PR vs communications: One wins headlines as the other wins trust, long-term growth

Yes, PR plays an important role, particularly in shaping public perception and managing media relations. But communications is much broader.

It is the strategic backbone that frames how your brand is understood by all your stakeholders customers, investors, employees, regulators, and the public. Communications is the investor pitch deck that convinces a venture capital firm in Westlands to back your innovation.

It is the 2 am crisis call when an outdoor advert on Thika Road becomes the centre of a negative story and your reputation is on the line. It is the internal memo that keeps a workforce at a bank, county government, or NGO aligned when systems fail or major change is underway.

I have walked the journey of being that “one-person comms team” juggling media requests, managing social channels, preparing speeches, responding to crises, and still being expected to shape brand strategy.

It is a great learning curve, but here is the reality: no one can be strategist, writer, analyst, crisis manager, and brand voice all at once. And no matter how advanced AI becomes, organisations will still need human communicators who can see the bigger picture how communications connects to strategy, the ecosystem, and long-term growth.

When companies reduce communications to a single “PR person”, the function shifts from being a strategic driver to merely firefighting.

Instead of scaling trust and alignment, the role is reduced to just keeping the lights on.

Smart Kenyan organisations have realised this. KenGen does not just have PR officers; it has a communications function that integrates corporate affairs, investor relations, sustainability, digital, and crisis management. Equity Group has built a strong communications strategy that ensures millions of customers, regulators, and partners understand and trust the brand.

That is not just PR that is communications at scale.

The value of communications is simple but profound. It is not fluff; it is infrastructure. It is how you build credibility in the market, retain top talent, manage crises, and keep diverse stakeholders pulling in the same direction.

It is time we stopped confusing PR with communications. One wins headlines. The other wins trust, alignment, and long-term growth.

The writer is the Corporate Communications Manager at Stima DT Sacco Society Ltd. The views expressed are his own and do not represent those of the Sacco. Email: [email protected]