About six months into my first post-grad position, the corporate world I was becoming accustomed to transformed in mere weeks with COVID-19 shutdowns. While this was a shared experience for individuals of all ages working in PR and most industries in general, my 22-year-old self was at a loss. Transitioning into adulthood and navigating the responsibilities of living alone for the first time was hard enough, and suddenly, life became so much more difficult. The set of corporate rules and standards that I had just begun to excel at completely unraveled, and for someone who found comfort in established rules and their consistency, I was entering into completely unknown territory.
Now, more than five years into my career, I can’t help but compare the differences between the industry/agency life that I was just getting a taste of in early 2020 versus my day-to-day in 2024. Some differences are easily recognizable, like work hours and locations, while others – the influx of trends, the way we meet and collaborate, and the characteristics of news that media members tend to gravitate towards – take a bit of reflection but stand out to me as the most impactful industry differences over the last several years.
Social Media Trends
When I think back to 2020, I have flashbacks of way too many dance videos and people getting fully invested in making whipped coffee. These trends circulated for weeks, but that feels like nothing in comparison to the speed of trends in 2024. This summer alone, we had Brat Summer, “very demure, very mindful,” coconut trees, and so many more.
From a PR and media point of view, we saw brands pre-pandemic fully embrace or completely shy away from TikTok and other social media trends. In the present day, it often feels like a race between every brand to jump onto a trend as fast as possible to stay ahead of competitors and remain relevant. At the same time, there is also a sense of relief in knowing that if you miss out – or miss the mark – on one viral opportunity, another will pop up to embrace in a matter of days, if not hours.
Communication + Collaboration
How we connect with our colleagues and clients significantly evolved. One of the first tasks I was given as an account coordinator in 2019 was queuing up client calls on a conference line ahead of every single meeting, then sitting with my team around a phone in a conference room at the office.
COVID-19 and working from home drove up the demand for connecting virtually via Zoom, Google Meet and other similar platforms. This has stuck with us well into 2024. When I think back to using a conference line, it now feels unnatural because you can miss out on observing a client’s facial expressions and body language.
In the same vein, I remember it being such a toss-up on whether or not it was acceptable to send a text to a client. When I first started in the industry, I viewed it as almost an invasion of privacy and avoided it as much as possible. Now, I can’t imagine effectively communicating with certain clients without it.
Prior to the move to work from home, collaborating with team members was as simple as walking to someone’s desk and striking up a conversation. Now, it is common to plan in advance by booking a date and time that fits with everyone’s calendar to connect virtually or in person. If the topic is urgent, we typically opt to have the conversation by messaging one another or joining a last-minute call. While it can feel difficult to get face time with colleagues without them sitting just a few feet away, I’ve grown to appreciate scheduling ahead as you’re able to come together with plenty of time to prepare and often leave knowing you’ve had a more meaningful conversation.
Media Interests
Externally, the way in which media members select stories to share has shifted. As a senior in college, I often heard my professors speak on the issue of the shrinking newsroom. When COVID-19 hit, particularly in those early months, we witnessed devastating waves of reporters and producers being furloughed or laid off. Some media outlets closed their doors while others greatly minimized their staff.
PR professionals always had to account for a media outlet’s capacity to cover any given news story. Today, we recognize there’s an even more limited capacity for media outlets and their staff. Newsrooms and reporters are bombarded with story angles and news announcements every single day, and they are looking for the very best stories to tell. While every client has exciting news to share, reporters must be incredibly selective, often choosing to share stories that are rich with data, impact a large majority of people, or clearly illustrate why such news must be shared right now.
I can’t help but think about how the industry will shift over the next five years, and the prospects are thrilling. My hope for myself and other young professionals is that we’re able to continue to grow our expertise and our voices, working together to overcome any challenge and bring bold new ideas into the industry and for our clients.
If you think PR has changed a lot in the past five years, imagine how it has changed over Dittoe PR’s 25 years in the business! Get in touch to see how we’ve adapted and why we continue to deliver impactful results to our clients.
0 Comments