From Public Relations to People Relations: A Q&A with Author Andrius Kasparas on Transforming Modern PR

By Andrius Kasparas

What inspired you to write “Transforming PR”?

The idea for Transforming PR grew naturally from my more than 25 years of experience working both inside and alongside organizations. Over time, I began to see how dramatically our profession was changing — not only because of new technologies, but because of the way people themselves were starting to communicate.

A key turning point for me came in 2009, when I read Erik Qualman’s Socialnomics. It helped me connect the dots between what I was already sensing — that traditional, one-way public relations no longer reflected how real communication happens. Later, visiting colleagues and agencies across Europe — from Helsinki to Madrid and London — gave me a broader, international perspective. I realized that social media had transformed the field into something far more dynamic and human-centered.

That’s what ultimately inspired me to write the book: a desire to show that PR professionals are not just message distributors or “spokespeople,” but navigators in the stormy sea of information — ethical, adaptable, and deeply human. I wanted to support fellow professionals who face constant emotional demands, to help them rediscover the meaning behind what we do, and to introduce a more modern model of communication I call the “Social Picnic.”

In short, Transforming PR was born out of a need to rethink our profession — to move from Public Relations to People Relations — and to encourage others to see this transformation not as a challenge, but as an opportunity.

What personal experiences from your 25+ years in PR most influenced your concept of “People Relations” versus traditional “Public Relations”?

Over the years, I realized that public relations isn’t really about managing messages — it’s about managing human emotions, empathy, and trust. What shaped my view of People Relations most was the feeling that much of traditional PR theory, while correct, often missed the human essence of the work. I always wanted to look deeper — to describe the sensations every PR professional experiences, the empathy, the tension, the intuition. Because, in my view, only a deeply empathetic person can truly succeed in this field. Without that human layer, PR becomes just a set of techniques — dry, mechanical, and lifeless.

At the same time, I often saw how misunderstood our profession is. Many people, even in politics or journalism, still associate PR with manipulation or image-polishing. I’ve met clients, students, even old friends who hear “PR” and think it means spin. That misunderstanding comes partly from the legacy of early PR theories — like Edward Bernays’s idea of communicating one “ultimate truth” — which no longer fits today’s world of dialogue and transparency.

In my career, I’ve learned that true communication isn’t about control. It’s about connection. My work has always been about helping people understand each other — helping a doctor explain their mission, an entrepreneur express their values, or an organization find its authentic voice. That’s what I mean by People Relations: communication based on honesty, empathy, and the belief that truth is the most powerful PR tool we have.

So, the concept was born from both professional practice and reflection — from years of seeing that tools and strategies mean little unless they serve a genuine human purpose. PR, for me, is not about managing the public. It’s about understanding people.

Your book introduces the concept of “Picnic Society” – could you explain this metaphor and why it’s particularly relevant in today’s social media landscape?

The “Picnic Society” is my metaphor for how people communicate and form relationships in the digital age. I was inspired by something a colleague once said during a visit to a PR agency in Helsinki — she described everything happening on social media as “one big picnic.” That image stuck with me.

Imagine a real picnic: you spread your blanket, bring your food, and others gather around. People move between blankets, join different groups, share ideas, stories, and experiences — all in a relaxed, open atmosphere. This is exactly how communication works today. Each “blanket” represents a social media account, a community, or an interest group — what I call a Plaid. Many Plaids together form a Social Picnic, and all the world’s Social Picnics together create the Picnic Society — a global, interconnected network of people communicating freely and constantly.

In the Picnic Society, borders no longer matter — not national, not organizational. What matters are shared interests and values. People move naturally from one conversation to another, just like at a picnic, and PR professionals are there to help facilitate those connections — to ensure understanding, authenticity, and trust.

I believe this metaphor captures the essence of our time: communication has become decentralized, human, and continuous. Everyone brings their own “basket” — their knowledge, emotions, and truth — and together we create the world’s biggest, most diverse conversation. That’s the Picnic Society.

In a world where social media allows anyone to “create or destroy realities,” what’s the biggest mistake PR professionals make when approaching digital communication?

If I may, there are actually two big mistakes.

The first one I call “hiding behind technologies.” Many younger PR professionals are excellent with tools — they know the platforms, algorithms, and analytics inside out — but sometimes they forget that relations are, above all, human. Technologies are only tools; the essence of PR is still empathy, connection, and trust. The more digital our world becomes, the more valuable real human interaction becomes. The time one person gives to another — a sincere conversation, real eye contact — is the new gold today. A true PR professional builds relationships first and uses technology second. When asked, “Have I established a relationship?”, the wrong answer is “Yes, I sent an email.” The right answer is, “Yes, I had a chance to look into their eyes and feel who they are.”

The second mistake comes from the opposite side — from those who still think the world hasn’t changed since the pre-digital era. You can’t use Facebook, LinkedIn, or TikTok the same way you used to send out press releases or respond to journalists thirty years ago. Yet I still see social media accounts that look like collections of press releases — with no real dialogue, no possibility to comment, no human touch.

Both mistakes come from the same root: forgetting that communication is alive. Technologies evolve, tools change, but people and their need for genuine connection remain constant. That’s what modern PR — or, as I call it, People Relations— is really about.

If readers could take just one actionable idea from your book to implement immediately, what would you hope it would be?

Make a list of ten people you’d like to meet in the next month — and then go out and actually meet them. Leave your office, close your laptop, and have real conversations.

The Picnic Society I describe in the book thrives on walking, hearing, and talking. Communication isn’t built behind a screen; it happens when people connect face to face, exchange ideas, and feel each other’s energy.

It sounds simple — and it is — but it’s also powerful. In a world full of digital noise, genuine human connection is the most effective communication tool we have. So go outside and start your own little “picnic.”

After completing this book and reflecting on your career, what aspect of PR work still brings you the most satisfaction?

There’s a quote I love from Anne Morrow Lindbergh: “Good communication is just as stimulating as black coffee, and just as hard to sleep after.” That perfectly describes how I feel about my work.

What still brings me the most satisfaction is that sense of intensity — the feeling after a long, demanding project or a crisis, when you’re completely exhausted but know that something truly valuable has been achieved. I like that kind of tiredness — the one that comes from meaningful communication, from helping people understand each other and seeing the results unfold.

At the same time, I’ve learned to appreciate balance. After periods of intense communication, I enjoy moments of complete silence, or conversations that have nothing to do with my profession. That contrast — between engagement and calm — keeps me grounded and reminds me why I love this work so much.

Transforming PR

This book introduces the concept of the Picnic Society – a society which we all belong to today because social media has given us unlimited opportunities to create or destroy our own and our circle’s (our bubble’s) realities, possibilities, and reputations.

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