Businesses are facing a communications environment that is changing faster than at any point in recent memory. From AI-driven search and shrinking newsrooms to rising expectations on leadership visibility, the rules around reputation, influence, and trust are shifting. For leaders and communications teams, understanding what is coming next is no longer optional.

In this episode of CRUNCH, HMC Director Heather Claycomb is joined by senior account managers Emma Letessier, Natalie Swart, and Vicki Jones to reflect briefly on four PR trends that shaped 2025, before turning their attention firmly to 2026. The heart of the conversation focuses on five PR forces the team believes will have the greatest impact on businesses this year.

Drawing on hands-on experience working with organisations across New Zealand, the discussion explores why earned media is regaining strategic importance, how AI search is changing what visibility really means, and why human, credible storytelling is cutting through more than ever. The team also examines the growing role of thought leadership in steering narratives, and the emerging risks around misinformation and deep fakes in an election year.

If you lead a business, manage a communications or marketing team, or advise organisations on reputation and influence, this episode will help you think more clearly about where to focus your effort in 2026, and how to build communications that stand up in a rapidly changing environment.

Key Takeaways:

• Earned media is regaining strategic value as AI tools increasingly rely on credible news coverage to assess trust and authority.
• AI search is now a core audience in its own right, influencing how long-form content, messaging, and visibility need to be planned.
• Media scarcity is raising the bar on storytelling, with human insight, strong angles, and clear evidence more important than ever.
• Thought leadership, when done well and consistently, is becoming one of the most effective ways to steer narratives and build credibility.
• Misinformation and deep fakes present growing reputational risk, particularly as New Zealand heads into an election year.

Companies mentioned in this episode:

• hmc
• ChatGPT
• Meta
• Andromeda
• New Zealand Herald
• Stuff
• Radio New Zealand
• TVNZ
• Sora
• Jeremy Carrasco