What Return Does a Growing Food and Beverage Brand Get from PR and Communications?
How to think about ROI—and what you really get in return.
For growing food and beverage brands, every marketing dollar counts. You might be asking yourself: Is investing in PR and communications really worth it? While the digital world has enabled PR to deliver quicker hits, clicks and traffic towards website sales, the real impact is on the awareness, credibility, and long-term growth that the strategy can drive for a brand. This makes PR and strategic communications one of the most strategic investments for consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands.
The Long-Term Value of PR
Strong PR builds brand equity. Media features, thought leadership, and storytelling don’t just create buzz—they build credibility that drives sales, partnerships, and loyalty. Unlike ads that disappear once the budget runs out, PR placements, strategic collaborations with like-minded brands, showing up on the right influencer’s countertops, and community-building narratives keep working for your brand.
Measuring PR ROI for Food and Beverage Brands
While PR isn’t measured in clicks alone, there are clear ways to track value:
Share of voice compared to competitors - i.e. how much you’re talked about vs other brands in your category
Quality media placements (top-tier, consumer-targeted to drive narrative, awareness and loyalty, along with niche trade outlets to support sales teams’ efforts)
Website traffic and social engagement spikes tied to coverage and posting
Customer, retailer or distributor interest generated from increased visibility.
For more frameworks, see PRSA’s guide to PR measurement or HubSpot’s take on PR ROI.
Is PR Right for Your Brand?
If you’re looking for quick wins *this week*, PR might not be the right fit. But if you want to grow awareness, attract retailers, and build long-term trust, the ROI is clear.
At The James Collective, we help small and mid-sized brands develop CPG marketing strategies that balance PR, social, and digital for maximum impact. Ready to see how PR could work for your brand? Check out our client case studies to see how food and beverage brands have turned PR into measurable growth and reach out to say hello.