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The recent presidential election saw both campaigns use public relations strategies that will have a large impact on how companies decide to deploy PR in the future. Here are five ways the field of public relations has changed forever.
1. Mainstream media is dying…
Trust in news organizations has already been in serious decline. As of 2023, only 26% of Americans expressed trust in national news outlets, down from 40% in 2017, according to a Gallup poll. Add to that the inexorable migration of viewers from traditional news outlets to emerging media, and it’s not hard to imagine a day when the mainstream media becomes irrelevant. Both campaigns did less traditional news interviews; Trump did not do 60 Minutes and Harris did not do a formal press conference. Newspapers such as the Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times declined to endorse a candidate.
And it’s no wonder, as we see Gen Z consume most of their news from social media and YouTube. After the election, cable news stations such as CNN and MSNBC saw major drops in viewership, as reported by Pew Research. Add in the continued decline in local newspapers and AM radio, and the writing is on the wall for traditional media. Public relations efforts that have so far relied on traditional media need to be prepared for the shift. Those who are over-reliant on declining channels have to find new means to reach their audience.
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2. …while alternative media is surging
Instead, we saw both candidates spend more time on alternative media sources. The Harris campaign appeared on the popular “Call Her Daddy” podcast. The Trump campaign in particular went all in on podcasts that young men listen to. These include The Lex Fridman Podcast, The Shawn Ryan Show, This Past Weekend with Theo Von, Flagrant, Bussin’ with the Boys and arguably one of the most popular podcasts, the Joe Rogan Experience. Even vice presidential candidate JD Vance appeared on Rogan’s podcast. The total listenership of the two Rogan episodes for Trump and Vance totaled 29 million, which doesn’t include the clips that eventually circulated on social media.
In contrast, the Harris campaign did not participate on Rogan’s podcast, which led to a lot of criticism. Despite the Harris campaign having a 3:1 advantage in campaign funds versus the Trump campaign, the Trump campaign ended up dominating in earned media and social media. This more than compensated for their deficit in advertising spend, showing the power of earned media over paid.
Every brand, whether it is B2C or B2B, needs to make alternative media such as podcasts an integral part of its strategy.
3. Authenticity is key
Consumers of goods, and consumers of news, are now demanding authenticity. Brands who are more authentic are earning the dollars of shoppers, such as Patagonia and Allbirds. Media formats that allow guests to be more authentic are also thriving, such as Lex Fridman’s podcast which takes a page from Rogan. Both talk with guests for hours.
This means that media training must also adjust accordingly. Companies need to be crystal clear on what their mission and values are. With a clear Northstar guiding them, their executives and spokespersons can be free to talk more authentically without the fear of deviating from so-called talking points. Authenticity also means shunning traditional corporate speak and overused jargon for more plain-speaking communication styles. Talk less like an AI chatbot and speak more like a human.
Related: How Brands Can Embrace Authenticity in a World Craving Transparency
4. Celebrity influence is fading…
Celebrities have always played a role in politics, with the recent campaign seeing involvement from Bruce Springsteen, Beyoncé and Taylor Swift.
Yet the backlash against celebrity endorsement seems to be rising. A Rasmussen poll in late November 2024 found that 75% of American voters rejected celebrity endorsements of political candidates in the 2024 election cycle. A Quinnipiac survey in September 2024 found that more than three-quarters of likely voters (76%) say Taylor Swift’s endorsement of Kamala Harris does not make a difference in their level of enthusiasm about Harris’ candidacy.
Public relations efforts need to reevaluate the effectiveness and ROI of celebrity endorsements. In today’s day and age of user-generated content, there’s a strong case to be made that the authenticity of an average person can outweigh the impact of a multimillion-dollar celebrity.
5. …while social media influencers are rising
Ever since the early days of social media, its potential to make new stars has been evident (i.e. Justin Bieber). Today, social media is its own universe, whose power arguably rivals or supersedes traditional entertainment. Gen Zers spend most of their time on streaming platforms and social media, consuming most of their content from TikTok, YouTube and Instagram. According to a SproutSocial report, Gen Zers are using social media more than ever, with 83% using Instagram and 78% using TikTok in 2024. YouTube remains a big part of their video consumption habit as well.
This has led to a rise of a universe of social media influencers, with fans and followers in the millions. The election saw social media influencers such as Harry Sisson, Deja Fox, Josh Helfgott and Carlos Eduardo Espina promote Harris. Other influencers such as Amber Rose, Bryce Hall and the Paul brothers (Jake and Logan) promoted Trump, as detailed in Business Insider.
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The renewed focus on social media influencers had a significant effect, with the Trump campaign seeing a swing of men ages 18 to 29 go from 56% for Biden in 2020 to 56% for Trump in 2024, as reported by CNN’s exit polls. Brands need to understand what influencers their prospects are listening to, and ensure communications strategies are integrating these influencers in their outreach. Indeed, depending on the industry, the power of social media influencers may have already overtaken traditional media.
As companies continue to grapple with the impact of a shifting media landscape, those who identify shifts in trends early and take advantage of them will reap the rewards.
