The phenomenon of the house dress defeating the PR suit is not the\nanticlimiment of the public relations profession.<\/p>\n
Open TikTok now and you will find two types of PR practitioners.\nFirst, the PR professional in a neat suit reading a press release.\nSecond, a \u2018pentol\u2019 (meatball) business owner in Rungkut, Surabaya,\nlivestreaming in casual attire, with a raspy voice and a tired face\nbecause their goods have not yet sold.<\/p>\n
Which one captures your attention more? Almost certainly the\nsecond.<\/p>\n
This is a symptom of a shift in the meaning of public relations: the\ndeinstitutionalisation of PR. Previously, PR was an institution marked\nby official positions. There had to be a division, a press release, and\na spokesperson who spoke with extreme caution. Now, on Instagram and\nTikTok, PR is the influencer or the business owner themselves. There is\nno division, and there is no script.<\/p>\n
The difference is that currently, business owners are simultaneously\nperforming the PR function. They use their devices to communicate with\ntheir followers. In this context, displaying honesty is vital.<\/p>\n
Observing dozens of culinary MSMEs in Surabaya, not a single one\npossesses a dedicated PR staff. However, they are the most sophisticated\nPR practitioners I have ever encountered.<\/p>\n
Why? Because they understand one thing that is not taught in old PR\ntextbooks: in the era of algorithms, what is being sold is no longer\njust a product, but empathy. This is the second concept that binds the\nfirst phenomenon: the concept of \u2018algorithmic empathy\u2019.<\/p>\n
The TikTok and Instagram algorithms of 2026 are no longer\nunintelligent. They do not just read the hashtag #kulinerSurabaya. They\nread sincerity. They track how long people watch a business owner\ncrying; they read comments like \u2018keep your spirits up, sis\u2019; they read\nshares and tears. They deem sincere content as authentic and then push\nit to thousands of \u2018For You Pages\u2019 (FYP).<\/p>\n
A few months ago on Reels, I purchased \u2018seblak\u2019 online in Surabaya.\nIt was not because the advertisement was good. Rather, it was because\nthe owner appeared on Reels in a house dress, looking exhausted, saying,\n\u2018Guys, today\u2019s stock hasn\u2019t sold, please help me out.\u2019<\/p>\n
That video was watched 200,000 times. The comments were full of\nprayers. Their stock sold out.<\/p>\n
At the same time, I observed the official Instagram account of an\ninstitution. Its content design was perfect. The suits were neat. The\ncaptions were normative: \u2018We are committed.\u2019 Yet, it only received 12\nlikes.<\/p>\n
A major shift is underway.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/when-house-dresses-are-more-convincing-than-pr-suits-1790409492", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }