Industry pundits have shared trends forecasts for the year, their projections building on developments in 2024. Besides sunrise and sunset industries, predictions cover new technologies and market and PR perspectives.
We will not add to the forecasts. What we hope to do is look into some of the key issues related to many of the projected trends and that we believe will drive conservations. These are issues that will steer discussions both across the different businesses in various industries and in the public relations and marketing spheres. These could even be the same topics that will influence or spur business decisions and actions in the months ahead.
AI
The list cannot not include AI. The adoption of AI technologies and tools continues to be a key topic of discussions not just in business and government but in the academe as well. As more companies integrate AI in their processes, more issues will rise and hopefully, company leaders will have more answers to these questions.
Our previous 2-part series on AI titled “The PRemise: Embracing the Power of AI in PR While Managing the Risks” (parts 1 and 2) delved into what companies can do to stay abreast of the technology and be equipped to handle the risks and concerns involved.
Data security, privacy, reliability, the human touch, IP rights, ethical communication. These are only some of the buzzwords surrounding the use of AI. These are also the key areas where more action has to be done to ensure that the increased performance and productivity that are the result of AI integration does not pose any peril to a business.
Much of the talk has been about adoption and the risks involved, and quite little is discussed about how prepared companies actually are or how they are preparing to integrate AI without disrupting their business model or process. Industry leaders and CEOs are bullish about AI, and why wouldn’t they be amid the promise of greater performance and business growth?
But there seems to be a gap in translating this enthusiasm into action. A recent Deloitte survey of 2,800 director and C-suite respondents from 6 industries and 16 countries on generative AI — yes, compared to traditional AI — reveal low readiness among the respondents, in particular in terms of worker skills. Only 22 percent of study respondents see their organization as “highly” or “very highly” prepared in the area of workforce AI education and training.
So the conversation around AI should also emphasize what actual investments or measures companies big and small are undertaking in their pivot to AI. The slew of AI tools will keep growing, so how can companies, including PR companies, make sure they are using the right tool for their needs? What kind of training is given to employees? Does this involve training them on data security, IP, data privacy and other ethical considerations or is the training solely about maximizing the AI tool for day-to-day operation?
How can upskilling programs incorporate fusing AI with soft skills such as creativity and critical thinking? For businesses and their PR teams or partners that do a lot of data generation and content creation, what measures are in place or how are they training team members to discern false information, deep fakes, copied or biased data and so ensure responsible AI use?
In public relations where nuanced and strategic communication is invaluable, how are agencies enabling their teams to achieve that necessary balance between AI and human intervention? For small businesses likely to turn to free AI tools, what safeguards are in place for a productive yet responsible use of the technology?
Other discussions about AI can include how much wiggle room businesses are willing to give PR agencies or what parameters should be set in using AI for campaigns, in particular as regards sharing of company information. How transparent should and can agencies be to their clients on how they use AI or what AI tools they adopt? Of course, these are based on the assumption that company clients are fine with their PR partners using AI in their campaigns.
Authenticity
Authenticity has been the platitude of many a business from manufacturing to service to public relations and marketing these past years. Yet, how much really has been accomplished in achieving authenticity?
One can even argue that authenticity has become even more elusive, what with AI tools making it a lot easier to create deep fakes and disseminate false or biased information. With the Philippines being the social media heavyweight that it is, many fall prey to such material online despite efforts to curb both misinformation and disinformation.
Influencer marketing has over the years fueled this discussion about authenticity. Whereas social media influencers in previous years were deemed to be creating organic or authentic content, the rise in the number of these influencers producing paid content is eroding brand trust. The authenticity they are perceived as delivering and which has in fact been the main driver of the rise in their popularity is now being questioned, especially with paid content growing in volume.
Even ordinary netizens could be unintentionally contributing to misinformation on the net as they curate content. In itself such content type is not a problem, and democracy ensures everyone the right to the information they share. But isn’t authenticity endangered when content is “produced,” sometimes with the intent to present a different or incomplete reality, rather than it being “organic,” spur-of-the-moment, as-it-happens?
How exactly is authenticity achieved? Better yet, how is it measured? The first question is easier addressed: For individuals and brands, the key is to be sincere and consistent in their statements and actions. For brands, consumers expect them to remain anchored on their mission and core values.
The second question — that of evaluating authenticity — presents a bigger challenge. People’s impression can be very subjective. Further, perceptions of authenticity can vary depending on the (message) recipient and their circumstances. Consumers will gauge a company’s performance or service differently compared to a financial consultant, an investor or a competitor. Even among consumers, there will be differences as to their reaction to the same company’s statements.
The challenge for businesses and PR communicators is to find the strategy that will enable them to achieve as much authenticity as possible with their different target audiences. How can they achieve authenticity and still maximize sponsored or paid content for one? Consumers these days can be more demanding, and they know if brands do not walk their talk. With public relations in particular, the call for authenticity is even stronger amid the increasingly available tools to bend or stretch the truth a little to win points with the public.
Mental health
The shift of focus to health and well-being post-COVID-19 drew more attention to mental health, especially as anxiety and depression incidence rose substantially as a result of months-long lockdowns and fear about contracting the virus. Even with the pandemic over, sociopolitical and economic uncertainties globally and locally are not helping ease the mind of peoples across the world.
In the Philippines, 11.3 percent to 11.6 percent of the population or about 12.5 million Filipinos are affected by various mental disorders, the most dominant of which are depression and anxiety. The youth are the most affected, as indicated by WHO data revealing depression and anxiety to be the top causes of illness and disability among Filipino adolescents, with suicide among the top causes of death for 15yo to 19yo. Among Filipino youth who thought of taking their own life, 62 percent did not seek help, according to a 2021 Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality Study by the University of the Philippines Population Institute.
The numbers paint a dismal picture, and both the public and private sectors have initiated programs to turn things around. More companies are organizing regular workshops or similar activities for mental health awareness, de-stressing and related topics. There has also been an influx of mental health apps, reflecting an increase in both awareness and use.
Are these enough though? The conversation on mental health needs to put emphasis on sustained long-term programs to achieve lasting results. In the workplace, for example, should systemic changes in company setup, workflows and processes be considered, especially among small operations with pooled resources? With the younger population being at high risk, should schools already institute programs not only to raise awareness but also to enable learners to identify signs and maybe offer help?
In highly stressful fields such as sales, advertising and PR where employee burnout and attrition rates fail to drop, mental health will continue to be a top conversation topic. It may be true the adrenaline and excitement make jobs in these fields attractive and engaging. But perpetual stress and burnout can have harmful effects and actually do spur people to quit work. How can PR professionals meet the demands of clients without having to burn both ends of the candle and endanger mental and overall health? Do healthcare plans include mental health coverage? How can work-life balance be promoted more amid rush deadlines and small teams?
Watch out for the next part of this discussion on key conversation themes this year.
