Tom Evans, PR & Marketing Manager:

• Increased awareness of greenwashing
• AI isn’t going anywhere
• A picture user-generated video is worth a thousand words

2023 was a year like no other for PR and marketing campaigns. From small startups to colossal conglomerates, brands operating across multiple industries in every corner of the globe embraced the power of PR and marketing to build meaningful connections and bolster their businesses. 

Over the last 12 months, we have witnessed the rapid rise of artificial intelligence (AI) software, a collaboration between Tony’s Chocolonely, Oxfam and Glastonbury, which sought to give away ‘Willy Wonka’ style tickets to this year’s biggest festival, and even a toilet paper brand conjure up a ‘Flush Away Your Ex’ campaign on Valentine’s Day which encouraged customers to mail their old love letters to the company and have them turned into 100% recycled toilet paper… 

With all that in mind, it is somewhat of a challenge to imagine what could possibly come next. Nevertheless, here are my top PR and marketing trend predictions for 2024. 

Big and bold sustainability commitments and campaigns

Due to the devastating effects of climate change, sustainability is rightly a huge concern for businesses and their audiences. Consumers are becoming increasingly savvy and companies need to be clever with their PR tactics to avoid campaigns backfiring, cancel culture and a crisis unfolding. Yes, it might be the most creative campaign in the world, but what impact will it have on the planet? Is it ethically and environmentally responsible? Will it encourage both businesses and customers to take action and inspire behavioral change for the better? I believe (and sincerely hope) that 2024 will be the year when brands and businesses truly walk the walk when it comes to protecting our natural world, not just talk the talk.

Increased use of AI

It is no secret, AI has the potential to send shockwaves through PR and marketing. Over the last 12 months, we have seen an increased number of AI-generated adverts such as the viral Maybelline mascara advert that took TikTok by storm, or my personal favorite, Orange’s incredible French women’s football team campaign, which was ‘fronted’ by male stars like Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann. With one in five PR professionals already using AI in their strategies, I doubt these AI-integrated adverts and campaigns will be the last – and we can expect to see the technology make a big impact in 2024. 

User-generated video dominance on social media

In 2024, PR professionals and marketers can expect the continued seismic shift towards video-centric social media use, and in particular, user-generated video content. Video-based platform, TikTok statistics show that user-generated content is 22% more effective than brand-created videos. And staggeringly, 84% of people are more likely to trust brands if they use user-generated content in their digital marketing strategy. Therefore, users who are prepared to share their opinion via video after trying out a new service or a product are brands’ favorite people, and for good reason. Thanks to their content, brands get to grow their follower count, community, sales, brand awareness and engagement rate – all in an authentic and entertaining way.