Reem Masswadeh, Head Of Communications, TPRAI was recently watching a video on TikTok where a podcaster casually asked his friend if the shirt he was wearing came from a ‘PR package’. As a public relations practitioner, that simple question instantly caught my attention and, to be honest, it provoked me. It wasn’t because of the shirt, but because of how casually the term “PR package” was used to describe something that has nothing to do with public relations.
In recent years, social media has blurred the lines between marketing disciplines particularly public relations, influencer marketing, and product seeding. One of the most persistent misconceptions to emerge from this is the term “PR package.”
Every other week, influencers post unboxing videos labelled as PR packages, showcasing everything from skincare sets to scented candles. Yet, in truth, these are not PR packages at all they are product hampers. And confusing the two does a disservice not only to the communications industry but also to the professionals who work strategically to build and protect reputations.
Public relations is the art and science of shaping perception through strategic communication. It involves relationship-building, storytelling, reputation management, and stakeholder engagement.
A PR professional’s role is to connect brands and audiences through earned media coverage achieved through credibility, not through gifting or payments. It’s about crafting a narrative, managing crises, building trust, and ensuring that a brand’s message aligns with its purpose and public interest.
In short, PR is not about giving free products in exchange for visibility. It’s about earning attention, not buying it.
When brands send products to influencers, they are practising product seeding a marketing tactic, not a PR strategy. These product hampers are designed to generate awareness, create buzz, and encourage organic content creation. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this practice; it’s an effective form of influencer engagement. But it should be recognised for what it is a marketing activity, not public relations.
Language shapes perception. When “PR package” is used casually to describe any gifted product, it diminishes the strategic essence of the PR profession. Public relations is a discipline that requires research, insight, planning, and measurement. It is rooted in strategy, not shipping labels. Misusing the term reduces the industry’s credibility and fosters misunderstanding among young professionals who may think PR begins and ends with influencer gifting.
A genuine PR-driven influencer collaboration is built on mutual value and storytelling, not transactional gifting. It involves aligning influencers with the brand’s values and communication objectives, creating authentic narratives that complement larger campaigns, managing long-term relationships rather than one-off exchanges, and measuring outcomes beyond likes focusing on sentiment, message delivery, and brand trust.
When executed properly, PR professionals and influencers can work together to create meaningful, reputation-enhancing moments. But this requires strategy, consent, and context not just couriered boxes with press notes.
It’s time for brands, agencies, and influencers to reclaim accuracy in language. Let’s start calling things by their rightful names. PR campaigns are about strategy, storytelling, and earned credibility. Product hampers are marketing gifts sent for review or exposure. Both have their place but they are not interchangeable.
By drawing this distinction, we not only protect the integrity of our profession but also help educate the next generation of communicators. PR deserves its rightful definition and it’s far more powerful than a pretty box.
By Reem Masswadeh, Head Of Communications, TPRA
