The spokesperson model is being rewritten. That’s why PR matters more than ever

For most of the past few decades, the corporate spokesperson’s job barely changed.

To get additional credibility for their organisation, they borrowed it from the media.

A mention in the Financial Times, the BBC or a respected trade publication wasn’t solely about reaching an audience. It was about drawing on the institutional authority of the publication itself. The journalist writing the piece mattered, but largely because of who they worked for.

The spokesperson’s role in this endeavour was relatively straightforward – at least in terms of the mechanics:

• Build relationships with journalists
• Provide quotable expertise
• Stay on corporate message
• Secure coverage

Today, that model is being disrupted from multiple directions.

Three shifts that changed the spokesperson role

1. Journalists became brands

The first shift began gradually with the rise of social media.

Suddenly people weren’t just following the BBC, TechCrunch or The Wall Street Journal. They were also following personalities like Rory Cellan-Jones, Mike Butcher, Kara Swisher and countless other specialist reporters covering their own niches.

The journalist – rather than the publication – was becoming the destination.

But for company spokespeople, relatively little changed. They still built journalist relationships, provided expertise and sought coverage through established media outlets i.e. even if their way into the conversation was through a different channel, the credibility was still conferred by the institution.

2. Publishers lost their monopoly on distribution

The second disruption has been far more significant. The rise of platforms like Substack has fundamentally changed how publishing works.

Established journalists can now leave traditional newsrooms and take their audiences with them. Their relationship with readers is no longer mediated by a publisher.

This development has also meant that publishing is no longer the preserve of journalists. Analysts, investors and industry experts can build their own editorial platforms without ever working for a media organisation.

In this new landscape, influence increasingly exists outside traditional media institutions.

For corporate spokespeople, this has dramatically expanded the communications landscape. It’s no longer enough to target the mainstream media; they must also engage with independent newsletters, Substacks, podcasts, YouTube channels, specialist communities and other creator-led platforms.

3. Executives are now expected to compete as personalities

This is the biggest change for corporate spokespeople.

In the old model, credibility largely flowed from the institutions behind them – from their employer and from the publication quoting them.

Today, the credibility increasingly resides with the individuals themselves.

Commentator relationships are becoming personality-to-personality based rather than brand-to-brand. Success depends less on representing a company well and more on becoming someone whose perspective people actively seek out.

In practice, that means the modern spokesperson must be part company representative, part industry commentator and – whether they like the term or not – part creator.

That is an entirely different job.

Why “build a personal brand” isn’t a strategy

Many organisations have responded to these shifts with a simple conclusion: every executive should now build a personal brand.

In theory, that sounds sensible. But in reality, it’s far more difficult than it appears. LinkedIn is full of executives posting generic ‘personal’ reflections on leadership, AI, innovation and culture. Most fail to cut through the noise.

For decades, executives weren’t expected to develop distinctive public viewpoints. Their role was to communicate the company’s position (using their experience more as a right to speak) – not necessarily share a perspective of their own.

Now they’re being asked to become commentators almost overnight.

The filters have come off

Adding to the challenge, today’s “media” personalities – particularly in my tech world – often appear far less filtered than previous generations.

Whether that’s because they’re genuinely more outspoken or because social platforms amplify their voices more than was previously possible is almost beside the point. The result is the same.

Strong opinions secure the lion’s share of column inches.

That creates an uncomfortable dilemma for corporate spokespeople. How do you compete for attention when others are willing – and seemingly able – to say almost anything?

A public company CEO, a regulated business or a venture-backed founder doesn’t have the same freedom as an independent commentator whose livelihood depends on subscriber growth – or who has enough money not to care about the consequences either way.

This is why PR becomes more valuable – not less

It’s been argued that communications professionals are becoming obsolete because executives can publish directly on their platform of choice.

I’d suggest the opposite is true. The value of communications is no longer primarily about gaining access to media in order to deliver a corporate message. It’s about helping spokespeople become worth listening to as individuals (without necessarily courting sensational headlines).

Increasingly, that means helping leaders answer questions like:

• What do I have permission to talk about?
• Which opinions genuinely differentiate me?
• Which conversations should I deliberately avoid?
• Where can I add something new rather than repeat everyone else?
• Which voices and platforms actually reach my audience?
• How do I build credibility over years?

Successfully navigating these questions requires the strategic judgement, message discipline and the external perspective that great communications advisers bring.

The future spokesperson

The old spokesperson borrowed credibility from institutions.

The future spokesperson will have to earn credibility in their own right.

Not by becoming a full-time content creator or posting every day on LinkedIn, but by developing a clear perspective, consistently contributing to conversations that matter, and showing up where their audiences already spend time.

In line with this, the best PR professionals will help organisations identify the voices worth amplifying, shape perspectives people genuinely want to hear, and build the long-term credibility their spokespeople need to succeed in a fragmented media landscape.