AI, Authenticity & Storytelling: Top Takeaways from PRSA’s Global Conference
The PR sector’s largest global conference, PRSA ICON 2024, held in October in California, highlighted trends and issues affecting the profession. We interviewed our own Jonathan Rhudy, APR, a longtime PRSA member, to share his top takeaways on AI’s role, the power of storytelling and how PR pros can prepare for 2025 and beyond.
Q: What was the scoop on AI among the 1,700 PR pros learning and mingling in Anaheim?
All the buzz. AI is transforming PR by automating tasks and serving up data-driven insights. Now, some 58% of PR professionals use AI for writing and monitoring, which shows it’s becoming essential.
Outside of the working sessions, there were lots of media monitoring companies at ICON that want to help you track, listen and pitch on external campaigns. With so many sources and social channels, the solutions make sense, but I’m always cautious about using AI for media pitches. A more customized, personal approach is better.
Over the past 18 months, we've been working with some of our larger clients on communicating their AI rollout and, like many of our clients, we've been deeply engaged in assessing and testing our own tools, with some early wins such as design concepting and synthesizing trend data.
Q: PR is all about relationships. Has the digital shift changed how we build these connections?
Our methods may be more digital, but the foundation of PR relationships remains unchanged: it’s still about listening and understanding and then communicating with honesty and authenticity. Behavioral science-based personas can enhance our ability to connect by diving deeper into relationships and what truly matters to each audience, making our outreach more personal and effective.
“Internal communicators will have to work even harder to get their messages out as the noise will increase, and the best PR pros will keep learning, growing and evolving.”
Q: How does using behavioral personas benefit communications?
Behavioral personas add depth and precision to PR campaigns by tapping into audience motivations, beliefs and biases. Typically, this involves research that can help us go beyond surface demographics to truly understand our audiences. By knowing what makes audiences “tick,” we can design campaigns that resonate personally and authentically. Thanks to some new connections at ICON, we’re exploring fresh ways to help our clients understand and connect with their audiences.
Q: What’s key to impactful storytelling today?
Today’s storytelling in PR is about more than just information; it’s about being authentic and relatable. ICON speakers emphasized the importance of crafting stories that connect emotionally, answering, “Why should I care?” Knowing your audience’s motivations and what they value makes stories relevant and impactful. Using personas and stories allows us to bring relatable, emotionally compelling stories to the forefront. AI won’t replace the human side of storytelling.
PRSA ICON was 2024’s largest single gathering in the public relations and communications industry.
Q: Authenticity came up a lot this year, especially about brand stances on social issues. How should organizations approach this?
Authenticity is essential, especially when brands take stances on social issues. A recent Michigan State and James Madison study showed that brands benefit from values-driven, consistent stances — an “authenticity cushion” that bolsters trust and credibility. This research found that even if some audiences disagree with a stance, a brand can maintain its support by aligning actions with core values and being transparent about the why behind its positions.
Q: With today’s polarized landscape, how can companies decide which issues to engage with?
Organizations can’t engage on every issue, and that’s okay. ICON presenters emphasized prioritization: focus on issues that align with core values and resonate with key stakeholders. Using engagement frameworks grounded in research can help map and prioritize issues, ensuring that brands choose stances that are both meaningful and authentic.
Q: Based on what you learned at ICON, what do you predict for 2025?
All PR pros will further decide the role of AI in their roles. Traditional newsrooms will continue to shrink, but hyperlocal and niche outlets will grow. Internal communicators will have to work even harder to get their messages out as the noise will increase, and the best PR pros will keep learning, growing and evolving.
Q: Why are conferences and live events still so important in our digital world?
I’ve been to five in-person conferences this fall, and each one has opened my eyes in new ways. In our digital-first world, showing up still matters. Streaming podcasts or watching lectures doesn’t replace face-to-face connections. At ICON, I made new LinkedIn connections, narrowly missed my doppelganger and had meaningful real conversations. Zoom can’t replace that.
Jonathan Rhudy, APR will celebrate his 30th year in PR in 2025, and he loves seeing the growth of the field, especially with all the PRSSA members from colleges and universities.