PR Trends in 2020
“My biggest prediction for the year ahead…the rise in social impact marketing.”
As we approach the end of the year, the conversation for us PR people inevitably turns to trends for the year ahead. From a PR perspective, it always presents a great time for thought leadership and content around what the next year will bring and how the conversation will shift. I’ve had these conversations with my clients in their various fields which got me thinking…what will be the trends in PR in 2020?
My biggest predication for the year ahead…the rise in social impact marketing.
Let me explain…the rise in purpose-driven brands has been well documented over the past few years. Millennials are growing up and are showing much more affinity for brands in the ethical space that support the greater good. Brands like Toms and Warby Parker have become household names for their buy one/give one model. In recent years, there has been a clear upsurge in other brands coming to market with similar models.
In addition to that, there is a stronger demand than ever before for transparency. Consumers want to understand more about
the brands they are buying from, who is making the product and why an item of clothing is priced a certain way. With brands like Everlane and ABLE leading the way, many others have followed suit, also sharing about things that matter to them like sustainable practices and fair trade policies.
Now, obviously I’m pretty biased as I’ve built a business around this mission … but I did it for a reason. I wanted to have an impact on the world and I knew there were other people that felt the same way. And I knew there were a lot of great businesses involved in the social impact space that needed a bigger platform to tell their story.
In 2020, I predict more brands and companies will make social impact a bigger part of their brand promise and marketing strategy. I think we’ll see more storytelling and transparency from brands as a way to connect with their audiences. We’ll see CSR efforts from big brands publicized in a bigger way. And hopefully, in 2021 and moving forward, it will become the rule, not the exception.
xoxo, Morgan