It’s nearly 2025 and people have started sending the classic ‘let’s pick this up in the New Year’ emails – no judgement!
Before we log off for some well deserved rest, we sat down with some of our team to talk about their PR and comms predictions for 2025. Grab yourself a warm drink and a mince pie and let’s go….
A shrinking media landscape means increasing focus on other channels
Rick Hollister, associate director:
“As we enter 2025, PR professionals must navigate an increasingly competitive industry. The PR sector is continuing to grow in revenue and headcount yet at the same time, the media landscape is shrinking. The number of journalists, trade and local publications in the UK steadily declining. Local newspaper closures and mergers have left some regions with no dedicated press, while media in some trade verticals has also been decimated. This makes the challenge of securing earned media opportunities more difficult. However, new media titles are also emerging. Podcasts and newsletters have generated loyal audiences within their own niches. PR strategies must evolve to incorporate these new outlets.
“To stand out, agencies must embrace innovative and creative approaches to campaigns, emphasising measurable ROI. Increasingly, PR strategies are incorporating mediums such as video, along with a resurgence in in-person events. Notably, the popularity of intimate gatherings like roundtables is on the rise, as organisations prioritise direct, meaningful engagement. The ever-evolving industry means that PR professionals cannot continue to rely on the same strategies that have proven successful in the past. A greater move to multi-channel strategies will help them stay ahead.”
Strategic advice more valuable than ever
Laura Mashiter, managing director:
“Next year will see lots of change brought about by events at home and abroad. As always, change brings opportunities for some, and challenges for others. To navigate this marketing directors will lean on – more so now than ever – PR consultants and strategists to support them in navigating the ever changing new normal. Consultants who have earned the trust of their clients will be more valued than ever before.”
Relevance over reach
Lucy Moore, director of strategy and partnerships:
“I don’t want to make a sweeping statement and say press releases are dead (a well crafted one definitely still has its place, particularly in the trade media), but we’ll see more and more focus on quality over quantity. Sending out a press release to a media list of 100 journalists+ or via a newswire service just isn’t a sound strategy. PR pros should be focusing on hyper targeted pitches and looking at relevance over reach.
“To add to this, brands and businesses are going to need to be bolder than ever if they want to acquire good coverage in an ever shrinking media pool – journalists want strong opinions, not fence sitting, so organisations must be willing to stick their head above the parapet and say something meaningful. This is where PR pros can add real value: advising on messages that are genuinely newsworthy and most likely to secure good coverage.”
Joined up approaches reign supreme
Naomi Wainwright, account director:
“In 2025, we will see companies taking an even more joined up approach to their marketing strategies with PR firmly integrated as a pillar. This has definitely been on the rise for years now as companies across industries have seen the benefit of one clear voice throughout their channels, however, in a world where authenticity and storytelling are becoming even more critical – the importance of this just got bigger.
“We will still see the creativity and sophistication of marketing professionals, perfecting messages to maximise resonance on particular channels, however, rather than campaigns running concurrently with little to no crossover, we will see a shift towards pulling from a common thread tied to the company’s core message. This approach will allow PR professionals to re-examine their approach to meeting objectives, pushing clients to be bold and different within their industries, whilst maintaining a shared voice that resonates with the target audience.”
Agility is king
Libby Zbaraska, client services director:
“Agility will be key due to unstable market conditions/economy/regulatory landscape. For this reason, while longer terms strategies remain ‘king’ we’re likely to see more companies doing more quarterly and six month plans, so agencies that are agile to this will win work. To add to this, agencies with their finger on the pulse of client sectors will come out on top, with so many significant changes even just at a UK level. Every business will be affected by Labour’s new policies in some way, so PR pros should be thinking about what opportunities this could mean for their clients.”
So there you have it, a prediction about what 2025 might look like in the ever-changing world of PR. If you’re a business that needs help with your PR and comms strategy, do get in touch with us for an informal chat.