Companies grow quieter as polarisation reshapes PR

The USC Annenberg Centre for Public Relations has published its 2026 Global Communication Report, examining how polarisation is reshaping corporate speech. The survey points to a more cautious approach among public relations professionals.

Support for companies taking positions on social issues unrelated to their core business has fallen 38 per cent since the killing of George Floyd. Still, 55 per cent of respondents agree that companies have a responsibility to advocate for or support social issues.

Researchers described the change as a "quiet shift" in corporate communication, with companies moving away from broad purpose-led messaging towards a more situational approach to public engagement. The findings suggest organisations are speaking more selectively as political and social division shapes communications strategy.

Polarisation also appears to be elevating the role of communication teams inside companies. According to the survey, 91 per cent of public relations professionals said it had increased the importance of public relations within their organisations.

Rising caution

The study found that 81 per cent of PR professionals believe polarisation in the United States is high or extremely high, compared with 69 per cent of the general public.

Views differed across age groups. Gen X and Baby Boomer PR professionals were more likely to see current levels of polarisation as severe, while Gen Z and Millennial communicators were closer to the views of the wider public.

There was also a split over how communications teams should respond. Agency professionals were more likely to favour a proactive approach, with 53 per cent supporting what the report called "playing offense", while 44 per cent of in-house professionals favoured a defensive posture.

Silence is also gaining ground as a tactic. Overall, 41 per cent of PR professionals said silence can sometimes be the most effective communication strategy in a polarised environment, rising to 52 per cent among in-house communicators.

The findings point to a shift not only in public messaging but also in internal decision-making. More than two-thirds of in-house communicators said they believe their organisations are likely to restructure the PR function in the near term.

Changing priorities

External stakeholder priorities are also shifting. More than 60 per cent of PR professionals said elected officials and government agency stakeholders had grown in importance over the past year.

That shift is reflected in investment expectations. Respondents expect increased spending over the next five years on artificial intelligence, crisis communication and government relations, while investment in diversity, equity and inclusion, sustainability and purpose-driven initiatives is expected to decline.

The study also linked polarisation to workplace strain, finding that it is harming mental health and employee morale. Even so, sentiment about the sector's prospects remained broadly positive, with 72 per cent of PR professionals saying they are optimistic about the profession's future growth.

Fred Cook, director of the USC Annenberg Centre for Public Relations, said the findings show the profession has become more central even as some companies choose to say less.

"Polarisation has magnified the value of PR, even though many companies are communicating less," Cook said.

"But the shift from playing offense to defense requires a different skill set and mindset. The decisions we make today will have an outsized impact on the future of the profession."

Meltwater supported production of the report alongside the International Association of Business Communicators. Chief executive officer John Box said communicators are under greater pressure to respond to contested issues with clear judgment.

"Today's environment demands more from communicators than ever before. As brands navigate complex, polarised issues, communications must deliver clarity, context and confidence in how organisations show up," Box said.

"Data has become central to that role, providing real-time insight into public sentiment, risk and where brands should engage. The most effective communicators use those insights to help their companies listen closely, engage thoughtfully and make decisions grounded in evidence and purpose, protecting reputation and building long-term trust."