How ‘Dancing with the Stars’ Hits All The Right PR Moves

Dancing with the Stars (DWTS) has evolved far beyond a simple reality competition. Since 2005, it’s become a masterclass in public relations, audience engagement, and emotional storytelling. Each season pairs celebrities from every background with professional Latin ballroom dancers to create moments that are as much about brand image and reputation as they are about cha-chas and foxtrots. For PR students and aspiring professionals, there’s a lot to learn from how this legacy of a show continues to stay relevant nearly two decades later.

D - Disco Into Partnerships

One of DWTS’s most effective PR strategies lies in its casting: diverse celebrity-pro pairs designed to appeal to multiple generations and audience segments. Season 34 features Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles, TikTok influencer Alix Earle, Boy Meets World star Danielle Fishel, and nostalgic 1980s actor Corey Feldman. These pairings are far from random; they’re strategic.

As Co-Executive Producer and Casting Director Deena Katz explained on the Dancing with the Stars Official Podcast, the goal is to curate chemistry and balance personalities. Co-Executive Producer Conrad Green echoed this, saying, “[We] always try to make a broad, varied cast with something to appeal to lots of different groups, pull them all [target audiences] into the show, and then get them to see people who they may not be as familiar with and fall in love with them instead.”

Beyond casting celebrity contestants, DWTS strategically taps into pop culture moments to amplify its relevance and reach. This season’s “Wicked Night” episode, which aired October 21, 2025, featured Wicked and Wicked: For Good film director John M. Chu as a guest judge. Each celebrity-pro pair performed to songs from the existing film and upcoming movie Wicked: For Good, premiering November 21. The collaboration worked, as Google Trends showed a 3,500% spike in “Wicked” searches associated with DWTS that week. It was a seamless fusion of entertainment and cross-promotion, boosting visibility for both brands. 

These partnerships can expand audience reach and keep long-standing brands feeling fresh and culturally relevant, a fundamental skill in the field of public relations.

W - Waltz with Your Audiences

If casting brings the audience in, engagement keeps them there. Audience participation is at the heart of DWTS's PR strategy; viewers vote weekly via ABC, Disney+, or SMS to create an interactive feedback loop. Fans debate judges’ scores, anticipate eliminations, and champion their favorite contestants they’ve come to love. 

Behind this engagement is a deliberate PR engine. Many contestants enter the ballroom with something to prove: a career gap, an image refresh, or simply trying something new outside of their comfort zone. The show gives them a narrative of transformation, and that’s the kind of storytelling audiences invest in. 

For the 2025 season, DWTS is averaging 50 million viewer votes per week, a record-breaking milestone that reflects how audiences embrace the show’s emotional storytelling and fast-paced weekly format.

The takeaway for us PR students? Engagement isn’t one-way. Invite your audience into the story; let them react, vote, share, and shape the conversation for prime loyalty and investment.

T - Tango with Real-Time TV

Dancing with the Stars thrives on the unpredictability of live television. Every week brings new choreography, challenges, and emotional arcs that keep fans tuning in.

For example,  Australian TV personality Robert Irwin's recent “Dedication Night” dance included a pre-dance video package honoring his mother and expressing gratitude for her support after his dad’s passing. This gave audiences a vulnerable storyline grounded in resilience and strength. Meanwhile, hosts Julianne Hough and Alfonso Ribeiro navigate live mistakes with grace and authenticity, pushing the “the show goes on” ethos.

For PR professionals, DWTS establishes a blueprint for staging ongoing, episodic storytelling, even if it’s not flawless on the very first take. Each week becomes a chapter, and each episode becomes a narrative that builds momentum. Think of your campaign like a live season: deliver consistent updates, maintain suspense, and give your audience a reason to keep watching.

S - Samba Into Social Media

The revival of Dancing with the Stars isn’t just happening on a TV and a stage; it’s thriving on our very own phones. The show’s second-screen strategy has transformed live broadcasting into an ongoing digital experience. Season 34 has leaned heavily into social platforms like TikTok and Instagram to extend the ballroom past Tuesday nights. 

Even eliminated professional dancers stay active by livestreaming behind-the-scenes content on TikTok during the show’s weekly taping, offering fans a backstage experience that traditional broadcasts can’t provide. For today’s audiences, it’s no longer enough to simply watch on schedule; they want to comment, share, and actively engage.

Audience’s craving for real-time connection extends beyond TikTok. DWTS’s digital presence is just as dynamic on Instagram, where the numbers speak for themselves. As of October 22, 2025, the official DWTS Instagram account posted 84 times in a single week, nearly 12 posts a day. These range from photos of each couple’s performance to playful trend content like “Defying Gravity” riff challenge featuring the cast, behind-the-scenes glam transitions, and even show bloopers. Combining the content shared by pros and celebrities on their personal accounts, the result is a digital ecosystem that keeps the DWTS brand dancing all season long.

In the same podcast episode mentioned earlier, Co-Executive Producer Conrad Green explained this evolution perfectly: 

“The nature of what ‘celebrity’ is has completely changed. Twenty years ago, the iPhone and social media didn’t exist. We’ve [the DWTS team] had to evolve with how people watch and consume entertainment.”

Regarding PR, DWTS’s redefinition of modern entertainment offers a powerful reminder that your campaign doesn’t end with the main event. The growth of digital marketing is the heartbeat that continues through every pre-event teaser and post-event recap. Strategic social storytelling of user-generated content, trend participation, and authentic audience understanding keeps your message alive long after the spotlight fades.

Closing Number 

At its core, the Dancing with the Stars show structure remains the same, but its story is constantly evolving with real-time engagement. The secret to its longevity is a balance of blending nostalgia with innovation, consistency with creativity, and authenticity with adaptation. This dynamic is reflected both on the dance floor and behind the scenes.

This D-W-T-S PR model serves as a framework for creating stories that resonate, invite participation, and live beyond the spotlight. Because when your brand dances in rhythm with its audience, the performance never truly ends.

About Lauren

Lauren is a junior majoring in Advertising and Public Relations with a minor in Applied Communication. Now in her second year with GrandPR, she serves as the firm's Chief Experience Officer, following previous roles as an Account Associate and Media Coordinator. Beyond GrandPR, Lauren further develops her professional experience as a Marketing Assistant for GVSU's Office of Student Life and leads GVSU’s National Student Advertising Competition team. After graduation, she plans to launch a career in public relations, then advance her education in a specialized field and pursue an executive leadership role.