A tribute to those who saw humans
4 min read
Paul Reynell, Vice-President: PRISA @ Managing Director: Grand Prix Agency, Paddington Station PR
Connecting with an audience of any size is more than a craft—it’s a calling. Whether in a newsroom, at the helm of a movement, or behind a brand’s vision, the great communicators and strategists don’t just deliver messages. They move minds. They connect through empathy. They see humans.
Every July, we celebrate World PR Day: a tribute to an industry rooted in storytelling, strategy, and genuine influence. Excellent PR goes well beyond content creation—it is content with integrity. But in a world where messages flood us from all directions, the question remains: what truly stands out amidst the noise?
My answer? Wrong question. Ask instead: Is this intended for humans?
Honouring legacy
2025 has been heartbreakingly marked by the loss of revered voices in writing, journalism, and PR—luminaries who didn’t just write to inform, but wrote to transform.
- Locally, South Africa bids farewell to irreplaceable minds like:
Prof. Gavin Stewart – founder of the South African National Editors’ Forum - Athol Fugard – playwright whose words transcended time
- William “Paddy” Harper, Stephen Mulholland, and most recently Pearl Sebolao, and Ike Segola – editors and storytellers whose ink shaped our understanding of the world
- Internationally, the passing of activist and poet Andrea Gibson only weeks ago left a void. Her poem Love Letter from the Afterlife recently went viral and is a testament to the human truths within each line.
From the PR world, this year we mourn:
- Jay Badza – founder of Orchid on 25
- Ella Marren – Flow Communications
- Fehraad De Nicker – Communications at UCT Graduate School of Business
- Dirk Slabbert – our very own Paddington Station PR pioneer
And many more, each of whom shaped brands with vision and values.
- A responsibility to influence ethically.
- To represent truthfully.
- To connect deeply.
