New year, new start. But what does 2023 hold in store for PR? Here are our #TeamGrasshopper predictions…

1. People and planet, not profit

Environmental issues have never been higher on the agenda and this will only continue in the New Year. Success or failure of brands will hinge upon how purposeful and values-driven they are. Consumers have stronger ethics than ever, and not only want to see positive action, but also the impact of that – how have they really made a difference?  It will be essential to be honest and transparent with audiences and engage on issues that are important to them.

2. Death of the press release?

With less publications to pitch to and an increasing amount of news, journalists are more time-poor than ever. Add to that the fact that trust in printed news sources is waning in the UK, it means that issuing a press release in isolation is no longer going to cut it if you’re trying to raise awareness and change attitudes. Interviews and exclusives increase the likelihood of quality coverage and owner-generated platforms e.g. blogs will become more frequent.

3. #RIPTwitter?

We’ve already seen lots of celebrities flock to Mastodon and Hive following on from Elon Musk buying Twitter at the end of this year. The jury is still out on these new platforms, but it looks likely that decentralised social networks (where individuals can choose which network/server they’d like to join, allowing them to connect with individuals with similar interests or ideas) looks set to only become bigger in 2023.

4. Explosion in video

Demand for video and audio content is growing… and not just for consumer brands. Video is a great channel for telling stories, and more brands are partnering with content creators to do this across their social platforms. Once the poor cousin, social media has equal weighting with traditional PR with communications campaigns starting and ending on social. For many brands this won’t just be about doing more on TikTok, it will be reflecting on vlogging and podcasts, content that adds value and resonates with their audiences.

5. Events – but not like you know them

After two years of hosting virtual events constrained by Covid lockdowns, in-person, face-to-face events are back. But they are looking a bit different… event format, length and attendance have changed and they have become immersive experiences blending the best of both virtual and in-person.

Author: Julie Longton