The PR Week

This week’s episode of The PR Week podcast comes to you from PRWeek’s PRDecoded conference in Chicago, which took place on October 16 and was themed around navigating uncertainty. PRWeek news editor Diana Bradley catches up with Bespoke Beauty Brands CEO Stacey Tank right before she took to the stage to share her journey from the comms office to the boardroom . Bradley also speaks with Feeding Ame...

Is the press release back and better than ever? Some experts are making that case , thanks to the emergence of AI and large language models as a search tool.  Joining the podcast this week to talk about that topic and much more is Matt Brown, president of PR Newswire, who discusses the marked increase in PR pros using AI for their jobs, which has benefitted press releases as an authoritative sourc...

On this latest edition of The PR Week podcast, we’re joined by Jason Abrams, senior PR manager at Amtrak, who talks about how his organization measures success and prepares for the unexpected Also on the agenda: a major leadership shift at Edelman , State Farm’s first chief communications officer , the rise of creator-led agencies and the effects of the government shutdown. Plus, PRWeek’s Salary S...

This week’s guest on The PR Week podcast is Bill Imada, PRWeek Hall of Famer and chairman and chief connectivity officer at IW Group. He talks about the just-published Civility Paradox report, which shows that while most Americans decry incivility in public life, they consider themselves civil.  He also talks about the biggest marketing and communications news of the week, including a BBQ-flavored...

This week’s guest on The PR Week podcast is Mark Truby, chief communications officer at Ford Motor Company .  Truby talks about some of his company’s initiatives, from electric vehicles to the renovation of Michigan Central Station and other ways his company is investing in Detroit.  Plus, the biggest marketing and communications news of the week, from Jimmy Kimmel’s return to late night, the U.N....

The latest guest on The PR Week podcast is one of the best-networked people in all of business: Conagra EVP and chief communications and networking officer Jon Harris .  Harris, who is about to be awarded the Harold Burson Award from the Public Relations Society of America’s New York chapter, joins The PR Week to talk about everything from his Chicago network of PR executives to his decade-long te...

The guest on the latest edition of The PR Week is Ines Rodriguez Gutzmer, SVP and chief communications officer at Aflac.  She takes us behind the scenes of Aflac campaigns from the newly launched Check for Cancer initiative to the long-running efforts including the world-famous Aflac Duck.  Plus, the biggest marketing and communications news of the week with PRWeek news editor Diana Bradley, from ...

Dr. Jamila Cupid is the co-author of Who's in the Room: A Guide to Public Relations from the Black Professional Perspective with Myescha Joell, as well as a professor at Pepperdine University’s Seaver College. Cupid joins the latest edition of The PR Week podcast to discuss her experiences as a Black PR practitioner and the state of diversity in the industry when DEI is under attack.  Also on the...

The word “impression” is a very intriguing one in the world of marcomms. As a savvy brand, you certainly want to make an impression. However, as a savvy brand, you also understand that an impression is no longer that Holy Grail metric to which your efforts should aspire. During this podcast, Spectrum Science’s Bryan Blatstein (EVP and head of media) and Allie Golden (Group SVP, client services) di...

The latest guest on The PR Week podcast is Aaron Kwittken , founder and CEO of PRophet Global.  The former founder and chairman of KWT Global discussed building PRophet, Stagwell’s AI-powered SaaS platform, the evolving landscape of PR and communications with the integration of AI and the importance of brand safety in influencer marketing. Kwittken also gave his thoughts on the biggest marketing a...

The latest guest on The PR Week podcast is Torod Neptune, a veteran of prominent in-house and agency roles from Medtronic to Waggener Edstrom.  Neptune is also a member of the 2025 PRWeek Hall of Fame class, announced just this morning, alongside other industry heavyweights.  Now a member of the faculty of the University of North Carolina, Neptune talks about PR and communications in academia, as...

In this episode of The PR Week , Steve Barrett and Frank Washkuch sit down with Ron Berkowitz, founder and CEO of Berk Communications, to discuss his career in sports and entertainment PR, from working for George Steinbrenner to an era when athletes are also global influencers.  Plus, the biggest marketing and communications news of the week, from Shamrock Capital’s acquisition of the Penta Group...

The latest guest on The PR Week podcast is Sarah Jenkins, head of creative brand initiatives at Grindr and an alum of agencies including The Romans and Freuds.  She talks about using creativity and brand initiatives to foster community, how Grindr’s audience challenges brands to be creative, and marketing faster than the speed of what’s trending.  Also on the agenda: the biggest marketing and comm...

The latest guest on The PR Week podcast is Cheryl Overton, founder of Cheryl Overton Communications and an alum of agencies including Egami Group, Zeno Group, PMK*BNC and Edelman.  She talks about the growing appreciation for earned media and its versatility, why brands are wise to focus on consumers over the age of 50 and the changing nature of DEI at corporations.  Overton also discusses the big...

On this edition of The PR Week , we're thrilled to welcome JJ Carter, who took the helm as CEO of FleishmanHillard last October. Join us as he discusses the agency's evolution, particularly in light of Omnicom Group's pending acquisition of rival Interpublic Group . Plus, we'll dive into the week's biggest marketing and communications news, including IPG’s Q2 earnings , Real Chemistry’s latest acq...

Pam Jenkins recently left Weber Shandwick , where she spent the last two decades, to join nonprofit Shatterproof as its CEO.  The organization works to reduce the burden of substance use disorder in the U.S. by increasing access to treatment, expanding education and driving public policy change. Jenkins talks about her previous work with Shatterproof at Weber and her plans for the nonprofit. Plus,...

The latest guest on The PR Week podcast is PAN president and CEO Philip Nardone . He talks about the evolution of tech PR and media over the last three decades, as well as recent changes at major agencies.  Also on the agenda is the departure of Sally Susman from Pfizer , CEO Mike Doyle leaving Ketchum , WPP’s profit warning and a spotlight on the brands responding to tragic flooding in Texas.  PR...

Before you fire up the grill and crack open an adult beverage for the Independence Day long weekend, hear from the latest guest on The PR Week podcast, Luz Corona, U.S. editor of Campaign.  She talks about her first trip to the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, which was full of insights but also a few controversies.  Other topics on the agenda: layoffs at We. Communications , Pam...

The guest on the latest edition of The PR Week podcast is the global CEO of Allison, Jonathan Heit.  He talks about the Cannes International Festival of Creativity, where Allison’s holding company, Stagwell, held Sports Beach and other activations. Also on the agenda: Allison’s collaboration with other agencies for Go Daddy and what clients are looking for halfway through 2025.  Plus, the biggest...

This is truly a moment of immense transformation for the comms industry — “and Cannes just accelerates that.” So believes Omnicom PR Group CEO Chris Foster. In this conversation with PRWeek VP and editorial director Steve Barrett, Foster highlights what he deems to be wake-up calls for the sector. Of course, there was much that energized him during his week on the Croisette, including some particu...

On this special edition of The PR Week podcast , VP, editorial director, Steve Barrett talks with FleishmanHillard chief inclusion and impact officer Adrianne Smith about the growth of Inkwell Beach at Cannes and the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the creative industry.  Smith reflects on her journey to make the festival more inclusive, the challenges and misconceptions about DE...

PRWeek VP and editorial director Steve Barrett caught up with PR Lions jury chair and Weber Shandwick chief creative officer Tom Beckman in Cannes this week for a wide-ranging discussion. Beckman talks about standout work and other trends from this year’s Cannes Lions in the latest edition of The PR Week podcast. PRWeek.com Theme music provided by TRIPLE SCOOP MUSIC Jaymes - First One   Follo...

On this week’s first live-from-Cannes special edition of The PR Week, PRWeek editorial director Steve Barrett interviews Stagwell CEO Mark Penn, who discusses the Stagwell Sport Beach at Cannes, the role of sports in marketing and the positioning of Stagwell as a challenger in the holding company landscape. Penn highlights the importance of collaboration among creative agencies and shares insights...

“You build a brand. You earn a reputation.” Just one of a myriad pearls of wisdom Ray Day, executive chair at Allison Worldwide and vice chair at Stagwell Group, shared with PRWeek’s Gideon Fidelzeid during this podcast. Reputation has always been among every company’s most important assets and every brand communicator’s most vital responsibilities. The associated challenges, though, have never be...

This week’s guest on The PR Week podcast is Josh Earnest , former White House communications director and EVP of communications and advertising at United Airlines.  He talks about a wide range of topics and issues, such as his priorities leading earned and paid media at a major international carrier, the challenges of messaging for critical topics like airline safety and issues at Newark Liberty I...