Future-Proofing PR in Food & Drink

This July, Nudge had the pleasure of bringing together some of the leading voices across food and drink journalism and social media at Fortnum & Mason’s Food & Drink Studio to discuss where PR is heading next.

The discussion, which took place our brilliant panel: The Times’ Deputy Food Editor, Hannah Evans, The Standard’s former Going Out Editor and Restaurant Critic, David Ellis and TOPJAW Producer, Kayla Lawrie, expertly hosted by GBBO alumni, Tom Arden. It made for a fascinating conversation on everything from AI and authenticity to what actually makes journalists and creators stop and pay attention.

Five themes that stuck with us

Rather than trying to summarise a 90-minute discussion, we’ve pulled together a few of the ideas that sparked the most conversation.

1. Trust is becoming more valuable, not less

One theme came up repeatedly: as AI-generated content becomes more commonplace, trusted voices become more important.

For journalists, that means personality-led reporting and expertise. For brands, it means earning credibility through consistency rather than chasing every viral moment.

Ask yourself: Is this something our audience would genuinely believe, or does it just sound like marketing?

2. A trend isn’t a trend until it exists beyond your feed

TikTok might spot something first, but social media alone doesn’t make a movement real.

The panel discussed the importance of separating fleeting online moments from genuine cultural shifts. If people aren’t seeing it in restaurants, shops or conversations, audiences quickly sense the disconnect.

Takeaway: Use social to discover ideas, but validate them in the real world before building a campaign around them.

3. Stop pitching publications. Start pitching people.

One of the strongest pieces of advice was to think beyond publication logos.

Every journalist has a remit, interests and a distinct way of telling stories. Understanding the person behind the byline is often more valuable than simply knowing which section they write for.

Takeaway: Read what someone actually writes before deciding what to pitch.

4. The fastest content usually wins

Whether you’re creating social content or pitching a story, speed matters.

People make decisions in seconds. Strong hooks, clear headlines, compelling thumbnails and getting to the point all help cut through increasing decision fatigue.

Question to ask: Would someone understand why they should care within the first three seconds?

5. Originality still wins

Perhaps the most encouraging takeaway was that originality remains difficult to fake.

AI can summarise information. It can’t replace lived experience, strong opinions, genuine storytelling or unique perspectives.

For brands, that means the best stories often come from looking beyond your own products and connecting to wider conversations, culture or your founders’ expertise.

Thank you again to everyone who joined us. We hope to host more conversations like this soon and look forward to seeing many of you at the next one.