By Amy Katonak
It's not a secret that TikTok has flipped the world of media on its head. Gone are the days when news came neatly packaged in long articles and press releases. Today, we see headlines race across screens in fifteen-second clips, and information spreads faster than a trending sound. For younger audiences, especially Gen Z, the nightly news has been replaced with the For You page. This shift has forced PR professionals, journalists, and brands to evolve or risk fading into the background. The age of perfectly polished PR is over. TikTok brands must win with quick wit and clever storytelling.
One of the best players of this new game is The Washington Post. Yes, the same paper that broke Watergate is now breaking news with trending audios and dad jokes. The account is run by video producer Dave Jorgenson, who has reimagined news delivery. Instead of using stiff anchors and serious scripts, Jorgenson and his team use humor, skits, and relatable storytelling to translate complex news into something Gen Z wants to watch. One day he’s acting out a debate about climate policy, the next, he is using Taylor Swift sounds to explain political headlines.
This style works because it meets an audience exactly where they are. Gen Z doesn't want to be talked at, they want to be talked with, The Washington Post has mastered that balance by turning news delivery into a two-way conversation. The team relies on comments, remixes trends, and even pokes fun at themselves. This isn't traditional PR, it’s community building through creativity. By speaking the language of the platform, the Washington Post makes credibility feel cool again. It's proof that even a 147-year-old newspaper can thrive on a platform built for dance challenges and chaotic humor.
PR has evolved beyond simply delivering information, it's more about creating a connection. TikTok allows brands to join the conversation. The Washington Post’s success shows what happens when strategy meets spontaneity. The Washington Post manages to inform and entertain at the same time, turning serious journalism into scroll-stopping content that earns trust and laughs.
For PR students this is more than just a fun case study, it's a glimpse of the future. The tone, style, and format of communication will always change, but the need to connect is not. As new platforms rise, so must we. It is important to keep testing new ideas, taking risks and finding new ways to connect with audiences. The Washington Post proves effective public relations depends on adapting to your audience and selecting the right medium.