PR TRENDS TO LOOK OUT FOR IN 2020

With the New Year up and running, we are certain it has compelled you to put your thinking cap on, pondering
what lies ahead in the world of Public Relations and Communications in 2020. There are new platforms, new
technologies and new influencers springing up all the time in this fast-paced environment of PR in Pakistan and
it is best we familiarize ourselves with them in order to stay ahead of the game. Here are the top five trends
in PR and Communications to look out for in 2020: 

 1. The lines between PR and marketing will dissolve.

1

In the past, marketing teams in Pakistan have conceptualized campaigns and handed them to PR pros to scrutinize.

While many businesses have often kept marketing and PR very separate, 2020 will see PR play a bigger role in
businesses’ marketing strategies. Marketers have realized the importance and role of PR for the success of their
campaigns and that will be the way forward in 2020.

2. Data and analytics will become your new best friends.

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Since digital has become an integral part of everyday life, interpreting data has become a vital skill for every PR
pro. In 2020, data will play a bigger role than ever before. It will be required for guiding PR efforts, measuring
their impact and determining the overall value of PR. In 2020, you can expect consumers to be more discerning of any
kind of advertising, so PR efforts need to be smarter and even more engaging than before.

3. Increased scrutiny during influencer selections.

3

In recent years, social influencers in Pakistan have been earning big money from branded and sponsored content, but
the big question has been whether they’re worth the investment. In 2020, the game will change for those who have
bought “likes” and falsified engagement, or those who are proclaimed “experts” for everything. PR pros will have to
get smarter about verifying influencers and tracking ROI, and choosing only the ones who are relevant to their
brand.

4. PR will focus more on emotional storytelling for brands.

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PR pros will look to indulge more in emotional storytelling to connect with their audiences. A compelling story that
stirs the emotions of the target consumers will be the way forward for brands in 2020. People relate to life
stories, much more so than content that features or promotes a product. Brands will look to engage PR more to
generate brand integrated content that conveys an emotional story, connecting to primal emotional feelings of their
audiences.

5. Trust and invest in PR to gain earned media.

5

Historically, earned media garners the highest level of trust from audiences. In 2020, brands will entrust PR both
with investment and authority to create content and stories that will compel third party platforms to publish the
content. PR pros in 2020 will focus on capturing earned media attention to tell their brands’ stories.

About Author

As the CEO of APR since February 2002, Zohare Ali Shariff is responsible for all business operations of the agency and personally counsels high profile clients on communications and PR strategy, issue & crisis management, stakeholder engagement and corporate social responsibility.

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