Last week, a Wall Street Journal article framed the rise of communications executives in the C-suite as “the revenge of the publicists.” It’s a catchy headline. But the best communications leaders were never simply publicists.
They’re counselors. Translators. Risk managers. Voice-of-the-audience advocates.
Responsible to executive leadership who are asking them, “How will this be understood?”
That distinction has never mattered more.
Communications have evolved into earning trust – in the places where even machines – are now looking for answers.
And why earned media has become one of the most important AI strategies… a building products brand can invest in.
From Search Results to Synthesized Answers
For years, marketers focused on SEO simply because search engines shaped discovery. A buyer typed in a keyword. And Google returned a page of blue-font links.
Today, audiences are asking ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Perplexity – or an AI-powered search result – much more specific questions:
“Which building products help reduce labor on multifamily projects?”
“What should architects consider when specifying exterior wall systems for continuous insulation?”
“Which framing systems help simplify MEP coordination?”
Instead of scrolling through a handful of links, a nicely synthesized answer arrives. Because AI is accomplishing the comparison work. It is summarizing the category. And in many cases, helping decide which brands belong in the conversation… before a specifier ever visits a website landing page.
Why Earned Media Carries New Weight
AI systems do not rely only on what a brand says about itself.
They look for signals of credibility. Repeated mentions. Trusted sources. Industry context. Expert commentary. News coverage. Trade channel reference.
Buyers increasingly treat social conversations as search engines. And AI models pull from the creators and influencers shaping those platforms when they weigh credibility.
AI is seeking to understand – not just what a brand claims to be – rather, who the market says you are.
That is why earned media experts have landed… confidently in the C-suite.
A blog post can outline product benefits. Even the most utilitarian sales sheet will list features. And virtually any paid campaign leverages awareness.
But when a reporter or industry publication covers a product or seeks how a solution solves market challenges… that third-party credibility is vital.
Informing audiences – and increasingly AI systems – that a message is not merely self-promotion. Instead, the claim has been validated. And pressure tested by an industry expert.
As much as 90 percent of the citations behind brand visibility in AI, can be traced back to earned media. That is a striking shift… rewarding the brands that have invested in authentic coverage.
This industry is built on proof. Performance. Codes. Standards. Installation realities. Channel relationships. Jobsite credibility.
Architects, builders, remodelers and distributors aren’t persuaded by a clever tagline. They need to know how the product solves a real problem. And whether the brand can be trusted.
AI is now rewarding those who offer that evidence.
GEO Does Not Replace SEO… It Expands the Assignment
Generative Engine Optimization, or GEO, has become an important part of the marketing vocabulary.
Consider what happened last year when the Associated Press launched a dedicated AI division and signed licensing agreements with several major AI platforms. Other respected publishers have followed. Coverage in those licensed, high-authority outlets now carries unique weight. A single mention in a credible business or trade publication can accomplish more AI visibility. Eclipsing a stack of self-published blog posts.
A well-rounded strategy must connect owned content – earned media, executive visibility and social proof – with structured product information. This is not about an algorithm. The goal is to build enough clarity and credibility so that both audiences and AI systems can understand what a brand delivers. And why it matters.
That means press releases must be crafted intentionally to serve editors. Timely, relevant and newsworthy. And clear enough for AI systems to understand. Fact-based claims. Specific details. Useful headlines. Supplemental FAQs. Quotable insights. Leveraging consistent – and highly relevant – terminology.
Hosted on websites, newsrooms and case studies. As well as in bylines, podcasts and social content.
Not louder. Clearer.
The Building Products Advantage
Real projects. Proven applications. Hard performance challenges. Credible expertise.
And practical testimonials from the contractors, architects, engineers, distributors and building owners who live with the results.
A product launch must not survive only as a release. Instead, it can evolve into a trade media pitch – a technical article, project profile or podcast conversation – LinkedIn posts, a sales enablement tool and a thought leadership campaign.
Highlighting the larger problem each product solves.
Code approval can become a proof point in an article about risk reduction, installation confidence or specification clarity.
A successful project should not be treated as a one-time case study. It can elevate instead, evidence that helps an editor – and eventually an AI platform – understand where the brand belongs in the channel.
That is how visibility compounds.
Communications Has Become a Trust Function
Communications partners help leadership understand how the market is responding. Where the story is unclear. Which claims need support. And how a brand can deliver credibility… before the next buying cycle begins.
Poor messaging will not become strong because AI found it. Thin proof will not become compelling because it was posted more often. And a fragmented brand story will not become clearer, just because the market is moving faster.
The brands that win will be the ones that make expertise easier to find.
Easier to understand. And most importantly, easier to trust.
What Building Products Brands Need to Ask Now
What articles are still relevant in current archives? Which authors and influencers have the most authority? Are proof points showing up in credible ways? Do executive team members have a visible point of view and sharing thought leadership? Are product pages clear enough to support what editors, buyers and AI systems are seeking to understand?
Finally, is sales and marketing leadership treating PR only as a top-of-funnel activity?
Earned media is now an integrated part of brand strategy, sales enablement, search visibility, reputation management as well as AI discovery.
And for brands that move early… it can become a meaningful competitive advantage.
One Last Thought
The “revenge of the publicists” may make for a good headline.
But the bigger story is not revenge. It is relevance.
Communications have always belonged close to executive leadership… because trust has always been measured as a business asset. Now, as AI changes how audiences search – compare and decide – that trust must be built intentionally.
In more places, and with greater discipline.
For building products brands… the mandate is clear.
Being visible where the market is looking. Credible where AI is learning. And more useful, when audiences are asking better questions.
Ensuring that the stories being told about your brand are the ones you’ve earned.
Our executive playbook, “Innovation Doesn’t Sell Itself,” explores how earned media, sales and marketing alignment and channel-specific PR expand visibility with current, real-world adoption examples. Download it for free.
I’d be happy to help you explore who is leading in your category, and exactly how they are gaining share. Let’s compare notes together. sk@kleberandassociates.com 404-918-5700.
