PR makes its predictions for 2026

Leigh Greenwood, managing director of Evergreen PR: “After a period of uncertainty, with the NHS 10 Year Plan now laid out, 2026 should be the year when we start to see this Government’s vision for healthcare become a reality. So, to use its language, what ‘three big shifts’ might we expect to see over the next 12 months in healthcare PR?

“Firstly, I think we’ll see increased recognition of the importance of evidence and experts. The last few years have seen a dangerous rise in health misinformation and increased use of less credible sources, like social media influencers, for health advice, but the tide is turning. Concerns around the dangers of navigating health misinformation are shared by governments and the public, but trust remains high in doctors, nurses and professors. I am confident their influence will grow.

“Secondly, technology, and AI in particular, will remain at the forefront of the conversation in healthcare PR. The 10 Year Plan promised a health service that is digital-by-default and this will drive innovation and investment in evidence-based technology. The promise of efficiency and effectiveness will also drive healthcare PR professionals to continue their AI journey, but careful governance and human oversight processes are needed to ensure accuracy, quality and ethical use.

“Thirdly, with algorithms for AI answer generators and traditional search engines both placing increased value on high-quality original content, I think we’ll see healthcare and pharma companies move towards more strategic work. High volume tactical work will fall out of favour and smart healthcare organisations will instead invest in campaigns that win attention, prove differentiating expertise and take audiences on a seamless journey to action.”

Samantha Allen, associate director at The Wilful Group: "I predict in 2026 that purpose-driven communications will move from doom and gloom to positive and inspirational. 

"It has to because simply communicating the risks of climate change isn’t enough to shift behaviour patterns and improve adoption of planet positive products and services. There has been so much fear-based messaging and doom-heavy narratives because it works well for media headlines, but it doesn’t inspire audiences to make changes. 

"I think we will see a move toward more optimistic, practical and commercially minded storytelling in the sustainability space - stories that show what people stand to gain, not just what we all stand to lose. Brands, businesses and changemakers will need to give people stronger reasons to care, rooted in everyday relevance and genuine value.

"And that is linked to my second prediction which is that sustainability comms will become more human, showing the positive impact on the people who are adopting and using sustainable products and technologies. We’ll be seeing brilliant stories of solar powered community initiatives or health benefits of sustainably sourced foods for example. It’s these human impact stories that will start to power up climate communications in particular and this will in turn, drive adoption.

"And in a year when AI is set to be bigger than ever, the messages that cut through won’t be the ones that sound algorithmically perfect. They’ll be the ones that feel unmistakably human: hopeful, truthful and confident enough to show the real picture.

"Together, these shifts point to a more grounded and effective way of communicating sustainability - one that feels better suited to the moment we’re in."

Amelia Clark, founder of Capture Communications: "In 2026, we will see consumer and lifestyle PR shifting firmly towards incorporating IRL activations, stunts and experiences at the core of campaigns. These tactics will become the creative engine that everything builds from, rather than the “if budget allows” extra.

"As AI accelerates and digital fatigue deepens, brands will recognise that authenticity and real-world connection are no longer a “nice to have”, they’re the antidote to consumer fatigue. When audiences are numbed by the endless scroll, it’s the live, tangible moments that will give campaigns depth and memorability needed to cut through.

"And here’s the key. IRL won’t replace digital; it will supercharge it. Strong physical ideas naturally generate the kind of content social feeds actually want, the kind influencers can authentically weave brand storytelling around, and the kind that ultimately drives impact. Real experiences add cultural credibility that pure digital assets can’t replicate.

"Food and drink will be a particularly ripe space for this evolution. With HFSS regulations reshaping the landscape, brands will need to return to the fundamentals: taste, touch and shared human experience - sensory storytelling that builds trust.

"In this new environment, consumer PR becomes the glue bringing experiential, creative, digital and even retail teams together into the same conversation, ensuring campaigns land with genuine resonance, not just visibility with audiences."

Charlotte Chadwick, associate director at The Bliss Group: "In 2026, you can forget media training your executives to avoid going viral — we’ll be training them to go viral on purpose.

"When Astronomer faced a scandal and launched into the global zeitgeist this year, they ditched the earnest corporate statement playbook and went straight to creating a viral video, featuring Gwyneth Paltrow. They knew their response wasn’t simply about taking back control of the narrative, but it needed to be memorable, easily digestible and crucially...shareable. And it was genius. 

So how can B2B organisations use a similar direct-to-audience, conversational approach without a Hollywood-level crisis (or a Gwyneth Paltrow-sized budget)?

"There is a realignment of traditional media, as traditional outlets are now hiring heads of video, tasking corporate comms professionals to tell stories in a video or audio-first format, in truly engaging soundbites with shareability baked in.

"Meanwhile, reporters like CNN’s Max Foster are breaking news on TikTok before reporting via their outlets. For corporates, leading with executive voices, not company platforms, injects life into your stories and builds human connection. 2026 is about audience relations, not just media relations.

"But, in an increasingly distrustful world, credibility matters most. LinkedIn's algorithm, for example, rewards scrappy, straight-to-camera videos over polished perfection. More fundamentally, people still value knowing who they’re working with, especially in B2B. This isn't a trend, it's a rewiring of how corporate storytelling works, and 2026 will separate the companies that talk at audiences from those that talk with them."

Chris Fay, associate director, head of PR and communications at YAP Global: "In 2026, the lines between financial services, fintech and crypto PR will blur completely and the agencies that succeed will be those prepared to operate across all three. 

"During the year, mainstream and institutional adoption of digital assets accelerated while global regulatory clarity improved. In the background onchain infrastructure has become embedded in payments, lending, compliance and treasury management. And as a result of this the communications landscape has already transformed whether you realise it or not.

"One of the clearest trends of 2025 was the two-way crossover of expertise. We’ve seen Crypto companies increasingly turn to fintech agencies to help them speak the language of financial services, meet institutional expectations, and position themselves within regulated markets. Meanwhile, we’ve also seen Fintech companies come to crypto-native PR firms for guidance on tokenisation, onchain products, and entering a highly technical, fast-moving media cycle without missteps.

"This mutual dependence will define 2026. Journalists covering finance now expect spokespeople to understand stablecoins, tokenised assets and blockchain settlement as naturally as interest rates or compliance. Not just for readers, but also to help the media learn. At the same time, crypto reporters have moved into mainstream finance desks, raising the bar for technical accuracy and reducing tolerance for hype.

"For PR teams, there is a new mission it seems: in a world where we are clambering to train and understand AI we must also develop credible onchain literacy, build integrated narratives that bridge traditional and decentralised finance, and prepare clients for deeper scrutiny as the two worlds converge. 

"Fintech PR is becoming crypto PR, and crypto PR is becoming financial PR. Next year the agencies that throw themselves into this rather than treat it as an add-on they don’t fully understand will lead the industry conversation."