"When shit hits the fan, which brand do you instinctively go back to?"

It's a question I find myself asking surprisingly often.

I'm a self-proclaimed beauty fiend, so let's use skincare as an example. I enjoy trying new products, testing the latest launches and seeing what's trending. But the moment my skin reacts badly or I need something I know will work, I instinctively reach for the brands I trust.

That decision isn't made in that moment.

It's the result of years of experiences, recommendations, product quality, customer service, conversations and countless interactions that have quietly built confidence over time.

And that's when I realised something.

This is exactly what great communications is supposed to do.

Not generate attention. Not chase headlines. Not go viral. But build enough trust that when the moment of decision arrives, people already know who they'll choose.

Because ultimately, this isn't really an article about PR. It's about what reputation is worth in an age where attention is cheap.

In fact, I'd argue that we've spent years measuring PR by the wrong metric. We've celebrated media coverage, impressions and share of voice, when the real outcome has always been something far more valuable: trust.

Over the years, I've watched organisations proudly present magazine covers, billboard placements and media clippings as proof of a successful communications campaign.

They look impressive in a presentation deck. They spark conversations. They create visibility.

But I always find myself asking the same question.

What happened next?

Did people trust the brand more? Did perception actually change? Did sales conversations become easier? Did customers choose them over a competitor?

Or was it simply a moment people talked about over afternoon tea before moving on to the next headline?

Communications shouldn't be measured by how loud you were yesterday. It should be measured by what people remember tomorrow.

So, is there really no such thing as bad publicity?

There's an old saying in public relations that goes, "There's no such thing as bad publicity."

It's one of the most quoted phrases in our industry—and probably one of the most misunderstood.

For celebrities, entertainers and internet personalities, the statement can sometimes hold true. Their business model revolves around attention. Whether people love them or hate them, staying relevant is often more valuable than being universally liked.

Businesses operate differently.

A restaurant doesn't survive because people are talking about it. 

A bank doesn't win customers because it's trending.

A healthcare provider isn't chosen because everyone has heard of it.

Businesses succeed because people trust them.

That's an important distinction.

In today's world, attention is easier to buy than ever before. You can launch paid campaigns, work with influencers, create viral content or invest heavily in advertising.

Awareness is no longer the hardest part.

Trust is.

Awareness gets you noticed. Reputation determines whether people choose you.

One of the biggest misconceptions I encounter is when brands equate communications success with visibility.

"We need more media coverage."

"We need people talking about us."

"We need more exposure."

None of these objectives are wrong.

But they're incomplete.

The better question is this:

What do you want people to think after they've heard about you?

Because awareness is simply the introduction.

Reputation is the impression that remains.

Communications isn't just about making your brand visible.

It's about deliberately shaping what people come to believe about your business over time.

That's why PR has never been about collecting headlines.

It's about creating confidence.

PR doesn't create reputation. It amplifies it.

This is where I think many organisations misunderstand the role of communications.

A single press release cannot fix poor customer experience.

One CEO interview cannot repair years of broken trust.

A viral campaign cannot compensate for an inconsistent brand.

Communications doesn't replace reality.

It amplifies it.

Great communications shines a spotlight on what's already true about your organisation. If your product delivers, your people care, your leadership is credible and your business consistently creates value, communications helps more people recognise that.

But if those foundations aren't there, communications can only go so far.

That's why reputation isn't something you build during a crisis.

It's something you've been building long before the crisis ever arrives.

The three questions every customer is really asking

These aren't questions customers consciously ask while browsing your website or scrolling through social media.

In fact, most people will never verbalise them.

They're subconscious filters—mental shortcuts our brains use to reduce uncertainty and make decisions faster. Long before someone clicks "Buy Now", signs a contract or walks through your doors, they're already forming answers based on everything they've seen, heard and experienced about your brand.

Whether they realise it or not, every customer is trying to answer three simple questions.

1. Do I know you?

This is awareness.

People can't choose a brand they've never heard of.

Marketing, advertising, events and PR all play a role in creating visibility.

But visibility alone rarely drives loyalty.

2. Do I believe you?

This is trust.

Do your actions match your messaging?

Do others speak positively about you?

Are you consistent across every touchpoint?

Every press release.

Every customer review.

Every executive interview.

Every LinkedIn post.

Every employee interaction.

Every crisis response.

They're all answering this question—whether you intended them to or not.

3. Would I choose you again?

This is reputation.

Reputation isn't what you say about yourself.

It's what people remember when you're no longer in the room.

It's why some brands become people's default choice, even when newer or cheaper alternatives appear.

Because reputation reduces uncertainty.

And when people are uncertain, they naturally gravitate towards what they trust.

Communications starts long before people need you

One of the biggest shifts I've seen over the years is that many brands only think about communications when they have something to announce.

A product launch. A partnership. A funding round. An event. A crisis.

But communications isn't something you switch on when you need attention.

The strongest brands communicate consistently long before they need customers to make a decision.

They educate. They share expertise. They contribute meaningful perspectives. They tell stories that reinforce what they stand for. They show up repeatedly—not because they have something to sell every week, but because they understand that reputation is built through consistency, not campaigns.

By the time customers are ready to buy, the decision often feels obvious.

Not because of one great article.

Not because of one successful press release.

Not because of one billboard.

But because trust has been quietly accumulating for months—or even years.

So what does great PR actually do?

People often ask me whether PR is still relevant today.

My answer is always the same.

More than ever.

Not because media coverage is harder to earn.

But because trust has become harder to earn.

We live in a world where every brand can publish content, run ads and claim to be the best.

Communications helps answer a much more important question:

Why should anyone believe you?

That's where reputation becomes your competitive advantage.

Not because everyone knows your name.

But because the right people know what your name stands for.

Final thoughts

Whenever I think about communications, I come back to the same question.

When shit hits the fan, which brand do you instinctively go back to?

That answer is rarely influenced by one advertisement, one press release or one viral campaign.

It's shaped by every interaction you've had with that brand over time.

Every story.

Every experience.

Every promise kept.

That's reputation.

And that's why I believe we've been measuring PR wrong all along.

Great PR has never been about getting featured.

It's about building the kind of reputation that people return to when certainty matters most.