7 Underrated PR Package Strategies for Long-Term Brand Loyalty

Gifts That Stick, Content That Converts, & Creator-Loved Gifting Tactics

June 10, 2025

PR packages have become a crucial tool for building lasting brand loyalty. This article explores underrated strategies that can significantly impact a brand's long-term success.

Drawing from expert insights, we'll uncover innovative approaches to create memorable experiences and foster genuine connections with your audience.

  • Design PR Packages for Emotional Alignment

  • Create Immersive Brand Experiences

  • Embed User-Generated Content Strategy

  • Personalize Unboxing for Genuine Connection

  • Reward Organic Brand Mentions

  • Make Content Creators Feel Like Insiders

  • Leverage PR for AI-Era SEO Strategy

Design PR Packages for Emotional Alignment

One underrated but powerful way brands can use PR packages to generate long-term loyalty is by designing them not for exposure — but for emotional alignment.

Psychologically, humans are wired to seek belonging, identity, and meaning. A well-crafted PR package shouldn't just showcase product features — it should evoke feelings of purpose, status, and personal relevance.

The goal is to make the recipient feel: "This isn't just a brand I like. This brand reflects who I am."

That emotional response — of being seen — builds attachment. Loyalty doesn't form from transactions; it forms from emotional resonance and repeated affirmations of shared values.

Instead of aiming for viral reach, smart brands embed emotional intelligence into every element of the PR experience:

  • Language that mirrors the recipient's worldview (we all perceive the world in our own unique way)

  • Symbols or artifacts that connect with their deeper identity (go deep)

  • Subtle cues of exclusivity, legacy, or mission alignment (Who you are as company, product, brand, and why do you align with them - why did you choose them beyond reach and service)

As Maya Angelou famously said: "People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."

Make your PR package not just a gift — but a gesture of inclusion into a story, a tribe, a mission. When people feel something, they're more likely to share it, remember it, and stand by it.

Emotions scale. Design for belonging...

Elvijs Plugis, Strategic Marketing Consultant, Fractional CMO, Growth Architect, Sigulp

Create Immersive Brand Experiences

As someone who has sent PR packages, also known as swag boxes, more often than I can count, too many brands focus on one moment: the reveal. Then they focus on the aesthetic and a social media share or two. But that's simply transactional, and if you're only designing a box to be opened, you're missing the bigger opportunity - making it an experience, not just a package.

The magic is in creating the art of an experience, a moment that immerses the recipient in your brand world.

That means thinking beyond product placement and toward emotional placement. It's not about filling a box with branded items (boring); it's about inviting someone into your brand's world in a way they can feel, touch, and remember. One winter, as we flew north to present in a region entering its coldest season, we designed a gift with that exact intention. 

Each attendee received a beautifully simple white box tied with a red bow—the color of the brand. Inside was a Kanata blanket, a pair of branded mugs created by a local artisan, a gourmet hot chocolate kit, and a set of luxury scarf and gloves. But here's where it became something more than just a gift. Even though we were indoors, everyone used the items immediately, wrapped in warmth during the presentation itself. It created an immediate sense of camaraderie. For those who had flown in, we shipped the packages to their homes after our meetings concluded.

What we gave them wasn't just stuff - it was comfort. It was thoughtfulness. It was a sensory connection to the brand. And the impact lasted far beyond the event. For years after, clients would ask, "Do you have any more of those blankets?" Because every time they reached for it on a chilly day, they remembered how we made them feel.

That kind of loyalty doesn't come from clever packaging alone. It comes from creating experiences that matter. So, if you want to make an impression, don't just send something to be opened. Send something to be felt - over and over again.

Embed User-Generated Content Strategy

One underrated but powerful way brands can use PR packages to generate long-term brand loyalty is by embedding user-generated content (UGC) strategy into the gifting experience.

Instead of just hoping the recipient posts about the package, include subtle prompts or assets that make it easy and natural for them to share their own experience — such as a personalized hashtag, a creative challenge, or a QR code linking to a "creator toolkit" with brand-aligned filters, templates, or music.

For example, when I led digital campaigns in luxury tourism and fintech, we sent curated kits to high-end travel influencers with a challenge: capture a single "wow moment" that would surprise their audience. This sparked organic storytelling, and we saw follow-up engagement months later — long after the initial unboxing — because the experience was memorable, interactive, and on-brand.

By empowering recipients to become co-creators, not just recipients, brands spark deeper emotional investment. That's where loyalty is born — not from a gift, but from shared meaning.

Personalize Unboxing for Genuine Connection

One way brands can use PR packages to generate long-term brand loyalty is through personalization.

Personalizing the unboxing experience to tell a story that aligns with the recipient's values or lifestyle, instead of just sending branded tissue paper and a generic thank-you note, makes the package feel like it was specifically crafted for that individual. This can be applied to influencers, journalists, or loyal customers. 

For example, including a note or relevant item that references their content, preferences, or even recent life events shows genuine attention and care. Incorporating elements like limited-edition items, personalized accessories, or exclusive early access adds an emotional touch and makes recipients feel like part of a community, rather than just promotional targets.

Annie Everill, Digital marketing executive, Imaginaire

Reward Organic Brand Mentions

One of the most underrated ways to build long-term brand loyalty through PR packages is by sending them to creators who've already mentioned the brand on their own. No prompt. No payment. Just genuine interest.

Most brands send out packages hoping to spark attention from scratch. But flipping that order can be more powerful. Because when someone talks about a product organically, it's the best signal a brand can get.

So instead of casting a wide net, it makes more sense to notice those moments and respond with something thoughtful. It doesn't have to be flashy. Just personal.

If they commented on the scent of a product, send them an unreleased fragrance sample. If they liked the design, include a note explaining how it was made. These small touches show the brand is paying attention. Not just pushing product.

That kind of follow-up turns a one-time mention into an ongoing relationship. Because people remember when a brand noticed them early.

When that connection feels real, they're more likely to keep sharing. Not because they're asked to. But because they want to.

Over time, that kind of trust builds up in a way no ad budget can replicate. It's not a fast strategy. And it doesn't scale easily.

But loyalty usually doesn't. This approach focuses less on reach and more on resonance. And that's what sticks.

Josiah Roche, Fractional CMO, JRR Marketing

Make Content Creators Feel Like Insiders

I believe we often overlook the importance of status in partnerships. Most brands treat PR packages as transactional, but loyalty is emotional.

One underrated strategy is to make content creators feel like insiders, not just influencers. Include a handwritten note, an unreleased product, or early access, with messaging that highlights their special status. When content creators feel like valued partners instead of marketing channels, they are more likely to share, advocate, and build an authentic connection with the brand over time.

This sense of exclusivity turns a one-time feature into a long-term relationship. Ultimately, it builds brand loyalty rooted in genuine affinity, not just deliverables.

Leverage PR for AI-Era SEO Strategy

PR packages might be one piece of the new SEO strategy for the AI era. The next generation of SEO and search marketing is being shaped by how buyers are shifting their queries to ChatGPT and other LLMs. SEOs are scrambling to keep up. LLMs rely on the collective wisdom scattered across the internet. That means PR—once overshadowed by "sexier" performance marketing tactics—is experiencing a quiet revival.

We don't yet know exactly how LLMs weigh visibility or sentiment. But we do know they synthesize knowledge from a wide range of sources. A well-executed PR package can lead to lasting digital signals: mentions, backlinks, product context, and smart commentary across blogs, podcasts, and social media. That's the kind of content that builds durable brand equity not just with the brand's core audience, but with the AI models we are all relying on more and more.

Ryan Burch, Founder & Managing Partner, Tobie Group