Sunday morning thoughts.
Over the past five years, especially during COVID and post-COVID, the PR profession has changed in ways we never imagined. And whether we like it or not, there are six truths we, as PR professionals, must accept.
1. We live in an age of permacrisis.?PR is no longer just about pushing positive stories. We are reputation guardians, constantly managing multiple crises at the same time. If you don’t have a plan in place before the crisis hits, you’re already too late.
2. It may sound cliché, but traditional media as we knew it is dead.?Social media has taken over and turned the media landscape into a battlefield where outrage drives engagement. Does this mean you should abandon traditional media? No. But media relations today is about managing narratives across both traditional and social media. If you’re not doing both, you’re not doing media relations.
3. AI is here to stay. Get on board.?I am still shocked by how many companies refuse to implement AI tools. That’s like saying, “Oh, we don’t do social media.” AI is not the future. It’s the present. Adapt or get left behind.
4. Deepfakes are your next big crisis.?If you thought fake news was bad, deepfakes are next-level. If you don’t have a plan to counter misinformation, you are not crisis-ready. Educate your team, update your crisis plan, and be ready to act fast.
5. Rage-farming is real.?Social media platforms thrive on outrage, and brands are an easy target. The question isn’t if you’ll be caught in the storm. It’s when. Anticipate it. Prepare for it. Control the narrative before it controls you.
6. Don’t live in a bubble.?What happens in the world impacts your brand, whether you acknowledge it or not. Social, political, and cultural shifts can make or break reputations. If you’re not paying attention, you’re already behind.
No one asks if we’re ready. We have to get ready ourselves.