WEALTH September 5, 2026 0 Comments

Why Every Association’s Future Hinges on Earned PR (and Most Don’t Even Realize It)

Ever wonder why some marketing firms just seem to get the magic formula while others spin their wheels in the mud? It’s not just about flashy ads or loud campaigns—it’s fundamentally about connections, networking, and relationships. Rebecca Burrell, the savvy Managing Director of Burrell Marketing and Publicity, nails it when she says much of their business hinges on these human elements. In a world drowning in noise, her team is cutting through the clutter by fostering authentic partnerships, leveraging local insights, and embracing AI to sharpen strategy rather than just checking boxes. Clients today are more scrutinous than ever, balancing tighter margins with the relentless battle for consumer attention. Yet, Burrell’s approach isn’t just about chasing metrics—it’s about winning real trust through transparency and values, while still keeping a finger on the pulse of emerging trends like virtual reality brand experiences. It’s refreshing, it’s smart, and it’s the kind of savvy that keeps clients coming back for a decade or more. Curious how this blend of old-school relationship-building and cutting-edge tactics translates into success? LEARN MORE

‘Much of our business is built on connections, networking and relationships’ – Rebecca Burrell, Managing Director, Burrell Marketing and Publicity

ACTIVITY

Authentic creator partnerships and local brand building have been the main areas of growth, along with events launching new products and services.

Our clients are looking for creative campaigns that cut through all the ‘noise’.

They want to build trust with customers/consumers and have moved towards greater share of voice and relying more on integrated messaging.

We have found that AI has freed us up from certain tasks so we can focus on strategy and relationship building.

WHAT’S CHANGED

Clients are looking more closely at local market insights, key performance indicators and performance-linked metrics. This is driven by higher costs, tighter margins and lots of brands fighting for share in a competitive market.

AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT

While we have strengthened our focus on social media and podcasts – and building stories that work natively on each platform – we still engage with traditional channels as 80 per cent of the market still checks Irish news brands to verify what they see online.

Earned PR is trusted by association, so third-party validation, transparency and values are paramount. It’s essential that brands win trust from consumers, and show proof of their values in real terms.

HUMAN-CENTRED APPROACH

Much of our business is built on connections, networking and relationships. As a team, we pride ourselves on the solid, long-term relationships we have built within the media/PR community.

A number of our clients have retained us for over 10 years.We know this is partly based on who we are as well as what we do and achieve.

KEY TREND

We think interactive brand experiences will be on the rise, for example augmented-reality and virtual-reality press packs and live virtual events.