KOJ Communication Urges South African Firms To Harness PR Alongside Marketing Channels

Yet, in South Africa's tightening economic climate, PR remains one of the most misunderstood and underutilised business tools.

This according to Candice Burgess-Look, Managing Director at KOJ Communication, who believes that South African businesses are missing an opportunity by ignoring PR in favour of flashier but less sustainable marketing channels. The two models should instead be working together and not in isolation.

There's still a knowledge gap when it comes to understanding the difference between earned media (PR) and paid media (advertising). Both have their place and I fully support the function of paid media platforms — they play a critical part in communication strategies, but I think with all the noise out there, there's a real need for thought-leadership and educational content that resonates with an audience. And this is where PR plays a powerful role for businesses.

As an industry leader working with clients in finance, education, healthcare, technology and more, I have seen firsthand how strategic PR offers cost-effective reach, long-term brand credibility and unparalleled ROI. In this economy where everyone is cutting costs, PR is often the first to go, which I believe can be  a mistake. Companies are still stuck in a model that prioritises costly ad spend, not realising that PR can deliver more than double the media value for the same investment.

PR is no longer just a support function, but rather a strategic driver of visibility, trust and long-term impact, especially in the age of AI.

PR is not a luxury but a necessity, especially in the age of AI-driven search. The shift from Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) to Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO) means that authoritative editorial content now outranks paid promotions on Google and other platforms.

If your company isn't generating consistent, credible content in reputable media, AI and search engines won't find you. You're invisible in the most critical business conversations. Modern PR is about building authority, not just visibility.

Possible talking points of PR as a strategic business function may include:

• What is PR? What is its main role or function? Isn't it just crisis communication? 
• What's PR spin and how does it influence businesses and the end-users trust in PR? 
• The cost factor and ROI of PR.
• How does a business know if they need PR?
• How do you measure PR?
• Why AI and AEO are changing the rules of digital discoverability.
• What business leaders need to understand about the strategic function of PR in today's business landscape.

For more information, visit www.kojcommunication.com. You can also follow KOJ Communications on LinkedIn, or on Instagram.

*Image courtesy of contributor