Author – Tenille Clarke
As the Public Relations Association of Trinidad and Tobago looks back on the experiences of 2023, there is much to discuss among our vast community of practitioners. Among our executives and membership, we have been reflecting intently on the way that Public Relations has not only shaped the way that we think about and interact with brands, but the ways in which the introduction of new data has informed and layered the way we operate in different spaces – both online and offline. From Grenada to Ghana, there have undoubtedly been several local, regional and international events that have given pause to industry professionals to consider their approach to their craft, observe the way we serve communities and amplify the trends that propel various brands and causes around the world. As the New Year quickly approaches, both communications and public relations specialists – as well as their clients – are looking for innovative ways to capitalize on relationship-building tools and mechanisms that are effective, dynamic and authentic. This continues to be a meticulous cross-community effort that includes professions in public relations, communications for development (C4D), publicity, corporate communications, digital marketing and crisis communications, among other spheres.
Even in the face of pervasive, values-based challenges such as misinformation, disinformation, ethical dilemmas and reputation management, the work – including our evolving missions – continues. With the help of some of the leading communications professionals from around the world, we are thrilled to present a community-oriented compilation of PRATT’s PR Predictions for 2024.
Name: Ronnie Tomlinson
Title: Director of Public Relations, Destine Media PR
Career Highlights: Working with clients such as Buju Banton, Kabaka Pyramid and Sean Paul
Podcasts, both audio and video, are in high demand, with a significant increase in listenership reported by The Infinite Dial. This rise can be attributed to their convenience for on-the-go consumption. In addition to their popularity as a regular content format, podcasts can also be leveraged during a PR crisis. Whether by becoming a guest on a show or having the host read your press release, podcasts provide an effective platform to reach the audience and address the situation. Videos are equally impactful in conveying a highly visual story. Regardless of the type of PR campaign, high-quality videos serve as the perfect medium to showcase new products, services, and brand events. Furthermore, videos prove to be invaluable during a crisis to communicate your perspective effectively. The enduring significance of video marketing is undeniable, with a majority of consumers expressing a desire for more video content from the businesses or brands they support, according to HubSpot. Whether it’s a short snippet or a longer format, incorporating videos into PR strategies is a compelling approach with long-term benefits.
Name: Michelle Garrett
Title: PR Consultant + Writer, Garrett Public Relations
Career Highlights: Working with B2B Clients
A 2024 PR trend I hope to see is a more thoughtful approach to media relations. We continue to see the use of a “spray and pray” approach to pitching journalists – and it seems to be getting worse. As we know it _doesn’t_ work – more pitches sent does NOT result in more media coverage – AND, not only that, but spamming journalists has the opposite impact because it ends up turning them away. AI isn’t helping the matter, as it’s making it easier to spam out generic pitches. Instead, public relations professionals should focus on doing more research and sending fewer, more targeted pitches. That’s how they can get results for clients.
Name: Michael Lynch, MSHC
Title: Publicist and Health Educator
Career Highlights: Janssen Pharmaceuticals Diversity in Clinical Trials, AJOVY “Balance Migraine”, Illinois Monetary Award Program (MAP), Delacreme Scholars Program, and Gatorade “Keep Movin’” featuring Dwayne and Gabrielle Union Wade
I believe that brand teams in 2024 will need to find new, innovative ways to reach their audiences aside from video. Video production and editing costs continue to rise and they do not always result in increased engagement. I also believe that we will need to responsibly incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) into our ways of working and strategies so that we can increase our team’s efficiencies and leverage insights that are readily accessible.
Teocah Arieal Ainka Dove
Title: Social Innovator and Developmental Strategist
Career Highlights: Working with clients such as the Caribbean Development Bank, PAHO Subregional Program and TAPSEC
Amidst the deluge of information, authenticity will be the linchpin of effective PR. People are becoming increasingly discerning, yearning for authentic connections with brands and personalities. PR strategies highlighting transparency, honesty, and ethical practices will nurture stronger relationships and foster trust.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has transformed the landscape of PR, presenting both opportunities and challenges. The advent of various websites and communication toolkits tailored for SMEs and Content Creators raises the question of the continued relevance of traditional PR professionals. Applications like Chat-GPT, Google Bard, and Tome are now being utilized to perform tasks that were traditionally handled by PR professionals, potentially diminishing the necessity of their role.
Conversely, for the adept PR professional keen on maintaining their edge, AI becomes a valuable asset. By employing sentiment analysis and predicting trends, AI offers unparalleled insights into audience behaviour and preferences. Armed with these insights, PR professionals can finetune campaigns with precision, guaranteeing that messages resonate effectively with the right audience at the opportune moment.
Title: Charity Communications Consultant
Career Highlights: Advocating for sustainable and ethical fashion values
I think my PR trend forecast would be focused on organizations making a decision to step back from celebrity ambassadorships. As a professional that works in the charity and not-for-profit spaces that frequently intersects with other industries – including fashion – this is going to be an important trend for multiple brands. Working on both sides of the media fence as a publicist and writer, it’s clear that we’re in a culture of disinformation and misinformation. With that being said, people want authenticity. They want to see – especially as money is tight for organizations and citizens – that the money is being used to support the people who need it, not spent on ambassadorships with people who don’t often live in alignment with the causes that the masses are supporting.
Title: Founder, Ford Communications
Career Highlights: Curating the WoodXWatta Festival in Ghana to bridge the industry gap between Africa and the Caribbean
For 2024, we will see more Africa based events popping up globally and more international brands activating across Africa. At Ford Communications, we ask- What’s Your Africa Strategy? Having an Africa strategy is a growth strategy.
Since 2018, we’ve seen West Africa/Ghana become a hot tourist destination. In 2019, Ghana’s Year of Return Campaign made it official. There are African focused brands and experiences that have been entertaining the Diaspora, in Ghana, such as Afrofuture, WoodxWatta and lounges like Bloombar that will go global. African countries such as Rwanda are new convening points. Time 100 hosted its inaugural Time 100 Summit in Kigali this year and the NBA has its Africa arm BAL (Basketball Africa League) based in Kigali as well.
The influx and flow of Tourism from Developed nations to emerging markets provides unique opportunities for brands to meet their customers at these destination experiences, through event activation and sponsorship.
Title: Managing Partner, Playbookmg
Career Highlights: Working with clients such as Spice, Mr. Vegas and Patrice Roberts
In my foresight for 2024, public relations will undergo a transformative shift, wholeheartedly embracing a multitude of tools, such as linked in, Twitter, and TikTok, AI as essential means to connect with a vast and diverse audience. The era will witness a gradual decline of traditional media, making way for a profound digital revolution.
Natalie B. Felix
Title: Communications Strategist, RoseComm
Career Highlights: Championing for DEI, especially across the communications and media industries.
We’ll see the prevalent use of AI, both negatively and positively. AI will potentially be used to further push misinformation and disinformation, especially with the 2024 presidential and 2025 mayoral/local elections on the horizon. However, I also believe we’ll see AI used to counter disinformation and opportunities to enhance information integrity in politics and critical topics such as climate change.
Title: CEO & Founder, Next PR Solutions
Career Highlights: Working with clients such as Aygemang, Danielle Edmond and Michael Ethan Heron
There’s a current influencer relations evolution happening in the space where more brands are looking to forge more long term partnerships with influencers and content creators who actually resonate with their audience and or can create meaningful immersive content and activations that resonate. Overall the focus is more so to develop a community of mass or micro influencers to build more meaningful connections with the audiences; less about the quantity of followers, and more about the quality of immersive storytelling ingrained in culture that leaves a lasting impression. PR professionals will be able to use these tools for further mileage in their client stories, brand activations etc.
Another prediction which has already taken off by storm but hasn’t fully penetrated the Caribbean fully is the use of AI and automation for our PR outreach processes, media monitoring, data analysis and CRM. PR professionals will be able to incorporate AI to manage routine inquiries and internal or external communications more efficiently and increase their workload.
Title: Communications Specialist + Caribbean Storyteller
Career Highlights: Former Director of Communications at St. George’s University, Grenada
One thing that I have been learning in this communications journey is the idea of being a “story-doer” and not just a storyteller. This is built into the ethos of the company that I work for currently – and while it’s great to tell stories, showing the items that impact the community and the environment is more valuable and important to the space. From a PR, marketing and communications perspective, a question must be asked on if we’re creating impact and change. In 2024, I personally plan to be very intentional about that. The idea of consumption and sharing is not greater than the focus on supporting, and along with several of my peers in and outside of the Caribbean, I intend to thoughtfully use my voice and privilege to improve those circumstances for the greater good of the community.
Title: General Manager, Ramdin (Digital) Consultancy
Career Highlights: President, Public Relations Association of Trinidad and Tobago (PRATT)
When it comes to a strategic shift in metrics, Public Relations practitioners are poised to transcend the conventional yardsticks of success. Instead of merely counting media mentions, the focus will shift towards evaluating campaigns’ impact on pivotal business goals. This transformation will harness the prowess of data analytics tools, enabling precise tracking of website traffic, gauging social media engagement, and assessing conversions arising from PR initiatives.
Regarding the rise of AI in Communications, artificial intelligence is set to revolutionize the landscape of PR and digital marketing. AI-driven tools will assume a central role, adept at deciphering sentiment across social media channels, crafting personalized content, and identifying influential voices within specific spheres. The fusion of AI and PR will usher in a new era of insightful, targeted communication strategies.
Data-Driven Crisis Management will involve embracing data and analytics – where PR experts will fortify their arsenals for adept crisis management. By proactively identifying potential risks, meticulously devising crisis communication blueprints, and orchestrating real-time monitoring of social media sentiment, they’ll be equipped to navigate and mitigate crises swiftly and effectively.
These trends are poised to redefine the landscape of public relations, empowering professionals to elevate their strategies and communication efforts to new heights.
About Tenille Clarke:
Tenille Clarke is the Secretary on the Executive Board at the Public Relations Association of Trinidad and Tobago (PRATT). She is an avid storyteller, Principal Publicist at Chambers Media Solutions and cultural enthusiast from Trinidad and Tobago who often pens about her ongoing love affair with travel, entertainment and culture through a Caribbean lens.
