How women are leading the way in PR

Public Relations has always been about creating stories and managing reputations, but for a long time, the industry itself had a bit of an image problem —it was seen as a boys’ club. You see, PR in the early days did not look like a dynamic, fast-paced and socially savvy (i.e woke) industry as we know it today. Instead, imagine a smoke-filled boardroom with men in suits controlling narratives and crafting stories over whiskey.

Women, if they were present at all, were often relegated to secretarial roles, taking meeting minutes, notes or scheduling appointments. Just picture any episode in Mad Men and you’ll know exactly what I mean (was Mad Men about advertising or PR? What even is the difference between advertising and PR?)  

Crisis management, corporate communications and branding strategies were seen as high-stakes, requiring an authoritative voice (authoritative = male?), and PR’s reputation as a buttoned-up, male-dominated, field, meant it wasn’t exactly welcoming to women who wanted to do more than just note taking. However, as the industry evolved, so did its gender dynamics. Women weren’t just writing pitches, they were rewriting the script entirely. 

A much-needed rebrand for the industry

What was the turning point you ask? Realising that women weren’t just a niche audience, but the audience. As the primary decision-makers in most households, women controlled a significant portion of household spending. From groceries to beauty products, apparel and even appliances, women were calling the shots!

As the years went by, this trend only grew stronger, with women influencing not just household purchases but major financial decisions such as cars and real estate. Marketers quickly caught on and realised that ignoring women as key consumers would be a costly mistake. But then came the conundrum. It became increasingly obvious, that men (or most men at least #notallmen)   simply could not see things from a woman’s perspective leading to tone-deaf campaigns, outdated messaging and missed opportunities altogether. It wasn’t just about increasing sales,  but about reshaping how brands communicated with their audience as a whole. 

 As brands doubled down on their efforts to speak to women, the need for diverse voices in industries like  PR and marketing grew. This shift wasn’t just about representation —it was about results. This new era of PR demanded a blend of strategic thinking, empathy, emotional intelligence and the ability to build genuine connections (all qualities that women long brought to the table). And in an industry where understanding your audience is everything, women proved they were the ones who truly got it. 

Fast forward to today

Today, women make up roughly two-thirds of the global PR force, making it evident that women not only dominate the industry but lead it as well. But let’s be clear, this isn’t about replacing the boys’ club with a girls’ club. PR has never been about a singular voice, but about understanding and representing the diverse voices of the people. This means making room for all kinds of PR professionals. With audiences becoming increasingly diverse and socially aware, brands can no longer get away with it. 

After all, what makes a great PR campaign you ask? One that can spark discussions, drive change and shape public perception and this can only be achieved through inclusivity and ensuring that different stories, cultures, experiences and viewpoints are reflected in the stories we craft for our brands.

This International Women’s Day let’s take a moment to appreciate how far the PR industry has come, not just in welcoming women, but appreciating them for their unique voice and contributions to the industry. We’ve come a long way from a time when women were sidelined and confined to menial roles. Though so, progress does not stop here.

The goal never was to swap one dominant voice for another but to create an industry that’s as diverse, unique and authentic as the audience we serve. As we celebrate the women who opened the doors and paved the way for PR as we know it today, let’s also recognise the importance of keeping those doors open for more unique voices regardless of gender, background or their stance on whether PR and advertising are actually different (we checked, it is). 

Happy IWD 2025 from all of us at SYNC PR! Feel free to reach us at hello(@)syncpr.co for any enquiries or to simply thank the incredible women on our team for running PR (and the world if Beyonce is to be believed).