As part of our editorial coverage of the PR and communications research landscape, EC-PR’s managing director, Lorraine Emmett, analyses the latest research in her regular column.

This edition explores McKinsey’s State of Marketing Europe 2026: Past forward - the modern rethinking of marketing’s core, based on a survey of 500 senior marketing leaders across the UK and Europe, examining how trust, marketing effectiveness and the adoption of generative AI are reshaping marketing priorities, and the implications for PR and communications.

Key findings:

• Branding is ranked the number one priority for European CMOs

• Trust, authenticity and employer branding all feature in the top five priorities

• 72% of marketing leaders expect to increase marketing spend, but face greater pressure to prove ROI

• Only 6% of organisations consider themselves mature in using generative AI, despite reporting efficiency gains of over 20%

PRmoment's Ben Smith spoke with Lorraine Emmett to explore the findings:

What does the State of Marketing Europe research reveal about the current role of PR?

Lorraine Emmett: The report is very clear that branding and trust are back at the top of the agenda - not as fluffy concepts, but as commercial imperatives. McKinsey ranks branding as the number one priority for European CMOs, alongside trust-related disciplines such as authenticity and employer branding. What’s interesting is what that means in practice. In volatile markets, senior leaders are looking for credibility, reputation and emotional connection; approaching every decision from a position of caution. From a PR perspective, this is validation. PR is not an add-on to marketing; it is the discipline that builds reputation. You cannot market your way out of a trust deficit.

Why is trust emerging as such a dominant theme now?

LE: McKinsey’s report explicitly talks about a shift towards substance over spin, with trust earned through authentic proof points rather than brand promises alone. McKinsey’s research reflects a market where buyers are increasingly risk-averse. Whether we’re talking about consumers, procurement teams or boards, audiences are looking for reassurance - signals that an organisation is credible, competent and reliable. That’s where PR plays a critical role. Earned media, thought leadership, executive visibility and consistent narratives all act as third-party validation. Advertising can tell people who you are. PR shows them why they should believe you.

The research highlights a shift towards interactive and two-way engagement. What does that mean for communications teams?

LE: This is where PR should be leaning in hard. The report highlights how marketers are moving away from one-way messaging towards interactive branding and two-way dialogue. These are not new ideas for PR, but they are now central to how brands expect to grow. Media briefings, industry forums, webinars, roundtables and LinkedIn commentary are no longer nice to have. They are core marketing channels. If a business’s understanding of PR still starts and ends with press releases, they are missing the point entirely.

How does this research challenge traditional ideas about PR measurement?

LE: One of the strongest themes in the report is the pressure on CMOs to prove impact. The research shows a move towards full-funnel thinking - where brand, credibility and visibility support commercial outcomes. PR is no exception. But the answer is not crude metrics like coverage volume. PR professionals have to think outside the box – We need to capture how our themes and ideas shape market conversations, how spokespeople become trusted authorities, the frequency your messages are echoed by the media and buyers, and whether sales cycles shorten because credibility is already in place.

What does the report suggest about AI and its impact on PR and communications?

LE: There’s a healthy realism in the responses. Sixty-two per cent of those surveyed said they believe that human creative teams are irreplaceable to produce differentiating, high quality creative concepts and content – even if generative AI becomes an essential part of the creative process. This matters enormously for PR. AI can help with research, monitoring and scaling content, but trust cannot be automated. In fact, the overuse of AI-generated content risks eroding credibility if it leads to sameness, blandness or inaccuracy.

AI should amplify expertise, not impersonate it. I believe PR professionals who understand how to use AI without sacrificing authenticity will be the ones who thrive.

What should CMOs and communications leaders take away from this research?

LE: The overarching message from the report is that trust is no longer a soft outcome - it is a commercial asset. Branding, authenticity and reputation are being re-centred because they drive long-term value, not short-term clicks. From my perspective, what this research shows is that the organisations that will win are those that invest in strategic PR: clear positioning, strong editorial thinking, credible spokespeople and consistent narratives across channels. At a time when marketing leaders are under pressure to justify every pound spent, PR’s ability to build belief, confidence and trust may be its strongest commercial argument yet. Because when trust is the foundation of growth, the question isn’t whether you can afford PR, it’s whether you can afford not to invest in it.