In a world saturated with content, attention is hard to earn and even harder to keep. This is where PR comes in. A strong PR strategy powers compelling storytelling, shapes perception, and is key to building brand reputations that last.
PR doesn’t just promote a brand – it helps to define it. The most valuable thing PR does is build awareness, reputation and credibility. When this happens, it’s not just you telling people you are great – other people do it for you.
Unlike advertising, which audiences can sometimes view with scepticism, PR builds trust through credibility. When a brand is featured, discussed, or endorsed by trusted sources, it carries weight – and that translates into influence.
Strategic PR activity is one of the most effective ways of driving brand awareness in an authentic and sustainable way. A well-timed media placement, a compelling story, or a bold campaign can put a brand firmly in the public eye without it feeling forced or overly commercial. It’s this balance of reach and authenticity – shaping how people feel – that makes PR so powerful.
Filmmaker Will Shears recognised this desire for authenticity when he started creating short films under the social media account ‘A Mug of Life’. Will travels the UK and invites strangers to have a cup of tea and share their stories. The project has generated millions of views and widespread media coverage without feeling like marketing at all (arguably Will is marketing his services as a filmmaker).
Will’s short films are a great example of how powerful PR can be when it’s rooted in genuine human connection. Will ended up (perhaps unwittingly) creating a PR campaign with the kind of reach most companies can only dream of.
A Mug of Life serves as a reminder that the most effective PR doesn’t push messages, it tells stories and creates moments people want to share.
Coca-Cola’s ‘Share a Coke’ campaign is a standout example of using an exceptionally strong global brand identity to create moments people want to share.
By personalising its packaging, Coca-Cola turned a simple product into a social experience. The PR campaign sparked global conversations and dominated social media. It’s a perfect illustration of how PR invites people to be part of something; to become active participants creating their own (personalised) memorable moments with the brand.
In this instance, Coca-Cola’s PR campaign created a cultural moment, going far beyond the realms of brand awareness and instead elevating their brand identity, so it became woven into people’s connections with each other.
In 2003, Innocent Drinks rolled out the ‘The Big Knit’ where they put tiny woolly hats on smoothies and bottles and donated money to Age UK from every bottle sold. These hats were knitted by ‘an army of woolly warriors’ who took up their knitting needles and crochet hooks.
Designed as a one-off PR campaign (or PR stunt) it transformed the brand from niche to nationally recognised and loved. It boosted brand awareness, positioning the brand as fun and ethical, as well as attracting national media attention. More than 20 years later and the Big Knit is still going with a PR campaign planned for 2016/2017.
Ultimately, the brands that endure are the ones people genuinely connect with. PR creates those moments of meaning by turning visibility into trust, and attention into affinity. When done right, PR doesn’t just support a campaign; it builds a narrative that audiences want to be part of.
So how does PR help build a lasting brand?
PR helps build a lasting brand by shaping how people feel and talk about it. PR earns attention through credibility – coverage in trusted outlets,word of mouth, and cultural relevance.
Crucially, PR builds trust and emotional connection. Over time, consistent PR reinforces identity, values, and positioning, making a brand more than just a product.
In short, PR turns brands into stories people care about – and that’s what makes them last. Every story told, every message shared, and every media interaction contributes to the bigger picture.
Crucially, PR also delivers real business value. Brands with strong visibility and positive reputations are more likely to be trusted, chosen, and recommended.
In competitive markets, this can be the difference between being noticed and being overlooked. Again, this comes back to the value of trusted sources not just backing your claims, but advocating on your behalf.
Audiences value authenticity, transparency, and purpose, so brands must harness that to truly connect with people. In the end, the brands that last aren’t just the ones people recognise – they’re the ones people know and trust.
