Why PR and Marketing Will Face Their Biggest Survival Test Yet in 2025
The media landscape in 2025 will look dramatically different, driven by rapid technological changes and shifting consumer behaviors. Based on our annual analysis, we've identified four key trends that PR and marketing leaders need to watch closely. These trends will make audiences more fragmented and harder to reach and require a complete rethinking of long-standing strategies to stay competitive in a rapidly evolving world.
This fragmentation creates new challenges for marketers trying to reach audiences where they are—on an ever-expanding array of platforms.
AI’s double-edged sword. We all know AI is transforming how businesses operate, communicate and engage with their audiences. For example, whether through Google or Perplexity AI, AI-search will be the primary way consumers find information. But so does public concern over issues like copyright, deepfakes, data privacy and the environmental toll of massive data energy consumption. We expect a continued backlash regarding creative content that doesn’t look or sound human. PR pros must navigate these complexities, balancing the excitement of innovation with the public’s growing skepticism. We must guide clients through the excitement of AI breakthroughs and the ethical minefields, ensuring their leadership is framed in a way that aligns with public trust and mitigates reputational risk.
The decline of traditional news media. Gen Z may visit the New York Times to play Wordle and other games, but increasingly, they turn to TikTok and podcasts for news. And it’s not just because they don’t trust the media—they don’t, according to Gallup—because 40% of Americans surveyed by Pew Research said they are concerned that the news they get on social media could be based on unreliable sources, misinformation and unverified facts. To become relevant again, traditional news media must reinvent themselves, a significant challenge given declining revenues and ongoing staff cutbacks. There are many reasons this isn’t good. But for PR and marketing functions, it means needing to find new ways to reach key audiences.
Fragmentation of social media. X (formerly Twitter) is experiencing an exodus of users, while Bluesky has picked up users. As social media continues to fragment, marketers will face mounting pressure to create tailored content across an increasing number of platforms, each with its own unique audience, format, and protocols. For that reason, marketers should consider developing content that meets the needs of influencers and works with X, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube—or focus on niche social media platforms that provide deeper engagement with key audiences.
The quality of information will degrade. because there will be so many different versions In addition to different news sources offering divergent perspectives and emphasis (FOX News vs. CNN, for example), AI and social media also generate different flavors of non-fact-checked information. When consumers are searching for info, they will more often get an AI answer—but the source for the AI answer may be outdated. This could lead to more confusion than clarity, and marketers need to be careful. In an age of information overload, this means ensuring content is accurate, up-to-date, and rigorously verified to maintain credibility.
Strategic Implications
Given these trends, PR and marketing pros need to rethink how they engage with audiences. We need to get creative, and that may entail pitching budgets to explore new paid media opportunities, working with media in innovative ways and identifying and collaborating with industry influencers.
Need to consider paid opportunities. This is new for PR functions, which have focused on earned media, but many opportunities that trade media previously offered for free—like speaking opportunities and bylined articles—are increasingly available only as pay-for-play. In return, media organizations now provide additional analytics and tools to help identify customer trends and growth opportunities. A new definition of collaboration could include working with influencers on ways to generate coverage and working with media, offering lead-generation opportunities.
Redefine collaboration. In addition to new ways to work with trade publications, marketers may consider collaborating with industry consultants and influencers, some of whom may be former industry analysts or trade reporters, who align with your clients’ values and messaging. Influencers are helping consumer brands so the right influencers may help B2Bs, too.
In 2025, PR professionals need to be more than just storytellers. We’ll need to be strategic navigators, trusted advisors, and guardians of brand reputation. By adapting to these new realities, PR and marketing teams can help clients not only keep up but thrive in an increasingly complex media environment. The key will be balancing innovation with integrity, building trust with audiences, and staying ahead of both technological challenges and reputational risks.
