The world of PR is changing, so much so that the UK’s peak PR industry body has released a new definition.
“Public relations is the strategic management discipline that builds trust, enhances reputation and helps leaders interpret complexity and manage volatility – delivering measurable outcomes including stakeholder confidence, long-term value creation and commercial growth.” – PRCA UK
It seems strange to think a new definition is needed. I can’t imagine lawyers, accountants or any other profession redefining what they do or how they do it.
But in many ways it reflects how our profession has evolved and matured – adapting to change and continuing to expand beyond media relations, into reputation management, ESG, issues management, and AI.
Ever since I studied Public Communications at University, the idea of PR as a strategic management function, rather than a tactical cost centre, has been the goal. Maybe the tailwinds driving change across the sector will finally make this a reality.
A new report by global research and advisory firm, Gartner, highlights the ways PR will become more critical, and effective in the years ahead.
Its report: Top predictions for Chief Communication Officers in 2026 starts with the headline call that earned media budgets will double in coming years as Large Language Models (LLMs) replace SEO as the dominant mode of search.
How consumers (and staff) engage with corporate communications, how we use technology to personalise engagement, and how we use data to demonstrate success will all be core features of this brave new world.
We’ve always advocated for the role of a proactive and consistent media relations approach to build brand reputation and AI is further reinforcing the role of earned media as a critical organisational capability. But this report reinforces that this is just one of the many ways AI is set to further evolve the role of public relations.
While the changes are coming thick and fast, at 3CPR we continue to experiment, trial new technologies, and broaden our capabilities. As PR continues to redefine itself and cement its crucial role in this new operating environment, we are excited by the possibilities for communications to drive real and tangible change, while continuing to deliver on its core value proposition of protecting and enhancing reputation.
