1. AI becomes the PR’s daily working tool

• AI is now embedded in PR work processes, from research for pitching, tracking trend developments, developing audience profiles and personas, supporting translation and language refinement, structuring documents, to predicting issues and crises, among other functions.
• Deepfakes pose serious trust issues in public communication and campaigns.
• AI influencers are blurring the line of credibility between humans and virtual machines.

PR consultants must use AI wisely, honestly, and responsibly. It is highly dangerous for consultants to disseminate information without verification or validation from legitimate sources, as this can lead to inaccurate data and shape misguided public understanding.

AI must not erode a consultant’s ability to think critically or diminish the application of logic, empathy, and intuition, which remain the most essential human capabilities in achieving clients’ communication objectives.

 

2. Media evolution reaches its peak and continues to force for transformation

• The media’s role as a gatekeeper of information is increasingly challenged as brands and corporations build their own direct channels to reach consumers and stakeholders.
• The media landscape is more diverse than ever. Traditional outlets continue shifting to online platforms; new forms of media often referred to as homeless media are emerging, and content creators are becoming influential information sources for specific audience segments. Media content is also expanding into non-conventional formats such as short form of writing, audio, audiovisual, and interactive content.
• Media tier classifications are becoming less standardized, as each platform strives to build relevance with its own specific target audience.

In previous years, the decline of the media business in Indonesia has already been evident. This year and in the years ahead, media survival is likely to depend significantly on relationships with PR practitioners and consultants. In the past, mainstream media were heavily pursued by PR professionals seeking coverage for client storytelling.

Today, media organizations need to be more proactive in collaborating with PR practitioners and consultants to jointly design the best communication services for clients. This new form of mutual symbiosis must be carefully maintained by both sides, so they can continue to serve as credible gatekeepers for the public.

 

3. Audiences are becoming significantly indifferent to information sources

• It has long been predicted that, since the onset of digital disruption, global audiences are finding it harder to process the overwhelming volume of information. We are facing audiences who struggle to develop critical thinking capacity, who are increasingly apathetic, and who tend to overlook important elements that should inform their decisions and positions.
• The wide variety of information packaging across highly diverse platforms, driven by media business creativity, is further blurring information sources. Audiences are less concerned about whether a source is credible, genuine, and factual, or whether content is paid, deliberately engineered, or fictitious. Speed continues to be preferred over accuracy.

PR professionals must operate with a higher level of ethical awareness and ground their work in the motivation to educate the public, improve literacy, and support deeper understanding so that decisions can be made more thoughtfully. Creative information delivery is encouraged, but the principles of truthfulness and prudence must always remain fundamental in PR practice.

 

4. Shifts in how PR success is measured

• More clients have recognized the vital role of PR in their business. As a result, their expectations of PR consultants continue to rise. One major shift is in success measurement, which no longer at outputs such as the number of media coverage or engagement figures; but extends to outcomes such as lead generation for the business or shifts in public attitudes from opposition to support.
• For clients entering the Indonesian market, PR is positioned as a strategic partner to provide ongoing insights and to introduce them to the real market profile on the ground.

Looking ahead, PR consultants who adapt quickly and equip themselves with broad knowledge and strong networks will be the ones who have a longer and sustainable presence.  PR consultants must also be able to deeply understand market conditions and audience characteristics, while continuously adopting new approaches to help clients achieve their business objectives.

 

5. Competition among communication firms and PR professionals will become more complex

• Communication firms are expected to have multi-talented teams, capable of providing strategic direction to deliver strong technical and creative execution. To meet this demand, a combination of PR consultants with diverse expertise becomes a key determinant of business sustainability.
• PR consulting teams are also expected to quickly understand clients’ industries from upstream to downstream across various sectors. Relying on a single sector increases business risk when disruptions occur in that sector.
• Local communication firms will increasingly balance the market share of communication service needs in Indonesia. However, hard work and consistency in maintaining consultant quality will determine whether a firm can sustain itself and move to a higher level.

Leadership within a communication firm is a decisive factor for business resilience in the coming decade. Communication firm leaders must be sharp in preserving its vision, reading trends, maintaining and expanding networks, implementing good governance, strengthening reputation in a measured way, and internalizing company values, so the firm becomes an employer of choice.

This also requires the ability to combine and align collaboration among employees from different generations, each with distinct perspectives and ways of working, within one shared direction.

Beyond business interests, communication firms also share responsibility in developing the profession, so it remains healthy and relevant to the times. Industry players must work in synergy to uphold the reputation and quality standards of the profession.

Without communication consultants, what would become of a world that is increasingly ‘noisy’ and ‘filled with illusions’?

 

Author: Asti Putri, Co-Founder and Director ID COMM

Editor: Sari Soegondo, Co-Founder and Executive Director ID COMM