PR Trends for 2024

Claire Fox , Senior Client Manager at Drury , looks ahead at PR trends for 2024.

The only constant in the PR industry is change. To remain competitive, it’s important that PR consultants continue to upskill and keep up to date with evolving trends. While the list of trends is endless and some will inevitably come and go, here are some of the PR trends that are likely to have an impact on our industry and how we advise clients over the coming 12 months and beyond.

Elections

2024 is set to be a significant year when it comes to elections both at home and abroad. In June, Irish voters will have their say in the EU and local elections, and it is largely speculated that the next general election will take place later in 2024. Across the pond, Rishi Sunak has also indicated that he will call an election in 2024, not forgetting the US presidential election which may culminate in a battle of Biden V Trump.

What does this mean for the world of PR? Elections and the lead up to them have an extraordinary ability to dominate the news cycle, meaning companies will have to be flexible around communications campaign timings and tone of voice this year. Elections can also bring a lot of topical issues to the fore such as housing and health which PR professionals will have to consider when devising PR strategies and advising clients.

It will also be a year where companies will lean more on public affairs advisors to help navigate potential changes in the make-up of the government and how this will impact how their business operates.

ESG

Over the last two-three years, there has been an onslaught of communications campaigns consisting of companies setting their stall in relation to net zero targets and various ESG commitments.

While many organisations have led with headline grabbing carbon reduction target figures to raise awareness of their sustainability efforts, 2024 will likely see more companies highlighting the everyday actions they are taking to reduce their carbon footprint and being more transparent than ever on what stage they are on in their sustainability journey.

From a regulatory perspective, certain companies will be obliged to apply new rules under The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive in their 2024 financial year reports. PR consultants will provide essential guidance to clients on this topic to ensure reputation standards are not compromised and actions are clearly communicated.

Gender Pay Gap Reporting

2024 will be the third year that companies in Ireland are obliged to report on their gender pay gap. PR professionals, in tandem with HR, will play a key role in assisting clients on how they communicate actions effectively. It is also likely that the media will be scrutinising gaps further and if genuine improvements are not taking place this will be questioned more and more by journalists.

PR will be obliged to challenge clients to take leadership on what genuine measurable actions they are taking to narrow the gap.

A Human Approach

While authenticity is a word that gets used a lot in PR circles, and for good reason. 2024 will be a key year for brands to ensure they cultivate connection and relationships with their stakeholders, from media to consumers.

Solid media relations, in particular trustworthy relationships between PR professionals and the media industry, are more important than ever.

As influencer marketing matures, brands are moving away from one off campaigns, and embracing long-term relationships with creators.

Communications specialists will continue to make their own workplaces more diverse, accessible, and inclusive in 2024. By creating more diverse workplaces, PR agencies will be able to provide clients with a wider variety of mindsets that will ultimately lead to better impact.

Paid Opportunities

Paid media is now a long-established facet of a PR professional’s toolkit. The level on which we lean into paid opportunities is only set to expand further in 2024.

For the stakeholder audience, the PR industry will be advising clients on how they can increase thought-leadership presence across supplements, podcasts, and platforms like LinkedIn- where companies can own their message and reach targeted, engaged audiences.

As Generation Z is becoming an ever-growing target audience, it is crucial that the PR industry can advise on content and platforms this generation engages with- from TikTok and Instagram to live events and influencer engagement.

AI

2023 was a blockbuster year for AI and commentators heralded how it would be a game-changer for the communications industry. No doubt AI is effective and has the ability to change how we conduct our work, but we still lack clarity on the extent in which it will impact the PR industry.

2024 will see the industry test out more AI tools such as transcribing technologies and sentiment analysis dashboards that will add to our skillset and increase efficiency. However, it will also be a year where we will come to grips with AI and the challenges it presents.

For example, as a string of national and global elections are on the horizon, this will most certainly lead to an increased potential for disinformation in the media. There will be a strong onus on the PR industry to utilise our strong analytical and communication skills to cut through any potential disinformation and to ensure our integrity and the integrity of clients is upheld.

The key to navigating trends and change is preparation. Trends can bring about new opportunities for the industry from enhanced advisory skills to integrating key technologies into how we work – those who adapt and prepare will ultimately make the most impact. Ultimately, understanding your audience and amplifying your key messages to them- via whatever engagement tactic is most appropriate- will remain the core aspect of any solid public relations activity. ?