Today’s business leaders are facing a perfect storm: market complexity, stakeholder scrutiny, rapid tech advancement, and talent and customers seeking meaningful connections. In this new landscape, PR is no longer a media function; it’s a strategic necessity.
At KV Comms, we’ve developed the 5 Spheres of Connection framework to help founders and leaders embed PR at the heart of business strategy—activating trust, community, and long-term growth.
Here’s why the way we think about PR must evolve, and how to use it as your competitive edge.
PR: Misunderstood and Underutilised
PR has long been misunderstood – often reduced to media relations, press coverage, and reactive marketing and crisis comms.
But the work starts before that, as defined by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations:
“Public Relations is about reputation, the result of what you do, what you say, and what others say about you… It is the planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain goodwill and mutual understanding between an organisation and its publics.”
In reality, media relations is just one-fifth of what effective PR can do.
Introducing the 5 Spheres of Connection Framework
When I founded KV Comms nearly 15 years ago, I was disillusioned with the outdated agency model and focus on media relations. I wanted PR to be more than output —to be a strategic driver of valuable outcomes to deliver business momentum, innovation breakthroughs and meaningful relationships.
Key learnings over the years led to today’s creation of our 5 Spheres of Connection Framework — a model that positions PR not as a siloed function, but as a powerful connective thread across your business.
PR is not a function of marketing. It’s the embodiment of leadership.
| Sphere | Focus | Outcome |
| Visionaries | Founders, owners, leaders | Clarity of mission, trust in leadership, stakeholder buy-in |
| Trailblazers | Internal teams | Culture alignment, motivation, talent retention |
| Champions | Outer departments, senior stakeholders, suppliers, industry relations, local community | Thought leadership, validation, amplification |
| Discoverers | Customers, early adopters | Loyalty, feedback, co-creation, long-term value |
| Pathfinders | Partners, media, sponsors, collaborators | Access to new markets, cross-promotion, credibility |
Each sphere has its own unique expectations, influence, and performance metrics — and when activated through strategic PR, the results are exponential.
From Fragmented Messaging to Strategic Cohesion
Rather than treating PR as reactive or one-dimensional, this framework allows you to overlay your business vision onto every layer of communication.
It ensures your story is consistent, your team is empowered, your partners are aligned, and your customers are engaged. This approach aligns with the recent update of the global industry measurement framework – AMEC’s Barcelona Principles 4.0, and we go beyond measuring media impressions.
We track strategic outcomes across stakeholder groups to maximise and optimise your activity and results.
Real Results From Realignment
When businesses embed this approach, they move from fragmented to focused.
- Visionaries: Transparent leadership strengthens investor confidence, employee alignment and customer loyalty.
- Trailblazers: Teams feel connected to purpose, driving motivation and better results.
- Champions: Advocates open doors to endorsement, referrals, speaking, funding, and positioning
- Discoverers: Customers feel like co-creators, building deep brand loyalty and insight.
- Pathfinders: Strategic partnerships grow reach, improve searchability, and drive scale.
Why This Matters for Founders and Leaders Right Now
In an era defined by complexity and noise, trust is the true differentiator. And trust is built through consistent, meaningful communication and actions — not hype.
Businesses don’t need more visibility. They need more alignment.
That’s where PR, rewired for this new era, becomes your edge.
PR Rewired is:
- A business strategy, not a bolt-on.
- A leadership skill, not just a comms function.
- A verb, not a vanity metric — it’s how your business acts, speaks, and is trusted.
Ready to activate your 5 Spheres of Connection
Build a connected, trusted and future-ready business:
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