4 Underrated PR Strategies to Build Brand Authenticity
14 Feb 2025, Deya Bhattacharya
14 Feb 2025, Deya Bhattacharya
As the world of business changes, PR is changing with it. 2025 is set to be a more disruptive year than ever, with rapidly evolving political climates and AI capabilities affecting the way communications are shared and perceived. In response, companies are increasingly favouring a more “human” approach, one that makes for authentic connections between the brand and its audience.
In this blog, we’ll talk about four underutilised PR strategies that we believe are ideal for brands looking to humanise their presence in 2025. These are strategies we have deployed often for our clients, with considerable success, and are useful for startups and big companies alike. Let’s dive in :
1. Employee Advocacy Programmes
This involves encouraging your employees to participate in your next PR campaign by actively
posting about it on their own social media pages. Whether you appoint specific individuals or
keep it open to anyone interested, this is an excellent way to turn your employees into your
brand ambassadors. You can motivate them by making a competition out of it, with weekly or
monthly prizes for the most active members.
Reason This Approach Works :
Your audience is more likely to respond to a simple, personal message from
an individual team member rather than a sanitised corporate statement. Involving your
employees also helps foster a greater sense of commitment to the campaign and a feeling of
belonging to one big family.
2. Working with Micro Influencers
These are influencers who may have smaller followings, but whose followers engage more
actively with their content and are almost a community in themselves. Micro influencers often
have just one specific area of focus, making them ideal for promoting brands that focus on the
same area. As subject matter experts, they will also have their own suggestions about the kinds
of content that will work best.
Reason This Approach Works :
When you work with micro influencers, you get to share your brand message
with a targeted audience, a large fraction of which might be convinced enough to reach out to
you right away. It’s also easier to form ongoing relationships with micro influencers, who have
the time and bandwidth to be genuinely interested in your brand.
3. Engaging with Local Communities
This involves partnering with local businesses, nonprofits, government bodies, or individuals to
promote your PR campaign. As people who understand local aspirations and sentiments, they
are valuable partners when it comes to building trust for your brand in a new location.
Community involvement is particularly useful if you are trying to drive social impact among the
local community, as they can advise you on how best to frame your message to evoke positive
sentiment.
Reason This Approach Works
Local people are likelier to trust a PR message if one of their own is endorsing
it. Particularly if your campaign deals with sensitive issues, or if there is a language barrier
involved, it helps to have someone who understands what their people will respond to and what
social/cultural mores to be mindful of.
4. Active Contributions from the C-suite
Your senior executives may lend their names and quotes to press releases. But why not involve
them more extensively? Invite your department heads to share their expertise with the public in
the form of thought leadership pieces, video clips, or podcast episodes.
Reason This Approach Works
Each of your C-suite members has their own unique background, making for
valuable insights that your customers won’t find anywhere else. In addition, your audience is
more likely to believe in your brand’s commitment to an ideal or message when they hear it from
the top decision-makers. This is particularly true when it comes to social, political, or
environmental commitments.
When choosing which of these PR strategies to invest in, consider them in the light of your broader
priorities and pick the strategy that offers the most immediate and measurable benefits. And as
always, if you need some expert guidance, Star Squared PR is on hand. As India’s leading
digital PR agency, our campaigns are crafted for success by industry veterans with decades of
experience. Reach out to know more about our award-winning services today.
