In an era where cultural awareness is not just appreciated but expected, public relations (PR) professionals play a critical role in shaping the stories that define how communities, identities, and issues are perceived by the public. Far from being just a messenger of brand values, PR is now a cultural force — one that must grapple with the nuanced, layered, and evolving realities of the people it seeks to represent. At its best, PR tells the whole story, not just the marketable one.
Why Cultural Complexity Matters
Culture is never monolithic. Within every racial, ethnic, gender, or geographic group lies a spectrum of perspectives, experiences, and contradictions. Yet, media and corporate storytelling often distill these groups into easily digestible tropes. This simplification can result in marginalization, misunderstanding, or erasure.
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For public relations to be truly inclusive and ethical, it must embrace this cultural complexity, not shy away from it. That means telling stories that go beyond stereotypes, include historically excluded voices, and reflect the full range of human experience.
PR’s Unique Position in Storytelling
Unlike journalism, which is guided by editorial standards and public interest, or advertising, which is overtly product-driven, PR operates at a powerful intersection: shaping narratives that are both persuasive and strategic while also carrying moral and cultural influence. It determines what gets highlighted, who gets quoted, and which messages reach the public.
This power comes with responsibility. PR professionals have the tools and platforms to either flatten cultural identity into marketable clichés or elevate it through rich, respectful, and truthful storytelling.
The Cost of Simplification
Many brands have faced backlash for campaigns that reduced cultural identity to buzzwords or visual aesthetics — think of ads that tokenize minority models without engaging with their stories, or heritage month messages that lack substance or continuity. These campaigns often fail because they try to fit culture into a convenient mold rather than reflect its authentic, and sometimes messy, reality.
Simplifying culture for the sake of branding might bring short-term attention, but it can undermine trust, damage relationships with communities, and even spark public outrage.
Strategies for Reflecting Cultural Complexity in PR
1. Elevate Intersectional Voices
Cultural complexity is most evident in the intersections of identity: being Black and queer, Latinx and disabled, Asian and working class. These layered identities bring different challenges, joys, and insights, and PR professionals must seek out these perspectives.
By highlighting intersectional voices in campaigns, press releases, social media, and brand messaging, you move beyond binary representations and reflect a more honest portrait of communities.
Tip: Partner with creators, activists, and thought leaders who live at these intersections. Let them shape—not just participate in—your campaigns.
2. Prioritize Lived Experience Over Optics
Too often, brands choose spokespeople or stories based on visual diversity alone. While representation matters, what truly resonates is lived experience. Someone who has navigated the systemic barriers tied to their identity brings authenticity that cannot be manufactured.
Let people tell their own stories in their own words. Don’t filter their truth to fit a brand-friendly narrative.
3. Contextualize, Don’t Commercialize
When referencing cultural movements, histories, or holidays, provide real context. For instance, a Pride campaign should acknowledge the political roots of the LGBTQ+ movement, not just focus on rainbow aesthetics. A Juneteenth message should include education about its significance, not just celebratory visuals.
Context shows respect. It educates your audience and signals that your brand isn’t just performing allyship — it’s doing the work.
4. Dismantle Internal Biases
To reflect cultural complexity outwardly, organizations must examine how they process it internally. Are PR decisions being made in rooms that lack diversity? Are certain voices in your team considered more credible than others?
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True cultural storytelling starts behind the scenes. Conduct regular audits, offer cultural competency training, and create space for diverse employees to contribute to messaging strategies.
5. Partner with Community-Based Organizations
No one understands a community better than the people who live and work within it. Community-based organizations can offer insight, feedback, and guidance to ensure your messaging is both accurate and impactful.
Long-term partnerships — not just transactional relationships — help build trust and avoid misrepresentation.
6. Embrace Complexity, Even When It's Uncomfortable
Not every story has a clear resolution. Not every spokesperson fits neatly into a marketing box. And not every issue can be explained in a soundbite.
That’s okay.
Audiences are smarter than many brands assume. They’re capable of understanding nuance — in fact, they appreciate it. Campaigns that allow for ambiguity, growth, and ongoing dialogue tend to feel more human, and therefore more trustworthy.
Case Studies: When PR Got It Right
✦ Ben & Jerry’s: Using PR to Address Racial Justice
Ben & Jerry’s has consistently used its brand voice to address complex social issues. After George Floyd’s murder, the company released a detailed statement titled “We Must Dismantle White Supremacy.” Instead of vague platitudes, they provided historical context, outlined actionable demands, and acknowledged their place in the system.
This bold, nuanced communication stood out precisely because it didn’t sanitize the complexity of the moment.
✦ Google’s “Year in Search” Campaign
Google’s annual “Year in Search” campaign often includes nuanced storytelling. In 2020, their “most searched” video didn’t just celebrate heroes — it highlighted the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on communities of color, the rise in anti-Asian hate crimes, and the resilience of everyday people.
The campaign succeeded by being emotionally intelligent and culturally aware.
Metrics That Matter: Measuring the Impact
Success in culturally complex PR isn’t always about virality. Instead, measure:
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Community feedback: Are the people represented in your campaign responding with appreciation or critique?
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Partnership strength: Are marginalized groups and influencers open to collaborating again?
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Brand perception: Is your brand seen as a thought leader in inclusion and equity?
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Internal change: Has your team diversified or evolved based on campaign insights?
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Final Thoughts: Complexity Is Not a Weakness — It’s a Strength
Telling the whole story in PR doesn’t mean making things more difficult; it means making them more honest. When brands embrace the full range of cultural experiences, they earn deeper trust, build real relationships, and contribute meaningfully to public discourse.
As gatekeepers of public perception, PR professionals have both the opportunity and the obligation to move beyond superficial storytelling. Cultural complexity is not a risk — it’s a resource. The future of PR belongs to those who are brave enough to tell the whole story.
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