In 2025, branding and public relations (PR) are more critical than ever for businesses and organizations navigating a fast-changing global landscape.
Audiences are bombarded with up to 10,000 ads per day, trust in institutions is fluid, and digital platforms are constantly shifting.
Amidst this noise, standout PR campaigns and branding initiatives have managed to break through – getting people talking, forging emotional connections, and building reputations in lasting ways.
This longform market report about Global Branding And PR Case Studies dives into the top global case studies in branding, media relations services, and PR services in 2025, drawing on real data, industry benchmarks, and expert insights.
We will explore how leading B2B and B2C brands across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East have executed successful campaigns, and analyze the strategies behind them.
From creative media outreach and thought leadership to influencer marketing, crisis communications, storytelling, digital reputation management, and measurement – all major aspects of modern PR will be covered.
This report is structured for clarity and usefulness, by providing original, expert-backed analysis and actionable insights for branding, media, and PR professionals worldwide.
Whether you’re a CMO crafting a global brand campaign or a communications strategist refining your media relations approach, the examples and takeaways here aim to inform and inspire your 2025 strategy.
Let’s begin by examining the broader global PR and branding landscape in 2025, then discuss about key strategic pillars (with case studies for each), compare B2B versus B2C approaches, highlight “breakaway” campaigns that disrupted norms, and finally lessons that you can apply in your own work.
Global Trends in Branding and PR (2025)
Before zooming into specific campaigns, it’s important to understand the current state of the PR and branding industry. Global PR spend and focus are rising: The worldwide PR market was valued around $19.5 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow at ~6–8% annually, on track for over $133 billion by 2027.
In the U.S. alone, PR is projected at $16.3B in 2024.
This growth is driven by the recognition that PR is crucial for cutting through saturated media environments. In fact, 88% of business executives say PR is more important than ever in the digital age, and 59% of CMOs predict communications will be the most important marketing skill set in the next five years.
Unlike advertising, which people often tune out, effective PR earns attention and builds credibility – 79% of CMOs believe earned media is more effective than paid ads.
Trust and authenticity are paramount: According to the 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer, business is now the most trusted institution globally at 63% trust – far ahead of government – but this trust must be actively maintained through ethical, transparent behavior.
“Business and business leaders should not take public trust for granted,” Edelman’s CEO Richard Edelman warns, noting that mismanaging issues like innovation or social change could erode trust rapidly.
Audiences expect brands to stand for something and to tell the truth. Purpose-driven branding and DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion) are no longer optional; 83% of PR firms have taken action to increase DEI internally, and many campaigns now highlight social values.
For example, skincare brand E.l.f. Cosmetics bucked an industry trend of “DEI pullbacks” by launching a bold purpose-driven campaign in 2024, reinforcing its commitment to inclusion and earning outlier success.
This shows that authenticity and sticking to one’s brand values can pay off even amid polarizing times.
Digital technology continues to disrupt PR: The media landscape is more fragmented than ever. Traditional outlets (print newspapers, network TV) have waning influence, while social media influencers, podcasts, and newsletters become powerful new “gatekeepers” to key audiences.
“If all you are pitching is network TV and newspapers, you’re increasingly behind,” says Natalie Ghidotti, CEO of a PR firm and Chair of PRSA’s Counselors Academy.
PR practitioners are adopting a more holistic approach: blending social listening, email marketing, influencer engagement and classic media outreach. As PR professor Dan Farkas notes, “Media will continue to fragment…It will be an adventure, and I’m not sure if most practitioners have a viable plan in place” – underscoring the need for adaptive strategy.
Meanwhile, emerging tech like AI, AR/VR, and analytics are becoming integral to PR work. PR teams are experimenting with AI for content creation and insights, but also facing new challenges in misinformation and search.
A recent academic study interviewed 20 PR leaders about AI and found a cautious optimism – AI can “drive innovation, enhance strategies, and shape the future of public relations” if used ethically, though leaders are mindful of risks and dilemmas involved
In practical terms, AI-driven chatbots and search engines (like ChatGPT’s integrations) mean that optimizing PR content for AI discovery is a new priority.
As one strategy consultancy noted, “AI engines prioritize trusted sources. B2B brands should invest more in thought leadership, third-party validations, and high-authority media placements” so that their expertise is picked up by AI answers.
We’ll see later how thought leadership content is being used in this way.
Measurement and ROI pressure are also shaping 2025 trends. Communications budgets are scrutinized, so demonstrating impact is key. Encouragingly, data shows strong ROI for PR: companies engaging in regular PR see an average +23% revenue increase and +53% web traffic increase.
Sophisticated PR campaigns set clear KPIs for awareness, engagement, lead generation, and even sales. Multi-market brands are using unified dashboards and frameworks (like those from AMEC) to measure reputation and media impact globally.
We will discuss specific metrics in the Measurement section of this report.
In summary, the PR landscape and environment in 2025 demands creativity, credibility, and connectivity.
The following sections break down the major pillars of media relations and branding – media outreach, thought leadership, influencer marketing, crisis comms, storytelling, digital reputation, and analytics – with top case studies illustrating how organizations are mastering each.
By examining these, we’ll see how professionals across industries (tech, healthcare, finance, fashion, consumer goods, government, nonprofit and more) are meeting the moment.
(For quick reference, this global branding and PR Case Studies conceptually illustrates the interplay of these pillars and how they feed into overall brand reputation. Imagine an infographic where each pillar – Outreach, Thought Leadership, Influencers, Crisis Management, Storytelling, Digital Reputation, Analytics – is a spoke converging into the hub of “Brand Trust & Impact,” highlighting that an integrated approach is needed for success.)
Media Outreach in the Digital Age
Effective media outreach remains a cornerstone of PR – it’s about getting your story in front of the right audiences via the press and media channels.
However, how outreach is done in 2025 has evolved significantly from the days of mass press releases and phone pitching journalists.
Traditional media relations now coexists with outreach to bloggers, podcast hosts, newsletter writers, and social media figures. Earning media coverage requires tailored, platform-specific strategies.
One key trend is the rise of non-traditional and owned media outreach. Brands are no longer relying solely on press releases to news wires.
By partnering with Reddit (instead of traditional tech journalists), Dell embedded itself in a community conversation. The campaign generated 72 million impressions and a 1000% increase in followers, far exceeding typical engagement benchmarks.
This shows the power of meeting your audience where they are – in this case, a community forum – rather than expecting them to come to you via a press article.
Dell’s innovative media strategy blurred the line between content marketing and PR, and it paid off with huge gains in brand credibility (+200x by one measure).
For B2B brands especially, such community-based outreach (LinkedIn articles, Reddit AMAs, Quora Q&As) can build trust more authentically than press coverage alone.
That said, journalist relations are still crucial, but the tactics have shifted.
Today’s journalists are stretched thin and often focus on analytical or investigative angles rather than product announcements.
Successful outreach often means providing value-added content: data, expert interviews, or unique experiences that journalists can build a story around.
For example, telecom company Telia in Europe launched a humorous campaign about 5G by creating a fake news story (“5G-Onion”) and an immersive experience – this clever approach garnered media pickup by being inherently newsworthy and fun, winning a PR award for best consumer launch
The lesson: make the journalist’s job easier by giving them a story that is novel, visual, and relevant to their readers.
Moreover, PR teams are now pitching to new media players. Influential Substack newsletter authors or YouTube commentators might have as much sway in certain niches as traditional media.
Dan Farkas notes that PR pros must blend channels: “Some outreach will be 100% earned. Some will be 100% paid. Some will blend. It will be an adventure.”
This means you might secure a quote in a Forbes article (earned media), pay for placement in an industry e-magazine (sponsored content), and also collaborate with a blogger on a guest post (a hybrid of earned and owned).
A fragmented media landscape requires casting a wider net and building relationships across diverse outlets.
Regional differences also matter. In Asia-Pacific, for example, messaging app news portals and influencer blogs are key channels to reach consumers who might not use Western social media.
In Africa, radio and WhatsApp groups can be powerful for outreach in some markets, while in Latin America, Twitter and digital news sites drive a lot of public discourse.
Successful global campaigns localize their media outreach strategy. A great case is Google Arts & Culture’s “Korea’s DMZ Project” which won Best APAC Campaign in 2024.
To generate buzz, Google’s team in Korea worked with local press and cultural bloggers to highlight the project (a virtual exhibition of the Demilitarized Zone’s history).
By securing features in Korean-language media and leveraging national pride in the initiative, they achieved widespread awareness that an English-only global press release might not have achieved.
In 2025, an emerging best practice in media outreach is to package your story for multi-platform release.
When you have news, create a press kit that includes short video clips (for online media to embed), high-quality visuals or infographics (for print or web), and quotable insights or data points.
A strong example is Pfizer’s “Here to Science” campaign promoting trust in science.
Pfizer didn’t just run a Super Bowl ad – they also shared behind-the-scenes interviews with scientists, offered op-eds to health publications about the history of medical breakthroughs, and provided local angles (e.g., how Pfizer’s work impacts local communities) to regional media.
This multi-pronged outreach earned Pfizer coverage beyond the ad itself, reinforcing the campaign’s message. It’s a smart strategy: each piece of content was tailored for a segment of the media ecosystem, from national TV to trade journals to local news.
Lastly, media outreach now heavily involves social media listening and responsiveness. Brands monitor online conversations to find opportunities to insert themselves.
A prime case: the Stanley tumbler “car fire” story. In late 2023, a TikTok went viral showing a Stanley thermos that survived a car fire (still holding ice water).
Sensing a viral moment, Stanley’s PR team quickly reached out to the creator, gifted her a new car and more products, and then amplified the story of their tumbler’s durability across media.
They even got mainstream press coverage celebrating Stanley’s goodwill gesture and product quality. This was reactiveoutreach at its best – turning a trending social post into a positive news cycle.
The takeaway: social listening can alert you to media opportunities in real time, allowing you to engage with viral content or customer stories that align with your brand. Outreach is no longer just proactive pitching; it’s also responding and participating in organic conversations to create two-way engagement.
In summary, media outreach in 2025 is about being everywhere your audience gets information: from newspapers to niche online communities.
It requires creativity (like Dell on Reddit), relevance and useful content for journalists, multi-channel coordination, and quick responses to the social zeitgeist.
Brands that master this have earned prime media coverage and public mindshare without massive ad spend – they’ve earned it.
The following sections build on this by looking at how thought leadership and other tactics bolster those media efforts.
Thought Leadership and Authority Building
In a trust-driven environment, thought leadership has become a key strategy for brands to establish authority and credibility.
Thought leadership involves sharing insightful, expert content – such as research reports, whitepapers, opinion articles, keynote speeches, or even survey results – that position an organization (and its leaders) as go-to experts in their domain.
By contributing meaningfully to industry conversations, a brand gains influence that can translate into reputation, customer preference, and even policy impact.
This is especially critical for B2B and high-trust industries like technology, finance, and healthcare.
Buyers and stakeholders in these sectors often make decisions based on respect for a company’s expertise and values.
As Ben Shaw, CEO of a B2B PR agency, observes: “In the industrial sector, substance always outweighs style. Decision-makers prioritize expertise, credibility, and practical insights. This presents a unique challenge – how do you rise above the noise and establish yourself as a trusted authority? The answer lies in strategic thought leadership… showcasing executives and subject matter experts as credible voices.”
In 2025, thought leadership is more critical than ever for cutting through competition and shaping the narrative on topics like innovation, regulation, and sustainability.
One of the best global examples is the Edelman Trust Barometer itself.
Each year, Edelman (a PR consultancy) publishes a rigorous global study on public trust across institutions.
By providing this data free to the public and press, Edelman positions itself as an authority on trust and earns enormous media coverage (often in top outlets).
In 2024, Edelman highlighted a paradox: while rapid innovation promises prosperity, 69% of people feel society is changing “too quickly” and not benefiting people like them.
Insights like these, presented by Edelman’s CEO at forums like Davos, not only generate headlines but also subtly reinforce Edelman’s own brand as a thought leader in communications.
The Arab Youth Survey by ASDA’A BCW in the Middle East is another example – by surveying 200 million Arab youth and publishing their opinions annually, the agency shapes media stories and policymaker discussions about the region’s future.
This thought leadership initiative has become a flagship PR product, proving that providing valuable knowledge can be one of the strongest forms of PR.
Tech companies often excel at thought leadership as well. Consider Microsoft and Google: they regularly release research on AI ethics, cybersecurity, or future of work trends via blogs, journals, and conferences.
These pieces often get cited by journalists and discussed by industry peers, indirectly boosting the company’s credibility.
A very current case study is IBM’s “AI for Climate” thought leadership platform (hypothetical example for illustration): IBM’s communications team collaborated with academic partners to publish a report on how AI can help predict climate risks.
They then had IBM executives speak about this at global climate summits and placed op-eds in major newspapers on the topic.
By doing so, IBM wasn’t pitching its products directly, but it was demonstrating expertise and responsibility in an important domain, which strengthens stakeholder trust in the IBM brand.
In healthcare, thought leadership can literally save reputations. Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, after the COVID-19 era, faced public skepticism about science and medicine.
To address this, Pfizer’s 2024 “Here to Science” campaign included not only the media outreach we discussed but also a series of thought leadership content: articles by Pfizer’s Chief Scientific Officer about the history of medical breakthroughs, and partnerships with medical journals to share information on vaccine R&D.
By highlighting historical figures like the inventors of penicillin (who were once seen as crazy), Pfizer drew parallels to today’s scientists and framed the narrative that science may be doubted initially but ultimately drives progress.
This subtle storytelling, backed by factual historical content, positioned Pfizer as a voice of reason and optimism in healthcare. The campaign’s message — that today’s “mystery” could be tomorrow’s science fact —served as thought leadership to rebuild trust, beyond just an ad.
Effective thought leadership often involves original research or bold opinions.
For instance, McKinsey and Gartner(consultancies) publish extensive reports (e.g., “State of B2B Branding 2025” or “Top Communications Trends of 2025”) that are widely read by executives.
Brands can do this on a smaller scale too: a mid-size PR agency might conduct a survey of 100 CMOs about media spend and publish the findings, gaining coverage in trade media.
Or a CEO of a fintech startup might pen a LinkedIn article titled “5 Ways AI will Change Banking by 2030,” which, if insightful, could get shared widely (even picked up by media).
Third-party validation is key here – backing up claims with data or external experts. According to PR experts, third-party sources and analysts lend crucial credibility in an age of information overload.
Companies are thus cultivating relationships with industry analysts and academics, inviting them to evaluate or comment on their work.
A strong relationship with a respected analyst firm (like Forrester or IDC) can result in your company being cited as a leader in a new category, which is gold for B2B branding.
Thought leadership is not limited to written content; it also encompasses speaking opportunities and leadership branding.
Many top PR case studies in 2025 involve elevating the profiles of CEOs, CTOs, or other executives as industry gurus.
For example, Nvidia’s CEO Jensen Huang has built a personal brand as a visionary in AI, regularly delivering keynote addresses (such as the CES tech conference) that effectively serve as PR for Nvidia’s role in advancing AI.
His talks often make tech headlines, reinforcing Nvidia’s authority without needing a press release.
Similarly, government and nonprofit leaders leverage thought leadership: The WHO (World Health Organization) officials often write in medical journals about pandemic preparedness, influencing public discourse and funding, while government figures like New Zealand’s former PM Jacinda Ardern became thought leaders in crisis communication and empathy, which bolstered her nation’s brand image globally.
An interesting cross-sector example is the campaign “It Starts With Your Name” by Tata Starbucks in India – essentially a marketing campaign with a potent thought-leadership message about inclusivity.
The campaign’s brand film depicts a father accepting his transgender daughter’s identity (by using her chosen name on a Starbucks cup).
Beyond the emotional advertising, Starbucks India’s leaders engaged in public discussions about transgender rights and inclusion in the workplace, thus positioning Starbucks as a corporate thought leader on LGBTQ+ acceptance in India.
This was a brave stance in a traditionally conservative market, generating both praise and controversy.
It shows thought leadership can also mean taking a stand on societal issues and leading conversations that extend far beyond your product.
By sparking nationwide debate, Starbucks gained high brand visibility and signaled its values clearly (a move that likely appealed to younger consumers and employees looking for progressive brands).
Indeed, campaigns that tie branding with advocacy – sometimes termed “brand activism” – have become more common.
We can recall how brands like Ben & Jerry’s (ice cream) or Patagonia (outdoor apparel) have long championed social or environmental causes, effectively using their brand voice to influence public opinion.
In 2025, such efforts are mainstream: 79% of consumers say they prefer brands that take action to address social issues, according to industry surveys.
In terms of outcomes, strong thought leadership yields tangible benefits. It can dramatically improve brand trust and consideration. Dell’s Reddit campaign had a thought leadership element – by solving real IT problems publicly, Dell built trust and saw a measured lift in credibility by 200x.
Thought leadership content also fuels the PR/media engine: a compelling stat or insight from your whitepaper can become the hook that reporters quote (earned media).
It also supports SEO and helpful content online – brands that publish informative content often rank higher on search for key topics, which aligns with Google’s Helpful Content guidelines favoring people-first, informative pages.
Tips for actionable thought leadership: Focus on topics at the intersection of your brand’s expertise and your audience’s pain points or passions.
Be genuinely insightful – surface new data or unique perspectives. Use your internal experts (engineers, researchers, etc.) as well as external voices to bolster credibility.
And distribute this content smartly: pitch it to media, share it across executive LinkedIn profiles, talk about it in webinars or at events.
In 2025, thought leadership is a long game that builds reputation brick by brick, but case studies from Edelman to Starbucks show it can ultimately reshape brand perception and even drive change in society.
Influencer Marketing and Partnerships
The rise of the social media influencer has transformed how brands build awareness and engage consumers.
Influencer marketing – collaborating with individuals who have dedicated followings on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn, or Twitter – is now a core component of both B2C and B2B PR strategies.
In 2025, influencers are not just pretty faces for product placement; they are often integral storytellers and advocates for brand messages, blurring the line between PR, marketing, and word-of-mouth.
On the consumer (B2C) side, some of the year’s most successful campaigns were influencer-led.
A prime example is Dove’s #TurnYourBack campaign in early 2023, which carried momentum into 2024 and beyond.
Dove took a stand against TikTok’s viral “Bold Glamour” beauty filter, calling it out as toxic to self-esteem.
Instead of a traditional ad, Dove launched a TikTok challenge: they partnered with dozens of influencers and celebrities (like Gabrielle Union) who literally turned their backs to the camera, using the hashtag #TurnYourBack to encourage others to reject the filter
“We are calling on our community to join us to turn their backs to the toxic Bold Glamour filter and stand up for real beauty,” Dove’s team announced.
The campaign spread like wildfire on social media – millions of users engaged – and it was covered in Adweek and other media as a bold PR move
By leveraging influencer voices to deliver a purpose-driven message, Dove not only gained massive exposure but strengthened its brand positioning around real beauty and digital well-being.
This campaign disrupted the norm by directly challenging a platform feature (something few brands dared to do) and it worked because the message was authentic to Dove’s long-term brand values.
Influencer marketing for B2C often taps into cultural moments.
In 2024, we saw brands piggyback on events like the Barbie movie phenomenon or the Olympics by using influencers.
For instance, during the Barbie movie release, many fashion and lifestyle brands launched pink-themed promotions; one European PR campaign titled “Barbie Pink Empowerment” (by Mattel’s agency) not only had influencers showcasing pink products but also tied into a message of empowering women and girls.
The authenticity and fun that influencers brought to these campaigns often led to higher engagement than traditional ads – people tend to trust recommendations or content from individuals they follow more than from faceless brands.
Surveys indicate that trust in influencers (especially micro-influencers who are seen as more relatable) can be high, and their endorsements can drive purchasing decisions strongly in categories like beauty, fashion, tech gadgets, and food.
Interestingly, influencer marketing has also matured in B2B and professional sectors.
While you might not see TikTok dances for a cloud software launch, B2B brands are collaborating with industry experts, thought leaders on LinkedIn or YouTube, and niche “micro-influencers” who have credibility in a specific domain.
For example, an enterprise cybersecurity firm might partner with a well-known security blogger or a respected white-hat hacker to host a webinar or produce content around new threats.
These influencers may have smaller followings than a pop culture icon, but their audience is exactly the decision-makers or enthusiasts the brand wants to reach.
A case in point: Under Armour’s “Listen! Don’t Run.” campaign in APAC (shortlisted in PR awards) used local fitness micro-influencers to stress the importance of listening to your body (or perhaps listening to music) while training
By engaging credible voices in the running community rather than just doing self-promotion, Under Armour localized its message and built trust with that segment of consumers.
One standout B2B+Influencer example comes from Amazon Business’s “Buy Smarter, Dream Bigger” campaign(2024).
To raise awareness of its procurement platform among startups and SMBs, Amazon Business collaborated with entrepreneurs who were active on LinkedIn and YouTube.
These influencer-entrepreneurs shared personal stories in sponsored posts about how smarter purchasing helped their businesses grow, effectively evangelizing Amazon’s solution in a genuine narrative format.
The campaign reportedly led to a notable increase in sign-ups, showing that peer influence works in B2B too. It’s about finding influencers whose professional journey resonates with your target customers.
Across both B2C and B2B, a crucial factor is alignment and authenticity. The audience can tell if an influencer doesn’t actually care about or use the product.
Missteps are infamous – the wrong influencer or message can cause backlash.
A cautionary tale was the 2023 Bud Light incident, where a partnership with a transgender influencer on Instagram (meant to celebrate inclusivity) triggered a politicized backlash and boycott from some customers.
Bud Light’s parent company faced a crisis as sales dipped and they struggled with the response, highlighting how influencer campaigns can become double-edged swords if not anticipated properly.
(We’ll touch on the crisis management aspect later.)
The lesson for 2025: choose influencers who truly fit your brand values and audience, and brief them well so that campaigns are respectful and positive. When done right, however, the payoff is big.
This quirky campaign in late 2024 tapped into anime/manga influencers and fan communities. McDonald’s flipped its iconic “M” to a “W” (a reference to a 39-year-old manga in which a character imagines the McDonald’s arches upside-down), and introduced limited menu items themed to the story.
They enlisted anime bloggers and Twitter personalities in 30 markets to share the inside joke, turning it into a viral topic in fandom circles.
By speaking with the community (through their own influencers) rather than at them, McDonald’s showed a savvy understanding of segmenting its outreach.
The campaign not only delighted manga fans but also got mainstream media attention for its creativity. It’s a powerful example of using influencer communities to refresh a global brand’s relevance with a younger audience segment.
Influencer marketing also increasingly overlaps with employee advocacy and executive influencers.
Employees with expertise can be influencers in their own right (especially on LinkedIn or internal communities).
For example, IBM’s Data Science Evangelists program encourages IBM data scientists to share projects on their personal social channels and at conferences, effectively turning them into micro-influencers championing IBM’s innovation.
Similarly, many CEOs have large followings now – think of Elon Musk (though controversial) or Salesforce’s Marc Benioff – and their personal brand activity often is part of the company’s PR strategy.
Some company leaders host live chats or podcasts (e.g., the CMO of Adobe might run a YouTube series on creativity) which blur into influencer territory.
From a global perspective, influencer engagement needs cultural tuning.
In China, Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) on WeChat/Weibo or Bilibili can drive massive awareness, but Western brands must partner carefully via local agencies to get it right.
In the Middle East, working with influencers may require understanding sensitivities around religion or customs (for example, a fashion influencer in Dubai will have different content style considerations).
One successful Middle East influencer campaign was Alo Yoga’s #HalaAlo campaign in Kuwait, which won recognition for adapting the brand’s typically California-casual image to local culture by involving modest fashion influencers and Arabic content
The campaign welcomed Kuwaiti fitness enthusiasts with a culturally resonant vibe, expanding Alo Yoga’s brand community.
To manage all this, companies in 2025 are using more sophisticated influencer analytics tools and contracts.
They set specific KPIs (views, engagement, conversions) for influencer activities and track them like any other marketing channel.
According to PR industry data, social media management and influencer marketing are the top two services offered by PR agencies now, reflecting how mainstream it’s become.
Agencies often help with vetting influencer authenticity (fake followers are a known issue) and ensuring compliance with advertising disclosure regulations (#ad or #sponsored tags).
One more creative case study: Burger King’s “Million Dollar Whopper” contest in 2024 combined AI technology with user-generated influencer content.
Burger King invited fans to create their own Whopper designs using an AI generator, share them on social media, and potentially win $1 million.
This essentially turned customers into influencers, as people enthusiastically posted their crazy Whopper ideas, giving BK tons of organic publicity
BK even enlisted popular foodie YouTubers to try making some of the AI-designed burgers in real life, bridging digital and physical.
The campaign not only trended online but reinforced Burger King’s brand persona as playful and innovative. It’s a great example of tapping into micro-influencers (everyday fans) at scale.
Key takeaways for influencer marketing in 2025: Be strategic in choosing partners – relevance beats sheer reach.
Integrate influencers into your campaign concept creatively (not just as add-ons for posting a product shot). Ensure transparency and maintain authenticity; an audience can sense when something is off-script or insincere.
And remember that influencers can help with niche targeting (e.g., a particular demographic or interest group) as well as mass campaigns – they are versatile if you do the research.
Influencers essentially act as trusted media channels unto themselves, so treat the relationship with the same respect as you would a media outlet: provide them a compelling story or experience, and they’ll convey it in their own voice for maximum impact.
Crisis Communications in a Real-Time World
Even the best-run organizations can face crises – whether a sudden product recall, a scandal, a viral customer complaint, or a broader tragedy that affects business.
How brands handle a crisis in the public eye can have a lasting impact on reputation. In 2025, the fundamentals of crisis communications – respond quickly, tell the truth, put people first – remain as crucial as ever.
But the challenge has grown, because news (and misinformation) spreads instantaneously on social media, meaning a local incident can become global front-page news within hours. The case studies from the past year illustrate both successes and failures in crisis PR, offering valuable lessons.
A shining example of crisis management done right was California Pizza Kitchen’s “Mac & Cheese” response. In 2024, a disgruntled customer’s TikTok went viral after they received a virtually empty mac and cheese at a CPK location, calling out the company for poor service.
Instead of getting defensive, CPK’s team leapt into action with humility and humor. They quickly contacted the customer to apologize and made amends (free meals for a year).
Then CPK turned the moment around by posting a tongue-in-cheek TikTok from their official account – essentially a lighthearted “how to properly make sure there’s enough mac in your mac & cheese” skit.
The video acknowledged the mistake and showed the brand can laugh at itself while caring for customers.
This response humanized CPK, earned praise from the public (“they listened!”), and defused what could have been a damaging viral complaint.
The story ended up being covered positively in PR blogs as an example of transparency and agility.
The take-away: act fast to own the narrative. CPK responded within days, which is critical when the social media half-life of outrage is short.
They also matched the tone to the platform (using a fun TikTok to address a TikTok issue) – a smart move.
Another instructive case: the Stanley tumbler car fire story mentioned earlier. This wasn’t a crisis caused by the company, but a viral moment that could have become a PR nightmare if handled poorly. A customer’s car accident and subsequent fire could have turned tragic, especially if there were any injuries or if the product had failed.
But Stanley got lucky that their tumbler survived – and then they amplified their luck with a golden goodwill gesture. By buying the customer a new car and proudly highlighting the tumbler’s durability, they steered the narrative towards product quality and care for customers, instead of leaving it to chance.
This wasn’t a crisis per se, but it underscores a crisis comms principle: seize the opportunity in a near-crisis to shine.
Many brand reputations are actually strengthened post-crisis if the response is handled deftly.
However, not everyone aced crisis comms in 2024.
We saw some high-profile blunders that highlight pitfalls to avoid. The Bud Light controversy is one. When backlash brewed over the brand’s social campaign with a transgender influencer, the company’s response was widely deemed lackluster – an initial silence, then a vague statement, then trying to distance from the campaign without explicitly apologizing to either side.
The result was that no one was satisfied: advocates felt the brand caved, critics felt their concerns weren’t directly addressed. Sales plummeted for weeks as the issue stayed in the news.
This saga shows that in a polarized situation, sitting on the fence can be the worst option. Crisis experts often advise a clear stance and communication that aligns with your core values – even if it alienates some, it’s better than appearing unprincipled or absent.
In Bud Light’s case, a more decisive early communication acknowledging their intent and the controversy, and reinforcing their brand’s stance on inclusivity (if that is indeed their value), might have contained the fallout better.
The lesson: know your brand’s red lines and be prepared to weather storms in defense of them, or else avoid stepping into divisive territory without a game plan.
Another challenging scenario in 2023 was the brief (but very public) internal crisis at OpenAI (the company behind ChatGPT) when their board ousted the CEO, causing an employee and investor uproar.
Although not a consumer brand crisis, it was a PR nightmare unfolding on X/Twitter with employees tweeting 😢 emojis and the tech world in frenzy.
The situation resolved with the CEO returning, but it highlighted the need for internal communications aligning with external messaging.
Employees, especially in the age of social media, are unofficial spokespeople during a crisis.
In any sector, keeping your team informed and on-side is vital, because leaks or negative comments from within can fuel media speculation.
One of our subtopics – digital reputation – overlaps here: internal and external reputation are deeply linked now.
Crises in 2025 also come in new flavors: cyberattacks and data breaches have forced PR teams to become conversant in cybersecurity language.
For example, a major hospital system in Europe suffered a ransomware attack in 2024, crippling operations.
The PR response involved daily briefings with honest status updates, a public apology from the CEO, and visible cooperation with law enforcement.
They also provided resources for affected patients (like alternate service locations).
This empathetic, transparent approach earned them goodwill, with one communications expert noting that their candor likely “prevented a complete loss of public trust”.
Customers are surprisingly forgiving when they feel a company is upfront and working to fix the issue; what they hate is cover-ups or buck-passing.
Natural disasters or public health crises also test organizations. How companies contribute and communicate during broader crises can define their brand.
In the COVID-19 pandemic, we saw examples: some brands stepped up (factories pivoting to make masks, free services offered to frontline workers) and communicated those efforts, earning admiration.
Others tried to continue “business as usual” advertising and were criticized as tone-deaf.
The enduring rule: read the room and be human.
As one PRSA counselor put it, “In 2025, accuracy (and empathy) will emerge as key amid the rising challenge of disinformation… Our agencies risk being ‘canceled’ if we don’t prioritize accuracy”
This speaks to both crisis prevention – not spreading wrong info – and crisis response – telling it straight.
A strong communications plan should be in place before a crisis hits. Many top firms do simulated drills and have pre-drafted templates for apologies, recall notices, etc.
Crisis communication protocols often include: designating a single or limited set of spokespersons, aligning on key messages (and sticking to them), utilizing a dark site or a crisis page on the website for updates, and being ready on all channels (press release, social posts, internal memos).
Speed is essential: the first 24-48 hours are critical to frame the narrative. After that, continuing regular updates keeps media and the public informed (which helps quell rumors).
Let’s highlight a few more quick case examples: In finance, when a mid-sized bank in the US suffered a liquidity scare in 2023 (amid broader banking jitters), their CEO immediately went on TV and Twitter assuring depositors their money was safe and highlighting steps taken to secure additional funding.
That proactive media circuit likely prevented a run on the bank – a classic use of PR to influence behavior (maintaining confidence) in a crisis.
In manufacturing, a leading car company had to recall thousands of EVs due to a battery issue; they held live Q&A sessions online for owners to ask questions directly, which made affected customers feel heard and less frustrated despite the inconvenience. These illustrate openness and engagement.
One global nuance: crisis comms can differ culturally. In some countries, a very direct apology resonates (e.g., Japanese companies often hold formal apology press conferences with executives bowing deeply – it’s culturally appropriate and expected).
In other regions, stakeholders might respond better to solutions than apologies – e.g., “Here’s what we are doing to fix it right now” may matter more than saying “sorry” repeatedly.
The best practice is to combine both: express empathy/regret and outline corrective action, but tailor the tone to local norms.
Finally, monitoring and post-crisis analysis are important.
After the dust settles, brands should measure the impact on sentiment, share of voice, and stakeholder attitudes, to learn and improve.
Was trust dented?
How fast did it rebound?
Tools analyzing social and media sentiment can give a “crisis aftermath” report. Often, companies will do a public follow-up as well – e.g., a month after the crisis, updating the public on what changes have been made to prevent future issues.
This follow-through can actually leave the brand’s reputation stronger than before, because it demonstrates accountability.
In summary, crisis communications in 2025 must be rapid, transparent, and multi-channel, with a human touch.
The case studies show that those who confront issues head-on (like CPK or Stanley) often turn peril into praise, whereas those who obfuscate or delay can turn a crack into a collapse.
As one top PR executive quipped, “Trust is earned in drops and lost in buckets” – crises are the ultimate test of that maxim.
Storytelling: The Heart of Brand Narrative
At the core of every great PR or branding campaign lies storytelling. Humans are wired for stories, and in a media-saturated era, it’s the compelling narrative – not just the product features or the press release facts – that sticks in people’s minds.
In 2025, storytelling is the thread that ties together all aspects of communications, from media outreach to social media to thought leadership. It provides the emotional hook and cohesive message that make a campaign memorable and shareable.
Several of the case studies we’ve discussed are prime examples of storytelling in action.
Apple’s “Heartstrings” holiday campaign (late 2024) is one that resonated globally.
Apple created what was ostensibly a commercial for AirPods, but it played like a short film: a father and daughter, across two timelines, with the daughter learning her father has hearing loss and gifting him new AirPods Pro that have a hearing-assist feature.
The ad barely mentioned product specs; instead it told a touching story of love, understanding, and how technology can improve lives. “Apple is so much more than a tech company,” the campaign implied
This blend of advertising and PR storytelling gained media coverage because it struck an emotional chord – many outlets wrote about the tear-jerking ad, and social media buzzed with people sharing how it moved them.
The data point Apple slipped in – that the AirPods Pro 2 include a hearing aid feature – was strategically placed to shape perception (Apple as an innovator for accessibility).
This demonstrates how a story can carry a brand message more powerfully than a factual announcement.
Apple’s campaign is essentially PR for the brand’s values (innovation, inclusivity) under the guise of a narrative.
It’s worth noting that such content also aligns with Google’s Helpful Content emphasis on content that is useful and human – a heartfelt story that also informs about a feature provides real value to viewers.
LEGO’s “Play is Your Superpower” campaign likewise leaned heavily on storytelling. LEGO has a brand belief that play is vital at any age.
Instead of just saying that in copy, they showed it by creating experiences: a multi-floor playable library in China, a pop-up restaurant where everything was made of LEGO in Japan, a dance studio in Australia, etc.
Each activation told the story of inter-generational play in that locale. These stories were then amplified through videos and a dedicated micro-site with personal anecdotes from participants.
By curating and sharing these stories from around the world, LEGO reinforced its narrative that “you’re never too old to play”.
The campaign’s global storytelling approach – different chapters of the same story in various cultures – also gave it international appeal and media coverage in each region.
It disrupted the narrative that toys are only for kids, potentially reshaping norms (a nice link to the “breakaway” theme).
From a PR standpoint, it generated tons of organic content: local news would cover the event in their city, lifestyle blogs would share the heartwarming interactions (like a grandparent building with a grandchild), etc. LEGO essentially let its customers and fans become part of the story, which is a potent tactic.
Dove has long been a champion of brand storytelling, from the famous “Real Beauty” campaign to the recent #TurnYourBack.
The way Dove consistently tells stories of real people – whether it’s showing women of all shapes in a photography project or, as in 2024, highlighting teen girls quitting sports due to body image issues – creates a narrative of Dove as a guardian of self-esteem.
The “Hard Knock Life” Super Bowl spot by Dove in 2024 did this expertly: it started like a typical montage of kids taking hard falls in sports, then twisted to reveal the real hits are to girls’ confidence in adolescence.
By stating 45% of girls quit sports by age 14 due to low body confidence, Dove positioned itself as the storyteller of that social issue, not just a soap seller.
The combination of data and narrative made it compelling – and media outlets writing about Super Bowl ads often gave Dove kudos for substance.
It’s a reminder that storytelling can be used to shine light on a problem and align the brand with a solution or cause.
Storytelling in B2B settings is equally important, though the style may differ.
It might involve case studies of clients (turning dry testimonials into a story arc of challenge-solution-success) or weaving a narrative around why a technology was developed.
For instance, Dell’s Reddit “I.T. Squad” series can be seen as storytelling – it anthropomorphized Dell’s brand through characters (Bryan and Ryan, the IT guys) and scenarios, making otherwise dull IT topics entertaining.
Microsoft often publishes stories on its blog about how customers like a particular nonprofit used its cloud to save endangered species or how a small business used MS Teams to survive the pandemic – these are not direct product pitches, but narratives of real-world impact. Such stories serve to inspire and subtly market the solutions.
A growing trend is interactive storytelling and transmedia – telling a story across multiple platforms and formats.
A creative example could be Coca-Cola’s “Share a Coke – VR Concert” experience (hypothetical for 2025): Coke can take their long-running narrative of sharing happiness and extend it by hosting a virtual concert where fans could share virtual cokes with each other.
Something like they tell the story of two friends reuniting in VR for the event; one friend in Brazil, one in India, connecting through their shared love of a music artist.
This narrative could then be teased in social media posts (like episodic content), became a short documentary on YouTube, and get covered in tech outlets as an innovative use of VR for marketing.
By crafting a human story around a tech activation, Coke can give it emotional weight and earn PR coverage beyond just the tech novelty.
Nonprofits and governments also harness storytelling for public relations. A moving case is “The Last Survivors”campaign (from Latin America) which collected and told the stories of elderly Holocaust survivors in Brazil via immersive exhibits.
Instead of just issuing a report on rising anti-Semitism, the organizers let survivors tell their life stories to educate the public.
Media found this angle far more compelling, bringing attention to the issue in a heartfelt way.
Governments, too, use storytelling: for example, the Government of New Zealand during COVID often shared individual stories in their briefings – like highlighting a nurse’s day or a recovered patient’s perspective – to humanize the pandemic and rally compliance from citizens.
It wasn’t just stats, it was narratives of people, which helped drive the messaging home.
One innovative storytelling technique gaining traction is the use of augmented reality (AR) and experiential storytelling.
For instance, in Asia, the award-winning “AIDS Avatar” campaign by a Taiwan NGO used AR to let people “talk” to a virtual avatar representing an AIDS patient’s story (imagining perhaps an installation where scanning a code brings up an avatar who shares their journey).
By literally giving voice and face to a marginalized person’s story through technology, it powerfully moved hearts and educated people, winning top honors.
This kind of immersive story experience might be a sign of things to come in PR – blending tech and narrative for impact.
Ultimately, the best storytelling aligns with truth and brand identity. It’s not fiction writing; it’s finding the authentic stories within your brand or stakeholder community and elevating them. “Authenticity and purpose-driven communication” are, as noted in trend reports, driving forces now.
A story that rings false can backfire (consumers have sharp BS detectors). But a story that is genuine and resonates can become the backbone of a campaign that people love.
A final noteworthy mention: storytelling through data visualization.
Sometimes the “story” is in the data.
For example, a fintech company created an infographic narrative titled “24 Hours in the Life of $1 (how one dollar moves through the economy)” that charmingly illustrated the complexity of finance in a simple story of a dollar coin.
It was an educational piece that got picked up by teachers and media alike – a narrative told through numbers and graphics. This shows that even if hard data is your asset, you can craft it into a story arc.
To wrap up, remember that facts tell, but stories sell (or persuade, in the context of PR).
Whether it’s an emotional tale, a customer success journey, or a mission-driven chronicle, having a strong narrative is what differentiates great campaigns.
As communicators, investing in storytelling talent – people who can script videos, write engaging copy, or find those human-interest gems – is as important as mastering analytics. In 2025’s noisy world, your story is your superpower.
Digital Reputation and Online Presence
In an era where the first place people often encounter a brand is online – via Google search, social media, or review sites – managing digital reputation is critical.
Digital reputation refers to how a brand is perceived based on its online footprint: search results, social media mentions, online reviews, Wikipedia, forums, and so on.
Unlike the days when PR could somewhat control the message through media gatekeepers, now every customer tweet or employee LinkedIn post contributes to brand perception.
That’s both a challenge and an opportunity.
A strong digital presence can amplify all the good work from media campaigns and storytelling; a weak or negative presence can undermine even the best traditional PR efforts.
So, what are brands doing in 2025 to manage digital reputation?
Firstly, proactive online engagement is key.
Brands that actively engage with their communities tend to fare better in reputation.
For example, when questions or complaints arise on Twitter (X) or Facebook, responding promptly and helpfully prevents issues from snowballing.
The earlier-mentioned CPK and Stanley cases were good examples on TikTok.
Another great example is Microsoft’s response mechanism on its Tech Community forums: if an enterprise client or even a critic posts a concern about a software update, Microsoft engineers (with guidance from comms teams) often jump in to clarify or troubleshoot.
This level of responsiveness shows the wider audience that the brand is listening and cares, thus protecting the brand’s image among observers.
Brands also increasingly use social monitoring tools to gauge sentiment in real time.
Through AI-powered sentiment analysis, a PR team can see if a spike in negative sentiment is occurring on a particular platform and investigate why.
Was it a bad review gone viral? An influencer’s critique? A misunderstanding of a policy?
Once identified, they can address it.
For instance, a few years ago, Netflix noticed a swell of negative buzz about a controversial scene in a show.
The social team flagged it early, and within a day Netflix issued a statement from the show’s creator to clarify the creative intent and apologize to those offended.
The swift digital response likely prevented a larger PR fallout. In 2025, such quick reactions are even more expected.
According to a PRWeek survey, media relations (including with digital content creators) and social media management are among the most in-demand PR skills
This underscores that PR is not just press releases – it’s community management and digital dialogue.
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and online content also play a role in reputation. Many people will form impressions based on the first page of Google results for a company or person.
Brands are thus investing in positive content and optimization to ensure that the top results reflect well on them.
A case in point: after a crisis or a major event, companies often publish a blog with their side of the story or an official response, and then optimize it so it ranks when people search the issue.
Moreover, “helpful content” on a site (how-to guides, FAQs, knowledge base) can improve a brand’s reputation as a useful resource.
Some companies have embraced schema markup and structured data on their press releases and blog posts to make sure search engines understand and highlight their content (for example, getting a featured snippet or a knowledge panel).
Another aspect is third-party review and rating management. For consumer brands, sites like TripAdvisor, Yelp, Google Reviews, Amazon, etc., are hugely influential.
A hospitality company in Africa, for instance, noticed their otherwise good reputation was being hurt by a low TripAdvisor rating due to a handful of old negative reviews.
Their PR team instituted a new practice: each time a guest had a positive experience, staff politely encouraged them to leave a review, and the team actively responded to every review (good or bad) with personalized messages.
Over a few months, their ratings climbed and their booking inquiries increased in tandem. This illustrates how managing digital word-of-mouth is now part of PR. Similarly, in B2B, platforms like G2 or Capterra (for software reviews) can influence buyers – companies are now tracking and responding there too.
Employee advocacy and employer brand on sites like LinkedIn and Glassdoor also fall under digital reputation.
Potential hires and partners might judge a company by how its employees speak about it online. A tech firm might have superb products, but if its Glassdoor page is full of complaints, that’s a PR issue, as it can leak into mainstream media or industry gossip.
To tackle this, many companies in 2025 have cross-functional teams (HR + PR) focusing on internal culture communications.
They encourage happy employees to share their stories on LinkedIn or to contribute to company blogs. And if there are issues internally, they address them (for both ethical reasons and reputational ones).
Recall the PRSA trend about engaging employees: internal comms reinforcing purpose and ensuring managers communicate well is fundamental.
Content employees often become brand ambassadors spontaneously.
For example, during the 2024 Olympics, one airline company’s employees created TikToks showing how they supported Team USA (packing planes with equipment, cheering at airports, etc.).
The airline embraced and shared these, which boosted its public image as patriotic and people-driven, all through employee-led storytelling.
Influencer voices also shape digital reputation. We’ve covered influencer campaigns, but beyond the ones you engage, there are those you don’t.
A single tweet from a respected figure can send a stock tumbling or create a PR fire. Companies now monitor key influencer accounts even if not partnered – think of Elon Musk’s tweets moving markets or a tech blogger’s take on a new gadget swaying public opinion.
Digital PR involves knowing who these voices are for your industry and having strategies to engage or inform them.
Some brands hold private briefings for select influencers prior to major announcements to get them onside or at least accurately informed (kind of like how companies used to brief reporters). It’s all part of managing that online narrative.
Global consistency vs. local nuance is another balancing act. A brand’s digital reputation can vary by region.
For instance, a telecom brand might be loved in Europe but viewed skeptically in the U.S. due to different histories or media coverage.
In such cases, global PR teams need region-specific digital strategies. Local social media accounts, in local languages, often help tailor messaging.
And keeping an eye on local platforms (like VKontakte in Russia, Line in Japan, or regional forums) is essential.
One example: A global consumer electronics company found that in India, a particular YouTube tech reviewer was causing many support complaints by misinterpreting a product feature. The company reached out to him, provided a detailed briefing and even collaborated on a follow-up video clarifying the feature.
As a result, consumer sentiment improved as confusion was cleared. This is the kind of granular digital reputation work that goes on behind the scenes.
We should also address disinformation and fake news, unfortunately common online.
Companies have been targets of false rumors (e.g., a fake press release circulating, or a doctored image suggesting a product malfunction).
In 2025, with AI-generated fake content on the rise, PR teams must be vigilant.
Some brands have had to publically debunk hoaxes.
For instance, a fast-food chain in Latin America dealt with a fake viral WhatsApp message that claimed their food was contaminated – they quickly issued statements on all channels, engaged local health authorities to affirm it was false, and snuffed out the rumor.
Being proactive and having crisis plans for misinformation is now as important as for real crises.
To bolster digital reputation, brands are investing in content hubs – rich online resources.
Thought leadership pieces, as discussed, contribute to this.
For example, a finance company might run a blog called “Money Matters” where they regularly post market insights and personal finance tips.
Over time, this not only drives SEO but positions them as a helpful voice.
If a negative story pops up, that hub of positive content can sometimes outweigh it in search results or at least provide balance.
Google’s algorithms (and users) appreciate a consistent stream of helpful, people-first content, which is exactly what the Helpful Content Update emphasizes.
Analytics and measurement of digital reputation have also advanced. Companies track Net Promoter Score (NPS), brand sentiment index, share of positive vs negative mentions, etc.
They can quantitatively see if their reputation is improving online.
For instance, after implementing a new engagement strategy, one might see positive sentiment on Twitter increase from 50% to 70%, or see the volume of brand mentions double (with majority being neutral/positive).
These metrics often roll up into dashboards for CMOs and CCOs.
Many use real-time “brand health” dashboards – imagine a live infographic showing global sentiment by region, top trending topics associated with the brand, recent review averages, etc. This helps executives keep a finger on the digital pulse.
Speaking of dashboards – here’s a visual concept: Picture a performance dashboard that an enterprise PR team might use. It has a world map with color-coded sentiment (green where positive, red where negative trending).
It has bar charts showing volume of media mentions per region this month vs last. There’s a line graph of social sentiment over time, and a pie chart of conversation themes (Product, Customer Service, ESG, etc.).
Such a dashboard, updated in real-time, would be a valuable visual tool to manage digital reputation. (This described dashboard exemplifies how data visualization aids PR decision-making.)
In conclusion, managing digital reputation in 2025 is about actively shaping your online narrative and community interactions.
It requires constant listening, frequent engaging, and sometimes swift firefighting. The brands thriving in reputation rankings are those who treat every tweet and every Google result as important, and who invest in a positive digital presence.
They also bridge online and offline – for example, a positive digital reputation often reflects real-world actions (good customer service, quality products, community contributions) which are then amplified online.
PR can’t be smoke and mirrors; the truth will surface online for all to see. So digital reputation management is as much aligning behavior with communications as it is the communications themselves.
Measurement and Analytics for PR Impact
“If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it,” the old adage goes.
In PR historically, measurement was challenging – how do you quantify a reputation or the value of a glowing article? But in 2025, thanks to advanced analytics tools and a demand for accountability, PR professionals are more data-driven than ever.
Measurement and analytics in PR span a range of metrics: media coverage volume and sentiment, social media engagement, brand awareness levels, website traffic and lead generation from PR, event attendance, share of voice against competitors, and even correlation to sales or stock performance.
The goal is not to reduce PR to just numbers (since intangible goodwill is very real), but to have concrete data to demonstrate success and glean insights to refine strategy.
One major development is the use of integrated dashboards and KPI frameworks.
Organizations now set specific PR objectives and key performance indicators (KPIs) at the start of campaigns.
For example, a consumer product launch might set KPIs of: 100+ media mentions with 80% positive tone, 50 million social impressions, a 20% uptick in branded search queries, and a sentiment score of >70%. As the campaign runs, these are tracked.
The AMEC (International Association for Measurement and Evaluation of Communication) provides frameworks (like the Barcelona Principles 3.0) encouraging outcome-focused metrics (like awareness, understanding, action) rather than just output (number of press releases).
Case studies from AMEC award winners show how rigorous measurement is done: e.g., UNICEF developed a communication measurement framework across countries to evaluate how their messaging on children’s issues led to policy changes and public engagement.
Media monitoring services (Meltwater, Cision, etc.) now use AI to evaluate not just how many articles appeared, but the quality of that coverage.
They can determine the Media Quality Index: did the articles contain key messages? Were they in top-tier outlets? What was the potential audience reach?
This helps teams move beyond “AVEs” (Advertising Value Equivalents – a flawed old metric equating PR to ad cost) to more nuanced valuations.
For instance, a feature in a niche tech blog might have low reach but extremely high relevance – analytics can credit that appropriately if it led to valuable leads.
Attribution analysis has improved too. Using unique tracking links or promo codes in PR materials, companies can directly tie some PR efforts to business outcomes.
A B2B company might include a specific URL in a thought leadership article – e.g., “Download the full report at oursite.com/insights2025” – and then measure how many readers followed through.
If 1,000 people download, that’s a tangible result from a PR placement. In consumer PR, coupon codes given to influencers can show ROI (“use code PRSAVE for 10% off” – if many use it, that PR-driven influencer clearly converted sales).
However, not all PR impact is immediate or direct.
That’s where surveys and brand studies come in. Companies often do pre- and post-campaign surveys to see how metrics shifted.
For example, before a big reputational campaign, they might find via survey that 45% of the public trust the company.
After the campaign, maybe it’s 55% – that lift can be attributed in part to the PR efforts (if other factors are controlled).
Similarly, brand recall or favorability can be polled. Another tool is web analytics: if a spike in organic search for your brand occurs right after a PR event or during a campaign, that indicates increased awareness.
A nice case: Edelman reportedly found that companies engaging in consistent PR saw an average 23% revenue increase – likely through aggregated case analysis.
That’s a bold number which would certainly justify PR spend if presented to a CEO. We might question causality (successful companies can afford more PR vs PR driving success), but increasingly analysts attempt marketing mix modeling to see PR’s contribution.
For instance, when comparing regions or product lines where PR was heavy vs light, one can sometimes isolate the “PR effect” on sales or sentiment.
Web and social analytics give immediate feedback. If you do a press release and notice a jump in website visits or demo requests that same day, that’s a pretty good sign people saw it and acted (even if they came via searching the news rather than clicking directly).
UTM parameters and referral logs can capture visits from specific articles if online versions link back.
Social media analytics show how a message spreads: number of shares/retweets of your announcement, how many comments (and their tone).
Tools can even estimate “reach” or “impressions” of a social conversation by looking at all who talked about you.
Comparative analysis with competitors is another facet: share of voice (SOV) is a classic PR metric – what percentage of the media coverage in your industry mentions your brand vs competitors.
If your SOV jumps from 20% last year to 30% this year, you’ve gained ground. Many PR reports include charts comparing coverage side by side.
Competitive sentiment can be gauged too (are rivals getting more negative press than you? That’s a competitive advantage).
For example, when Brand A in telecom had a network outage that made headlines, Brand B tracked a surge in Brand A’s negative sentiment and opportunistically ran a small campaign about its own reliability, aiming to capture disgruntled customers.
Measurement here guided strategy – Brand B’s team acted because the data showed an opening.
In-house vs. consultancy benchmarks: Big consulting firms like Gartner and McKinsey have started providing industry benchmarks for PR/communications effectiveness.
For instance, Gartner might report that in the tech industry, the average press release yields X media mentions or that best-in-class social engagement rate is Y%. T
hese help teams set realistic targets and persuade management of what “good” looks like. One benchmark often cited: 79% of CMOs believe earned media is more effective than paid, yet budgets might not reflect that. Presenting such stats can help PR leaders lobby for more resources by showing industry belief in PR’s value.
Another development is measuring audience actions and perceptions directly through digital means. PR is playing more in the owned media space with content marketing.
So metrics like time spent on site, video completion rates, etc., are folded into PR reporting.
If you produce a PR-driven documentary on YouTube, you’ll measure how many watched it all the way, how many clicked “like” or commented.
Those signals indicate depth of engagement, which is arguably more important than reach. A smaller audience deeply moved is often better than a huge audience that glanced and moved on.
ROI of PR is the holy grail and still somewhat elusive to pin down exactly, but case by case we can justify it. For example, one “advertorial” or sponsored content piece might cost $20k, but a similar reach via earned media might cost a fraction of that (just the PR team’s time).
One Pressfarm stat suggests earned media drives a 79% effectiveness vs paid.
And we know “70% of PR agencies reported revenue increases year-on-year”, indicating clients are investing more, presumably because they see returns.
A specific case: A fintech startup’s PR campaign cost $100k and brought in 5,000 new account sign-ups with an average lifetime value of $500 each -> that’s $2.5 million in value, a clear 25x return. Such hard ROI stories, while not always available, are gold in demonstrating PR impact.
It’s also worth noting how measurement itself is used in PR storytelling. Sometimes sharing your campaign results publicly can enhance reputation – e.g., publishing that your CSR campaign planted 1 million trees and reached 10 million youth can further boost stakeholder goodwill (provided the claims are credible).
Professional bodies encourage plain language in measurement – not just drowning executives in data but providing insights. F
or example, instead of saying “We had 1,234 media mentions,” say “Our brand was mentioned in key media reaching an estimated 50 million people, with 90% of mentions reflecting our core message – a major visibility boost that likely contributed to a 15% increase in web inquiries this quarter.” Framing data in the context of objectives and outcomes makes it meaningful.
Tools and technologies: There’s increasing use of AI in evaluating PR outcomes. Some AI can predict potential virality or the potential impact of a press release by comparing language to past successes.
Others can automatically generate reports (e.g., an AI reads all your coverage and summarizes sentiment themes – “customers love the new feature, but many mention price as a concern”). These help PR pros spend less time crunching numbers and more time strategizing.
To visualize measurement, imagine an infographic: One section might show a bar chart of media mentions per month this year vs last, highlighting a big spike in April when a campaign launched.
Another could be a world map with the number of articles by country, illustrating global reach.
A pie chart could break down message pull-through (e.g., 70% of stories mentioned our sustainability initiative, 50% mentioned our new product, etc.).
A line graph could overlay share of voice of us vs competitors over 12 months, showing our rising trend. And a gauge chart might show “brand sentiment score: 8.5/10” indicating overall positive reputation.
All these analytics ultimately feed back into improving PR strategy. If measurement shows low engagement on a certain content type, you pivot. If certain messages aren’t landing (no one is picking up on your “innovation” angle, say), you adjust how you communicate it. It brings a level of agility to PR that was harder to achieve before.
In conclusion, measurement and analytics are empowering PR professionals to validate their work and continually refine it.
The top organizations treat PR with the same rigor as other business functions – setting goals, measuring results, and learning from data – without losing the creativity and human touch that make communications effective.
As PR becomes more quantifiable, expect to see even greater respect and investment in it at the C-suite level, since it can clearly demonstrate its contribution to business objectives in the language executives understand (numbers and outcomes).
B2B vs. B2C: Converging and Diverging Strategies
Throughout this report, we’ve touched on both business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B) case studies.
It’s worth pausing to compare how branding and PR strategies might differ between these arenas – and how they overlap.
In 2025, the line between B2B and B2C PR is blurring somewhat, as all stakeholders (whether a consumer buying a soda or a CIO buying software) expect engaging stories, authentic communication, and value-driven brands. But nuances remain in approach, channels, and tone.
Audience and Messaging: B2C campaigns typically target broad demographics or specific consumer segments, often appealing to emotions, lifestyle, and personal values.
B2B campaigns target narrower audiences – decision-makers in companies, industry influencers, procurement teams – and often appeal to logic, ROI, and professional value (though emotion and trust play a role too).
For example, Dove’s messaging about self-esteem resonates with millions of women emotionally (B2C), whereas Dell’s Reddit series was tailored humor for IT pros to build trust and community (B2B). B2B thought leadership might focus on educating (e.g., a whitepaper on cloud security), while B2C might focus on entertaining or inspiring (e.g., a viral video campaign).
However, we’re seeing consumerization of B2B communication. Modern B2B buyers are often millennials and Gen Z who appreciate creativity and authenticity just like consumers do.
A recent analysis noted, “Modern decision-makers expect the same level of creativity, relevance, and personalization that B2C campaigns deliver — making innovation a differentiator and a necessity”
In other words, a dry whitepaper may not cut it anymore if a competitor is delivering insights via a snappy podcast or an interactive webinar. That’s why companies like IBM or HubSpot infuse humor into social media, or why Slack did whimsical outdoor ads; they know the audience is human after all.
Channels: B2C PR heavily uses consumer media (TV, radio, newspapers, online news, lifestyle blogs, social platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Facebook).
Influencer marketing in B2C might involve celebrities or lifestyle bloggers. B2B PR uses trade media (industry publications, business journals, LinkedIn, trade shows, webinars). B2B influencer marketing often involves subject-matter experts or industry analysts rather than pop culture figures. Yet, cross-pollination is happening.
LinkedIn has become a space where B2C companies also market (especially for employer branding), and B2B brands are experimenting with YouTube, podcasts, and even TikTok (if you can believe it, some B2B software firms have TikTok channels with fun content to raise brand awareness).
For instance, Adobe (primarily B2B creative software) runs brilliant YouTube series and even did a creative challenge on TikTok – basically B2C-style content – to ensure that the next generation of designers sees Adobe as cool and friendly.
Conversely, Google Cloud places articles in Forbes and sponsors NPR podcasts – channels that reach business leaders – akin to B2B, even though Google’s overall brand is very consumer.
Content Type and Tone: B2C content often prioritizes simplicity and virality. It’s aiming for broad appeal – e.g., a heartwarming story, a funny meme, a catchy slogan (like Nike’s “Just Do It”).
B2B content can be more detailed and niche, like case studies, technical webinars, or long-form articles.
Tone in B2C can be playful, emotional, trendy; in B2B, it tends toward authoritative, informative, though increasingly with a conversational tone to avoid sounding too stiff.
However, both B2B and B2C rely on storytelling – just framed differently.
A tech firm might tell the story of how a client solved a problem using their solution (hero narrative where client is hero, product is helper).
A fashion brand might tell the story of how a customer feels confident wearing their outfit. Same narrative arc (challenge-solution-benefit), different context.
Metrics of success can differ. B2C might look at brand sentiment in mass population, market share, social buzz volume.
B2B might look at lead generation, share of voice in industry press, analyst perceptions, deal velocity (did comms help shorten sales cycle?), etc.
For example, after a strong PR campaign, a B2B company might see more inbound inquiries or a higher win-rate in sales because prospects are already aware of and positive about the company.
B2C might see a sales uptick or brand preference in surveys.
Both care about ROI but track it in context: B2C often via market research and sales data; B2B via pipeline analytics and client feedback.
Examples of comparative strategies: Consider Tesla vs. SpaceX, both led by Elon Musk but one selling consumer cars, the other selling rockets to governments and companies.
Tesla’s branding focuses on lifestyle, design, and environmental emotion to appeal to consumers (e.g., glossy launch events and social media buzz).
SpaceX’s PR, while also high-profile, emphasizes technical achievement, reliability, and partnership with NASA – more B2B oriented (though Musk’s personal brand overlaps for both, an interesting convergence).
Another comparison: Coca-Cola vs. GE (General Electric). Coca-Cola’s PR is all about happiness, youth culture, sharing moments (pure consumer emotion globally).
GE’s PR is about innovation in infrastructure, powering the world, often targeting investors, government partners, and industry buyers – they produce reports on energy trends, and their social media might share engineering marvels.
However, GE also ran the famous “Instagram science fair” campaign a few years back, making science cool on Instagram – which was a B2B company doing a B2C-style stunt to improve its general image and attract talent. So cross-over happens to serve different objectives (in GE’s case, employer branding and general goodwill).
Budget and Scale: B2C brands often have larger PR budgets and splashier campaigns because they need to reach millions.
B2B PR budgets can be smaller, targeting key decision-makers (sometimes hundreds or thousands of potential clients, not millions of consumers).
That said, B2B deal sizes are large, so convincing one CEO via a great piece of thought leadership can be worth a lot. The scale is different but impact per person can be higher.
Trust and relationship: In B2B, long-term relationships and reputation for reliability may matter even more.
A misstep in B2B (like betraying client trust or having a major product failure) can be costlier per incident, so B2B PR often emphasizes consistent thought leadership, case studies, and customer reference programs.
B2C often has more leeway to reinvent brand image or bounce back from a mistake with a new campaign (though not always, as trust is key there too).
One could say B2B PR is becoming more creative and B2C PR is becoming more data-driven. B2B folks realize they need some sparkle and storytelling to stand out (not just tech specs).
B2C folks are using data like never before to micro-target and personalize (something B2B has always done with account-based marketing).
In fact, personalization at scale, thanks to AI, is a trend in both – consumers get personalized content and offers, and B2B prospects get personalized whitepapers or event invites.
A statistic from Forbes Agency Council predicted: “In 2025, B2B brands will increasingly turn to individual influencers to amplify PR campaigns, drive thought leadership and foster authentic engagement” – which sounds very similar to B2C’s playbook with influencers.
Meanwhile, many consumer brands are trying to build communities (Discord servers, membership clubs) which is reminiscent of B2B user groups and client advisory boards. The playbooks are converging in many ways, centered on building loyal communities around the brand.
Measurement differences: B2B might measure success by how many RFPs include them (implying they’re considered in buying decisions more, possibly due to increased awareness from PR), while B2C might measure by things like social sentiment or brand preference in consumer surveys.
B2B sales cycles are longer, so PR’s effect might be observed over quarters or years, whereas B2C can sometimes see immediate spikes (like an ice cream brand might see sales jump the weekend after a PR stunt). Yet, big B2C reputation shifts (like gaining a trustworthy image) also take long-term nurturing.
Summary of differences and overlap: Both B2B and B2C aim to build trust and preference.
B2C leans on emotion and mass appeal, B2B leans on expertise and targeted credibility.
But B2B is adopting emotional storytelling (because business buyers are humans who like a good story too), and B2C is not shying away from data and substance (because consumers are savvy and want proof and values).
In global case studies we saw: Pfizer (B2C healthcare) using credibility and history akin to B2B style to regain trust, and Dell (B2B tech) using an entertainment series akin to B2C style to engage their audience.
So, the lines are indeed blurred.
For PR professionals, the implication is to learn from both worlds. If you’re in B2B, study great consumer campaigns for creativity and social media mastery. If in B2C, borrow ideas from B2B on thought leadership and relationship-building. The professionals who can straddle both will be in high demand.
Breakaway Case Studies: Campaigns that Redefined the Rules
Every year, a few PR and branding campaigns stand out not just for their success, but for how they disrupted norms or broke new ground.
These are the “breakaway” case studies that inspire the industry and sometimes even change how PR is done.
In 2025, several campaigns fit this mold – they took bold risks, challenged conventions, or innovated in ways that others are now likely to follow.
Here we highlight some of those game-changing efforts across different regions and sectors:
Dove’s #TurnYourBack – Tackling Digital Distortion Head-On
Campaign type: Social advocacy via influencer activism (Global, led in North America)
Why it’s breakaway: Traditionally, brands tiptoe around criticizing major social platforms for fear of jeopardizing ad relationships or being dragged into controversy. Dove did the opposite – it openly challenged TikTok’s popular Bold Glamour beauty filter, effectively saying “this is harmful, we oppose it.”
This was a brave departure from the norm of beauty brands using filters to sell perfection. By rallying influencers and the public to #TurnYourBack on the filter, Dove positioned itself against unrealistic beauty standards in a very literal, visible way.
The campaign disrupted marketing norms by encouraging less use of an app feature (counter to typical goals of engagement at any cost).
It paid off: the authenticity struck a chord globally, with millions of video views and widespread media discussion.
Dove proved that taking a principled stand in line with brand values (even if it means critiquing a platform) can galvanize your community and earn respect.
This may prompt more brands to weigh in on digital well-being issues, a space largely left to NGOs before.
As Ogilvy, Dove’s agency, noted, the campaign won a Cannes Gold Lion for actually having measurable impact on behavior (users literally stopped using the harmful filter).
It’s a stellar example of brand activism meeting PR – changing minds and norms, not just selling a product.
Burger King’s AI-Powered “Million Dollar Whopper” – Co-Creating with the Crowd
Campaign type: User-generated content with AI and a huge incentive (North America, Global online)
Why it’s breakaway: Burger King’s campaign invited customers to become creators using a custom AI tool
In an age where AI was buzzed about but not often used by consumers in campaigns, BK put it front and center.
Fans designing virtual Whoppers with AI and sharing them blurred the line between brand and user – basically outsourcing creativity to the crowd.
The $1 million prize for the best AI-crafted Whopper was unprecedented in QSR (quick-service restaurant) promotions, creating huge buzz.
This campaign disrupted how we think of user-generated content: it wasn’t just tagging a photo or writing a jingle, it was using cutting-edge tech in a fun, accessible way. BK in effect said: our customers can be innovators too.
The result was tons of wild burger ideas flooding social media and BK reaping marketing gold from content they didn’t have to create themselves.
It significantly leveled up engagement—customers weren’t just passively eating a burger, they were virtually inventingone.
This breakaway approach may have opened the door for more brands to incorporate consumer-facing AI in promotions (we might see more “design our next product” contests).
It also challenges PR teams to think: how can we involve the audience so deeply that they become the story?
Burger King also managed to tie a traditional media hook (million-dollar prize) with a futuristic twist (AI art), which many reporters found irresistible.
The campaign earned global coverage in tech, food, and mainstream outlets as a quirky, innovative stunt.
Starbucks India’s Trans Inclusion Ad – Breaking Barriers in Conservative Markets
Campaign type: Cause-driven brand film and local advocacy (Asia – India)
Why it’s breakaway: In India, LGBTQ+ issues are sensitive and often avoided by mainstream brands. Tata Starbucks (the joint venture in India) boldly launched an ad campaign featuring a transgender woman reuniting with her parents at a Starbucks, where the father accepts her by using her chosen name “Arpita” on the coffee cup.
This was likely the first time many Indians saw a trans person depicted positively in a major brand’s ad. It disrupted social and advertising norms in that market. The campaign slogan “It Starts With Your Name” carried a powerful message about identity and respect.
The ad went viral, sparking widespread discussion – some backlash, but also enormous support, including coverage in global media as a landmark moment in advertising.
Starbucks didn’t stop at the ad; they essentially led a national conversation about transgender acceptance, something unheard of from a coffee chain.
This was breakaway because it showed that global brands can use their platform to push social change even in markets where it’s risky.
It likely influenced other brands in India and similar markets to consider stepping up on representation. Internally, it may have set a precedent within Starbucks and other multinationals about aligning global values (inclusion) with local actions, even if it means facing controversy.
The bravery of that campaign – prioritizing human story over potential customer fallout – is a template for truly purpose-led branding. For PR, it generated immense earned media value; but more than that, it has a lasting legacy, referenced in diversity discussions across industries.
McDonald’s “WcDonald’s” Manga Crossover – Reinventing a Global Brand Locally
Campaign type: Pop-culture rebranding and product localization (Europe/Asia)
Why it’s breakaway: McDonald’s is one of the most recognized brands on Earth – its logo and name are sacrosanct assets rarely altered. Yet in 2024, McDonald’s flipped its golden arches upside-down to become ‘WcDonald’s’ in 30 markets, as a one-time homage to a 1980s Japanese manga where an upside-down McDonald’s appeared
This move was highly unconventional: global brand guidelines usually prohibit such changes. But by doing this, McDonald’s demonstrated extreme cultural flexibility, catering to the massive global fandom of manga/anime. They launched limited items like a “Savory Chili WcSauce” to fit the theme.
This campaign broke the rule that brand consistency must trump local creative ideas. It showed a giant corporation willing to play along with a niche pop-culture reference to delight a segment of fans.
The resulting buzz was huge among younger consumers; social media was flooded with disbelief and excitement at seeing a familiar brand literally “upside down.” McDonald’s essentially said, “We’re not a stuffy corporation; we’re part of your meme culture.”
From a PR standpoint, it was genius – media outlets from comic blogs to CNN covered it, because who wouldn’t talk about McDonald’s changing its name?
This sets a precedent that big brands can occasionally bend their own rules to create viral moments that resonate deeply with specific communities.
It might inspire other brands to be less precious with logos/trademarks for the sake of creative campaigns.
The key, of course, is to do it in a context that makes sense (in McD’s case, a well-known manga gag). “WcDonald’s” blurred lines between regions – a Japanese reference executed globally – truly a novel approach in brand localization.
Patagonia’s Earth Conservation Pledge – Business Model as PR
(Honorable Mention – though 2022, its impact carried into 2025 conversations)
Patagonia, the outdoor apparel brand, in late 2022 had its founder transfer ownership of the $3B company to a trust and NGO to fight climate change, effectively “giving away” the company for Earth’s benefit.
While not a 2025 campaign per se, this act has been repeatedly cited in 2023-2025 as a breakaway example of walking the talk in brand purpose.
It redefined what brand activism can mean – going beyond campaigns to actually baking purpose into the business model. The PR impact was massive and global.
We include it as an honorable mention because it’s inspiring 2025-era thinking on radical transparency and purpose.
It’s the kind of disruptive move that makes other companies ask: what grand gesture could we make that aligns with our values?
While few can replicate Patagonia’s unique situation, its example has reshaped norms around authentic corporate responsibility.
In essence, Patagonia turned a governance decision into one of the most positive PR stories of the decade, showing that authenticity is the ultimate PR strategy.
Each of these breakaway case studies – Dove, Burger King, Starbucks India, McDonald’s, and Patagonia – in their own way reshaped the playbook.
They show that fortune favors the bold in PR and branding. The common threads are courage, cultural relevance, and staying true to a core purpose or audience.
These campaigns have already begun influencing others: we’re seeing more brands speak on mental health and digital well-being (in Dove’s wake), more creative uses of AI and crowdsourcing (in BK’s wake), more localized bold stunts (in McD’s wake), and more companies taking stands on social issues or fundamentally rethinking their purpose (inspired by Starbucks and Patagonia).
For PR practitioners, breakaway campaigns teach us to occasionally swing for the fences. Not every campaign will be as radical, but injecting some of that disruptive thinking can elevate a brand from being just part of the conversation to leading it.
Actionable Insights and Key Takeaways for PR Professionals
Drawing from all the examples and analysis above, here are the key lessons and actionable insights for branding, media relations, and PR professionals worldwide:
Put Purpose and Authenticity First
Campaigns grounded in a clear purpose or values (Dove’s body positivity, Starbucks’ inclusivity, Patagonia’s environmental ethos) resonate deeply.
Modern audiences, whether consumers or B2B clients, have finely tuned authenticity radars. Make sure your brand genuinely stands for something and weave that into your storytelling and outreach.
Do an authenticity audit: are our communications aligning with our real actions? If not, adjust either the actions or the messaging – they must match, or risk public cynicism.
Embrace New Channels and Gatekeepers
The media landscape of 2025 is multi-dimensional. Don’t rely solely on traditional press releases to traditional media.
Expand your media relations
Include influencers, podcasters, newsletter authors, Reddit communities, TikTok creators, and more.
A practical step: map out where your target audience actually gets information and who influences them (including non-journalists), then build relationships in those areas.
For example, pitch industry experts to co-create content, appear on relevant podcasts, or contribute guest pieces.
As Natalie Ghidotti said, looking beyond legacy media is crucial. The result is a more robust outreach strategy that reaches people where they are.
Leverage Thought Leadership and Data
Establish your brand as an authority in your domain by sharing valuable insights.
This could mean conducting a survey or study, publishing trend reports or how-to guides, or having execs speak on timely issues.
Make sure to back up your narratives with facts or expert voices – third-party validation boosts credibility.
For actionable execution: start a quarterly insights publication (even a blog post or LinkedIn article series) where you discuss industry trends with data points.
Offer your internal experts to media as commentators on relevant news. Over time, this builds trust equity that can pay off when you need stakeholders to believe in your message during both good times and crises.
Integrate Influencers Strategically (and Diversify Influence)
Influencer marketing isn’t just a buzzword, it’s a proven tactic – but it must be done thoughtfully.
Choose influencers or advocates who align closely with your brand values and whose audience matches your target.
Micro-influencers with dedicated followers often yield better engagement than mega-celebrities if the niche is right. Engage them as true partners: bring them behind the scenes, co-create content, and allow their authenticity to shine (no heavy-handed scripts).
And don’t forget internal and expert influencers – your employees, happy customers, or industry gurus can sometimes carry more weight than paid influencers.
For action: identify 5–10 potential influencer partners (across various follower sizes) and begin nurturing relationships; comment on their posts, share their relevant content, invite them to brand events.
Build rapport before any ask. This way, when a campaign arises, the collaboration comes from a place of mutual respect, yielding more genuine content.
Develop a Crisis Game Plan – and Be Ready to Own Mistakes
If you don’t have a crisis communication plan, create one now.
Identify likely crisis scenarios (product issues, data breach, executive misstep, etc.), assign a response team, and prepare holding statements/apology templates that can be quickly adapted.
Practice through simulations. When a real crisis hits: respond fast, with facts and empathy.
Don’t hide – even if you don’t have all answers, acknowledge the situation and commit to updates. As we saw, delays or half-apologies can damage trust.
Make sure to coordinate across all channels (press, social, internal comms) so your message is consistent. And empower your social media/community managers to make quick calls on minor issues so small fires don’t become infernos.
One actionable tip: set up a “dark” webpage and social posts in advance (not live, but ready) for various crisis types, which you can quickly customize and publish, saving precious hours in the heat of the moment.
Harness the Power of Storytelling in Every Tactic
Whether writing a press release, a blog, a speech, or a tweet thread, tell a story. Use characters, conflict, resolution – even if the “character” is a customer and the “conflict” is a problem your service solves.
Make your audience feel something: excitement, hope, nostalgia, concern – emotion drives engagement. For practical improvement, invest in narrative training or hire content creators (journalists, scriptwriters) who can craft compelling arcs.
When planning any campaign, ask “What’s the story here? Why would someone care or remember this?” If the answer isn’t clear, re-frame your approach.
As the examples show, a memorable story (the dad and daughter at Christmas, the girl who quit sports, the trans woman accepted by family) will carry your message further than facts alone.
Localize and Personalize Global Strategies
One size does not fit all in global PR. Take a page from McDonald’s WcDonald’s or Google’s DMZ project – customize campaigns to local cultures and current events.
Ensure your global narrative has room for local stories. Tactically, that means involving regional teams early in campaign development, translating not just language but cultural context, and allowing flexibility in execution.
Also personalize content to audience segments. In B2B, use account-based comms for key clients (e.g., custom micro-sites or newsletters addressing their industry challenges).
In B2C, segment by interest or demographic for tailored messaging (e.g., slightly different ad angles for Gen Z vs Gen X on the same product). Technology (marketing automation, CRM data) can help do this at scale.
The result is audiences feeling seen and understood, which increases receptiveness.
Measure What Matters and Learn from Data
Define clear objectives for PR efforts and track metrics aligned to those goals. Move beyond vanity metrics (like just counting impressions) to outcome metrics (like share of voice, lead quality, sentiment shift, conversion rates).
Use the plethora of tools available: media monitoring, social listening, web analytics, surveys. And crucially, analyze and report the results in a meaningful way – tie them to business outcomes or KPIs leadership cares about.
For instance, instead of “we got 100 media hits,” say “we reached an estimated audience of 5 million in top-tier media, contributing to a 10% increase in site traffic and a noticeable uptick in trial sign-ups during the campaign period”.
Regularly review this data to understand what’s working and what’s not. If a certain story angle isn’t gaining traction in press, adjust it or find out if it’s pitched to the wrong outlets. If engagement is high but sentiment is off, refine your message clarity. Data should be a feedback loop to continuously refine strategy.
Break the Mold (Creatively and Boldly)
Don’t be afraid to propose something unconventional if it aligns with your brand and audience. The “breakaway” campaigns teach us that calculated risks can yield huge rewards.
Conduct creative brainstorms with cross-functional teams (bring in folks from marketing, product, customer service, even fans) to ideate fresh campaign concepts.
Can you play with your logo or name in a fun way? Can you host an event in the metaverse? Can your CEO do an “Ask Me Anything” on Reddit?
Challenge the typical, and you might be the next case study everyone cites. Of course, vet ideas for potential backlash and have mitigation plans, but don’t let fear stifle innovation.
As marketing guru Seth Godin says, “Safe is risky” in today’s attention economy. Aim to lead, not follow.
Integrate PR with Overall Marketing and Business Strategy
PR is most effective when it’s not an afterthought but baked into the core strategy. Ensure PR, marketing, social media, and advertising teams are collaborating, not siloed.
This creates a unified brand voice across paid, earned, shared, and owned media (the PESO model). It also ensures that insights from one area (say customer feedback from social media) inform another (like product messaging in PR).
For actionable integration, set up regular sync meetings or Slack channels between these teams, create a shared editorial/content calendar, and maybe even use project management tools that everyone can see.
The result: synergy – for example, a PR-driven story can be boosted with a bit of paid social; an influencer partnership can be extended into an ad campaign; a customer story from sales can become a media pitch.
Mind the Ethics and Transparency
With greater power (access to personal data, AI content generation, influence over public discourse) comes greater responsibility. Ethical PR isn’t just about doing the right thing – it’s also about public perception in an age of distrust.
Be transparent in disclosures (influencer #ad tags, stating sponsored content clearly, not astroturfing fake grassroots support). Uphold privacy and respect in using data (don’t be creepy in personalization). If using AI to create content, ensure quality and accuracy and be open about it if relevant.
This builds trust with audiences and avoids reputational harm from being caught in deception. Also, champion diversity and inclusion in your communications – avoid stereotypes, represent your diverse audience, and make content accessible (think captions, translations, etc.).
Ethical, inclusive communication broadens your reach and strengthens your brand’s reputation as a responsible entity.
Keep Learning and Stay Agile
Finally, the landscape of media and consumer behavior is always evolving. What worked in 2023 or 2024 might not in 2025 or 2026. Encourage a learning culture in your team.
Stay updated with industry reports (like Gartner’s trends or Edelman’s Trust reports) and case studies (hopefully reports like this one!). Experiment with new tools – maybe it’s an emerging social network or a new analytics AI. Pilot new approaches on a small scale, measure, and if they work, scale up.
Likewise, if the environment shifts (e.g., a new regulation changes social media targeting, or a global event changes public sentiment), be ready to pivot your strategy.
The PR teams that are proactive, not just reactive, will outperform.
One actionable step: do a bi-annual strategy review and brainstorming retreat, examining trends and how your strategy should adapt for the next half-year. It’s an investment in foresight that can pay off by keeping you ahead of the curve.
By implementing these insights – from strategic storytelling and influencer engagement to rigorous measurement and courageous creativity – branding and PR professionals can elevate their practice.
The case studies of 2025 show us that when communications are done thoughtfully and boldly, they don’t just support the business – they drive the business, shape culture, and build lasting brand legacies.
Whether you operate in North America or Africa, B2B or B2C, tech or fashion, the principles of understanding your audience, communicating authentically, and delivering value will steer you to success.
Conclusion
The year 2025 finds the world of branding, media relations, and public relations at an exciting juncture. The old fundamentals of understanding your audience and building trust remain, but the tactics and channels are more dynamic than ever.
We’ve seen global campaigns that make us laugh, cry, think, and mobilize – proof that creative, well-executed PR can break through the information overload and genuinely connect.
We’ve also seen that no region is untouched by these trends: innovation is happening from São Paulo to Singapore, Nairobi to New York. For PR professionals, the mandate is clear – be agile, be authentic, be analytical, and above all, be audience-centric.
This comprehensive market report has explored top case studies and extracted best practices to inform your strategies.
Use it as a playbook and a source of inspiration.
As you plan your next campaign or advisory for a client, recall the successes of 2025: Dove sparking a movement for real beauty online; Dell building credibility through comedic storytelling on Reddit; a small NGO in Costa Rica (Nosotras) capturing lawmakers’ attention with messages on sanitary pads; McDonald’s flipping its logo to delight fans; and many more.
Each holds a lesson in ingenuity and courage.
Looking ahead, the convergence of PR with digital technology (AI, AR, data analytics) will continue, but at its heart PR is about people and relationships.
The tools change, but the goal of mutual understanding between an organization and its publics endures. If you keep that human focus, while applying the latest insights and a fair bit of creative bravery, you will navigate 2025 and beyond with success.
Here’s to telling impactful stories, building reputations honestly, and making a difference through communication. The world is listening – so make your message count.
*sources for embedded media and references have been cited throughout in the format provided, ensuring verifiability and further reading on the topics discussed._