PR in 2025: The chasmic changes and trusty traditional methods that still work

2nd September 2025 by Kate Logan

It’s already September! We know, we can’t believe it either. As we hurtle towards the last quarter of 2025, it’s time to look back on what’s been one of the most pivotal years in the industry, well, ever.

PR has changed. We say it every year but this time it feels more pertinent than ever. Press releases still have their place, but they aren’t enough anymore. In 2025, brand communications have become more visual and data-driven. And, in a world where it feels AI is taking over, there is a need to be as human as possible, to retain trust and authenticity.  

With our focus here at Active PR on the property and construction industry, we look at the lessons we’ve learnt this year and the innovations brands can take on board.

1. AI can guide but humans must decide

“Never start with a blank page” is about the best piece of AI-related advice I’ve been given this year. It’s the personal assistant we’ve all always dreamed of, helping to boost productivity but it still needs a human guide.

AI is brilliant at spotting trends, generating all manner of content and giving a steer on just about everything, but it hasn’t yet overtaken human judgment or creativity. You get out what you put in and, most important to remember in this business, it’s not always accurate.

It’s still up to us to provide the creative input and context to generate a meaningful output and do due diligence on its output. One AI expert recently told me AI is still “the wild west” and human judgement is as important as it’s ever been. This is particularly true in the field of public relations, where a brand’s reputation and credibility are at stake.

2. Creators add credibility

The days of bringing in a big-name celebrity to endorse your brand or product may be numbered. People build trust through meaningful interactions and find connections with influencers and creators online who reflect their own lives, interests and values.

Reach was once deemed the sole indicator of value and now trust matters more. Smaller creators are often more influential than celebrities because they’re relatable. For housing developers, that could mean partnering with local voices who understand the community and can tell the story authentically. One client recently told me they’d seen their biggest spike in enquiries from an Instagram reel by a hyperlocal influencer with a following of less than 50k.

3. Visuals that create impact

Construction and property are visual industries, so it stands to reason thattheir communication should be too. This year we’ve had success selling in stories to media with drone film footage, virtual walkthroughs and aerial images, while customer stories with a human face have been as popular as ever. Filming tends to be more expensive than still photography, yet it’s often worth the investment  as it  can make an impact across multiple platforms and through both earned and owned content.

4. Sustainability leads the story

Green credentials are front and centre of our clients’ business goals. Consumers and stakeholders expect to see this messaging across all comms. From low-carbon technology and biodiversity to support for community groups working to make their environment greener, communication around sustainable developments, backed up with evidence, is now key to building a strong reputation.

5. Using your people as storytellers

This is a well-trodden path that still rings as true as ever in 2025. If you want to engage journalists and the public, then your people, including leaders of your business, need to be the face and voice of your brand. A well-thought-out media comment from a managing director or interior designer can often make a bigger impact than a traditional press release. Position them as experts in their field and don’t be afraid to show their human side, whether it’s in a LinkedIn post, press release quote or through a thought leadership article.

6. Case studies build trust

Trusty case studies remain one of the strongest tools in our PR locker. This can be a focus on a client’s latest product or development to showcase how they stand out in the market or how they are making a difference to local communities.

Or it can be a testimonial from a purchaser to provide a third-party endorsement for a company. Again, this is all about helping potential customers to trust in a brand, when they hear from others who’ve experienced it firsthand. And they make great human-interest content for socials too.

To sum up, PR in 2025 is faster and more visual than ever. For the property and construction industries, it’s an opportunity to combine great images and film with authentic stories, to build a communications strategy that really stands out. The impact of AI as a tool to become more productive and support creative thinking is undeniable, but there’s a need to retain the human touch to make real connections and meaningful engagement.

It’s a little early to say this, but we already can’t wait to see what 2026 brings!

Life in Property PR

17th June 2025 by Kate Logan

As a nation, we love talking about property and having a nose around other people’s homes. That does give us PRs a small head start when it comes to promoting our property clients – and can really work to our advantage when pitching case studies.

However, that’s not to say it’s a straightforward sector to work in and there are lot of things to consider before you embark on a career in property PR.

Working in property public relations is interesting. It can be unpredictable, it’s occasionally complex – but generally very rewarding when it all comes together.

With new ways to reach audiences and a constant stream of developments in the pipeline, from heritage mills in Greater Manchester to brand new neighbourhoods rising from brownfield sites in North Wales, every day can bring something new. It’s probably that variety that keeps so many of us working in the sector for so long.

Clearing up the misconceptions

There’s a tendency to think it’s just about press releases and launch events. In reality, there’s a lot more that keeps us busy.

We help developers and communities tell stories about transformations, the growth of new neighbourhoods and the people who live there. We’re part translator, part storyteller, part strategist. We’re the ones turning 84 pages of a planning statement into a news angle a local journalist will want to cover and crafting social media posts that drive engagement from homebuyers.

We can’t guarantee a property tour video will go viral, but we can suggest a solid content plan instead, backed up by experience, expertise and a team that will do the legwork.

High expectations

It’s true—some projects come with ambitious timelines and goals. But one of the great joys of working in this field is partnering with clients who genuinely care about what they’re building and value what good communication can achieve.

Some clients are an absolute dream to work with: collaborative, clear, and committed to getting things right, not just fast. They understand that a good story is built, like a good scheme, on solid foundations. And they don’t mind when we gently nudge for more information or push for better images – absolute heroes!

When the client-PR relationship clicks, there’s a real sense of partnership.

The colleague camaraderie

No one understands the chaos of an embargo mix-up or a 4pm call from a newsdesk quite like your immediate team. And I wouldn’t swap the Active PR team for anyone.

There’s something special about working in a tight-knit group who can laugh through the confusing jargon and rally round when you’re juggling organising five events.

We’ve all shared those late in the day moments of “just one more email…” before an event, and the giddiness when a regional feature goes live. You learn to celebrate the little wins.

Always learning

I’ve worked in property PR for quite a few years now, but I’m still learning and it’s never dull.

It’s a job that evolves constantly. Every development strategy, every net zero target, every new community created offers something new to learn, explain, and support.

You can be on a call about developing a golf course in Cheshire one moment and planning a stakeholder event in Lancashire the next. And when you see something you’ve worked on take shape, secure a media feature or receive positive feedback from a client, it’s a great feeling.

This job is about people just as much as places. And our team is proud of the relationships we’ve built over many years and the stories we’ve been lucky enough to tell.

Photo by Artful Homes on Unsplash

Lights, camera, action: Why video should now be central to your PR strategy

11th September 2024 by Philippa Probert

We know how important it is to always include a choice of high-resolution photos with a press release to illustrate a story but what about a video?

With the ability to captivate audiences and convey messages in seconds video is a valuable PR tool that I think we will see being used a lot more over the next few years.

We’ve started to see journalists and news desks ask for and accept videos alongside releases and, with some publications even having specialist social news desks,  it’s clear to see why video is taking over.

Video hosting platform, TikTok, is expected to hit over 2.2 billion users by 2027* and 9 out of 10** brands are already using video, with 87% of marketers reporting a direct increase in sales through video. So how and why should video be part of your PR strategy?

Videos can be used to share multiple messages; to launch a new product or collaboration, promote a businesses service, share positive testimonials or details about an upcoming event.

Viewers are likely to be more engaged watching a short video over reading a wordy news piece, especially when consuming news on their devices, hence why some brands now choose to go down this route more than the traditional methods.

And making engaging videos doesn’t have to break the bank or need specialist equipment. Mobile phones have great cameras and editing apps such as CapCut can allow us to create specialist videos that are budget friendly, adding titles, music, captions and subtitles, as well as tailoring transitions and tempo.  

To make the most of video material, brands can use stories to build anticipation such as a sneak peek of something, they can go live to give viewers a countdown to the video being shared or use to go ‘behind the scenes’. Once the video is shared, brands can do a follow up Q&A or bloopers (great for increasing engagement as it shows personality behind a brand).

Video, and especially short-form video, are here to stay and will continue to help brands get their messaging out there.  Companies who focus on creating content that stands out, as well as trying different content to see what resonates with the audience, will reap the rewards.

Some of our predictions for the future of video include:

• Soon video content will accompany written press releases just as much as still images, maybe even instead of
• Experts who provide commentary or a statement may do so via video format as well as a written comment making it perfect for news websites and social media platforms
• Short-form videos will continue to be in demand giving brands just a few seconds to capture their audience with concise messaging
• Live streaming will be used more often by brands seeking genuine, in-the-moment interaction with their customers

If you want us to help with your video strategy, drop us an email beinspired@activepr.co.uk

AI and PR

31st July 2024 by Rachael Bruce

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the landscape of Public Relations (PR), reshaping how organizations communicate and engage with their audiences. By leveraging advanced technologies such as machine learning, natural language processing, and data analytics, AI empowers PR professionals to craft more targeted, personalized, and effective communication strategies. From automating routine tasks like media monitoring and social media management to providing deep insights into audience behavior and sentiment analysis, AI enhances the efficiency and impact of PR campaigns. This integration not only helps in delivering timely and relevant content but also in predicting trends and crises, allowing for proactive reputation management. As AI continues to evolve, it promises to unlock new possibilities for innovation, creativity, and strategic thinking in the realm of Public Relations.

That first section was written using ChatGPT, perhaps one of the best-known AI brands. At Active PR we pride ourselves in our writing ability and so ordinarily don’t use AI in our copywriting. The above was an experiment as part of writing this blog.

But using AI does have its benefits as it can streamline the process for some tasks such as analysing data to find patterns. AI and automation are used by many media monitoring services to track and collate coverage including analysing sentiment in coverage and with machine learning help ensure consistent reporting.

However, there’s room for error and a need for human oversight as AI doesn’t always recognise some of the nuances in language. For example, a sarcastic negative comment on social media could be flagged as positive feedback.

In content creation, there’s a place for AI but there’s also a need for human input to ensure accuracy, authenticity and the tone are all on brand and appropriate for both the medium and audience.

It’s important to remember that AI is only as good as the people using it. Just as a new member of staff will need to be instructed to carry out tasks, AI needs to be briefed too and their work reviewed and signed off.

ChatGPT is perhaps one of the best-known AI brands, but there are so many others available with different functionalities.

In one of its simplest forms, AI can be used to autocomplete sentences, which can help save time, particularly if you’re often writing about the same subject as AI will learn key phrases. (Microsoft Word wanted to use automate in this instance 😉)

Speech to text technology such as Otter AI can mean you don’t need to take notes during meetings or interviews. But it also means when you’re reading back through the notes, you’ll have a record of those informal conversations that take place while you’re waiting for everyone to join the call.  Some of which you perhaps won’t want a permanent record of!

The search function is a great tool as it means you can easily look for and find a key topic or action point.

It’s always good to have the backup of your own notes – in a good old-fashioned notebook or on a laptop or tablet so you can cross reference and potentially correct any inaccuracies on either side.

AI is a tool that can make tasks easier. Some of our team remember the days when press packs had to be mailed or couriered to journalists. Today we can easily reach out to our media contacts, sending them a WhatsApp, DM or email with client news and photos.

It’s about embracing change and new technology and learning to work smarter not harder.

If you want to know more about how we can help your business, email beinspired@activepr.co.uk.

Welcome to Wrexham is #PRgoals

23rd April 2024 by Kate Logan

It’s the football story that continues to enthral us.

The first two series of ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ have been fascinating to watch. And series three is in no doubt now as Wrexham has just secured promotion to League One – its second promotion in as many seasons.

It’s also scored priceless positive PR for a football club that’s been rescued by its bootstraps more than once.

If you’re not familiar with the Disney+ documentary, it’s a behind the scenes look at the Hollywood takeover of Welsh non-league club Wrexham AFC.

Led by American actor Robert McElhenney, who somehow managed to persuade Deadpool himself, Ryan Reynolds, a Canadian, to become his business partner, the programme, so far, follows their first two seasons as owners.

While still learning the offside rule and, perhaps most importantly, what football means to the fans in this passionate north east corner of Wales, the pair slowly begin to appreciate the realities of running a football club.

It’s a story like no other. While American takeovers and documentaries on streaming channels are nothing new to the Premier League, at this level (Wrexham were initially playing in the fifth tier), they are both highly unusual. 

The documentary delves into the new owners’ motivation, day to day tribulations, fan dedication, and local fascination around what has been a bizarre but thrilling event in football history.

It also covers their investment across the club, including in the women’s team, who have also deservedly received promotion to the Adran Premier, the top tier of Welsh women’s football.

Satisfying our need to see the headlining new owners, the film crew also takes us on a journey with the fans, like The Turf landlord Wayne Jones and likeable yet outspoken painter and decorator Shaun. For fans like Wayne and Shaun the football club really is life. Shaun hates his job and, when we first meet him, has recently split with his partner, yet football gives him hope, every weekend. And while too often in the past that hope led to disappointment, it occasionally leads to unbridled, intoxicating joy. It’s a familiar rush that keeps sports fans coming back for more every week, and it’s captured eloquently in the series by Wrexham’s loyal supporters.

This takeover had been about the best PR it’s possible to get for a football club. But there’s a bigger and even more heart-warming story that Welcome to Wrexham brought into focus. It’s put real people in the spotlight, and we’ve all fallen a bit in love with this story, and their stories. This town and its community are rightly central to the tale and the global interest has given the local economy a huge boost.

And it seems the only way is up for Wrexham. So far, we’ve watched the new owners navigate their first two seasons, triumphantly culminating in the team’s epic promotion to League Two. No mean feat after languishing in the National League for 15 seasons.

Wrexham is back on the football map and, having started my journalism career in the town (which received city status in 2022 too), I couldn’t be happier. I once witnessed a crucial victory in the club’s history, having covered the Court of Appeal case in London that was featured in the “Hamilton” episode of the documentary as a young reporter at the Wrexham Leader. While that made headline news at the time, it still felt the club was battling for all its worth. This feels so different. Wrexham AFC is on the up and we’re all invited along for the ride.

I’ve found myself checking Wrexham’s scores and the League One table every week this past season and I’d wager I’m not the only one. Wouldn’t it be the story of the century if a future series of Welcome to Wrexham featured their promotion to the Premier League? Now that really would be priceless.

Photo by Paul Schnürle on Unsplash

Why planning a marketing campaign is like planning a holiday

4th April 2024 by Rachael Bruce

It seems holiday season is already upon us. News websites and social media accounts are full of travel stories and reminders about when to renew your passport. You’re lucky if one in four emails doesn’t generate an out of office autoreply advising that the person you’re trying to contact is on holiday.

When it comes to planning a marketing campaign, there are in fact parallels with planning a holiday.  Read on to find out why.

1. Budget: Knowing how much you have to spend is important and can help focus ideas. If you’re budget is more weekend in Blackpool than a five-star all-inclusive trip to the Bahamas, you’ll need to plan accordingly. Low-fi social media content filmed and edited on a phone could provide a cost-effective alternative to enlisting a production crew to script, film and edit your owned content. With the right message and content, you may even be able to secure earned media coverage from your customers, journalists or influencers.
2. Research: Checking what the weather is like where and when you want to travel, along with reviews of hotels and other facilities in that area are important when thinking of booking a holiday. Similarly, knowing your audience and how best to reach them is crucial to a successful marketing campaign.
3. Packing:  Packing your suitcase for holiday is like preparing your assets for a successful marketing campaign. It doesn’t matter if your suitcase is ready weeks or minutes before it’s time to leave, what matters is what’s inside. For a well-executed marketing campaign, you’ll need a mix of assets for different media channels. This may be as simple as reformatting for different platforms or it could be changing the tone and creative completely to target different demographics.It’s important that your assets are on brand and that every detail is correct before you go live with your campaign, just as you’d check you have your passport and it’s in date before heading to the airport.
4. Timing:  There are two types of traveller – those who arrive at the airport hours ahead of their flight time to allow for delays at security, duty free shopping and people watching and those who race through the terminal and arrive at the gate just as it closes.  Some brands are still working on their summer 2024 campaigns, while others are already planning for Christmas and beyond. There is no right or wrong time. The advantage of the digital age is that while deadlines still exist and can help focus efforts, we’re not as tied to timing as we were when print was the primary medium. Social media channels will even recommend the best time to post based on when your audience is active.

If you need some help planning your next marketing campaign, think of us like a travel agent. Yes you could plan your next trip yourself, booking everything from travel and accommodation to excursions direct, but why not leave it to the experts. Our services include press release and copywriting, social media management, event planning and more. Contact us to find out how we can help.