Every December and January, the PR and comms world lights up with prediction pieces. Some are insightful. Some are… aspirational at best. And here at PANBlast, our SaaS PR agency leaders were chomping at the bit to look into their crystal balls and share what they see for the year ahead.
The responses were so rich (and honestly, too long for one blog) that we’re splitting them into two parts. This first post covers the predictions that have nothing to do with AI (how unconventional!) because yes, there’s still plenty happening in comms that doesn’t involve large language models.
(Curious about our AI takes? Stay tuned for part two, dropping soon.)
So grab your coffee, wine, or mocktail and settle in as we discuss what’s next in communications.
Crisis Comms Gets Weird (In the Best Way)
Remember when crisis response meant issuing a carefully worded apology statement and calling it a day? Yeah, we don’t either.
Jake Doll, Director at PANBlast, points to Astronomer’s crisis response as a harbinger of what’s to come: “Astronomer’s response to crisis wasn’t from a templated playbook. The team rolled together boldness, creativity, influencer marketing and brand awareness. The traditional expectations of formalities and budget will be pushed to the wayside to approach sensitive issues with a new balance of tact and weird.”
Tact and weird. That’s the energy for 2026.
When things go sideways, brands that lean into creativity, rather than corporate-speak, will be the ones that actually connect with their audiences. Templates are out. Boldness is in. Just make sure your “weird” still has substance behind it.
PR Teams: Welcome to the Front Lines
If you thought 2024 was chaotic, buckle up. Kim Jefferson, SVP, predicts that 2026 will push PR’s role as brand protector into overdrive:
“With US politics fueling nonstop news cycles and division, issues response has to be in the comms DNA, not just an afterthought. PR teams will monitor conversations in real time, act fast and help navigate when to speak up or step back. Walking a tightrope in a volatile online climate, PR will balance protecting public trust with promoting brands and thought leaders.”
This is especially critical in SaaS PR, where software and AI brands often try to stay “above the fray” of political and social issues. However, neutrality is no longer always an option. The brands that thrive will be the ones that embed issues monitoring and rapid response into their communications strategy from day one, knowing when to speak up, when to stay quiet, and how to move fast when something breaks.
The Newsletter Reckoning Is Coming
Newsletters have exploded over the past few years. Everyone and their VP of Marketing has one. But Jake Doll warns that we’re approaching a tipping point:
“Newsletters are like Labubus: trendy, fun, and some people have six. But attention is finite. As newsrooms shrink and corporate storytelling booms, inboxes will overflow. Expect readers to start hitting unsubscribe more often. That doesn’t mean don’t launch! There will be plenty of people that tire out from running one. Instead, this means commit to the long haul and differentiate.”The key word here? Differentiate. If you’re launching a newsletter in 2026, you better have a clear point of view and value prop. Give people a reason to keep opening, or they won’t.
PR Pros Are Becoming the Story
For decades, PR professionals have been the ultimate behind-the-scenes players. We craft the messages, prep the spokespeople, and then quietly exit stage left. But Grace Williams, SVP, sees that changing:
“For as much as we deal in large-scale communications, most of us have built careers staying behind the curtain. We prefer to prep execs for interviews, not give them ourselves. But public intrigue in the how behind bold campaigns is pulling PR people into the conversation. Think of Zaria Parvez at Duolingo, the team shaping Gavin Newsom’s suddenly meme-worthy Twitter, or the brains behind Goop’s Astronomer stunt. Audiences want to know who’s driving the voice, not just the face.”
Add LinkedIn’s relentless push for personal branding, and you have a perfect storm pushing comms pros into the spotlight. In 2026, expect more PR people to become recognizable names in their own right, not just the puppet masters pulling strings from backstage.
Companies Are Becoming Media Empires
Lydia Beechler, Director, sees a fundamental shift in how companies approach content creation:
“Today’s content creation often focuses on being a piece of the puzzle—a blog, a LinkedIn post, a single podcast episode. Marketing and comms professionals are very much viewing it as a way to feed search engines (whether traditional or AI) and drive short-term traffic with specific topics in mind. It’s a transactional approach. In 2026, we’ll see a shift from content creation to media production.”
Instead of one-off blog posts, think interconnected content franchises. Think series. Think building an audience that sees your brand as the go-to authority in your space. And here’s the kicker: companies that nail this won’t be cost centers anymore. They’ll start generating revenue through monetized content and strategic partnerships.
It’s ambitious. It’s a long game. But the brands that invest now will be miles ahead.
Customer Proof Points Are the New Gold Standard
Finally, Kelsey Sowder, Director, calls out what might be the most critical differentiator in 2026, especially in SaaS PR:
“In a landscape flooded with jargon and AI content, authentic customer validation cuts through like nothing else. The problem? Getting customers on record with real success stories is increasingly challenging for PR teams. Privacy concerns, legal hurdles, and competitive sensitivity make genuine testimonials scarce. Brands that master customer advocacy strategies will own earned media credibility while competitors struggle with hollow press releases and generic messaging.”
Translation: If you can get real customers telling real stories, you have a massive advantage. But it won’t be easy. Start building those advocacy programs now, because the brands that figure this out will dominate earned media in 2026.
The Bottom Line
So there you have it: six predictions that have nothing to do with AI and everything to do with how SaaS PR and B2B communications are evolving in real time. From getting weird in crisis situations to turning companies into full-blown media operations, 2026 is shaping up to be a year where creativity, authenticity, and speed matter most.
Stay tuned for part two, where we’ll dive into what AI means for the future of communications (spoiler: it’s a lot). In the meantime, which of these predictions resonates most with you? Or better yet, what are we missing? Drop us a note—we’d love to hear what you’re seeing on the horizon.
Up next: Part 2 — AI Predictions That Will Actually Matter in 2026