Your PR Strategy is Probably Outdated
What you need to prioritize and pivot to heading into the second half of 2026.
There was a time when the summer in PR meant lighter Fridays and slower news cycles. Half the industry was technically online while answering emails from the Jitney or the Nantucket Ferry with nothing but a flimsy hotspot keeping them connected. (To be fair, this part is still very much alive.)
But the idea that summer is some kind of strategic slowdown for comms teams? Dead. At least…it is this summer.
Summer 2026 is shaping up to be less of a quiet season and more “the communications industry’s live-action reboot.”
The savviest PR people are taking the next three months to reassess *gestures wildly* all things. Rewiring executive visibility strategies. Stress-testing AI tools. Rethinking search. And they’re also trying to figure out how to operate in a world where a Reddit thread, a podcast clip, and a ChatGPT summary can now shape brand reputation faster than a traditional feature story.
The communications landscape didn’t just evolve. It fragmented, accelerated, algorithmically mutated, and then handed everyone a ring light and a microphone.
To stay ahead of the curve, here’s what you should be prioritizing heading into the second half of 2026.
1. Elevate Your AI Strategy Beyond ChatGPT
There are still communications teams proudly saying things like: “We’re experimenting with AI.”
Great. And, at this point, that sounds a little like Blockbuster announcing they were “looking into streaming.”
If your AI strategy begins and ends with using ChatGPT to polish quotes, tighten up pitches, or rewrite LinkedIn posts, you’re already behind.
