Is This Really the End of Traditional PR?
The old PR playbook for architecture, lighting and design is dead. The founders who build an audience will own the future.
Last night, I heard something that both shocked and excited me simultaneously.
A well-known PR and communications agency here in Berlin (one that’s been a staple in the architecture and design world for years) quietly let go of their entire team. No official statement. No send-off. Just gone.
On the surface, it might look like an isolated case. But I think it points to something deeper…
Because the truth is: traditional PR just isn’t working anymore.
For decades, the formula was straightforward. You hired an agency. They got your latest project featured in a glossy magazine or niche design publication. You hoped the right people would notice, and business would follow.
But that playbook is no longer delivering the same results. Fewer people are reading traditional media. And once you’re published, the ROI of a feature is almost impossible to track (and let’s not forget that it’s expensive to get featured in one of these media outlets).
But most importantly - audience attention has shifted elsewhere.
Today, it lives online. On platforms like LinkedIn and Instagram. In feeds, not magazines.
What’s mad is that many architecture and design studios are on these platforms. But they’re still using them like it’s 2010 - posting polished photos of finished projects or copy and pasting press releases.
It’s not personal. It’s not engaging.
People don’t follow companies. They follow people.
And that’s where the new playbook starts.
Enter: Founder-Led Content
The studios and design brands getting the most traction today aren’t relying on media mentions. They’re not waiting around for editors or awards juries (which you also have to pay to be a part of).
They’re creating their own momentum, by showing up online as real people.
They’re posting raw, authentic content.
They’re building personal brands.
They’re turning the founder into the front-facing storyteller.
That means writing regularly on LinkedIn. That means sharing short videos that document their process. That means launching simple podcasts that capture their thinking.
It’s not about being perfect - it’s about being visible, consistent, and honest.
And it works.
Just last week, I filmed a quick, casual video interview with one of my clients, architect Gil Russ. Nothing fancy - just a few shots with an additional microphone and a semi-broken iphone camera. We posted it on Instagram.
The result?
5,000 organic views.
40 new followers.
A handful of direct inquiries about new work.
So we tried it again. Same format. Different video.
This time:
15,000 views.
60 new followers.
More leads in the DMs.
This kind of traction is powerful - and addictive. But more importantly, it’s trackable.
You can see what lands. You can iterate. You can own your narrative. And instead of outsourcing it to a media agency with a three-month lead time, you get results immediately.
No more chasing magazine editors. No more expensive advertorial inclusions that don’t bring us attention anyway.
Now we’re doubling down on this kind of founder-led content, and easily consumable formats of LinkedIn posts and instagram videos.
It just works.
If I Ran a Studio Today…
If I were running a studio or design brand in 2025, here’s exactly what I’d do:
I’d cut my traditional PR budget in half
(GASP!)
The person responsible for communications internally would spend at least 50% of their time making content to build my personal brand - strategic, story-driven content with purpose.
I’d also:
• Hire a ghostwriter to help craft punchy, insightful LinkedIn posts.
• Film regular behind-the-scenes clips or interviews - simple, human, honest.
• Start a lo-fi podcast that could be repurposed into 10+ pieces of content every week.
The goal wouldn’t be to create polished pieces of content.
It would be to create consistent, authentic and relevant pieces of digestible content - to keep me top of mind, and to make my company impossible to ignore.
The Bottom Line
The future of PR isn’t just press releases or little mentions in AD or Baunetz.
Although this traditional stuff still has its place, it’s now just a fraction of the bigger picture.
What matters is this:
Authentic narratives. Consistent pieces of content. Behind-the-scenes glimpses into yourself and your brand - these are the real golden nuggets that lead to more visibility and more attention online.
The firms that get this right will be the ones shaping the conversation five years from now. And everyone else will be wondering why their name never comes up anymore.
So here’s the real question:
Are you ready to lead with your story?
P.S: If you found this useful, you might find this valuable:
The Visibility Accelerator is my FREE 5-day email course for founders of Architecture, Design, and Furniture and Lighting companies who want to increase visibility and attract more opportunities on LinkedIn.
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Course content highlights:
How to turn your company page into a B2B magazine.
Why your personal profile is your biggest authority-building weapon.
The secret to writing engaging posts (plus plug-and-play frameworks).
Networking strategies for organic growth and visibility.