Why every business needs PR

Editors Note: I originally wrote this blog in August 2019, having been in PR less than a year, but it seems just as relevant in 2025, if not more, as it did back then.

Now more than ever Public Relations (PR) is needed.

The digital marketplace is busy. Long gone are the days of traditional brands using traditional marketing strategies such as billboards and TV ads. While those traditional marketing tools still have their place the digital generation, also known as Gen Z, is looking elsewhere for product recommendations. And more than that, consumers are increasingly on the lookout for experiences that will enrich their life as opposed to mere products.

PR is in an exciting state of transition, the question is not whether or not PR will adapt, if it doesn't it will not survive, but more how will it adapt. I've not been in this industry long but you only have to scroll through instagram for 5 minutes to realise that the usual go-tos for a PR firm - the likes of the newspaper or the radio - cannot pull in the same impact of an experienced influencer.

The term "brand" has been diluted. Before 2015 a brand was something you'd buy in the supermarket. It was the cereal you always brought. The coffee you'd buy or a brand of toy you'd get every christmas for your nephew without fail.

Nowadays a brand can be person - think the likes of Jake or Logan Paul who've made millions through their vlogs and merchandise. The power of this kind of brand was perhaps best represented through Logan Paul's boxing fight with Olajide Olatunji, better known as KSI.

KSI & Logan Paul's fight drew in 2.25 million live viewers, including just over 1 million in pay-per-view, and over 75 million views on YouTube

Neither of them were professional boxers. KSI had only ever had one official boxing fight and it was against another Youtuber. Yet, despite their inexperience, they drew in 2.25 million live viewers, including just over 1 million in pay-per-view. The official KSI vs Logan channel which features the full fight has amassed more than 75 million views as of 17 September 2018. The fight brought in millions for both fighters and it wasn't their boxing that drew in the crowds - it was the brand that they'd spent years building that drew in those crowds. It wasn't just Logan Paul vs KSI. It was the Logang (what Logan's term for his followers) vs KSI's staunch following that he has built up over many years.

A brand isn't necessarily a person, however. It can be a movement. It can be a slogan or a way of living.

Don't believe me? Look at the YouTube channel Yes Theory. A channel set up by 4 friends in Montreal, Canada. They saw YouTube not as an opportunity to make distracks, or simply vlog, but as a tool to which they could spark a movement. What they'd end up creating became bigger than they ever could've imagined. In 2015 they launched "Project 30", a challenge which saw themselves taking on 30 challenges in 30 days all with the aim of seeking discomfort by pushing themselves out of their comfort zone. 4 years and 4 million subscribers later they've created a global movement all based on their slogan "seek discomfort" and they sell millions worth of merchandise based around it. They have a Facebook group with 90,000 members and counting who all share their vision - a world where a stranger is "simply a friend you haven't met" and seeking discomfort is more than a mere Instagram hashtag but a way of living. Similar to how Nike transformed their brand with their 'Just Do It' campaign, Yes Theory's 'Seek Discomfort' slogan has taken on a life of its own and become an integral part of their brand and image.

So how does one go about creating a brand in this fast-paced and busy digital world? You only need two things. A good social media presence and a good PR strategy. And the good news? If you don't already have a strong social media presence, effective PR can help you build one.