The PR toolkit is expanding all the time, and digital PR is set to develop again in new and exciting ways this year as technology continues to evolve.
  • Influencers can only influence if they are vocal. If there’s one thing that Trump has taught the world so far it is that individuals shape the perception of an organisation in a way that branding can never do. A company’s CEO may matter internally, but unless they are actively involved and supportive of the wider PR strategy, they are invisible.

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