As originally featured on O’Dwyer’s
Today’s consumer food discovery journey is multilayered. What lands on the plate or in the cart is generated by multiple interwoven sources of inspiration. Research shows that millennials and Gen Z audiences access a range of media sources along the way, moving quickly and fluidly between traditional media, creator content, and social feeds, while increasingly using AI-powered search tools to decide what to buy, cook, or share next. You can easily imagine someone bouncing back and forth between discovering a new product on TikTok, skimming a “top snacks to buy now” roundup in an online article, and accessing a generative search tool that provides a direct answer to “what are the best foods if I am trying to increase my protein intake” instead of delivering the traditional list of links.
Let’s take a closer look at how this shifting consumer behavior works together and its relevance to food marketers.
Earned Media as Structural Credibility
It’s no surprise to hear that the media landscape has changed. Publishers continue to shutter. Newsrooms are leaner, with reporters now required to cover several beats and file more stories than ever before, with fewer resources. Despite the harsh headlines, independent third-party coverage is actually enjoying a renaissance when it comes to credibility and importance for brand public relations. While earned media has always generated visibility, in today’s AI-mediated discovery environment it also creates something more enduring: a documented record of authority. AI platforms pull from existing online sources to generate answers, and the quality and credibility of those sources matter. Earned media has never been more important when it comes to discovery.
According to McKinsey & Company, 50 percent of consumers now intentionally seek out AI-powered search engines, and it is expected to impact $750 billion in revenue in the United States alone by 2028. The same survey also found that people are using these new tools throughout the purchasing journey: 73 percent to learn about a category, 61 percent to compare products, and 60 percent to summarize product reviews. Because AI-generated responses draw on the broader online ecosystem, credible earned media coverage can shape how brands are summarized and described. The mechanics of discovery may be evolving, but the importance of third-party validation is not.
Influencer Relations is a “Yes, And”
While earned media carries structural credibility, deciding between earned media and influencer relations is the wrong framing for marketers. It’s not an either/or, it’s a “yes, and.” Surveys show that 70 percent of Gen Z consumers turn to TikTok, Instagram and YouTube for food discovery. Content creators influence how consumers shop, cook and eat by translating brand attributes into lived experiences. Demonstrating how a product fits into daily routines or lifestyles creates relatability that traditional media alone cannot replicate.
Creators also help shape food trends. Their ability to identify and interpret emerging behaviors makes them valuable cultural connectors for brands seeking relevance. But influence doesn’t move in a straight line. Journalists regularly report on trends that originate on social media, while creators amplify stories that first surfaced in traditional media. Digital conversations feed headlines, and headlines fuel digital conversations. The combined effect creates something more impactful and durable than either could achieve alone.
In no way does this diminish the importance of owned, social and paid strategies. Each discipline plays a role in inspiring, educating and encouraging consideration. For communicators, the mandate is clear: message integration is the secret sauce to success.
Reputation Building Before It’s Tested
Food brands operate in a high-trust category. Product recalls, sourcing concerns, misinformation and cultural flashpoints associated with your brand can escalate quickly. When an issue arises, a consumer’s opinion of a brand doesn’t start from zero; it begins from wherever the brand’s reputational equity currently stands. Brands with a consistent foundation of credible coverage established over time are more likely to be represented with context and balance, especially in AI-generated summaries that surface during high-interest moments. Ongoing storytelling achieved through various earned media initiatives, including product news, engaging campaigns, and executive visibility builds a reservoir of trust brands can draw from when challenges arise and scrutiny intensifies. Brands without that foundation risk being defined by isolated incidents, incomplete information or the loudest voices in the room.
While building the right foundation is critical, preparation is essential. Various surveys have shown that less than half of companies are prepared for a crisis. Clearly written crisis playbooks, defined information gathering and approval processes, and thorough scenario planning contribute to timely, accurate responses that reflect a company’s core values.
But preparedness alone is not protection. In the midst of a crisis, an effective response requires discipline, thorough fact-gathering, visible empathy, and clear accountability. Move quickly, but not at the expense of accuracy. Replace defensiveness with transparency. Avoid silence that invites speculation. Listen carefully to what consumers, media, and other stakeholders are saying. Demonstrate accountability through both words and actions. What a brand says matters, but what it does matters more. Consumers frequently judge brands less by the issue itself and more by how they respond.
And of course, recovery continues long after the headlines fade. Sustained media engagement, consistent messaging and coordinated stakeholder communication reinforce progress and maintain or rebuild trust over time. Reputation is reinforced through sustained action.
Unifying Your Narrative in a Multidimensional Platform Environment
Consumers encounter and curate a brand narrative shaped by their social feeds, earned media, and AI-generated search. Public relations resides at the center of that narrative, connecting the channels that shape perception. Earned media establishes authority, influencers extend cultural relevance, and AI tools synthesize what already exists.
As brand discovery continues to evolve, the communications hierarchy is recalibrating and converging. The brands best positioned for that convergence are those that have consistently invested in credible, disciplined storytelling that travels seamlessly across earned, owned, paid, and social channels.
For food brands competing in a crowded marketplace, perception is formed long before the first bite. It is shaped through consistent exposure, reinforced by cross-channel alignment and strengthened by trusted third-party voices. The mechanics of discovery will continue to shift. New platforms will emerge. Technologies will evolve. One thing that will never change is change. But one principle endures: brands that align authority, relevance and trust across the broader media and search ecosystem will control their narrative, influence the conversation, inspire trial, and ultimately stand apart from their competitors.
