Joseph Abreu is the chief communications officer for the clerk of the court & comptroller of Lee County in Fort Myers, Fla., overseeing strategic communications, public affairs, media relations, emergency management, and reputation/brand management. He is also the PRSA’s 2024 Chair. Abreu has served for over 17 years in leadership roles with PRSA, including five years on the national board.

 Before his CCO role, he directed communication efforts for the clerk & comptrollers of St. Lucie and Palm Beach counties. He managed communications and development for Compass, a prominent LGBTQ community center.

Abreu has been recognized with awards like the PRSA Sunshine District’s Trailblazer Award and the PRSA Palm Beach Chapter’s Hall of Fame Award, Abreu’s campaigns have garnered over 40 national, state, and local accolades.

The thing I’m most excited about for the future of my profession is:

I’m excited about how new technologies, like artificial intelligence and augmented reality, will continue to impact the way public relations professionals work in the near future. These new tools will give us unique opportunities to work faster, produce more content, develop personalized messaging and engage audiences.

One thing that worries me about the future of my profession is:

As much as I embrace AI and other burgeoning technologies, I do worry about how they will amplify mis- and disinformation in our societies. We are already highly susceptible to misleading and false statements, but when it is made with authentic voices and videos, it will be even harder for people to discern between truth and lies. As public relations professionals, we will have to work together to combat unethical practices.

A tool or a piece of software I cannot live without is:

My iPhone. Like many PR professionals, I need to be accessible as well as be able to access the internet, email, and social media – right at my fingertips. I often use my phone to take notes, create videos, and manage all my finances.

The most underrated skill in my profession is:

Financial literacy. If you go into communications without a strong understanding of numbers, you will limit your growth. Communications executives must be comfortable with budgets, P&L statements and balance sheets. We also need to be able to measure our results against the bottom line and prove our value in the C-suite. 

One way I stay creative and motivated is:

Graphic design is a skill that can truly benefit communicators, and I have been proficient in many Adobe programs for nearly 20 years. It gives me a creative escape from everyday work, and the artistry allows me to recharge and better contribute to my team.

Someone who has helped me be successful in my career is:

 My husband. He has always been encouraging and supportive of my career and my passions in life, whether it be volunteering for PRSA for the past 18 years or moving across the state for a new career opportunity. He helps me stay positive in the toughest times, and I wouldn’t be where I am without him.

Isis Simpson-Mersha is a conference producer/ reporter for Ragan. Follow her on LinkedIn.

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Vice President and leader of the AI, Big Data, and Cloud software team at 10Fold‘s Austin office, Caitlin Haskins has over 16 years of expertise in public relations. Recognized as a “Dynamic Do-er” in the PR Daily & Ragan Communications Top Women in Communications Awards in 2022, she is passionate about achieving impactful results.

Outside of her professional endeavors, Haskins finds joy in digging for fossils with her three children, savoring the flavors of Austin’s breakfast tacos, or pursuing her dream of mastering the art of the perfect sourdough loaf.

The moment I’m proudest of in my entire career is when I:

See a company grow to the next stage – whether that’s completing an exit or acquisition or simply continuing to build. Taking a company from stealth to exit is especially satisfying when you know that the brand awareness and third-party recognition that we generated played an important role in those milestones. It’s powerful to bring innovations that are truly world-changing to market – especially now as we are on the cusp of so many new applications in the AI space.

A tool or a piece of software I cannot live without is:

Google Gemini. While the application’s gotten some flack in the last week or two for inaccuracies with image generation, I use it to quickly vet ideas, identify supporting statistics from credible sources, and more. I don’t find it to be as successful with content generation or as “creative” as ChatGPT, but it speeds up my work, nonetheless.

The key to excellence in storytelling is:

Creating a human connection. Working in deep tech, we tend to quickly get stuck on the business narrative around software and solutions. However, reporters – and prospective buyers – are all people first. If we can shed light on their day-to-day experiences and how technology is creating conflict or making things better, our story is much more likely to resonate.

My professional motto/mantra is:

Never stop experimenting. What keeps me energized and moving forward is the ability to try new things – with my clients as they seek novel ways to educate their markets, with our agency marketing and with my team. Our world is changing quickly – if I’m not trying several new things each quarter, at best I can expect to stand still or even fall behind. I want to be known as a leader who isn’t afraid to try new things and is constantly learning.

A book or song that changed the way I think about my career is:

The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results by Gary Keller. One of the things I love about working in an agency is that every day is different. I have the opportunity to tackle a new set of challenges every day and that makes every day move fast. The challenge is that it’s easy to get “shiny penny syndrome” and lose track of the tasks that move the needle amidst all the rest. This book helped me understand that if I could build a stronger focus on critical tasks, I would make much more progress toward my goals and help our business move forward.                           

When I’m feeling overwhelmed at work, I:

 Remind myself that this is temporary. Things get busy and that’s a good thing – it means we have opportunity and I just need to take each piece apart to understand how I will prioritize my time. What can only I do? What can be handed off to a team member with little impact on quality or end result? The biggest mistake we can make in this field is not letting go. Letting go of a task could give a team member an opportunity to try something new. Or, given the circumstances, I may need to “let go” of the way I’d prefer to get things done – I’m analytical and like to move deliberately – to get the job done the way it should. I communicate my plan to execute with my CEO and then stop stressing – it’s time to get it done!

Isis Simpson-Mersha is a conference producer/ reporter for Ragan. Follow her on LinkedIn.

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Principal and Co-Founder at Johnson & Roy, Joel Johnson collaborates with Fortune 50 automotive OEMs, governments and oversight bureaus, growth startups, and enthusiast and trade publications across the spectrum of tech and mobility.

 Beyond his role at this global consulting firm, he threads creativity as the visiting chief creative officer at the Missouri Star Quilt Company (MSQC). The quilt company has grown into one of the nation’s largest quilting and fabric retailers, boasting over 400 employees, a dozen retail stores in Hamilton, attracting 100,000 annual tourists, and nearly a million YouTube followers. 

The key to excellence in storytelling is:

An elder statesman of public relations once told me something very important, which I think probably says it best: “If you give your audience something they didn’t know they wanted, in a place they didn’t expect to find it—a bit of wisdom, a funny turn of phrase, a moment of inspiration—they’ll always read to the end of a paragraph even if you made up the story entirely.” He also told me I was smart and handsome, because reader? That elder statesman was me.

‘Storytelling’ is, like ‘imagine,’ a wonderful word creaking under the weight of corporate misuse. Storytelling is ancient, a critical tool of survival, vaguely magical, possibly hardwired into the operation of sapience itself. In the corporate milieu, it’s a word typically used by neophyte illusionists who haven’t had enough therapy to accept that selective eliding of the truth is intrinsic to the art.

The greatest story is that which requires no telling. An excellent story hides in plain sight, beckons but does not coax. It makes the reader feel as if they have become smarter of their own volition; if they share the story as their own you know you’ve done something right.

To tell a story that travels you must know your true audience and intuit the state in which they will find your message through empathy, statistics, or guile.

For example, my audience for this story, by dint of this venue, might be presumed to be professionals in the public relations industry, because they are the people who would read a Q&A with a public relations expert. There’s little direct benefit to me professionally to be known to public relations professionals reading a trade publication, so I can say virtually anything because my true audience is Google’s index spiders.

By participating in this Q&A (for which I am grateful, of course) my name is slightly elevated in Google’s ranking for a few terms that are peripherally related to things for which potential clients might search. Because I simply need to associate a few search terms with my name—things like ‘narrative strategy,’ ‘public relations strategy,’ ‘crisis strategy,’ ‘corporate brand strategy,’ ‘professional dyspepsia,’ etc.—I can even risk mangling a Sun Tzu quote and know that the robots will never intuit that I stole it.

The most rewarding part of my job is:

Meeting modest, clever, hard-working people who hope to make the world—or just their company—a better place but need a little help clarifying how they talk to their employees, investors, or customers. I learn much from them. They usually already know how to tell their story. They just need an editor.

The most difficult part of my job is:

Meeting people who are lying to themselves about what they hope to get out of brand and narrative strategy. There are few reasons people seek attention and almost all of them can be reduced down to the desire for fame, power, or money. People may even have good intentions in seeking fame, power, or money; I know I do. (It’s so that I can make enough money to stop working and putter in my workshop all day creating the world’s first USB-C butter warmer.)

But when a client has fooled themselves into denying their desires, it slows down the work. Unwinding these delusions is slow, painful, and, because of my own impatience (I’m working on it) often infuriating. I would rather help leaders who can say “I need to be more respected in my field so I can secure better capital terms” than those who maintain they are seeking attention because of a selfless, noble mandate to humanity.

The world’s a noisy place; speak clearly.

I stay on top of trends by:

I read newspapers. I read books and the occasional magazine. I read a lightly curated collection of sub-Reddits. I read Hacker News. I have a coterie of obnoxious(ly?) smart friends with varied interests who insert memes and trends into my brain via group chats despite repeated requests for them to leave me alone. I have hard-won good taste and, most importantly, know when to rely on the taste of others.

One way I maintain my work-life balance is:

I don’t. Work-Life balance is a myth in the United States. I do everything as quickly and thoroughly as I can until I periodically melt down. Then I try to learn from that meltdown and extend the interval between the inevitable next meltdown, through better planning or more rigorously applied discipline to exercise, sleep, or rest. There is no way for me to maintain the lifestyle I prefer, one where I engage in my interests and learn by falling down rabbit holes, going on trips, as well as have nice material things like a house and cars and motorcycles, without pushing my entropy-cursed body and mind to its ever-decreasing limit.

Don’t get me wrong: this is by choice. I could make different decisions. But life is so short and there is so much to do, so much to try, so much to learn. And I’m getting better at learning.

My professional motto/mantra is:

“Would you rather argue about it or would you rather test it?”

Isis Simpson-Mersha is a conference producer/ reporter for Ragan. Follow her on LinkedIn.

The post How I got here: Joel Johnson on the key to excellence in storytelling appeared first on PR Daily.

Kami Spangenberg serves as the senior vice president of corporate communications, scientific stature services, and community affairs at RTI International, a global nonprofit research institute. In her role, Spangenberg oversees three crucial departments that work cohesively to fulfill the institute’s mission of translating knowledge into practical solutions for improving the human condition. 

The comms and marketing veteran finds professional fulfillment in collaborating with dedicated individuals working towards a global mission for the greater good and she emphasizes the importance of laughter in her daily life.

In 2023, Spangenberg was recognized as a Top Women in Communications by Ragan Communications.  She is also a valued member of Ragan’s Communications Leadership Council. 

My professional motto/mantra is:

I am incredibly fortunate to lead a team of smart, creative and hard-working colleagues. Each day they amaze me. My leadership style certainly falls into the category of motivational cheerleader, and I expend a lot of energy creating positive team energy around projects. I’ve been known to say at the end of many team meetings, “Let’s get after it!” It’s a rallying cry to get going and make things happen. Getting after it—and staying after it—through persistence and hard work always pays off.

A book or song that changed the way I think about my career is:

Issues management and crisis communications are key components of my communications work. I’m particularly proud of a consistent track record of helping our people and our organization navigate the tough stuff. This work demands a lot, and the pressure can take an emotional toll. I find myself time and again turning to All Things Must Pass (1970) by George Harrison as a beacon. Knowing “the darkness only stays the nighttime” helps me move through intense moments assured that “daylight is good at arriving at the right time.” George knew that “all things must pass away,” and that sense of impermanence helps me navigate challenges.

I’m inspired by:

I am inspired by the storytellers. The artistry, the craft, of storytelling fascinates and enthralls me. An avid reader and cinephile, I love nothing more than immersing myself in a captivating tale. A story told well stays with you. It leaves an impression, informing how you see the world. Stories share our memories and enable connection. Anyone who can harness that power inspires me.

The most underrated skill in my profession is:

Effective communicators tailor for the audience they’re trying to reach. Seeking to understand others and to imagine what it must be like to be in their situation—empathy—is a skill. Some may say that empathy is an ability, meaning it’s natural or innate. I don’t dispute that there are natural empaths. Yes, skills differ in that they are learned and improved through performing. But I believe that one can practice empathy and get better at it. To me, empathy is the ultimate soft skill allowing communicators to connect more effectively with their audiences. And that connection is truly how we measure our success.

One way I maintain my work-life balance is:

At RTI International, we provide staff with the flexibility to work where and when they are most productive. We have incredibly gifted and talented staff who solve complex research and development challenges to help improve the human condition. That’s no small task. Providing telework, hybrid and resident options is one way we support them to do their best work while maintaining “work-life balance.”

I chose to be a hybrid worker where I spend most work hours connecting virtually from my home office and join colleagues onsite one to two days a week where face-to-face connection seems most beneficial. This allows me to keep a balance with my personal life and a wellness routine that works for me while bringing my best self to work, so I can guide and mentor our team.

I love what I do and feel very connected to my team and colleagues, so my work happiness quotient is high. I found HP’s recent sponsored content in the NY Times, Happy at Work? How Remote Jobs, Technology and New Attitudes are Redefining the “Office” interesting. The data show work preferences vary by generation, and one point that struck me is that most of us need “work-life freedom” or “work-life flexibility” rather than what we traditionally think of as balance. That resonates with me.

 The thing I’m most excited about for the future of my profession is:

I’m excited about the evolution of tools we use to communicate. To date myself, I started my career writing at the DOS prompt. Now, I have a team piloting generative AI tools to help streamline daily tasks and another team implementing Smart Brevity principles into our workflow. It’s staggering to think about the technology evolution over my 35+-year career and how much has changed. I’m excited about what lies ahead with the promise of emerging tools that open up new creative channels and enhance how we reach our audiences. 

Isis Simpson-Mersha is a conference producer/ reporter for Ragan. Follow her on LinkedIn.

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Blair Primis, the chief marketing officer at Flagship Specialty Partners, has a distinguished 20-year marketing career. Primis has a gift for establishing successful creative teams in and out of healthcare. Over the past 14 years, he has led marketing, communications, content, creative, and event teams in the private practice sector, leveraging his expertise in both the demand and growth sides of marketing to develop a results-driven strategy for practices within the Flagship platform.

We caught up with Primis to get his take on the future of the communications industry.

 What inspired you to pursue a career in marketing?

A marketing career was actually not in my playbook! When I began my job hunt after college, I interviewed across industries and disciplines, looking for a job, not the job. Yet what truly excited me was the energy, creativity, and passion for brands I discovered while interviewing with McCann-Erickson (now McCann). When I accepted a media supervisor position there, I didn’t realize that this would help define my career in marketing, but I’m glad it did! I also worked in marketing at McDonald’s early in my career, which I credit as the place I received my on-the-job MBA. Being immersed in one of the world’s most universally recognized brands ignited my passion for building brands beloved by consumers, a passion that continues to guide me today.

 What’s your favorite underrated tool or software?

 There are a few I’d say. In no particular order, I find Semrush for analytics and Monday.com for workflow management to be very valuable. Specific to my role today, my team and I are thrilled with our partners at Liine and Intersect Technologies. They both have proven to be insightful software tools and outcome, action-based platforms.

What’s a memorable moment or project that defined your career?

Before becoming CMO of Flagship Specialty Partners, a healthcare management services organization for oral surgery practices, I was in a similar role at OrthoCarolina, one of the largest orthopedic practices in the U.S. When I began working there, it was a daunting challenge to brand orthopedics, especially because healthcare was not then – nor is it now – a traditional consumer-facing industry. The private practice specialty marketing playbook our team developed demonstrated how a healthcare brand can be recognized for being a part of people’s lives, even when it’s not needed 24/7. This work led me to my current role at Flagship Specialty Partners, where we are focused on recalibrating how consumers understand the oral healthcare specialty, including the positive role management services support plays, and why it’s imperative to seek an oral surgeon’s care.

 How do you balance creativity and strategy in your communication efforts? 

The healthcare system in the U.S. poses the greatest challenge of our time. Creativity and strategy go hand-in-hand when solving this challenge — solving it demands fresh thinking as we explore how we think about and consume healthcare. Balancing creativity and strategy requires being open to innovative ideas, a willingness to try new things — however crazy they seem — and testing an idea’s effectiveness, even when it doesn’t make sense at the outset. I like to think that my “let’s try it” mantra encourages my teams to reject the status quo, think outside the box, and move the needle on our strategies and outcomes.

What role has mentorship played in your career development?

 Being mentored by marketers and healthcare leaders I look up to has taught me the importance of building authentic relationships and championing my team’s knowledge, skills, and ideas. Through mentorship, I learned to hire brilliant people who are smarter than me and guide them to become expert healthcare marketers. As Steve Jobs once said, “It doesn’t make sense to hire smart people and tell them what to do.” Like Apple’s visionary leader, I work hard to hire smart people so they can tell us what to do! This is the key to driving revenue, as well as becoming a relevant and beloved brand. It also ensures Flagship Specialty Partners will create value, viability, stability, and long-term sustainability for our partners.

Can you recall a humorous or unexpected experience from your career journey?

 Not only did I not know I wanted to be a marketer, but the fact that marketing the Golden Arches with McDonald’s is part of my journey is something I still find unexpected. This experience continues to guide me today and my passion for building brands beloved by consumers.

Isis Simpson-Mersha is a conference producer/ reporter for Ragan. Follow her on LinkedIn.

The post 6 questions with: Blair Primis of Flagship Specialty Partners appeared first on PR Daily.

Ai continues hurtling forward, bringing with it new promise and new peril. From threats to the world’s elections to hope for new kinds of jobs, let’s see how this technology is impacting the role of communicators this week.

Risks

2024 is likely the biggest election year in the history of the world. Nearly half the planet’s inhabitants will head to the polls this year, a major milestone. But that massive wave of humanity casting ballots comes at the precise moment that AI deepfakes are altering the information landscape, likely forever.

In both India and Indonesia, AI is digitally resurrecting long-dead politicians to weigh in on current elections. A likeness of M Karunanidhi (date of death: 2018), former leader of India’s Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party, delivered an 8-minute speech endorsing current party leaders. Indonesian general, president and strongman Suharto (date of death: 2008) appeared in a social media video touting the benefits of the Golkar party.

Neither video is intended to fool anyone into thinking these men are still alive. Rather, they’re using the cache and popularity of these deceased leaders to drum up votes for the elections of today. While these deepfakes may not be overtly deceptive, they’re still putting words these men never spoke into their virtual mouths. It’s an unsettling prospect and one that could pay big dividends in elections. There’s no data to know how successful the strategy might be – but we’ll have it soon, for better or worse.

Major tech companies, including Google, Microsoft, Meta, OpenAI, Adobe and TikTok all intend to sign an “accord” that would hopefully help identify and label AI deepfake amid these vital elections, the Washington Post reported. It stops short of banning such content, however, merely committing to more transparency around what’s real and what’s AI.

“The intentional and undisclosed generation and distribution of deceptive AI election content can deceive the public in ways that jeopardize the integrity of electoral processes,” the accord says.

But while the intentions may be good, the technology isn’t there yet. Meta has committed to labeling AI imagery created with any generative tool, not just its own, but they’re still developing the tools. Will transparency catch up in time to act as a safeguard to this year’s many elections? 

Indeed, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman admits that it’s not the threat of artificial intelligence spawning killer robots that keep him up at night – it’s how everyday people might use these tools. 

“I’m much more interested in the very subtle societal misalignments where we just have these systems out in society and through no particular ill intention, things just go horribly wrong,” Altman said during a video call at the World Governments Summit.

One example could be this technology for tracking employee’s Slack messages. More than 3 million employees at some of the world’s biggest companies are already being observed by Aware AI software, designed to track internal sentiment and preserve chats for legal reasons, Business Insider reported. It can also track other problematic behaviors, such as bullying or sexual harassment.

The CEO of Aware says its tools aren’t intended to be used for decision-making or disciplinary purposes. Unsurprisingly, this promise is being met with skepticism by privacy experts.

“No company is essentially in a position to make any sweeping assurances about the privacy and security of LLMs and these kinds of systems,” said Amba Kak, executive director of the AI Now Institute at New York University.

That’s where we are right now: a state of good intentions for using  technology that is powerful enough to be dangerous, but not powerful enough to be fully trusted. 

Regulation, ethics and government oversight

The push for global AI regulation shows no signs of slowing, with notable developments including a Vatican friar leading an AI commission alongside Bill Gates and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Melonin to curb the influence of ChatGPT in Italian media, and NVIDIA CEO  Jensen Huang calling for each country to cultivate its own sovereign AI strategy and own the data it produces. 

“It codifies your culture, your society’s intelligence, your common sense, your history – you own your own data,” Huang told UAE’s Minister of AI Omar Al Olama earlier this week at the World Governments Summit in Dubai.

In the U.S., federal AI regulation took several steps forward last month when the White House followed up on its executive order announced last November with an update on key, coordinated actions being taken at the federal level. Since then, other federal agencies have followed suit, issuing new rules and precedents that promise to directly impact the communications field.

Last week, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) officially banned AI-generated robocalls to curb concerns about election disinformation and voter fraud. 

According to the New York Times:

“It seems like something from the far-off future, but it is already here,” the F.C.C. chairwoman, Jessica Rosenworcel, said in a statement. “Bad actors are using A.I.-generated voices in unsolicited robocalls to extort vulnerable family members, imitate celebrities and misinform voters.”

Those concerns came to a head late last month, when thousands of voters received an unsolicited robocall from a faked voice of President Biden, instructing voters to abstain from voting in the first primary of the election season. The state attorney general office announced this week that it had opened a criminal investigation into a Texas-based company it believes is behind the robocall. The caller ID was falsified to make it seem as if the calls were coming from the former New Hampshire chairwoman of the Democratic Party.

This is a vital area for communicators to monitor, and to clearly and proactively send messages on how to spot scams and identify real calls and emails from your organization from the fake. Don’t wait until you’re being spoofed – communicate now. 

Closer to the communicator’s purview is another precedent expressed in recently published guidelines by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office that states it will only grant its official legal protections to humans, citing Biden’s aforementioned Executive Order in claiming that “patents function to incentivize and reward human ingenuity.”

The guidance clarifies that, though inventions made using AI are not “categorically unpatentable,” the AI used to make them cannot be classified as the inventor from a legal standpoint. This requires at least one human to be named as the inventor for any given claim – opening their claim to ownership up for potential review if they have not created a significant portion of the work.

Organizations that want to copyright or patent work using GenAI would do well to codify their standards and documentation for explaining exactly how much of the work was created by humans. 

That may be why the PR Council recently updated its AI guidelines  “to include an overview of the current state of AI, common use cases across agencies and guidance on disclosure to clients, employee training and more.” 

The Council added that it created a cross-disciplinary team of experts in ethics, corporate reputation, digital, and DE&I to update the guidelines.

 The updates state:

• A continuum has emerged that delineates phases in AI’s evolution within firms highlights its implications for serving clients, supporting teams and advancing the public interest. 

• While AI use cases, especially among Creative teams, has expanded greatly, the outputs are not final, client-ready work due to copyright and trademark issues and the acknowledgment that human creativity is essential for producing unique, on-strategy outputs. 

• With AI being integrated into many existing tools and platforms, agency professionals should stay informed about new capabilities, challenges and biases. 

• Establishing clear policies regarding the use of generative AI, including transparency requirements, is an increasing need for agencies and clients. This applies to all vendors, including influencer or creator relationships. 

• Despite predictions that large language models will eliminate hallucinations within 18 months, proper sourcing and fact-checking remain crucial skills. 

• Experts continue to advise caution when inputting confidential client information, due to mistrust of promised security and confidentiality measures.  
• Given the persistent risk of bias, adhering to a checklist to identify and mitigate bias is critical. 

These recommendations function as a hyperlocal safeguard for risk and reputation that communicators can own and operationalize throughout the organization. 

Tools and Innovations

AI’s evolution continues to hurtle ahead at lightning speed. We’re even getting rebrands and name changes, as Google’s old-fashioned sounding Bard becomes the more sci-fi Gemini. The new name comes with a new mobile app to enable to AI on the go, along with Gemini Advanced, a $19.99/month service that uses Google’s “Ultra 1.0 model,” which the company says is more adept at complex, creative and collaborative tasks.

MIT researchers are also making progress on an odd issue with chatbots: their tendency to crash if you talk to them for too long. You can read the MIT article for the technical details, but here’s the bottom line for end users: “This could allow a chatbot to conduct long conversations throughout the workday without needing to be continually rebooted, enabling efficient AI assistants for tasks like copywriting, editing, or generating code.”

Microsoft, one of the leading companies in the AI arms race, has released three major trends it foresees for the year ahead. This likely adheres to its own release plans, but nonetheless, keep an eye on these developments over the next year:

• Small language models: The name is a bit misleading – these are still huge models with billions of data points. But they’re more compact than the more famous large language models, often able to be stored on a mobile phone, and feature a curated data set for specific tasks. 
• Multimodal AI: These models can understand inputs via text, video, images and audio, offering more options for the humans seeking help.
• AI in science: While many of us in comms use AI to generate text, conduct research or create images, scientists are using it to improve agriculture, fight cancer and save the environment. Microsoft predicts big improvements in this area moving forward. 

AI had a presence at this year’s Super Bowl, though not as pronounced as, say, crypto was in 2022. Still, Microsoft’s Copilot product got an ad, as did some of Google’s AI features, Adweek reported. AI also featured in non-tech brands like Avocados from Mexico (GuacAImole will help create guac recipes) and as a way to help Etsy shoppers find gifts.

But AI isn’t just being used as a marketing tool, it’s also being used to deliver ads to viewers. “Disney’s Magic Words” is a new spin on metadata. Advertisers on Disney+ or Hulu can tie their advertising not just to specific programs, but to specific scenes, Reuters reported. This will allow brands to tailor their ads to fit the mood or vibe of a precise moment. No more cutting away from an intense, dramatic scene to a silly, high-energy ad. This could help increase positive brand sentiment by more seamlessly integrating emotion into programmatic ad choices.

AI at work 

The question of whether or not AI will take away jobs has loomed large since ChatGPT came on the scene in late 2022. While there’s no shortage of studies, facts and figures analyzing this trend, recent reports suggest that the answer depends on where you sit in an organization.

A recent report in the Wall Street Journal points to recent layoffs at companies like Google, Duolingo and UPS as examples where roles were eliminated in favor of productivity automation strategies, and suggests that managers may find themselves particularly vulnerable.

The report reads:

“This wave [of technology] is a potential replacement or an enhancement for lots of critical-thinking, white-collar jobs,” said Andy Challenger, senior vice president of outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas.

Since last May, companies have attributed more than 4,600 job cuts to AI, particularly in media and tech, according to Challenger’s count. The firm estimates the full tally of AI-related job cuts is likely higher, since many companies haven’t explicitly linked cuts to AI adoption in layoff announcements.

Meanwhile, the number of professionals who now use generative AI in their daily work lives has surged. A majority of more than 15,000 workers in fields ranging from financial services to marketing analytics and professional services said they were using the technology at least once a week in late 2023, a sharp jump from May, according to Oliver Wyman Forum, the research arm of management-consulting group Oliver Wyman, which conducted the survey.

It’s not all doom and gloom, however. “Job postings on LinkedIn that mention either AI or generative AI more than doubled worldwide between July 2021 and July 2023 — and on Upwork, AI job posts increased more than 1,000% in the second quarter of 2023, compared to the same period last year,” reports CNBC. 

Of course, as companies are still in an early and experimental phase with integrating AI into workflows, the jobs centered around them carry a high level of risk and uncertainty. 

That may be why efforts are afoot to educate those who want to work in this emerging field.

Earlier this week, Reuters reported that Google pledged €25 million to help Europeans learn how to work with AI. Google accompanied the announcement by opening applications for social organizations and nonprofits to help reach those who would benefit most from the training. The company also expanded its online AI training courses to include 18 languages and announced “growth academies” that it claims will help companies using AI scale their business.

“Research shows that the benefits of AI could exacerbate existing inequalities — especially in terms of economic security and employment,” Adrian Brown, executive director of the Centre for Public Impact nonprofit collaborating with Google on the initiative, told Reuters. 

“This new program will help people across Europe develop their knowledge, skills and confidence around AI, ensuring that no one is left behind.”

While it’s unclear what industries or age demographics this initiative will target, one thing’s certain: the next generation workforce is eager to embrace AI.

A 2024 trends rport from Handshake, a career website for college students, found that 64% of tech majors and 45% of non-tech majors graduating in 2024 plan to develop new skills that will allow them to use gen AI in their careers.

“Notably, students who are worried about the impact of generative AI on their careers are even more likely to plan on upskilling to adapt,” the report found.

These numbers suggest that there’s no use wasting time to fold AI education into your organization’s learning and development offerings. The best way to ease obsolescence concerns among your workforce is to integrate training into their career goals and development plans, standardize that training across all relevant functions and skill sets, then make it a core part of your employer brand.

What trends and news are you tracking in the AI space? What would you like to see covered in our biweekly AI roundups, which are 100% written by humans? Let us know in the comments!

Allison Carter is editor-in-chief of PR Daily. Follow her on Twitter or LinkedIn.

Justin Joffe is the editorial director and editor-in-chief at Ragan Communications. Before joining Ragan, Joffe worked as a freelance journalist and communications writer specializing in the arts and culture, media and technology, PR and ad tech beats. His writing has appeared in several publications including Vulture, Newsweek, Vice, Relix, Flaunt, and many more.

The post AI for communicators: What’s new and what’s next appeared first on PR Daily.

Drofa Comms Co-founder and COO Mary Poliakova manages diverse teams, overseeing client relations, content production, and data analysis. With a decade of experience, the former finance journalist has led over 40 international campaigns.

We caught up with Poliakova to get her take on the future of the communications industry,

What book, podcast or other media do you recommend to other comms pros?

As a PR pro, I find that building connections with journalists and exchanging insights with fellow communication specialists is absolutely paramount. Our professional community spans the globe, and while we may not always know each other face-to-face, platforms like “Coffee with a Journalist” bring us closer. In this podcast, editors, reporters, and journalists spill the beans on their PR pet peeves, share favorite books, discuss the future of journalism, and reveal their pitching preferences.

A standout episode for me featured Kate Irwin from Decrypt. She delved into technology, big tech, cryptocurrency, entertainment, and culture, shedding light on why full transparency is a cornerstone in her work and how it impacts her readers.

Now, let’s talk books. Daniel Kahneman’s “Thinking, Fast and Slow” is a game-changer. It’s not just any book; it’s a fundamental exploration of our thinking processes. Widely embraced by business leadership schools, it offers profound insights into decision-making. Our PR agency boasts a vibrant Drofa Comms book club for managers — once a month, we come together to discuss books and PR tools and tackle the challenges that surface in our work. Precisely after immersing myself in Kahneman’s piece, I suggested it for our regular book club discussion, sparking an incredibly fruitful conversation.

What’s your favorite tool you use regularly for work?

When it comes to digital tools, it’s hard to ignore the platforms that came into the spotlight during the pandemic and the surge in remote work. I’m more productive with Miro for seamless collaboration, Asana for task-setting, Google Meet for virtual face-to-face meetings, and Slack for keeping the communication flow smooth with both clients and colleagues.

As for the PR essentials, I’ll share a gem from my extensive journalism experience. Every morning, we gather a news digest on the market to share with colleagues in a group chat. Why? So that everyone’s dialed into the news agenda, ensuring we don’t miss a beat for pitching comments, podcasts, or TV show features. It’s a great tool for any PR pro looking to sync up with journalists in the know.

What excites you most about the future of communications?

What truly excites me is the ongoing evolution of technology, where AI takes the spotlight nowadays. While AI seems like the latest buzzword, it’s essential to recognize that it’s not a recent innovation. AI has been shaping various industries for decades, adapting and growing with each development phase. 

As we look ahead, the next 10-15 years promise substantial advancements, particularly in cloud agents and Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). The insights from Yann LeCun, a French computer scientist and Meta’s AI chief, contribute to our understanding of this transformative journey.

In this dynamic landscape, PR specialists are in for an intriguing ride. The horizon foresees the emergence of virtual PR managers and journalists while, I believe, marking a significant shift toward a more ethically integrated approach to collaboration between humans and AI. The symbiosis of human expertise and AI capabilities will redefine the landscape of PR and communications in profound ways.

What communications challenge keeps you up at night?

I’m genuinely concerned about the pervasive impact of social networks on mass consciousness. On the surface, these platforms seem like open and trustworthy channels for swift communication, available to everyone. However, delving deeper reveals a darker side. The vulnerabilities inherent in social media platforms can be manipulated to orchestrate large-scale disinformation campaigns and fake news, and foster other dangerous trends.

One crucial aspect is the mass media function of social networks, where sophisticated algorithms curate personalized newsfeeds. As a significant information source for many, social media functions as a news-producing machine. Yet, this landscape has an algorithmic dilemma. While platforms deploy cutting-edge AI and ML for content moderation and recommendations, the intricate designs can be exploited by bad actors to propagate extremist content or amplify one political viewpoint over another. It’s a tangible challenge that PR and communication professionals confront in today’s landscape.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve overcome in your career?

The main professional challenge for me was undoubtedly the advent of COVID-19, ushering in a rapid transformation of our familiar traditional corporate landscape. In a relatively short span, we found ourselves steering our business and organization into uncharted waters.

This challenge, though daunting, turned out to be the catalyst for Drofa Comms’ most successful year in 2020. We adapted to remote work seamlessly, fostering increased communication and collaboration through regular synchronized calls. Paradoxically, we observed that despite fewer in-person office meetings, our team’s cohesion remained strong. The realization dawned on us that we could effectively work from anywhere in the world, leading us to embrace a hybrid work format.

In this new dynamic work environment, each team member in our agency has the autonomy to decide when and how often to come to the office. The result? A remarkable blend of dynamism, efficiency, and stability in our work processes. This significant challenge ultimately became a driving force for the positive transformation of our business operations.

What is the best advice you’ve ever gotten?

When I embarked on my journalism career straight out of university, I was fortunate to have a seasoned journalist as my mentor. He served as a constant source of guidance, significantly contributing to my professional growth. The pearls of wisdom he shared with me have stayed with me for two decades, and I’ve made it a point to pass them down to my team members.

One particularly invaluable piece of advice he gave me was that there’s no such thing as “dumb” questions. This counsel has become a guiding principle in my approach to communication. I often use the phrase: “Perhaps my question might seem obvious, but I want to ensure I’ve understood everything correctly.” The fear of asking questions, I’ve learned, is a common pitfall in the interactions between PR professionals, speakers, and journalists.

In my experience, it’s far better to seek clarification multiple times on a complex issue than to risk misunderstandings. Clarity is vital, and taking the time to confirm details ensures a solid grasp of the information from the speaker. This emphasis on clear communication is, indeed, of utmost importance.

Isis Simpson-Mersha is a conference producer/ reporter for Ragan. Follow her on LinkedIn.

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With over 20 years of experience in advertising, marketing, and public relations, Stephanie Wilson, CEO and founder of Wicked Creative, has collaborated with diverse clients, from movie stars to upscale restaurants and hotels. Her career began in 1997 when she moved to Las Vegas and worked with prestigious clients such as Wolfgang Puck’s Spago and Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.

Wilson has graced the pages of SEVEN and Vegas Magazine for her style and achievements. In 2018, the Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada recognized her entrepreneurial spirit with their prestigious “Entrepreneur Badge.”

 We caught up with Wilson to get her thoughts on the future of the communications industry. 

What book, podcast or other media do you recommend to other comms pros?

I listen to USA Today’s “The Excerpt” and The New York Times’ “The Daily” regularly and recommend both to other comms pros. While the hard news doesn’t often veer into my lane, I always find it useful to be well-informed. I’m usually running when I listen to podcasts and there’s something about that combination that spurs new ideas. 

What’s your favorite tool you use regularly for work?  

Google! While we have a lot of tools at our disposal, there’s nothing like Google to track down information and contacts. Freelance writers usually have their own websites so that media can review their work as they hire them; so even when you can’t find their info in Muckrack or Cision, you can usually find them online. It’s also a great tool for competitive analyses; whether you’re looking into media that’s being secured for clients’ competitors or exploring new story ideas. 

 What excites you most about the future of communications?

Technology is quickly changing our field, from AI to the evolution of social media; including the ever-increasing integration of traditional and social media. I’ve always loved that each day is different in PR; but these rapid changes in the information landscape mean that even what this profession is today and what it will be a year from now are vastly different. 

What communications challenge keeps you up at night?     

Distrust in media. It’s heartbreaking that so many don’t trust media, versus recognizing the value of the free press as a Constitutional right. I believe the overwhelming majority of journalists stay true to fair and balanced reporting, and I wish more people felt that way. It’s shocking to me that so many distrust revered outlets like The New York Times and Washington Post. Those are people who we as PR professionals can’t reach through our efforts.                                     

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve overcome in your career?

My biggest challenge was expanding Wicked Creative outside of Las Vegas with the opening of an office in San Diego 10 years ago, and eventually moving there. It was a big adjustment to learn a new market and develop new relationships while continuing to maintain and strengthen relationships in Las Vegas. I’m thankful to Zoom for making it possible to no longer take weekly flights to Las Vegas. 

 What is the best advice you’ve ever gotten?

When I first started working in PR I was obsessed with Esquire’s “What I’ve Learned.” They covered the corkboard in my office. While I can’t recall who said it, there was a line that stood out to me about how people are like plants – and when you water them, they flourish. I have a daily reminder in my Outlook that just says, “water.”

Isis Simpson-Mersha is a conference producer/ reporter for Ragan. Follow her on LinkedIn.

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Tracy Brady, senior vice president of global corporate communication at Curaleaf, takes the helm in steering awareness and visibility for the company’s mission, vision, and values. 

With a dash of humor, the published essayist and novelist elevates Curaleaf’s profile across internal and external stakeholders, from employees and consumers to investors, legislators, regulators, community influencers, and national media. 

Brady’s contributions earned her the title of 2022 Changemaker at the PRNews Top Women in PR Awards.

We caught up with Brady to get thoughts on the future of the communications industry.

 What book, podcast or other media do you recommend to other comms pros?

Mornings are usually pressed for time, so I like to “news surf” before jumping into email. Business Insider provides a great daily news summary, and of course, PR Daily Newsfeed is my go to source for PR & Comms content. I also scan my LinkedIn feed for more personalized content from companies and brands doing great work. The industry trade sites, Politico and Twitter (sorry, X) catch me up on other industry or legislative news I might have missed. I have always been a big believer in reading anything and everything, so evenings I like to spend time with the actual analog New York Times, magazines, and any good fiction – reading for pleasure helps Communications pros become better writers and, more importantly, better editors. Podcasts – I’m a glutton for Smartless, How I Built This, The Moth, New Yorker Radio Hour and Freakonomics.

What’s your favorite tool you use regularly for work?

Humor. Seriously – humor. I could not do my job without it. Our team relies on Microsoft Teams, for quick info sharing, updates and the daily GIF competition. We work cross-functionally with colleagues across the country every day – and Teams has great Snapchat filters for when you want to look better than you feel on a Monday. We also use Cision for press releases, Canva for creating visually compelling internal comms, and Muckrack for updating contact lists. Our other go-to super tool is our agency partners, who help us with everything from daily block and tackling to big picture and defense strategy. We’re lean, so they are an extension of our capabilities, and we couldn’t do half of what we do without them.

What excites you most about the future of communications?

While AI tools are exciting in the ways they can bring new efficiencies and scale to what we do, I’m more excited about two things – having four generations in the workforce who can teach and learn from each other, and the increasing number of user-friendly tools that help all of us be better, more creative content creators and publishers. The digital evolution and speed of change in our industry never fails to amaze me; there’s always something new to learn.

What communications challenge keeps you up at night?

Trolls. Misinformation. False narratives. The lack of civil discourse in disagreement. The amount of anger online. The trend of video over the written word. People finding out that I’m terrible at PowerPoint. Keeping my awesome team happy and fulfilled so they never leave. Worrying that the next PR crisis will be AI-generated but will have to be solved by humans. The executive team still not believing that one space now follows a period. Is that enough?

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve overcome in your career?

I think changing industries is always challenging but combine that with a move across the country without a job – that was my situation when I made a career pivot almost 20 years ago. I went from running a movie studio publicity department in Hollywood to freelancing for brand and agency communications in Boston. Ultimately it was a chance to build my skill set and benefit from exposure to a variety of sectors and it paid off – the eight years I spent at a top agency felt like getting paid to go to business school. But that first day without your office and colleagues from an industry where you cut your teeth – that was tough.

What is the best advice you’ve ever gotten?

“No one is thinking about you.” We tend to personalize things and make it about us, especially early in our careers when confidence may be evasive. At the end of the day if you put your head down, do your job and remain open to learning while being confident enough to offer your ideas and input, you will command respect, advance in your company and have a rewarding career. And always remember that “what you notice, other people notice.” That was a big one that works in every aspect of life, from bad corporate behavior to the unsung heroes of any organization. We’re all human, and we’re all in this together.

Isis Simpson-Mersha is a conference producer/ reporter for Ragan. Follow her on LinkedIn.

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Michael McKloskey, as the managing partner and EVP at Codeword, heads the New York office of the tech PR and content agency. In this role, he guides the creation and implementation of effective communication campaigns, catering to clients that span from global giants like Google to emerging tech startups.

McKloskey’s greatest enthusiasm and success unfolded in the realm of technology brands and content programs.

We caught up with McKloskey to get his thoughts on the future of the communications industry.

What book, podcast or other media do you recommend to other comms pros?

It’s tough to keep up with all that’s out there. I’m lucky that the Codeword team is so great about filling our internal chat space – The Reading Room – with great articles across a vast array of interests, from Dirt’s recent piece: Herzogians, to 404 Media’s Advertisers Don’t Want Sites Like Jezebel to Exist. 

Otherwise, I try to make time to read the WSJ’s CMO Today newsletter every day and the Axios Communicators newsletter every week. For comms pros, I like that they bring forward more of the business impact of marketing and media.

What’s your favorite tool you use regularly for work?  

Honestly, I really appreciate the usability and easy team collaboration within Google Docs and Slides. It’s been about ten years that Codeword’s been using Google tools for our day-to-day so I might be conditioned, but they’re right up there as my favorite ways to communicate internally and externally. And they keep adding new features that are making it even better. (Yes, Google’s a client but I’m not being paid to say this, promise!)

What excites you most about the future of communications?

I’m most excited by the evolving sophistication of audiences, who are increasingly showing a heightened level of discernment from brands and an escalating expectation for unbiased media. We enjoy doing work that meets audiences’ growing appetite for honesty and transparency. As this audience savvy continues to grow, I hope we’ll all be making things with our clients and the media that people really care about seeing. We all can move away from the same ol’ product-focused sales pitches disguised as “storytelling” that no one really wants. And I think it’ll be more efficient and effective for brands too.

What communications challenge keeps you up at night?                                                                                                                

My biggest worry is the unwillingness the industry has to change. The inertia of doing things the same way is really hard to reverse. There are huge rewards for taking smart risks and challenging the status quo, but the industry’s focus on traditional success metrics keeps us sticking to the same strategies. Agencies are incentivized to say things are working, publishers and media partners are incentivized to say things are working, and clients are incentivized to tell their boss (whether that’s the CMO, CEO, or board of directors) that the budget was well-spent. And I think it’s true across the whole marcomms mix, especially in traditional advertising. We need to assess the whole picture and reconsider the substantial investments going into traditional advertising. That money can be better spent in digital media, which does not mean running your TV spots on social platforms. For a fraction of what you’re spending in broadcast media, you can create an awesome comms program that’s actually going to reach the people interested in your brand. That’s worth way more than “general awareness.”

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve overcome in your career?

The early days of Codeword (then called Knock Twice) were really challenging. As Kyle Monson and I started getting things going in NYC in 2013, we were lucky enough to have a couple of big client wins in the same week. It felt awesome. But we had to get from four people team to 24 people in a matter of weeks. We moved office spaces at least three times in those first few years, hired our first employees for departments that did not exist yet, had to play HR/IT/Ops before we could properly staff a back office, all while trying to figure out how to deliver high-quality work on current client programs and continue to grow the agency.

I’m so grateful for the people who helped us so immensely in those early days. The team was great about “being scrappy” with us, and pretty forgiving about how we handled the stress of it all. And I’m even more grateful to have gotten through it and be in a position now where we have this great team of over 100 experts in their fields making Codeword what it is. 

What is the best advice you’ve ever gotten?

I’ve gotten a lot of good advice and mentorship over the years. I’m not sure if this is “advice” per se or more of a leadership philosophy. Back in college, I worked with a terrific leadership development company called Focus Training, they introduced me to the idea that people will support what they help to create. I think that’s true in most parts of life, certainly within our agency teams and client relationships. 

We all want to be able to shape our world and what we’re doing in it, with our own reasons for why. When we don’t really have control over what’s being created or what we’re doing, we lose almost all of our enthusiasm for the successful outcome. It’s hard to feel that boost of self-motivation when you’re supporting someone else’s vision and taking specific direction on what to do. But when we can be a part of shaping that vision, or directly influence how something is built in support of a shared vision, there’s an added level of ownership that propels us toward next-level success. 

Isis Simpson-Mersha is a conference producer/ reporter for Ragan. Follow her on LinkedIn.

The post 6 questions with: Codeword’s Michael McKloskey appeared first on PR Daily.

In her role as Vice President and Chief Communications Officer at Thermo Fisher Scientific, Sandy Pound is responsible for steering the company’s global communications, investor relations, strategic meetings and events, and global brand functions. Before joining the biotechnology company, Pound spent 14 years at Johnson & Johnson (J&J), where she held the position of vice president for communication and public affairs for J&J Medical Devices Companies in her most recent role.

Throughout her career, Pound has gained invaluable experience and insights like the importance of building teams with complementary strengths and recognizing the power of diverse thoughts and ideas in addressing challenges with both intensity and innovation.

We caught up with the Pound to get her thoughts on the future of the communications industry.

What book, podcast or other media do you recommend to other comms pros? 

I am a huge fan of Axios, I read five to seven Axios newsletters every day. I love how the content is tailored to my areas of interest and it’s a great resource for communicators who want a quick overview of the news that matters most to them. I also read the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Financial Times each morning.

What’s your favorite tool you use regularly for work?  

I love SmartSheets, our global communications team uses it to track all that is happening across the function. We also use it to help prioritize and allocate resources to the items that drive the greatest impact for the business.

What excites you most about the future of communications?

First and foremost, I’m excited about the growth we have seen as a discipline over the past five years. Early in my career, there was a lot of talk about communicators getting a seat at the table. Now, in many cases, we are trusted advisors who convene the table to ensure we are considering every situation from a multistakeholder viewpoint. I’m also excited about the ways AI can streamline routine work so that communicators can focus on providing strategic insight.  

What communications challenge keeps you up at night?          

Before the pandemic, the biggest challenges were company issues which required traditional crisis communications. We had a robust approach to handling crises through tested scenarios and a playbook of actions. Since the pandemic, the world has been a very different, and at times, difficult place. The unexpected external events that we might face cause me the most concern.                                                                   

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve overcome in your career?

Balancing my work and personal life has been an ongoing journey. I’ve found that the pursuit of balance isn’t perfectly symmetrical, and the scales may tip in either direction at times, but the goal is to find balance in the center whenever possible. Prioritizing, setting boundaries and asking for help has helped me find that balance. 

What is the best advice you’ve ever gotten?

If you’re not uncomfortable, you’re not growing. This isn’t exactly what I wanted to hear from my husband any time I share something that makes me uncomfortable, but he is 100% right and I appreciate his honesty.  It’s easy to fall into a pattern and as communicators, I think we need to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. 

Isis Simpson-Mersha is a conference producer/ reporter for Ragan. Follow her on LinkedIn.

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Meredith Bailey, founder and CEO of Streamwork, has led product teams of tech giants like Google, YouTube, Warner Bros and Apple. 

Bailey’s personal experience with the challenge of managing stakeholder feedback in the creative process inspired her to create the platform. StreamWork aims to streamline the review process for creative teams, saving time and energy by facilitating quick and succinct feedback gathering across multiple stakeholders and departments. 

We caught up with Bailey to her thoughts on the future of the communications industry.

What book, podcast or other media do you recommend to other comms pros?

An oldie but a goodie: I love the book Creativity, Inc. I first read Creativity, Inc. when I was working in marketing at Google, and it helped me re-evaluate how to approach creative brainstorming and feedback. The book gives an inside look at how Pixar develops its world-renowned animated movies. What I love most is how Pixar assembles a “Braintrust” for every movie where stakeholders and peers are asked to provide candid feedback on how to improve the existing storyline. The book inspired me to apply this same methodology to how I work with my team, and the concept is also foundational to StreamWork: we’re focused on making it easy for teams to collect candid input on creative at the right time and in the right place.

What’s your favorite tool you use regularly for work?  

Slack has been a game-changer for our team, especially given our company is entirely remote. With team members based in the US, Netherlands, Canada, Ukraine and Poland, it’s quicker and easier to message one another via Slack versus waiting for responses to long email threads. We love Slack so much that we recently built an integration with Slack into StreamWork so that users can also have the ability to leave visual feedback on visual assets. 

What excites you most about the future of communications?

We’re on the cusp of really exciting innovations in creative and communications with the advent of AI. More than ever before, there are opportunities to speed up and automate creative workflows to help remote teams work more efficiently. Consider Adobe Firefly, for instance, which uses AI to enable teams to conjure up images based on text prompts. I worked in marketing for over 12 years at Apple, Google, YouTube, and Warner Bros and had the opportunity to work across hundreds of campaigns. I felt the pain points involved in collecting stakeholder feedback and wrangling approvals on creative assets firsthand, and decided to quit my job and build a platform to automate this process. My focus has been on utilizing innovations in collaboration and automation to solve the creative challenges that are currently being overlooked, but that every creative team is facing daily. What excites me most is that as an industry, we’re just getting started.

What communications challenge keeps you up at night?   

Before I became a founder, I worked in marketing, so I’m constantly challenging myself to reevaluate and improve the messaging we use to position our platform. As we’ve expanded to new customer segments – including branded merchandise companies and universities – we’ve needed to dramatically shift how we position StreamWork, and this is often not an easy task. The most important factor in any communication strategy is to listen to the end customer and understand how they explain their pain point. From there, you can rework, retool and adapt your solution to address their core needs. My team and I are constantly speaking with our customers (both existing and new segments) to hear how they explain the platform in their own words so that our messaging and product can better work in service of their end goals.                                                                                             

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve overcome in your career?

I started building StreamWork when my son was only 3 months old, and I’m now pregnant with my second child. Balancing motherhood and building a business at the same time hasn’t been easy, and I can’t claim I’ve done it on my own. I’ve been lucky to have access to childcare and the support of my family and friends. In addition to this, many of our team members are based in Ukraine and have needed to make a number of sacrifices to continue to work on StreamWork despite living through a war. Having members of the team work remotely throughout wartime is a delicate and hopefully uncommon situation, and something that has been undoubtedly difficult. Navigating how to support them and keep them and their families safe, while simultaneously working together to build StreamWork, has been one of my greatest challenges. 

What is the best advice you’ve ever gotten?

The best advice I’ve ever gotten is to block out the noise. When you’re working on a project, product launch or even building a business, there are a million and one things to work on, listen to and consider. What’s vital is to figure out what’s important, and block out anything superfluous. A fellow founder shared this advice with me when I started building StreamWork, and it’s really stuck with me and can be applied to all sorts of scenarios. When it comes to start-ups, keeping your eye on the end goal and the solution you are building to help solve your customer’s pain point is what matters. The rest is just noise.

Isis Simpson-Mersha is a conference producer/ reporter for Ragan. Follow her on LinkedIn.

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Poised to take on a new role as CEO in January 2024, Jessamyn Katz, president of Heyman Associates, plans to elevate the firm’s growth and reputation in the industry and continue to address the talent demands of the world’s leading brands, corporations, foundations, and academic institutions.

Katz has dedicated nearly two decades to the international executive search firm, which exclusively focuses on senior talent in the communications sector. Since 2019, Katz has been at the helm, driving the firm’s strategy and day-to-day operations. Under her leadership, the firm has expanded its capabilities and client base, now encompassing senior roles in government relations, marketing, and investor relations.

As Katz prepares to step into her new role, we thought it would be the perfect time to get her thoughts on the future of the communications industry.

What book, podcast or other media do you recommend to other comms pros?

At Heyman Associates, we work with clients of all industries which means I try my best to keep a pulse on general news and media, with some specific focus areas on our world of communications to get insights more specific to our day-to-day work. From a generalist perspective, I’m a big daily listener of The Daily by The New York Times and LinkedIn has become part of my morning ritual and news routine. And from a communications perspective, if you haven’t already subscribed to the Axios Communicators newsletter, it’s a must-add to your cycle. It’s in a clear and digestible format and provides great insights on key leaders, market trends, and unique perspectives across the industry. And I try and keep some fun fiction and reality TV in my routine as well for balance! 

What’s your favorite tool you use regularly for work?  

In our field of work in executive search, we are on the phone constantly with clients and candidates. I have always found that taking notes on paper and in writing allows me to be more actively engaged in the conversation versus taking notes on a computer. A few years ago, I recently started using the reMarkable tablet which gives me a customizable and paper-free tablet to take personalized handwritten notes that can be easily uploaded to my laptop. It has been a lifesaver! And of course, more sustainable.  

What excites you most about the future of communications?

For some, a future of the unknowns can be overwhelming, but I find that’s what makes the future of communications so exciting. With new technology, media, and innovation introduced daily, our industry is constantly having to keep up and that’s exciting to watch. With new tools and tech, it raises the stakes and expectations for communications leaders; the need for judgment and critical thinking skills will only become more important.

What communications challenge keeps you up at night?

In our field of work, we are helping some of the world’s best organizations find leaders across communications, corporate affairs, marketing, and investor relations. These are high-stakes, high-pressure jobs and our team often is coaching individuals through their decision-making process. We take our relationships seriously, so making sure we are thorough and thoughtful about our advisement and what is right for both the client and candidate through the process is crucial.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve overcome in your career?

It’s no secret that the pandemic has caused challenges for businesses of all sizes over the last few years, but it’s been something I’ve reflected on even more recently as I look toward the future of our company, and the growth and evolution of the industry at large. As a small firm, we handled the health and economic stress with as much grace and dignity as possible, and I’m really proud of how stable we were throughout the peak. From a career perspective, it also taught me a lot about how to maintain balance from both the business and personal perspective. There were plenty of challenges that forced me out of my comfort zone from a leadership perspective that were lessons learned – and still being learned – building me into a stronger leader today and for the future.

What is the best advice you’ve ever gotten?

One of my longtime colleagues and advisor to our firm always told me: “It’s never the wrong decision to tell the truth.”  That has always stuck with me. In the client service business, especially one that is centered around people, purpose, and relationships, there can be plenty of difficult conversations. It is inevitable that there will be times when a client will be disappointed, but regardless of how challenging a conversation might be from both sides, being upfront, honest, and transparent is always the best approach. Not only has this been crucial in my personal career development, but it is also part of the ethos of Heyman Associates and the care we put into our client relationships.

Isis Simpson-Mersha is a conference producer/ reporter for Ragan. Follow her on LinkedIn.

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Brian Bell, vice president of global communications and social impact at Strava, leads the communications and social impact strategy for the exercise-tracking platform.

The PR Week 40 Under 40 honoree is shaping Strava’s lasting impact to achieve company goals while having a meaningful, measurable global impact through initiatives like Strava Metro. 

What book, podcast or other media do you recommend to other comms pros?

Book: A book that I’ve read and oftentimes find myself referring back to is the book  by Jonah Berger “Contagious: Why Things Catch On.”  Podcast: How I Built This w/ Guy Raz is inspiring and thoughtful. As someone who is forever a student, listening to some of the most successful entrepreneurs tell their stories on how they built some of the most ubiquitous brands in the world is fascinating. I’ve walked away on many occasions learning something that applies to my work. Media: TikTok. While I’m definitely not someone who posts, it’s a place where I can find anything about anything.  

What’s your favorite tool you use regularly for work?  

MuckRack, Slack and Cision are three of the most used right now, but my favorite, and you might say I’m analog, has to be my Strava orange journal. I literally write everything down, capturing everything from meeting notes to my to-do lists and the various ideas that come to mind. 

What excites you most about the future of communications? 

The integration of AI into comms seems a bit scary, but it’s also fairly exciting. I  know the conversation is about how we regulate or put more controls in place, but the more we understand how to use the tools available to us, I think it could be very useful.

What communications challenge keeps you up at night?

There are honestly quite a few things that could fall into this bucket depending on the day, but navigating the current geo-political landscape or anticipating the next crisis are definitely in the top three. At the number one spot though, it has to be thinking about how we continue to galvanize and inform our team members (employees)  through communications. Being a globally dispersed team, across a multitude of time zones, we are constantly working on ways to keep everyone in the loop of what’s happening when and why.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve overcome in your career?

The feeling of imposter syndrome was real for me when I stepped into my first “leadership” role. Even though I knew I deserved THAT seat at the table and my standards for my work quality never wavered, I couldn’t help shake this ominous feeling of am I enough. There weren’t many people of color in these types of roles that I could look to for guidance or support and that was a little challenging at the time. Having overcome that, I’ve always said I want to support and help those who might be feeling or have felt the same way I once did. 

What is the best advice you’ve ever gotten?

Being a former runner, since childhood my parents have both always told me “Brian, run your race.” That simple phrase has been uttered in so many situations and it still rings true today.

Isis Simpson-Mersha is a conference producer/ reporter for Ragan. Follow her on LinkedIn.

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As president of BLASTmedia, Lindsey Groepper directs the strategic vision, manages B2B SaaS PR agency operations, and spearheads client acquisition. With over 15 years at BLASTmedia, she has successfully overseen PR campaigns, led account teams, and attracted clients ranging from startups to publicly traded enterprises. 

The expert storyteller has shared insights on topics such as AI’s influence on PR and PR strategies for brand-building with published contributions in Forbes, Inc., and MarketingProfs.

We caught up with Groepper to get her thoughts on the future of the communications industry.

What book, podcast or other media do you recommend to other comms pros?

There isn’t a single source of truth I would recommend as a catch-all for communications pros, as everyone works within the unique operating system of their organization. We work in different markets and roles with distinct expectations. 

I recommend being an intentional and consistent consumer of news, which includes national and global headlines, your employer’s industry, and that of your comms profession. While how and where we get “news” is fundamentally different than 20 years ago when we started BLASTmedia, the importance of understanding the leading conversations and trends hasn’t changed. News still drives perspective and, today affects decisions and behavior more than ever. So comms pros, whether you are on TikTok or LinkedIn, please be avid news consumers in some form or another!

What’s your favorite tool you use regularly for work?  

Time to tell you how old I am. When we started BLASTmedia nearly 20 years ago, there wasn’t even an online media database…we were using hard-copy books with editor info (LOL). It’s been cool to see how we’ve digitally transformed our agency to keep up with the data-driven technology marketing leaders we serve. We’ve invested heavily in technology at BLASTmedia to help us execute, measure, and report more efficiently and effectively. 

My favorite tool currently is Propel, which is a CRM for PR (or, as they call it, a PRM tool – public relations management.) Through it, we can provide our clients with a real-time dashboard of results and activity, allowing a level of transparency they appreciate. In addition, we use the Propel platform data to analyze the overall performance of our agency and teams, allowing for more data-driven decisions. 

What excites you most about the future of communications?

The one constant in this industry is change…which I love! It is never stagnant and I’m one of those people who finds fun in the chaos. What excites me the most about the future is the heightened role of communications, which has evolved from a strictly marketing function to a more corporate strategy level. 

As the line between internal and external comms has been erased, comms pros are being looked at to help shape overall corporate perception – being tapped for executive commentary oversight, supporting employer brand, and ensuring internal messaging (which we all know can end up public in a millisecond) is on point. Comms has hit true baller status, and it’s awesome. 

What communications challenge keeps you up at night?      

Truthfully, I sleep really well at night. Once my head hits the pillow and my body recognizes it’s time to shut off, I have no problem falling or staying asleep – which I know is a gift. What does weigh on my mind is staying relevant in a rapidly evolving media space. From an agency management standpoint, we’re constantly looking at whether we’re offering the right mix of services, is what we do today going to be relevant in two years, and how can we add more value to our clients. It’s a good challenge to have and one that we examine every year during agency planning.                                                                                                 

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve overcome in your career?

Finding the balance between the demands of motherhood and work. I had twins my first go around, which was an interesting challenge in and of itself, and then another son nearly nine years later. What I’ve learned is that you 100% can have it all, but it is impossible to do it all well 100% of the time…and that’s OK! Once I accepted that there would be weeks where I was an A+ mom, but a B player at work and vice versa the next week, my mental and emotional capacity was more manageable and I performed higher on all levels. 

What is the best advice you’ve ever gotten?

It’s from my dad, which is “don’t panic.” This mantra allows me to stay calm in stressful situations or times of sudden change, focus on what I can control, and look forward versus backward. I’ve been told it’s one of my superpowers, and I’m proud of that. 

Isis Simpson-Mersha is a conference producer/ reporter for Ragan. Follow her on LinkedIn.

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Erin Allsman serves as the president of the Brownstein Group, where she holds a pivotal role in overseeing the agency’s brand strategy, public relations, social media, and digital practices. With a keen focus on long-term growth and specialization strategies, Allsman is at the forefront of steering the agency toward innovation and success.

In her prior position as managing director, Allsman played a key role in orchestrating a comprehensive agency re-branding and spearheaded initiatives to enhance workplace improvements and agency communications. Her efforts significantly contributed to one of the highest growth margins in the agency’s history.

We caught up with Allsman to get her thoughts on the future of the communications industry.

What book, podcast or other media do you recommend to other comms pros?

While I’d love to be a more regular podcast user, I still mostly rely on email newsletters and roundups to get a handle on the day’s top headlines across the range of comms topics that we deal in. I’m a big fan of the 4A’s Smartbrief which aggregates a wide range of marketing news and thought leadership, as well as Marketing Brew. I also use the Smartbrief on Leadership, which provides useful tips on organizational operations, team development and business management. As for recommended books, I loved Imagine it Forward by Beth Comstock, former head of marketing and innovation at GE. She chronicles her incredible career as a communicator and change maker and the steps she took to break through even the toughest barriers to advocate for some of the boldest business moves in digital media and sustainability. A truly inspirational leader and a great example of what is possible when communications professionals get the right seat at the table.

What’s your favorite tool you use regularly for work?

My sense of humor! It’s not a tool in the literal sense obviously, but I do believe it helps me get through a lot of challenging situations and build personal connections. We are in a relationship business, and a good sense of humor helps me be a more approachable leader and build meaningful relationships with the people that matter most – my team at the agency, our clients, partners and influencers who all help us deliver on our brand promises.

What excites you most about the future of communications?

I believe more and more organizations and leaders are seeing the true value of communications and understand that a comprehensive and strategic comms platform is not just a nice-to-have, but a business imperative. Consumers are demanding authenticity, transparency and positive social, economic and environmental stewardship from brands more vehemently than ever, and the brands that respond best to those demands will be rewarded with loyalty, longevity and growth. It excites me to see the elevation of communications as a key strategic priority for organizations that want to be at the forefront of this sea change.

 What communications challenge keeps you up at night?

 While social media has opened so many doors for communicators and done so much to deepen relationships between brands and their audiences, the rise in frequency and ease of misrepresentation and misinformation is incredibly concerning. In addition, as generative AI becomes more ubiquitous, we as communicators have to find the right balance between its utility as a tool in our work and a crutch that leads to mediocrity. We also have to commit to a high ethical standard for its use so that we protect the rights of creators and maintain the integrity and authenticity of the content we publish.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve overcome in your career?

 Navigating the pandemic and all of its many implications was by far the biggest challenge I’ve ever experienced. As a communications firm, we were in a doubly challenging situation, as we had to provide consultation and strategy to our clients in real time while we ourselves were dealing with the situation in our own business. There was no case study or precedent to help validate our strategy. We had to trust our instincts, be vulnerable, think fast, act faster and be willing to pivot as the situation unfolded. It was a far more emotional process than I could have anticipated.

 What is the best advice you’ve ever gotten?

 From a career perspective, the best advice I’ve received was “If you want the job, build the plan.” I believe the best leaders have a vision for where they can take their organization and can keep that north star in mind even when the minutia of the day-to-day takes priority. Then, surround yourself with people who believe in the vision, can help you execute with passion, creativity and resilience, and make you better every day, and you’ve got what it takes to be successful and fulfilled!

Isis Simpson-Mersha is a conference producer/ reporter for Ragan. Follow her on LinkedIn.

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As the President of Access Brand Communications, a subsidiary of Ketchum, Inc., Matt Afflixio has become a driving force in strategic planning, corporate branding, executive visibility, special events, and crisis communications. His expertise spans diverse industries, including consumer, consumer technology, fashion, and small businesses.

In his current role, Afflixio spearheads the day-to-day operations of Access, leading its evolution and fostering collaboration with Ketchum to enhance its combined technology and consumer offerings. Renowned as “the hardest working man in the PR business,” the PR luminary has earned this title from both his dedicated Access team members and longstanding client partnerships.

We caught up with Afflixio to get his take on the future of the communications industry.

What book, podcast or other media do you recommend to other comms pros?

In the comms world, you have to broaden your horizons and diversify your media consumption in order to stay relevant. Go beyond your interests and learn from others – from the SmartLess guys (you have to keep a sense of humor to have this job) to The Tim Ferriss Show. I also like Side Hustle Pro, all about female Black entrepreneurs. Most recently, the book Mastering the Mental Game of Pickleball. Some great life lessons in there.

What’s your favorite tool you use regularly for work?  

My iPhone, hands down. Client service is at the heart of what we do, and I like to have actual live conversations with people spontaneously as needed, with the device I always have with me.

That, and my thesaurus. If it worked for Sondheim, a genius, who am I to argue.

What excites you most about the future of communications?

I love the fluidity of comms and how channels and formats are constantly evolving. Nurturing a good story and amplifying it is still at the heart of what we do, but today we’re exploring how AI can be inserted into our workstyle and also pursuing green shoots like influencer, which is an area where we’re hiring very aggressively.

What communications challenge keeps you up at night?

That has never changed: Making sure there is always a win-win-win for everyone, including our staff. I’ve never been prouder than I have been over the last few years watching them deliver at a time when change just keeps coming at you. 

There are always new challenges, of course, from meeting the demands of a 24/7 news cycle to new approaches for executive comms. We’re seeing a new set of executive needs. Media training, for example, is much broader now. It has to be aware of social and how an executive is engaging in the wider world.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve overcome in your career?

Complacency. Think about that word. Overcoming complacency means you have to double-down on bringing your A-game every day – to clients to staff, and to myself. The tagline on my email is “Be Present, Be Proud, Be Productive.” It’s what I live by.

What is the best advice you’ve ever gotten?

Early on, I had someone tell me that I was meant for this business. Not only did it make me feel great, it helped me understand what I brought to the table that made it true. The advice was to have confidence in myself. It was a big message to hear early on in my career. That person helped me find my path, and I’ve tried to find opportunities to do the same for others.

Isis Simpson-Mersha is a conference producer/ reporter for Ragan. Follow her on LinkedIn.

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Katelynn Dugan serves as the chief communications officer at Academic Partnerships, spearheading the company’s strategies for both internal and external communications, as well as managing media relations.

Before joining Academic Partnerships, Dugan navigated the intricate world of politics, serving as a policy and media staffer in the U.S. Senate. Her professional journey took her to Bracewell LLP, where she managed the office of former NATO ambassador and U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison. Now at the helm of AP’s communications, Dugan weaves stories that resonate both internally and externally.

We caught up with Dugan to get her thoughts on the future of the communications industry.

What book, podcast or other media do you recommend to other comms pros? 

I recently started listening to Wisdom from the Top with Guy Raz. Although it isn’t solely focused on the communications world, I have found it to be very insightful. Guy Raz interviews leaders across different industries and discusses the hardships they faced and how they managed through difficult situations. There are a lot of real-world lessons to be learned from the experiences of others, especially in times of crisis. 

I am also in the middle of Managing Transitions – Making the Most of Change by William Bridges, Ph.D. As a communicator, the “end-user” is always very top of mind for me. This book is a great reminder that change affects people and those people are the ones who impact teams and ultimately the company. For anyone who is working through change or having to communicate change, it is a great read. 

What’s your favorite tool you use regularly for work?  

Working in a remote-first world has been such a blessing for me. As a mom of two young children, it means stepping away from my office to have lunch with them some days or having the flexibility to give a hug between meetings, it also means not being side-by-side with my team and my colleagues. This can be hard when your job is to have a pulse on the heartbeat of the company and communicate the needs of your workforce. So, for me, Microsoft Teams is a lifeline. It allows for constant communication with my team while also providing a more casual way to connect as opposed to an email. When I see a little green dot next to someone’s name whom I haven’t connected with, I often reach out just to say “hello”. As we continue to work in this new remote world, having the ability to connect in more personal ways is critical and Microsoft Teams allows me to do that – even during packed days! 

What excites you most about the future of communications?

Last November ChatGPT was publicly released, and some are saying it has the potential to change our world forever. Over the last several years we’ve seen the rise of other new technologies that are automating processes, increasing efficiency, enhancing engagement, and generating new content and ideas in real time. 

There is a real opportunity to embrace this technology and use it to make us better communicators. I don’t believe AI should ever replace the critical role people play in communicating but, if we can figure out how we leverage these tools to make us faster, smarter and more efficient – I see a lot of potential. 

What communications challenge keeps you up at night?    

The means by which people communicate are constantly evolving. Very similar to what excites me about the future of communications, new technologies and the ever-evolving way in which people communicate, will always be the biggest challenge in the communications world. It feels like there is a new app or platform to share and digest information every day. As technological capabilities evolve and the number of channels continues to grow, we must stay ahead of the curve. From TikTok to Slack to X, as communicators, we must reach people where they are.                                                                                      

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve overcome in your career?

Like many other communications professionals, I didn’t have the most direct path to the role I currently play. I have worked in politics, business and now higher education and have worn many hats in the process. When I started at my current company, it was founder-led and still in the early growth stage. Over the last eight years, I have seen the evolution of the business first-hand and had the opportunity to evolve alongside the organization. I learned to quickly adapt and find the “voice” of our leader in an ever-changing environment.  Although initially challenging, it has been the most amazing learning experience. 

What is the best advice you’ve ever gotten?

Always have a “can do” attitude. I worked for a very accomplished woman leader early in my career. She had held positions and sat at the table as the only woman more times than not in her career and one thing she always told me was to have a “can do” attitude. Over the years, I have taken that with me in everything I do. No matter the challenge ahead, if you walk into it with the perspective that you can solve the issue, more times than not, you will. You better have a lot of perseverance, too!

Isis Simpson-Mersha is a conference producer/ reporter for Ragan. Follow her on LinkedIn.

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Tulani André, vice president of social media at National Geographic, masterminds social strategy and planning across various media platforms, including television, editorial, and magazines. 

 André’s journey through the digital landscape spans over 12 years, taking her from bustling agencies in New York and Washington DC. Throughout her career,  André has crafted captivating narratives and marketing campaigns across diverse sectors, ranging from government and non-profit organizations to the glamorous world of entertainment and consumer brands. 

Ahead of her session at Ragan’s upcoming Future of Communications conference, we spoke with André to get her take on the future of the communications industry. 

What book, podcast or other media do you recommend to other comms pros?

I think for any communications professional, it’s really important for them to listen to the news on a daily basis. I personally listen to NPR Morning Edition every morning on my 5-mile walk so that I’m always up to date on what’s happening in the world. The reason this is so important is that in social marketing and communications, we are putting out content, launching campaigns and having conversations online every day. Our jobs are extremely connected and highly visible, so it is vital to know about any big news items that can hold topics/themes that are important to avoid or moments or trends that your brand should highlight or play into. 

It’s important for comms pros to take a 40-thousand-foot view of the news, comms and PR landscape on a daily basis so that you are speaking with fans and not just at them. So that you are playing into the nuances and looking for ways to use relevant moments that may arise. 

What’s your favorite tool you use regularly for work?

I love using Slack because it provides an easy and quick way to share ideas, get approvals, talk through needs, or just chat about trends or big moments happening. Any platform that helps keep teams connected, talking and learning is a great way to stay creative and engaged at work. 

What excites you most about the future of communications?

The connectivity of marketing and communications campaigns is what is most exciting for me. Social and digital storytelling is something that continues to evolve and span across platforms. Meeting your fans, customers and general consumers where they are and in ways that they’re already interested in can change a campaign. It makes partnerships and collaborations even more vital to success. 

What communications challenge keeps you up at night?

I’ll be honest, I try not to let anything interrupt my rest, but if there was one thing it would be thinking of new ways to bring authenticity and engaging voices and stories into the social space with the work we do. How do we move from just celebrating people or histories during designated months or days, to celebrating them in a genuine and inclusive way year-round? How do we elevate and highlight the experiences and moments that make our world a beautiful and ever-evolving place to live? That’s definitely something I think is worth losing some sleep over.  

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve overcome in your career?

The biggest challenge I’ve overcome in my career is knowing when to walk away from a job that was not the right fit for me. A lot of times you can get into a job that you think you’ll love, you’re so excited, and then quickly realize it might not be the right position or company. You then worry that it’s too soon to leave, or you have to “stick it out for at least a year” so that you don’t seem like you’re moving jobs too often or so that there are no gaps in your resume. The truth is, not everywhere is perfect for everyone, having the courage to look for a new job or leave one that truly isn’t for you, can be difficult, but life and career changing. 

 What is the best advice you’ve ever gotten?

Not everyone is going to like you, and that’s okay. I think we grow up wanting to be everyone’s best friend or the most likable person in the room. The truth is, everyone, is living their own story, in their own moment and in a  unique way. You can’t expect everyone to receive you the way you want. This goes for brands/companies/organizations as well, not everyone is your target audience, but there’s always potential for growth and finding new people to meet and engage with. 

Join Tulani André at Ragan’s Future of Communications Conference on Nov. 6-8. She will speak alongside communications leaders from AARP, Ben & Jerry’s, IBM, The Home Depot and more.

Isis Simpson-Mersha is a conference producer/ reporter for Ragan. Follow her on LinkedIn.

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Aeris PR Founder and CEO Katerina Antonova leads an agency specializing in boosting brand recognition for tech startups in various regions, earning respect for her innovative approach to merging technology and communication.

Antonova is a seasoned global PR consultant renowned for her expertise in industries such as AI, AR/VR, fintech, and martech. She also passionately supports female entrepreneurs through her international Womenpreneur club. 

We caught up with Antonova to get her take on the future of comms pros and the evolving communications industry.

What book, podcast or other media do you recommend to other comms pros?

Let’s start with books. My first recommendation would be “Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die” by Chip Heath and Dan Heath. As communication pros, we always strive to carve out messages that are memorable, and this book analyzes why certain ideas become everlasting while others don’t.

The second book I want to recommend is “Building A StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen” by Donald Miller. Today, in the age when we are bombarded by new information almost every minute, it’s important for a business to have a clear and compelling message in order to cut through the noise. To achieve that, one should learn to simplify what they are trying to say. This book helps with that.

As my third recommendation, I’d go with “Contagious: Why Things Catch On” by Jonah Berger. It’s a good match for my first recommendation because this book explores why some products and ideas go viral and how a business can leverage these insights.

As for podcasts, usually I turn to “The PR Week” for industry-related news, trends overview, and interviews. I like “The Art Of Charm” for valuable tips and tricks for efficient communication that are helpful in both personal and professional settings. I also like “How I Built This” with Guy Raz. It’s not strictly about communications but these interviews with entrepreneurs can offer valuable lessons on branding, messaging, and storytelling. 

In addition, I’d recommend listening to TED Talks. A lot of them are about communication, storytelling, and media, and they can spark inspiration.

What’s your favorite tool you use regularly for work?  

I use a set of go-to tools on a regular basis, each helps me with particular tasks. Zoom allows me to communicate with my clients and my team. In both cases, these are people who are situated in different countries and constantly travel, just like me. At Aeris PR we all work remotely and our clients are tech companies from the US and Europe, so video calls are the most efficient means of communication.

Dilims is another app that helps me with communication with the clients and the team. It allows keeping track of office hours in various time zones and finding overlapping slots for meetings with people working within them. Also, I intensively use Notion as a space to store information and a tool to share it with others and Miro, an online whiteboard that is great for collaboration. 

These may not be exactly tools for work, but I regularly use apps for meditation in order to recharge, regain focus, clear my mind, and keep anxiety away. I think they help me to work better and avoid burning out, so they are important too.

What excites you most about the future of communications?

Recently there were a lot of technological breakthroughs that are changing the landscape of media in particular and human communication in general. First of all, let’s take one of the most hyped-up topics of the present – artificial intelligence. It’s fascinating to see how AI helps speed up some communication-related processes. For instance, it can pretty efficiently compose drafts for emails, presentations, social media posts, and other texts.

Secondly, it’s very likely that at some point in the future AR and VR are going to be a common part of communications. Those technologies are already used quite widely, and a communication expert should consider incorporating them into their strategy when brainstorming. Maybe, now it’s not in such a high demand but things are changing fast in this day and age. So, it’s better to think about it now.

What communications challenge keeps you up at night?   

Honestly, I don’t experience any trouble with sleeping at night. Firstly, I do my job thoroughly and fairly, so my conscience is always clean. Secondly, by now, I’ve learned how to take control of stress with the help of meditation and yoga. These two things have incredibly boosted my ability to keep calm.

In general, I prefer to keep my focus on things that get me up in the morning because my work drives me and gives me energy. Sometimes, though, if I travel late at night or move to a different time zone, I may work late in the evening or even during night time. I travel a lot and my team and clients are all in different time zones, so work keeps me awake at night from time to time.                                                                                                     

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve overcome in your career?

At Aeris, we are always ambitious. We are constantly trying to surpass our client’s expectations by helping them to get published in the top-tier media outlets that are almost impossible to get into. It’s always a challenge but an exciting one. We enjoy it.

Also, we mostly work with early-stage startups and it has its challenges. Above all, we are very flexible and adaptable. For instance, we had a client who decided to slightly shift and broaden the positioning of his startup and alter its strategy after three months of working with us. Our team quickly adapted to that by crafting a new PR plan for the upcoming three months while keeping some bits of the previous plan and merging them with our new ideas organically.  

What is the best advice you’ve ever gotten?

There’s a lot that I’ve learned through the years that I’ve been working in the field. Probably, the best piece of advice would be to always keep in mind where you are going and why, meaning that you should always remember your goals and values and check from time to time if your current trajectory is well-aligned with them. And, of course, you should never forget to enjoy the journey.

Another useful piece of advice would be to never stop learning. There are some universal lessons that we all have to learn while growing personally and professionally. There are some things that you have to learn depending on your background and the path that you’ve walked up this very moment. 

For an entrepreneur and a leader, it’s important to learn to delegate and trust your team, to avoid the desire to control everything all the time and micromanage. By the way, going back to the question about sleeping at night, learning these lessons also helps to decrease stress and sleep well.

Isis Simpson-Mersha is a conference producer/ reporter for Ragan. Follow her on LinkedIn.

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Ashlee Davidson serves as the vice president of communications for Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. As a seasoned corporate communications leader, she leverages her expertise to drive strategic business outcomes, convey vital executive messages, enhance employee engagement, and boost the company’s overall performance.

 What book, podcast or other media do you recommend to other comms pros?

I highly recommend Crucial Conversations by Joseph Grenny. He offers thoughtful insights on how to navigate through difficult conversations on a variety of topics to help create psychologically safe spaces for people to grow.

I’m currently reading Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara. The book provides great insights on how to take customer service in any industry to the next level, ensuring client success and retention.

What’s your favorite tool you use regularly for work?

Axios Smart Brevity tool and insights help communicators get key points across and minimize the fluff to ensure sharp, strategic writing every time.

What excites you most about the future of communications?

I believe we’re at a key inflection point for communications. The technologies that are surfacing today will quickly ignite positive disruption to traditional forms of communication including social media. It’s an opportunity to reinvent the power and purpose of strategic communications and further elevate the value we bring to an organization. But we must act quickly, and to me, that’s the most exciting part.

What communications challenge keeps you up at night?

The rapid pace of technological change we are experiencing. We need to act fast to ensure communicators embrace the change and find their space.

 What’s the biggest challenge you’ve overcome in your career?

Financial business acumen. I’ve never been great with numbers, which I find to be fairly common among communications experts. However, as I’ve taken on roles of increasing responsibility, I’ve gained a better understanding of the importance of knowing how to read a balance sheet or recognize key terms analysts use during the Q&A of an earnings call. This understanding helps me better communicate business strategies to my team, and also on behalf of the senior stakeholders I support.

 What is the best advice you’ve ever gotten?

Early in my career, one of my mentors told me, ”Don’t shy away from the uncomfortable. You should thrive in that space because that’s where the growth and grit happens.” I’ve applied that advice to every new challenge I’ve experienced.

Join Ashlee Davison at Ragan’s Future of Communications Conference on Nov. 6-8. She will speak alongside communications leaders from AARP, Ben & Jerry’s, IBM, The Home Depot and more.

Isis Simpson-Mersha is a conference producer/ reporter for Ragan. Follow her on LinkedIn.

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Founder Shannon Heth is a versatile communications expert, seamlessly combining smart thinking and creative storytelling in her role as the driving force behind MILK Creative Communications. Her unique ability to span various disciplines, including creative direction, PR strategy, art direction, copywriting, and business marketing, forms the foundation of an agency that unites strong strategy, compelling creativity, and tangible business success.

Heth has masterminded and executed campaigns, orchestrated media relations, designed events, and staged captivating stunts for an array of clients, including the Interior Design Show Vancouver, H&M, Fjallraven, Nespresso, Land Rover, The Vancouver Mural Festival and many more.

The founder’s journey embodies a commitment to creativity, innovation, and resilience as she nearly lost all of her business during the pandemic. While navigating this rough patch, she honed her leadership skills and focused more on her agency to come back stronger than before.

We caught up with Heth to get her take on the future of the communications industry.

What book, podcast or other media do you recommend to other comms pros?

It’s important for comms pros to stay up to date on current news and events to have a view on the world; for that I turn to The Daily and WSJ What’s News. The Business of Expertise was a very valuable book for me when I first read it. I think communications can be a difficult field for people to understand because it’s so highly specialized and takes a very specific skill set as well as years of experience to become an expert. Anyone who provides expertise should definitely read it to be reminded of how to effectively communicate why expertise is important and should always be valued. I also highly recommend Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss. As a former hostage negotiator for the FBI, Voss has insightful and easy tools that can be used in negotiations, whether with clients, brand partners, or prospective employees. 

What’s your favorite tool you use regularly for work?  

Honestly, LinkedIn is probably my favorite. So much of what we do is relationship-driven, and there are so few degrees of separation between all of us, which is very apparent when you’re on the platform. We use LinkedIn to connect with editors and writers, to interact with clients, to research new business leads, to share our agency news and achievements with our colleagues and peers — even to pitch to participate in this fantastic series by PR Daily! It’s a wonderful community, and a great place to see what other agencies and businesses are up to. 

What excites you most about the future of communications?

I’ve been very excited by what feels like a renaissance in engaging with traditional media relations programs. More and more we’re seeing briefs that are moving away from influencer-led, influencer-first campaigns. While I think there will always be a place for influencer content I’m a big believer in the power of media relations and using creative strategies to secure earned media coverage and in turn, public attention. 

What communications challenge keeps you up at night?        

Cancel culture. I’ve worked and lived through a few attempts at canceling that have very clearly looked and felt like they were motivated by attention, clicks, likes, and even PR for personal gain. Should brands, businesses and people be held accountable? Absolutely. However, this rush to judgment and trial in the court of public opinion, and the damage that can be done to people and their mental health when faced with harsh and sometimes unfounded, insinuated, unfair or occasionally completely false statements can be extremely difficult to experience. Effectively navigating clients through these challenges and guiding them so that they can find the light on the other side of the tunnel definitely keeps me up at night.                    

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve overcome in your career?

Without a doubt, COVID-19. I lost 80% of my business almost overnight. It’s been a long road back and we’re still in a rebuilding phase but one thing that I’m very proud of that came out of all of that loss was the opportunity to really take a step back and look holistically at the agency, its structure and even my own leadership skills and where I needed to improve. I spent the better part of the pandemic working on two things that I felt were essential in order for the business to come back stronger than before: one was taking the time to define our agency’s vision, mission and values; the second was investing in leadership coaching so that when we did become busy again I’d be in a stronger position to both build and lead a team. I’m a big believer in finding the learnings, insights and positives from difficult situations. 

 What is the best advice you’ve ever gotten?

Make decisions based on what’s best for your business and your people, not your clients. It might sound counterintuitive for a service-based business, but decisions that make sense for your business and that support the health and well-being of your team will absolutely benefit your clients in positive ways. 

Isis Simpson-Mersha is a conference producer/ reporter for Ragan. Follow her on LinkedIn.

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With nearly a quarter-century of experience in the field of public relations and corporate communications, Chintimini Meadow Keith, the senior vice president of corporate communications at Bozzuto, brings a wealth of expertise in various aspects of the industry, including marketing strategy, global collaboration, branding, crisis communications, and visual storytelling. 

Her role encompasses overseeing comprehensive communication strategies across all divisions of Bozzuto. She is responsible for shaping the company’s public image, managing crisis situations, promoting corporate social responsibility, enhancing executive visibility, and ensuring a consistent brand message for the real estate company.

Medow Keith’s biggest challenge she’s overcome plays a part in her journey to embracing leadership roles in unfamiliar settings that have transformed her into a more resilient, empathetic, and inclusive leader and communicator, evolving from a less confident communicator into an undeniable comms pro over time.

Ahead of her session at Ragan’s upcoming Future of Communications conference, we spoke with Meadow Keith to get her take on the future of the communications industry. 

What book, podcast or other media do you recommend to other comms pros?

I recently read Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara. I found it to be fascinating on many levels. Having worked in and followed the NYC food scene for decades, I was immediately drawn in by the stories revolving around restaurants I have visited and chefs I have admired. I believe we can all take lessons from hospitality best practices on how to more meaningfully connect with our colleagues, customers and clients. Two books I always recommend, no matter the industry are Presence by Amy Cuddy and Mindset by Carol Dweck.

I try to listen to the Daily as often as possible and I am weirdly obsessed with financial and investing podcasts. This may not seem applicable to communications, but I strongly believe leaders in our industry must excel at both soft and hard skills. Communicators have to understand the financials that drive our business.

What’s your favorite tool you use regularly for work?

Well, Zoom of course. I also remain a longtime fan of Slack and Smartsheet. Oh, and our Digital Asset Manager (DAM).

What excites you most about the future of communications?

Now, more than in any other time in history, communications leaders have a seat at the table. We must take full advantage of this moment and ensure we are advocating for sufficient investment in communications as a business driver. This often requires an important mindset shift for communications practitioners, so that we fully comprehend the significance of our roles.

What communications challenge keeps you up at night?

AI governance, specifically as it relates to security and intellectual property. I fully embrace innovation, and believe it’s a delicate balance of fearless exploration and careful oversight.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve overcome in your career?

Overcoming my scarcity mindset and shyness born from a childhood of poverty, and learning to acknowledge that I belonged in the spaces (such as executive meetings and board rooms) where I once felt completely out of place.

What is the best advice you’ve ever gotten?

Aristotle said, “To avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing.” This is so powerful. After all, not taking any risks in life is the biggest risk of all. Wisdom and life experience have taught me that it is far greater to risk being criticized for having an opinion than for having none at all.

Also, remember no one is thinking about you (your mistakes and shortcomings) as much as you are. Realizing this truth liberates us to focus much less on what others think.

Join Chintimini Meadow Keith at Ragan’s Future of Communications Conference on Nov. 6-8. She will speak alongside communications leaders from AARP, Ben & Jerry’s, Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control and more.

Isis Simpson-Mersha is a conference producer/ reporter for Ragan. Follow her on LinkedIn.

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Alicia C. Aebersold assumed the role of the American Psychological Association’s (APA) inaugural chief communications officer in September 2017. With over 140,000 members, including researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants, and students, APA plays a pivotal role in the field of psychology. 

Leading a diverse 50-member communications team, Aebersold draws inspiration from the advice her father imparted during her time as a drum major in high school. This guidance has been instrumental in fostering success within an outcome-driven environment.

Ahead of her session at Ragan’s upcoming Future of Communications conference, we spoke with Aebersold to get her take on the future of the communications industry. 

What book, podcast or other media do you recommend to other comms pros?

My job is to understand human behavior and tell stories, so I try to be an avid consumer of books and podcasts that elevate both those things. Real stories make me see perspectives I have missed. Brian Doyle in “One Long River of Song” and Ross Gay in “The Book of Delights” patiently share the smallest moments of personal experience in ways that make me think differently and want to be a better human. On the less curated end of storytelling, “The Moth Radio Hour” podcast offers up compelling, unproduced voices sharing stories that regularly surprise me. And podcasts like “Speaking of Psychology” and “Hidden Brain” put human behavior into fascinating context.

What’s your favorite tool you use regularly for work?

This is pretty low-tech, but I keep a running idea list in Microsoft Notes for each person I work with regularly, so I have a place to jot down an idea I want to share with them or a follow-up question I want to remember to ask about an idea they gave me. It saves me from being the person who sends emails as I think of things and allows me to focus my energy on listening to people when I meet with them, instead of surreptitiously searching my emails for the thing I want to talk to them about.

What excites you most about the future of communications?

The more we are inundated with content, pummeled with metrics that mean little post by post, and saturated with misinformation, the more we need communicators to slice through the noise and elevate both the science and the real stories. I see endless opportunities for our field to make a real difference, especially in the world we live in now, and that inspires me every day.

What communications challenge keeps you up at night?

Shortcuts. Quality work that has real impact requires thought and time and expertise. That is a continuous conversation in our field – why we need to do the research, or run concepts by the intended audience, or test the idea, and that even if it slows progress, it will result in something better.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve overcome in your career?

At one point in my career, I felt that my then-job was changing me, and not for the better. It was what we now call a “toxic workplace,” and I could feel the toxicity impacting me, making me more uncertain, making me less willing to take risks, and making me more likely to just check a box because it was easier than fighting for things.

I couldn’t walk away without a new job. So I decided that I would focus on what I COULD control – ensuring that the culture in my team was the culture I believed in. We focused on building a feeling of safety, encouraging risk-taking and creativity, probing the staff to offer the wild idea and deliver the surprising impact. I chose to communicate upward about outcomes, not processes, and tried to take the hits myself when leadership was upset. That team delivered some incredible results in part because I focused on what I could control, not on wasting time raging against the machine. 

What is the best advice you’ve ever gotten?

My senior year of high school I was the drum major for our marching band. One night I came home from practice and started complaining to my dad about how the drum line wasn’t listening to me, how I couldn’t get them to do what I told them to do. And he said, “You aren’t a leader just because you have a big fuzzy hat.”

It is evergreen advice. You are a leader when people know you are truly there not to march around in front of them and own the spotlight, but to support them and help them succeed. I did like that hat, though.

Join Alicia C. Aebersold at Ragan’s Future of Communications Conference on Nov. 6-8. She will speak alongside communications leaders from AARP, Ben & Jerry’s, Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control and more.

Isis Simpson-Mersha is a conference producer/ reporter for Ragan. Follow her on LinkedIn.

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Clarity Founder and CEO Sami McCabe launched the global marketing communications agency in 2012 with the goal of using technology for positive change. McCabe’s career has seen a range of entrepreneurial ventures, including a PR firm, marketing agency, internet platform, and video content production company. 

Through his work, McCabe recognizes AI’s potential to reshape how we work, have fun and conduct business, among other things. The founder’s expertise lies not only in recognizing the challenges but also in embracing the opportunities that lie ahead in the world of communications.

We caught up with McCabe to get his take on the future of the communications industry.

What book, podcast or other media do you recommend to other comms pros?

Agency life is extremely challenging: no two days are the same. You have to learn to expect the unexpected and roll with the punches. With that in mind, the book I frequently recommend to my colleagues is Ryan Holiday’s The Obstacle is the Way, which gives a fantastic introduction to the ancient philosophy of Stoicism. To be a good comms professional, you need to be a good Stoic. This philosophical framework gives you simple tools to remain calm during the storm by focusing on managing what’s in your control and, ultimately, turning challenges into opportunities. 

What’s your favorite tool you use regularly for work?

In our hyper-connected world, it’s incredibly difficult to carve out time to do ‘deep work’. We’re constantly interrupted by information and messages via multiple channels, apps and devices. This makes accomplishing meaningful work incredibly challenging especially if, like me, you’re something of a dopamine addict and you can’t resist checking your iPhone every 10 minutes. I don’t judge myself (or anyone else) for this habit: the big tech companies are spending billions of dollars to capture our attention and we’re powerless to resist. 

 I now have multiple tools to help combat the constant demands on my attention and carve out time to do the ‘deep work’ my business needs from me, and that I find most fulfilling. These include a timed lockbox for my phone, the Freedom app which restricts access to distracting websites and apps on my desktop (including email) as well as relaxing classical music that helps me focus on one particular task. 

What excites you most about the future of communications? 

AI is going to change literally everything: the way we work, the way we have fun, the way we do business and the way we govern countries. In this coming environment of constant, seismic change, I believe communications has a pivotal role to play in helping humanity understand and navigate the tumult. I’m excited to play my part in what I believe will be a huge and ultimately positive technological paradigm shift for humanity. 

What communications challenge keeps you up at night? 

 I think we face some real challenges with the exponential rise in mis-and-disinformation. The advent of AI – and especially AI-driven deepfakes – is extremely concerning. With mistrust rife across our media, politics, corporations and institutions, the impact of ubiquitous AI-generated mis–and-disinformation will only compound the problem and lead to a more polarised society. Trust and authenticity will therefore need to be the comms professional’s number one objective. Collectively, the comms industry needs to adopt a more innovative approach to develop the solutions needed to counteract the coming groundswell of distrust.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve overcome in your career? 

Overcoming my natural shyness in the workplace, which I think is the result of a crippling case of imposter syndrome, is a daily work-in-progress. I don’t think I’ve overcome it, but I hopefully do a better job of masking it than I ever did. Having a strong support system both personally and professionally has allowed me to navigate those challenging moments, while holding space for gratitude and celebrating wins (no matter their size) has helped to keep my imposter syndrome in check. 

What is the best advice you’ve ever gotten? 

Most days I think about Anaïs Nin’s quote: “Life expands and shrinks in proportion to one’s courage”. I think there’s an answer to most questions or problems if you meditate on this principle. It applies equally well to the trajectory of one’s business life as it does to one’s personal life, and has inspired me to embrace change and take fearless action.

Isis Simpson-Mersha is a conference producer/ reporter for Ragan. Follow her on LinkedIn.

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