Key Takeaways from the 2019 Relevance Report

Erin Brown, TriSight Contributor

The USC Center for Public Relations publishes a Relevance Report each year to forecast emerging trends and issues that will impact society, business and communication. The 2019 report contains thought pieces from communication leaders at companies such as Hyundai, Nintendo, Edelman, Ogilvy, Golin and MSL.

On Thursday, November 1, the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism hosted a PR Future Speaker Series to introduce the 2019 report. Moderated by Fred Cook, the director of the USC Center for Public Relations, the panel event highlighted trends found by eight of the contributors to this year’s Relevance Report.

Here are a few key takeaways from the event:

1. Large tech innovations are happening outside of the United States, particularly in Asia, and driving market changes. As the U.S. becomes more internally focused, Asian marketplaces are filling the void.
2. Social media has made companies increasingly susceptible to crises. By proactively conducting internal audits, companies can identify vulnerabilities before they become crises and prepare communication plans accordingly.
3. The PESO model – paid, earned, shared and owned – is converging on itself. Changes in technology facilitating this convergence have also allowed anyone to become influencers. Brands need to select influencers who will effectively reach the desired target audience; influencers need to select brand deals with authenticity and clearly communicate when content is sponsored.
4. As “Generation Z” grows in purchasing power, retailers need to change approaches to marketing and the consumer experience. Generation Z expects equality in representation and corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices as a baseline for all businesses.

For more information, download the full 2019 Relevance Report here.