Which PR trends will be key in 2024?
One of the keys to success in the world of communications and marketing is staying ahead of the market. For this reason, once again, the Canela team has analysed the sector and the current context to anticipate public relations trends for 2024. Exciting changes are on the horizon: from the generalisation of AI to the reinvention of influencers and hybrid content. Read on.
1. #Impact: companies must take responsibility for their surroundings
Corporate Social Responsibility is no longer an option for brands. 66% of consumers consider sustainability when buying a product and search for companies that align with their ethical values. They don’t mind paying a little more in exchange for receiving a product or service that has a positive impact on society and the environment.
This change in consumer perception is leading companies to position themselves as impact companies, integrating social responsibility into their corporate DNA. At the same time, agencies and the media must adapt and even take the lead in this trend to attract more conscious brands. We are already seeing interesting initiatives in this regard in the public relations sector, such as the Clean Creatives movement, of which Canela is a member.
2. From Influencers to #Defluencers
The influencer industry had a turnover of 21.2 billion dollars worldwide by 2023, largely through the promotion of products and services. This makes them key figures in marketing strategies. However, the year 2024 will be marked by significant changes.
On the one hand, Spain joins the countries that are increasing the regulation of these practices, through a regulation that will make it obligatory to differentiate content for promotional purposes.
On the other hand, defluencers, a series of prominent figures who advocate more responsible consumption and seek other monetisation alternatives, are gaining weight in the sector. Users follow them for their authenticity and independence, and brands must find new ways to collaborate with them to benefit from their increased credibility.
3. #Creativity will be integrated into each and every communication campaign
Another boundary that we will see increasingly blurred in the coming year is the traditional distinction between advertising agencies and communications agencies. While in the past the roles of each were clearly delineated, brands’ marketing strategies require the two to work more and more in sync.
In this sense, the weight of creative profiles in PR agencies is growing, as is the case with Canela’s design and creativity department. We will also see more alliances or even integrations between advertising agencies, communications agencies and influencer agencies in 2024.
4. Change in media relations: greater combination of editorial and sponsored #content
Traditionally, in the media, there was a clear distinction between the editorial department and the advertising department. However, in the current scenario, in which the lines between information and persuasion are blurring, formats such as branded content are increasingly accepted and are present in the media of any sector.
This leads to a new type of relationship between agencies and editors, based on a combination of editorial and sponsored content. In 2024, we will see a greater commitment by brands to hybrid content marketing, which includes traditional communication formats (such as news, reports and interviews) alongside other formats supported by brands (such as branded content, giveaways, events, etc.).
5. Europe leads in the regulation and use of #AI
Artificial intelligence (AI) is an increasingly present tool in the field of public relations and marketing. From monitoring online reputation to personalising content, automating tasks or providing user services through bots, this technology has become a fundamental part of agencies’ work.
However, this development also poses ethical and regulatory challenges. With the European Union about to pass the world’s first law on artificial intelligence, our sector must reflect on establishing ethical standards and self-regulatory codes to guide the use of artificial intelligence in communications.
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Deborah Gray is Fundadora and Managing Director