When Canva acquired the professional design suite Affinity earlier this year, many saw it as a bold step into Adobe’s long-held territory. Now, with the launch of a unified Affinity app and a rebrand that makes the software free for professional use, Canva has sent a powerful signal - not just to designers, but to the entire communications and technology landscape.

This move is not only about design software. It is about strategic storytelling, brand repositioning, and competitive communication in an era where technology brands compete as much on narrative as they do on features.

Lesson 1: Reframing Value Through Language

Affinity’s new version merges its three core tools – Photo, Designer, and Publisher – into a single platform, offering an improved user experience and integrated AI-powered features. Canva announced that the Affinity suite is now free for professionals, removing traditional paywalls that have long defined the creative software market.

The word free is not just a pricing strategy – it’s a communications tool. Canva is redefining what “professional-grade” means by attaching it to accessibility rather than exclusivity. Where Adobe has built a narrative around comprehensive, industry-standard creative ecosystems, Canva’s language focuses on empowerment and inclusion.

From a communications standpoint, this demonstrates how reframing value – not through features but through purpose – can reshape public perception. Canva’s narrative positions the brand as a champion of creative freedom, while subtly casting traditional subscription models as barriers to innovation.

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The WCFA invites communications professionals, PR consultants, marketers, and business leaders to a free online masterclass titled ‘#PRDoesMore: How PR Shapes Markets, Movements, and Minds’, taking place on:

Date: Thursday, November 20, 2025
Time: 2:00 PM CET
Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/6252668357
Register now here!

Join us for an insightful masterclass led by Jared Meade, MPS, APR, MPRCA, is a global strategic communications consultant, educator, and writer with over 20 years of experience in public relations and reputation management. He is the founder of Rayne Strategy Group and a Global Advisory Board Member of the WCFA. Recognized for his thought leadership in PR ethics, Jared co-founded the #PRethics Community and was named Outstanding Freelancer of the Year at the 2025 Davos Communications Awards.

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Early-Bird entries are now open for the Davos Communications Awards 2026! Hosted by the World Communications Forum Association (WCFA), this global competition celebrates the brightest minds and most creative ideas in communications. Open to individuals, companies, in-house teams, organizations, universities, students, and freelancers, with 50 dynamic categories – there’s a spotlight for every communicator.

This year, the Awards Ceremony returns in person at a glamorous Gala Dinner in Davos, Switzerland, on April 23, 2026, as part of the Davos Communications Summit 2026. Secure your ticket here and be part of an unforgettable celebration of excellence.

Submit your entry by 3 December 2025 to enjoy discounted fees at www.davosawards.com.

Missed the Early-Bird period? No problem – you can still apply until 13 January 2026 with standard fees. 

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The communications landscape is evolving faster than ever before. Artificial intelligence is transforming content creation, audiences are demanding authenticity, and global issues are reshaping the way brands speak to the world. By 2030, the public relations professional will look very different from today – more analytical, more empathetic, and more adaptable than ever.

So what will define the communicator of the future? Which skills will separate those who lead the conversation from those who simply follow it?

1. Data Literacy: Turning Numbers into Narratives

In the next decade, data will be every communicator’s compass. Understanding analytics, interpreting insights, and translating numbers into meaningful stories will become non-negotiable. Future PR professionals won’t need to be data scientists, but they will need to know how to ask the right questions of data – what to measure, how to interpret patterns, and how to use insights to guide strategy. Metrics like engagement, sentiment, and audience behavior will be the new language of influence. Those who can blend creativity with data-driven reasoning will bridge the gap between art and science – telling stories that are not only emotional but also evidence-based.

2. AI Fluency: Partnering with Technology, Not Fighting It

Artificial intelligence is not replacing communicators – it’s redefining them. By 2030, AI tools will handle much of the monitoring, content scheduling, and even preliminary writing. But the communicator’s role will be to humanize and strategically guide these tools, ensuring messages remain authentic and ethical. AI fluency will mean understanding how automation, predictive analytics, and machine learning can enhance – not dilute – a brand’s voice. Professionals will need to balance efficiency with empathy, leveraging technology to amplify creativity rather than replace it. The PR professional of the future will be part storyteller, part technologist.

The Italian PR agency ranked first in Europe earlier this year and has just been confirmed as #1 on the “2025 Global Top 100 Inspiring Workplaces List” thanks to its commitment to wellbeing, inclusion, and giving employees a voice  

A historic milestone for Italian communications: the Italian PR agency BPRESS has been awarded the best workplace in the world in 2025 by Inspiring Workplaces, the global platform that annually identifies, recognizes and celebrates the organisations that put their people first.

Founded in Milan and active for over 35 years in corporate communications consulting, BPRESS ranked first globally, surpassing multinationals and major international brands. This achievement demonstrates how a 'People-First' culture can be a concrete competitive advantage, regardless of the organization's size.

Unlike many rankings based solely on internal surveys, the Inspiring Workplaces Awards require tangible evidence and real cases demonstrating a company’s commitment to employee wellbeing and growth. An independent panel of experts assessed the entries based on six key criteria: Culture & Purpose, Leadership, Wellbeing, Inclusion & Belonging, Employee Voice, and Employee Experience.

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By Lars Voedisch, Founder and CEO of PRecious Communications, and Thabisile Phumo, Executive Vice President Stakeholder Relations at Sibanye-Stillwater. Both are Executive Committee Members of WCFA.

Gathering in Nairobi for Africa Global PR Week 2025, communicators from across the continent and beyond shared a clear message: Africa is not waiting to catch up. It is setting the pace. As fellow speakers and members of the World Communications Forum Association (WCFA), we were struck by how Africa’s realities and innovations mirror global shifts while also charting a unique path forward. 

Africa’s demographic power is the first signal. With over 385 million people online and the youngest population in the world, Africa already accounts for more than one third of global youth. These young audiences are not a “future opportunity.” They are already shaping culture, consumption and communication. The global PR industry cannot afford to overlook them.

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Public Dialog Agency, a WCFA Corporate Member, was awarded a silver Stevie® Award for the XPENG: Charging Into Poland campaign in the Communications or PR Campaign of the Year - New Product or Service Launch category and a bronze award in the Communications or PR Campaign of the Year - Healthcare category for the Hematuria? Act Now! educational campaign in the 22nd edition of The Annual International Business Awards®.

Article by Lars Voedisch, Founder of PRecious Communications