Un-Predictions for 2025

The last time I made predictions for the coming year was in 2019. I recently looked back on that lovely piece of content. Sure, there were lots of great predictions for 2020, but a global pandemic was not on the list. So, instead of giving predictions for the new year, and potentially jinxing things, I’m offering my perspective on a few things I’m looking out for in PR in 2025.

Media Relations

The media landscape is a complete mess. Consequently, the practice of media relations is also a wild ride. It is still possible to get big hits – we’ve done it multiple times at Stretch PR in 2024 – but, in 2025, creative and new media partnerships will continue to rise. PR budgets must include earned media relations as well as paid partnerships to really drive ROI in 2025 and beyond.

Influencers

Smart influencer partnerships can work. We’ve seen massive spikes in interest, reach and engagement by partnering with influencers to spread the word for some of our clients. They can also be painfully tedious and risky. In 2025, I expect the whole area of influencer relations to continue shaking out. Authenticity is sorely lacking in many of these partnerships, and they don’t resonate as clearly as they once did. Consumers are savvy. It will take a lot more connectivity and creativity going forward to make these partnerships effective.

Sorry, not sorry. AI

AI is here to stay. We can’t avoid it. What we CAN do is find ways to make AI work for us and our clients. We know of the inherent risks of using gen AI for content production. Copyright issues and hallucinations are real concerns, and many companies simply block their employees and teams from using gen AI. The better approach, and the one most companies will likely embrace in 2025, is enterprise gen-AI. With guardrails, by taking this powerful tool behind the firewall and pumping in enterprise data, magic can happen.

ESG, CSR, DEIB

Trends swing like pendulums. In 2024, many companies swung away from ESG, CSR and DEIB commitments. After going all in in previous years, many people got tired of being constantly forced to engage and reflect. But, as a wise person once said, doing the right thing is never the wrong thing. We all want a better planet for our children. We all want people to have opportunities to thrive. These truths don’t change. I expect 2025 will continue to be a slow year for these initiatives. But, I do expect the pendulum to start swinging back in favor of these critically important initiatives sometime soon. In 2025 and beyond, there will be lots of opportunities to communicate about many good and right efforts at play in corporate America. Progress marches on.

The Meteoric Rise of Women’s Sports

My mission when I founded Stretch PR in 2023 was to serve clients in business and sports. Women’s sports are perhaps the most fertile ground for brands and sponsors as we head into 2025. With record viewership in the WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association), college basketball, the Olympics, soccer and other sports in 2024, it is full steam ahead for women’s sports in 2025. I expect many new brands to get into the sports sponsorship game with women’s sports as their entry points.