Creative Thinking for Communicators: Finding the Story That Already Exists

Public relations has never had more channels, tools or platforms to tell stories. Yet paradoxically, many brand campaigns struggle to break through. Journalists ignore them, audiences scroll past them, and the message never quite lands.

Why?

Because too many campaigns begin with messaging rather than meaning.

The most powerful stories rarely start in a brainstorm session or on a campaign brief. They start with something much simpler, a real tension in the world.

This is the central idea behind an upcoming PRISA training this month, “Creative Thinking for Communicators,” where communicators will explore how to build PR stories that resonate authentically in the African context.

The session will be delivered by Kisha Reader-Bain, co-founder of Tin Can PR, with more than two decades of experience in public relations and brand communications, Kisha has worked across a wide range of industries, partnering with global brands, agencies and organisations to develop campaigns that combine strategic insight with culturally relevant storytelling.

As both a practitioner and industry contributor, Kisha is passionate about advancing the role of PR in Africa and supporting communicators in building stories that resonate authentically with audiences and media.

Why This Conversation Matters Now

Across Africa, communicators operate in environments where social issues are visible, communities are central, and cultural context matters deeply.

This creates both a responsibility and an opportunity.

Brands today are increasingly expected to engage with societal issues, but audiences, and especially journalists, have become highly sensitive to campaigns that feel performative or opportunistic.

The difference between a campaign that resonates and one that is ignored often comes down to credibility.

Authentic storytelling is rooted in:

• Real places

• Real people

• Real impact

Not borrowed narratives or superficial cultural references.

What Communicators Will Learn

This training will explore how communicators can move beyond manufactured brand stories to uncover narratives grounded in truth, context and action.

The session will examine how a real-world campaign moved through three critical stages:

Insight → Strategy → Action

And how the presence of real-world action transformed the campaign into something journalists wanted to cover.

Beyond the case study, communicators will be introduced to a practical framework for identifying stories that resonate in the African context.

One of the key themes of the session is the evolving role of PR across the continent.

Join the Conversation

For communicators looking to sharpen their strategic thinking and approach storytelling differently, this PRISA training offers practical insights and frameworks that can be applied across industries and campaigns.

If you are interested in exploring how credible PR stories are built in the African context, you can find register here.