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Shape the story, don’t chase it
Author : Richard Stone, Stone Junction
03 June 2025
Image courtesy of Stone Junction
Over the past few years, I’ve noticed a shift in how STEM brands approach visibility. There’s more urgency, more pressure to jump on whatever’s gaining traction that week.
I understand the instinct. When every competitor seems to be commenting on the same innovation or reposting the same headlines, it feels risky to stay quiet. But if every brand reacts the same way, they all end up in the same place. Following trends doesn’t always build relevance; sometimes it just makes you disappear into the noise.
There’s a difference between being informed and being reactive. I’m not suggesting brands should ignore what’s happening around them. But STEM companies, particularly those working on the technologies that underpin progress, have more to offer than quick takes.
Their value comes from depth. The companies driving the next phase of industrial and digital progress don’t need to echo others. They have the insight to lead the conversation, not just follow it.
That’s where the real opportunity sits. Shaping a trend means spotting what matters before it becomes obvious. It means applying technical knowledge to show what’s next, not just repeating what’s already here, and that kind of thinking takes confidence. It also takes time. But the brands that commit to it are the ones people remember when the hype wears off.
Part of the problem is pace, because digital platforms reward speed. The fastest posts, the earliest reactions and the best-timed hashtags tend to get the reach. But speed isn’t the same as influence. A quick post might generate short-term attention, but if it lacks context or depth and rarely builds authority.
I’ve seen technical companies hit decent engagement numbers with trend-driven content, only to find it doesn’t support their long-term goals. It’s like chasing shadows; busy, but not productive.
A brand that knows what it stands for and understands the details behind its offer is better placed to say something that matters. That doesn’t mean writing manifestos or publishing bold predictions.
Often, it’s enough to highlight a pattern that others haven’t noticed or to question a commonly held assumption with evidence. When a company shares real insight, even in small pieces, it shows it has a point of view. That matters more than a reaction.
In some cases, staying quiet can say more than speaking up. I’ve advised clients not to comment on passing stories when the link is thin or the timing feels forced – that’s not playing it safe, that’s preserving credibility.
Audiences, particularly in STEM, know when something feels opportunistic. The brands that build trust are the ones that show consistency. They don’t try to appear everywhere, they show up where they can add value.
Of course, there’s still a role for timely response. A new regulation, a breakthrough result, a shift in policy. These moments deserve attention when they align with your work.
But even then, the question should be: "What can we add?", not how fast can we join in. Sometimes a slower, more considered contribution has greater impact than the first post out of the gate.
This approach applies to PR as much as it does to digital content. A press release doesn’t need to ride a news wave to be effective, it needs to say something grounded and relevant.
Richard Stone, Founder of Stone Junction
Editors and journalists aren’t just looking for trend alignment. They’re looking for proof that the person commenting understands the topic. Original thinking, backed by data or experience, holds more weight than a quote that echoes the rest.
That’s also why it’s crucial to avoid what Peter Swanson, Founder and Executive Chair at Intertronics, calls “a cookie-cutter approach to writing PR”. As he puts it, “The internet has a quality problem. Content is cheap and tends towards average, predictable and mediocre; these are the effects of generative AI.
“Inevitably, this type of content is ignored as not being valuable, and so not trusted.”
Building trust, he argues, takes more than technical accuracy – it requires language that reflects the audience’s own, stories that mirror their experience, and a willingness to say something meaningful. “Why we think that…” and “why you should…”, when supported with credible argument, hold more weight than any neutral, machine-written material.
“I think we must be more human than anyone else is willing to be in our space.” It’s a call for perspective over performance, and a reminder that being recognisably human might be the clearest differentiator a brand can offer.
That’s one of the reasons I always ask clients what they want to be known for, not just what they want to promote. If a brand wants to shape the future of industrial software or drive thinking on renewable storage, it can’t do that by chasing what everyone else is already talking about.
It must build the argument. That means taking a position early, and then supporting it with content that adds depth and commentary that moves the conversation forward. It’s not easy, and it doesn’t always deliver instant results. But it builds something more powerful over time.
There’s a kind of pressure that comes with being seen. I’ve felt that in my own business. The worry that silence looks like inactivity. But there’s a difference between being quiet and being thoughtful.
Sometimes the strongest position is one that takes time to form, and then lands with precision. That’s how reputations grow – not from presence alone, but from presence with intent.
It's also true that a strong position, with considered messaging, makes a fast, newsjacking-style response possible when necessary. It also means that the resultant coverage adds to the narrative that you are building, rather than cluttering it with irrelevance.
STEM brands already have the substance. What many of them need now is the patience and conviction to lead with it. Shaping a trend doesn’t require louder messages. It requires better ones.
To keep up to date with the latest theory and practice in technical PR, subscribe to Stone Junction’s podcast, The Junction Box, on Apple Music, Spotify or wherever you prefer to get your podcasts today.
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