How the Trump-Harris Election Shed the Flaws in Traditional PR—and How Businesses Can Adapt

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The recent presidential election saw both campaigns employ public relations strategies that will have a major impact on how companies decide to deploy PR in the future. Here are five ways the field of public relations has changed forever.

1. The mainstream media is dying…

Trust in news organizations has already been in serious decline. As of 2023, only 26% of Americans expressed trust in the national news media, down from 40% in 2017. according to a Gallup poll. Add to that the inexorable migration of viewers from traditional news media to emerging media, and it's not hard to imagine a day when mainstream media becomes irrelevant. Both campaigns did fewer traditional news interviews; Trump didn't do 60 Minutes and Harris didn't do an official press conference. Newspapers such as Washington Post AND Los Angeles Times refused to support a candidate.

And it's no wonder, as we see Gen Z consuming most of their news from social media and YouTube. After the election, cable news stations like CNN and MSNBC saw big drops in viewership, as reported by Pew Research. Add in the continued decline in local newspapers and AM radio, and the writing is on the wall for traditional media. Public relations efforts that have been supported so far traditional media must prepare for the change. Those who are overly reliant on declining channels must find new means to reach their audience.

2. …while alternative media is on the rise

Instead, we saw both candidates spend more time on alternative media sources. Harris's campaign was featured in the popular “Podcast Call Her Daddy. The Trump campaign in particular tapped into podcasts that young people listen to. These include The Lex Fridman Podcast, The Shawn Ryan Show, This Past Weekend with Theo Von, Flagrant, Bussin' with the Boys and perhaps one of the most popular podcasts, The Joe Rogan Experience. Vice presidential candidate JD Vance also appeared on Rogan's podcast. The total number of listeners of the two Rogan episodes on Trump and Vance reached 29 million, not including the clips that eventually circulated on social media.

In contrast, Harris' campaign did not participate in Rogan's podcast, which led to much criticism. Despite the Harris campaign having a 3:1 advantage in campaign funds over the Trump campaign, the Trump campaign ended up dominating in earned media and social media. This more than made up for their deficit in ad spend, showing the power of earned over paid media.

Every brand, whether B2C or B2B, should do alternative media such as podcasts integral part of its strategy.

3. Authenticity is key

Consumers of goods and consumers of news are now demanding authenticity. Brands that are more authentic are winning shoppers' dollars, such as Patagonia and Allbirds. Media formats that allow guests to be more authentic are also thriving, such as The Lex Friedman Podcast that takes a page from Rogan. Both talk to guests for hours.

This means that media training also needs to be adapted accordingly. Companies must be clear about their mission and values. With a clear Northstar guiding them, executives and their spokespersons can be free to speak more authentically without fear of deviating from so-called talking points. Authenticity also means avoiding traditional corporate speak and overused jargon for simpler communication styles. Talk less like an AI chatbot and more like a human.

4. Celebrity influence is fading…

Celebrities have always played a role in politics, with the latest campaign featuring Bruce Springsteen, Beyoncé and Taylor Swift.

However, the backlash against celebrity endorsements seems to be growing. or Rasmussen poll in late November 2024 found that 75% of American voters rejected celebrity endorsements of political candidates in the 2024 election cycle. A September 2024 Quinnipiac poll found that more than three-quarters of likely voters (76%) SAY Taylor Swift's endorsement of Kamala Harris it makes no difference in their level of enthusiasm for Harris' candidacy.

Public relations efforts must reevaluate the effectiveness and ROI of celebrity endorsements. In today's day and age of user-generated content, there's a strong case to be made for it the authenticity of an average person can surpass the influence of a multi-millionaire celebrity.

5. …as social media influencers grow

Since the early days of social media, its potential to make new stars has been obvious (ie Justin Bieber). Today, social media is its own universe, the power of which surely rivals or replaces traditional entertainment. Gen Zers spend most of their time on streaming platforms and social media, consuming most of their content from TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram. According to a SproutSocial reportGen Zers are using social media more than ever, with 83% using Instagram and 78% using TikTok in 2024. YouTube also remains a big part of their video consumption habit.

This has led to the rise of a universe of social media influencerswith fans and followers in the millions. The election saw social media influencers such as Harry Sisson, Deja Fox, Josh Helfgott and Carlos Eduardo Espina promote Harris. Other influencers like Amber Rose, Bryce Hall and the Paul brothers (Jake and Logan) promoted Trump, as detailed in Business Insider.

The renewed focus on social media influencers had a significant effect, with Trump's campaign seeing 18- to 29-year-old males swing from 56% for Biden in 2020 to 56% for Trump in 2024. as reported by CNN exit polls. Brands need to understand which influencers are listening to their prospects and ensure that communication strategies are integrating these influencers into their reach. Indeed, depending on the industry, the power of social media influencers may have already surpassed traditional media.

As companies continue to grapple with the impact of a changing media landscape, those who identify changes in trends early and capitalize on them will reap the rewards.

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