Caroline MacDonald, Founder & CEO of OggaDoon PR and Digital Media: This year has posed significant challenges for the PR industry, and teams were faced with heightened pressure to adapt swiftly to the ever-evolving media landscape. As you strategise your planning, media engagement and pressworthy stories for the coming year, keep these factors in mind.

1. Content is king, but don’t forget your brand values. Jaguar caused quite the stir last week when it unveiled its new bold campaign. Loved or loathed, it seized media attention and ignited discussions about branding, customer loyalty and reputation management. The specifics may be irrelevant; what matters is their commanding presence in the spotlight. Focus on creating compelling content and always opt for substance over style.
2. Embrace Artificial intelligence. AI is here to stay, and as we adapt, our fears will begin to fade. AI will become our friend in the workplace, just like it has in our personal lives. Enhancing productivity and creativity while fostering innovation, AI will unlock possibilities for growth and efficiency.
3. Gen-Alpha are beginning to enter the conversation. Whilst still in their infancy don’t underestimate their influence over everyday purchasing decisions. Values like plant-based products, eco-friendliness, and sustainability resonate not just with them but also strongly influence Generation Z, highlighting a growing trend towards conscious consumption across both generations.
4. The sky's the limit. Bluesky, the social media platform that gained millions of users following the American election, will only see further rise in popularity as the demand for an alternative online platform continues. With its founders focused on filling this market gap, Bluesky is poised to remain an influential player in the social media landscape.

Public relations like many sectors is in for a stormy 2025. As an agency founder I think there are four major factors that will disrupt our industry.

• Truth: The golden thread that cuts through the obvious disruptors of AI, digital and social media channel shift is truth. Truth, and therefore trust, will be difficult for PR professionals to come by. The concept of digital bad actors, deliberately misleading people, acting with malicious intent and being purposefully divisive will be a big feature. We’ll need to constantly upskill and adapt to understand what’s at play and how to cut through the noise and misinformation - especially in healthcare.
• Human connection: Human connection in our work and with our teams will be increasingly important in 2025. I sense a real restlessness amongst PR pros for connection and authenticity. In real life with real people, you get a better sense of perspective. You can disagree, have a different view, respect nuance, have conversations that matter about wicked problems and make progress. In 2025 due to online mistrust, we’ll see more value placed in real life events, conversations and activity with our clients and our teams.
• Joy: Optimistically I think PR professionals who can find and promote joy will go far next year. In a world where it is easy to feel disheartened due to the amount of hatred being pedalled if we can lead and bring joy to our work and as employers to our teams, I think that this will really differentiate individuals and brands.
•  Integration: Lastly integration across disciplines will be vital for agency growth and impact. Earned media is still a critical part of the communication mix, however as a founder of a business operating in healthcare, we seldom achieve our objectives through traditional public relations on its own. Diversification and integrating campaigns across communication disciplines will be vital in 2025, especially for private healthcare and health tech, since many trade media increasingly won’t cover non-NHS voices without a fee.

Olugbeminiyi Idowu, founder and MD at Talking Drum:

Increased emphasis on owned media as a channel

In 2025, owned media will solidify its position as a preferred channel for communicating with niche audiences where mainstream media coverage is often limited or inconsistent. With media houses continuing to downsize or narrow their coverage focus, organizations will increasingly turn to their own platforms - websites, social media pages and other owned media channels - to shape perceptions and build meaningful relationships with their audiences.

Advancements in digital analytics and content management tools will further enhance the appeal of owned media by enabling organizations to measure impact, refine messaging, and target audiences with greater precision. This combination of control, cost-efficiency, and the ability to deliver highly personalized content will drive the elevation of owned media in the communications stack in 2025.

The rise of synthetic PR

I also foresee synthetic PR redefining how brands engage audiences and manage their reputations. By leveraging advancements in artificial intelligence and synthetic data, PR professionals will be able to simulate audience reactions, test crisis scenarios and personalize campaigns with unprecedented precision. As these tools become more accessible, they will enable the creation of hyper-effective content tailored to individual preferences, boosting audience engagement while preserving authenticity.

Predictive modelling powered by synthetic data will also help brands stay ahead of emerging trends, navigate reputational risks, and refine their strategies in real-time. While this technology is still in its infancy, its ability to provide data-driven insights and hyper-relevant communications will make it an increasingly prominent tool in PR strategies in 2025 and beyond.

Nick Baines, CEO and co-founder at Nara Communications: “Aside from just saying ‘AI will be big’ ad nauseam, a trend I see that could be significant is the increasingly blurred lines between ‘earned’ and ‘paid’ media.

“There are more and more examples of sponsored placements that seem journalistic and meritocratic but have actually just been bought by companies who want to be seen in the press. Take Forbes Council: it’s paid-for content but members do their best to obscure this fact as much as possible.

“If media outlets want to preserve their credibility, they need to be crystal clear about what is paid for and what isn’t.

“I’m especially worried about this as it applies to mediums such as podcasts and individual newsletters. Both formats are growing in influence as we all know, but are susceptible to corporate interests and undisclosed sponsorship.

“An independent writer or podcast host canput out content without the pressure and rigour of a newsroom’s established code of conduct. I know some people will say that legacy media outlets have their own editorial biases and are often run by sinister press barons etc., but in my opinion, this rarely trickles down to affecting the day-to-day reporting of a newspaper.

“Especially as many newsletters and podcasts monetise through sponsored content, it’s hard to imagine them taking their paymasters to task. I predict 2025 will see a cozier media, when we in fact need more antagonism and challenging of interviewees. This is a problem - journalism is designed to ruffle feathers not just amplify corporate messaging (and I say that as a PR person).”

“There’s going to be more onus on clients and agencies doing a better job of linking PR with business outcomes. As an industry, we say it’s important, but tactics often seem to win out. As budgets start to pick up in 2025 – following a tough, politically charged 2024 – creative alone won’t be enough to get PR the traction it needs and deserves in board rooms. The value we put on our thinking is woefully below that of other creative industries. We must do better as an industry at advocating for ourselves.

“In addition, it’s going to be an interesting year for recruitment and retention. The balance of power seems to be shifting back to the employer, with return to office mandates. But the appetite for flexibility isn’t going anywhere. I’m hearing more people talking of leaving our industry altogether as we strive for that ever-elusive work/life blend. This makes me both sad and mad. It goes without saying we can’t afford to lose any more talent or experience from the PR world, so we must work together to give PR back it’s mojo in 2025. Whether that’s in the office or not.”

Nikki Collins, founder at Earnies : “I’ll avoid stating the obvious disruptors that’ll impact our industry from a political, financial and technological point of view…We all know the predictions around these and largely we’re seeing them evolve each day before our very own eyes. Plus, it’s almost Christmas so let’s keep things merry.

“Instead, it’s quite interesting to consider what will be the biggest disruptors in office

culture and in turn employee happiness in 2025. Return-to-office has kicked back up a gear thanks to Big Tech. With more and more of our client partners reverting to five days a week in the office, we’ll likely see this trend mirrored in PR agency life. Which agencies will go first in asking employees to return-to-office five days, and what impact will that create in the short vs. long term in regard to both culture and retention?

“Will agencies that ask employees to spend more time in the office actually invest in what they’re offering while they’re there? A free, cooked lunch makes a massive difference by encouraging people to step away from their desks and talk to their workmates about something other than AI. Plus, it saves thousands a year on crap, overpriced high-street sandwiches.

“At Earnies, we have a 4:1 gig. Spending Monday at home to plan what’s ahead, then coming together on Friday to finish off the week, enjoying an early 4pm finish.

Talking of four, perhaps we’ll see a new wave of agencies look to adopt the four-day workweek, with all four of those days taking place in office?

“Personally, I’d love to see the ‘classic’ mobile phone call become 2025’s biggest disruptor. Ditch some video calls out of the diary, and get pacing around the office.

Or better yet, just go and see their actual face IRL. It feels good, promise.”

Jazz Gandhi, founder at comms firm Duet London:

1. B2B and B2C will merge more becoming B2B2C. This is primarily because of how industry is serving customers directly, outside of traditional channel partners. PR professionals will need to understand this breadth of communication across integrated channels if they want to succeed.
2. Insurance companies will need to see a more direct link to embedded sustainability practices. Insurance is a grudge purchase, but if sustainability can reduce premiums, and insurance companies can increase loss ratios, this will motivate companies to 'do better' with their ESG. For PR professionals, this means having a good understanding on how to incorporate sustainability more into everyday comms - both internally and externally as insurance is a huge business cost.
3. Larger companies will work with smaller outfits with lean overheads. Moving away from traditional agency models, these incumbents will start using satellite projects through a dedicated Comms Lead in order to have the right talent of PR experts solely at the time needed. This is already happening and will become best practice from 2025.
4. The agency model is dead. A breed of versatile, talented 'big agency' experts will join as partners to greater a more fluid approach to delivering good comms. This will mean moving away from ephemeral PR stunts and inducing a refined drumbeat of sustained comms which builds a more trustworthy foundation of authenticity.

Courtney Glymph, founder and MD at PR firm, YourStoryPR: "The PR landscape in 2025 will be shaped by shifts in how we build relationships and craft narratives across fragmented channels. We're seeing a pivot in media relations. As newsrooms shrink and AI content floods digital channels, there's clear appetite for researched, context-rich stories. Effective campaigns will blend data journalism with human insight - moving beyond announcements to unpack industry trends.

“The disruption lies in the changing nature of influence. While the industry watches AI, communities on Reddit and Product Hunt are becoming as important as traditional media for reaching decision-makers. Technical founders turn to specialist subreddits to validate ideas, while Product Hunt has evolved from launch platform to reputation driver. This demands PR professionals who can navigate media landscapes and community dynamics. Analyst relations will merge with influencer engagement - developers with GitHub followings are as influential as Gartner analysts for tech purchasing decisions, while clinical specialists on LinkedIn shape healthcare procurement.

“Measurement is evolving too. Rather than vanity metrics, we'll track how stories move through professional communities and influence business decisions. Brand presence on AI platforms will become a key metric, as these tools draw from online publications and digital footprints to shape public perception.The new year won't be about mastering new platforms or AI tools, though they matter. Success will come from understanding how communities consume and share information, building campaigns that resonate while ensuring strong digital positioning for AI-driven discovery."

Lydia Oakes, co-founder and COO of PR firm, Bluestripe Group:

"I’m sure that most predictions for the PR industry in 2025 will focus on the impact AI will have, be that negative or positive. However, I find this to be totally missing the point. Of course AI will be having an impact in PR like any other industry, but it is just a tool.

"While it may be true that many agencies and in-house teams are already using AI to write articles or complete other such tasks. In fact the human relationship will always be one of the most important in the PR industry’s toolbox. As AI gets more and more prevalent, the outputs become increasingly obvious, more blunt and less nuanced than the human relationship. We have important stories to tell and we as PRs will only triumph when the stories are told to and by people that truly understand the industries that are impacted. In 2025 the use of AI will continue to grow but it will not replace industry expertise, great relationships and excellent storytelling."