Blog Three (Humanism)

 Trends in PR: A More Humanized Approach 

Building trust is now a crucial responsibility of PR Professionals 

By: Ryann Armstrong 


To learn more about this trend listen to my podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ruxj-kgrto 


Unlike Baby Boomers, GenZers enjoy feeling like they have a personal relationship with the companies they support. As a result of this generational shift, companies are attempting to humanize themselves. With 76% of today’s consumers preferring to support a brand they feel connected to, companies must adjust their PR tactics accordingly to stay relevant in today’s rapidly evolving market.  


According to PR Lab, “a more humanized approach is a strong and steady trend that’s being practiced more frequently and is a fantastic opportunity for PR strategies to prosper. Data-driven ideas that are backed by the use of technology are born and are increasing the reach of these ideas. What is more, the two-way communication that some platforms offer is perfect for eliciting responses that will lead to improved PR campaigns. It’ll allow PR to have a tangible impact on the target audience.” 


Dove prioritizes brand authenticity:  

According to a recent article from Forbes, “As consumer expectations shift and the demand for more authentic interactions increases, taking a more humanized approach in the way in which you interact with people is important.”


Dove’s PR strategy is all about “real beauty.” Every campaign capitalizes on the use of “real people” instead of models and actresses. The company’s PR campaigns also cover topical issues for modern women. Some of Dove’s recent campaign topics are: 

  • Redefining Beauty- A campaign about the effects of toxic beauty standards

  • Kids’ Self-Esteem- A campaign to improve kids' body images and self-confidence 

  • Racial Equity-  A campaign to fight against discrimination against black women within the beauty industry and society



Sephora utilizes User Generated Content (UGC): 

According to Hootsuite, “user-generated content (also known as UGC or consumer-generated content) is original, brand-specific content created by social media users and published on social media or other channels. UGC comes in many forms, including images, videos, product reviews, testimonials or even podcasts.


Sephora has an on-site Beauty Insider Community that it describes as “your one-stop destination to share beauty advice, inspiration, news and recommendations with real people in real-time.” The page has interactive text groups and features constantly updated pages from customers’ social media pages. This strategy encourages interpersonal interactions between customers and the company. Which, drives organic conversations that boost trust in the company. 



Oatly’s CEO videos: 

Prudence Zoe Glorius, a PR professional on LinkedIn, said, “CEOs in the PR industry are often the face of the company, engaging with clients, stakeholders, media outlets, and industry influencers. Their ability to foster and maintain strong relationships amplifies the organization's credibility and opens doors to new opportunities.”


In attempts to create a personable face for the company, Oatly does campaigns featuring its CEO doing a wide variety of comedic videos. Whether he is singing or making sarcastic comments, the Oatly CEO’s personality shines in the videos, which makes Oatly customers feel more connected to him and the company.  


In true “out with the old and in with the new” fashion, companies are rapidly changing their PR strategies from quality to human-centered campaigns.

It is no longer enough for a company to have a great product, they must now attempt to form a trusting, seemingly genuine relationship with their publics.


Implementing humanization efforts can happen on a wide scale. Smaller, less established companies can do this by simply including “real people” in their campaigns, such as Dove, while larger companies can use social media like Sephora to generate interpersonal connectivity and grow their platforms. This trend has many potential growth opportunities, making it pretty universal to one's needs. 


###




About the author


Ryann Armstrong is a soon-to-be law student studying policy law in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex area. She will graduate with her bachelor's in journalism from Mayborn School of Journalism at The University of North Texas in May 2024. Ryann plans to eventually work as an in-house lawyer for a nonprofit. 







Sources

https://prlab.co/blog/pr-trends-2024/ 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescommunicationscouncil/2021/03/15/how-and-why-to-build-brand-authenticity/?sh=283120c755b5 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2023/12/01/six-trends-in-public-relations-to-watch-out-for-in-2024/?sh=39feb1197d9c 

https://www.dove.com/us/en/stories/campaigns.html 

https://blog.hootsuite.com/user-generated-content-ugc/#:~:text=User%2Dgenerated%20content%20

https://www.sephora.com/community/gallery 

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/unveiling-ceos-role-pr-industry-pzg-impact-communications/ 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HQU0MB0D5A

https://www.xwecan.com/pr-trends-to-watch-out-for-in-2024/ 

https://journalism.unt.edu/index.html

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