2025 has been a rollercoaster for PR, media and digital comms. From AI rewriting search to fake experts testing journalists’ patience, this year’s headlines have reminded us why trust and timing still matter more than clicks.
Here’s what stood out to the Midnight team this year – and what it means for B2B brands heading into 2026.
When AI disrupted search, B2B PR had to rebuild trust
If 2024 was the year of AI hype, 2025 was when the hangover hit.
We started the year asking if Google’s days were numbered and ended with publishers mourning the death of clicks. AI-powered search stopped being a novelty and became the new normal, rewriting the rules for visibility, SEO and media coverage.
In February, we watched traditional search begin to crumble as more people flocked to generative tools for answers. By June, journalists were being accused of publishing AI stories that weren’t – they’d been lied to by human sources. The public no longer knew who or what to trust.
August brought with it the data to prove it: traffic to top publishers like Forbes had plummeted by more than 50% since Google started replacing links with AI summaries. By October, Google removed the option to view more than 10 search results. The internet officially shrank.
Meanwhile, a speaker at BrightonSEO cheerfully explained how to create a ‘fake expert’ for brands using AI – a headline that made every PR professional wince. If 2024’s buzzword was innovation, then 2025’s was integrity.
The digital landscape might be driven by machines, but credibility still needs a human face. When algorithms start curating the truth, it’s the communicators who prove they’re real, transparent and trustworthy that will cut through the noise.
The collapse of trust and its impact on B2B PR
Trust punctuated 2025 – or rather, lack of it.
Meta scrapped its fact-checking team, a decision that aged about as well as an unrefrigerated prawn sandwich. Obviously, a flood of misinformation followed, another blow to public confidence in the platforms that shape how we see the world.
In November, the BBC lost both its director general and head of news in the same day. A misedited Trump clip in Panorama documentary reopened questions about bias, transparency and standards at one of the world’s most trusted news outlets. It was the latest in a long run of blows for the broadcaster, from the Huw Edwards scandal to the MasterChef resignations. Somewhere between those moments, public faith in reliable sources took a battering.
Whether you’re a global newsroom or a niche brand, trust is earned one decision at a time and lost in a heartbeat.
What 2025 proved about leadership comms in B2B PR
This year gave us a masterclass on how not to communicate under pressure.
In May, Prince Harry reminded everyone why media training exists. His BBC interview, raw, defensive and still clearly fuelled by anger, became a case study in how emotion can eclipse a message. As PR adviser David Yelland put it: you never go into an interview hot. He’s not wrong.
Just a few weeks later, Airbnb Ceo Brian Chesky managed to fumble what should have been an easy opportunity for empathy. When asked about anti-tourism protests in Europe, he blamed hotels, called Airbnb a ‘scapegoat’ and told Barcelona’s mayor to ‘build more homes’. A bold choice for a billionaire profiting from short term lets.
And then there was Heathrow. When the airport shut down, the CEO was reportedly asleep – and that’s all anyone remembered. It didn’t matter how slick the crisis comms were afterwards; the damage was done.
The lesson across all these stories is the same: leadership is communication. Visibility matters, empathy matters more, and timing is crucial.
The leaders who got it right this year were the ones who showed up and showed understanding. They knew when to pause, when to own mistakes and when to let their teams take the spotlight. These days, being seen isn’t enough. Being human is what lands.
What the DEI backlash meant for purpose-led B2B PR
Diversity and inclusion has never been more divisive.
At the beginning of the year, tech giants started rolling back their DEI programmes, a trend that doesn’t exactly scream progress. But while some American boardrooms quietly stepped away, UK organisations mostly stood firm. As we said back in February: purpose led businesses can’t afford to follow the US lead.
By September, that message hit home in a big way. National Inclusion week arrived with the theme ‘Now is the Time’, but headlines were dominated by Tommy Robinson’s 150,000 strong far-right rally in London, flag controversies across the country and a state visit from POTUS himself. The timing couldn’t have been more jarring. For brands, it was a stark reminder that inclusion messaging can’t live in a vacuum. What’s happening in the wider world shapes how your words are received.
There were some overdue wins, too. In October, the Law Society finally retired ‘Dear Sirs’ from official correspondence – a small linguistic shift that spoke volumes about progress in tone, representation and respect.
Across it all, one thing stood out: inclusion isn’t about hashtags or heritage months. It’s about consistency. The brands that quietly embedded fairness and representation into how they communicate were the ones that stayed credible when the culture wars flared up.
LinkedIn’s quiet transformation and the B2B PR advantage
Whilst everyone was busy arguing about AI algorithms, the platforms quietly changed the rules. Again.
Meanwhile, LinkedIn quietly took over as the grown-up social network of choice. New analytics now reveal which posts actually converted followers, video content exploded and engagement metrics finally started rewarding substance over clickbait. For B2B brands, this was the year the platform stopped being a CV hub and became a storytelling powerhouse.
Elsewhere, the influencer economy kept evolving and maturing. HMRC’s decision to class press trips and gifted experiences as taxable income was the nail in the coffin for the freebie era. Journalists and creators have been pushing back, asking to be paid fairly, rather than paid in exposure.
Across all of this, one pattern emerged: transparency wins. Whether it’s a brand explaining its partnerships, a journalist clarifying how content is made, or a leader admitting they don’t have all the answers – honesty consistently outperforms gloss.
The platforms might keep shifting but the principle doesn’t. People want stories with substance, not spin.
What it all means for B2B PR in 2026
If 2025 proved anything, it’s that progress isn’t linear and comms certainly isn’t getting any simpler.
AI tried to automate credibility, search got smaller and misinformation got louder. We’ve always said we’re not here to chase clicks, we’re here to build connection. This year reminded us that the job isn’t about hacking algorithms or outsmarting headlines, it’s about telling the truth, clearly and creatively, in a world that needs more of both.
The best campaigns we saw this year weren’t the flashiest. They were the ones that felt honest. Brands that owned their values, admitted their mistakes and spoke like humans came out stronger. Those that didn’t… were scrolled past.
So, as we wrap up 2025, we’re choosing optimism. The landscape’s messy, but it’s also full of opportunity.
About the author
Henrietta Beldham-Owen is Midnight’s Social Media Manager, helping B2B brands shine on social media.
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