The PR Week

Bloomgarden discusses the evolving landscape of PR, the strategies that drive success in a competitive market, and more. 

In this episode of The PR Week, Steve Barrett and Julia Walker welcome Kathy Bloomgarden, CEO of Ruder Finn, to discuss the firm's impressive growth, the shift toward independent agencies and the impact of AI on the PR industry.

Bloomgarden shares insights on winning major clients such as Wendy's, the importance of technology in communication and the agency's pioneering work in China amid geopolitical challenges. Other topics include the dominance of major tech companies and implications for the...

In 1996, Richard Edelman took over his eponymous agency from his father. Now, celebrating its 30th year under Richard’s leadership, the firm’s global revenue is $950 million. It was $85 million when he took the reins. The rousing success of his independent agency is largely due to Richard’s constant eye on the future, as well as his ability to anticipate it — a skill as sharp today as it ever was. That was on full display during the session at the recent PRWeek Conference in Chicago. He spoke to PRWeek’s Jess Ruderman about his succession plans, his stronger-than-ever belief in being a...

This week’s episode of The PR Week comes to you from the PRWeek Conference in Chicago, focused on navigating the comms revolution. 

PRWeek associate news editor Jess Ruderman and reporters Jeremy Sodergren and Julia Walker catch up with leaders from Patagonia, McDonald’s, E.l.f. Beauty and John Deere to discuss AI, authenticity, trust, the creator economy and other top issues. 

The episode also features on-stage highlights from the day’s top sessions, including Obama Foundation CEO Valerie Jarrett’s keynote on hope and snippets from Edelman CEO Richard Edelman’s conversation on legacy and t...

On this week's episode of The PR Week, Andrew Bowins of RestlessUrban joins us in the studio to chat about building a lifestyle brand for adults over 50 and how that demographic’s social media and AI usage is evolving. He also discusses why working with agencies and corporations continues to inform his current role.

In the biggest marketing and communications news of the week, Stephen Kehoe retiring from PepsiCo and public relations, new White House press secretary Katie Zacharia’s first press briefing, Kelly Clarkson’s spat with an artisanal shop in Brooklyn, and the continued fallout from t...

On this week's edition of The PR Week, Nick Ashooh, senior director of corporate and executive communication at APCO, joins us to talk about corporate reputation, what it takes to navigate today's complex stakeholder environments and working in Saudi Arabia. 

Plus, the biggest marketing and communications news of the week, including Golin Ketchum winning a national tobacco education campaign, Edelman helping Betty Crocker celebrate its 105th birthday, Chipotle's viral vegetable instrument campaign, brands moving beyond Hispanic Heritage Month, new data showing Gen Z uses social media as its most-trusted election info source, Karoline Leavitt joining Fox and k...

On this week's podcast, Jim Weiss, chairman and founder of Real Chemistry, joins us to chat about his podcast, Get Real with Jim Weiss, which explores personal health crises, or what he calls “getting hit by the bouncing ball.” He also talks about the importance of preventive care and why GLP-1s could be the most important thing happening in the economy. 

In the biggest marketing and communications news of the week, tech titans breaking bread with Presidents Trump and Xi, the latest in AI safety and regulation, Meta’s global comms lead, Edelman winning the American Egg Boa...

Joe Cohen joined Axis in September 2016 as its CCO. Marketing was added to his purview in 2020. In that decade, Cohen has become one of the industry’s foremost authorities on not only managing risk, but avoiding it when possible. He knows how to construct marketing and brand campaigns that project strength and reliability without sounding overly alarmist about macro risks. His brands current “25 Years of Specialty Solutions, Elevated” initiative is proof of that. He understands that some of the biggest risks brands face are internal and operational. He and his team think about risk when it comes to everything from e...

The industry is buzzing about the role of the chief communications officer, a topic jumpstarted this month by this op-ed in PRWeek by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Torod Neptune, a former top comms exec himself. 

Adding her expertise on this week’s episode is Candace Steele Flippin, VP of thought leadership and professional development at Page, who talks about her organization’s new research on the topic. 

Plus, the biggest marketing and communications news of the week, including why Converse apologized for a new campaign, layoffs at Edelman...

It’s definitely something on the minds of in-house communications execs: How is the chief communications officer position changing? Does it matter if it reports to the CEO? Is it shrinking in importance? The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Torod Neptune raised those questions in an op-ed last week, and Jon Harris discusses them further on this week’s edition of The PR Week. 

Plus, Harris talks about his expectations for entries for the PRWeek Awards 2027 and discusses the biggest PR and communications news of the week, including Frank Shaw stepping down at Microso...

It’s a very special episode as Steve Barrett makes his return to The PR Week. 

The guest on the September 10, 2026, edition of The PR Week is Kenny Gold, who was appointed this year as Edelman’s first chief creator officer. 

He talks about the changing creator economy and creators as media outlets and news sources in their own right, as well as how his agency advises brands that are working with them. 

Plus, the biggest marketing, PR and communications news of the week, including how Publicis Groupe ended up handling media for both Co...

 Kelly McGinnis has worked across technology and consumer PR, most recently as chief communications officer at Levi Strauss & Co. Now, she’s teaching students about having a seat at the table in a graduate course at the University of San Francisco. 

On the agenda for this week’s episode: 

PRWeek reporter Jeremy Sodergren discu...

The latest guest on The PR Week is Charlotte West, VP of global corporate communications at Lenovo. 

She talks about how Lenovo’s role as official technology partner of the 2026 FIFA World Cup was much more than a sponsorship, improving operations and even the broadcast of the tournament. West also talks about how her team is using AI, balancing one global message with regional specifics and making earnings calls more interesting. 

Plus, the biggest marketing and communications news of the week, including crises at Callaway Golf and Neutrogena, people moves at Walmart and Wendy’s, the st...

From public affairs officer in the U.S. Navy to leading communications at New York Life and previously Voya Financial, Paul Gennaro has had a career spanning major organizations. He talks about that and how New York Life is implementing AI on the latest edition of The PR Week. 

Also on the agenda this week: PRWeek’s 2026 Hall of Fame class. And PRWeek’s Jess Ruderman talks about the biggest marketing and communications news of the week, including new appointments at Vaseline and Burson and The Athletic’s “Advantage calendar for football fans.”

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The latest guest on The PR Week is Grant Toups, global CEO of Hotwire. 

Toups talks about his first days and weeks on the job after stepping into Hotwire’s top role more than six months ago, as well as how his agency uses AI and works with influencers and creators. He also chats about his inspirations from the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. 

Plus, PRWeek’s Julia Walker discusses the biggest PR and communications news of the week, including PRWeek’s 2026 40 Under 40 list, Burson’s acquisition of AI company Limbik, a change at the top of...

The latest guest on The PR Week is Ann Melinger, CEO of Bink, which works with biotech and life sciences companies on organizational culture, employee engagement and change management. 

She talks about Bink’s new Culture at Work Study and its key findings about how some companies fail to produce winning cultures while others thrive. 

Plus, PRWeek’s Diana Bradley on the biggest PR and communications news of the week, including key executive exits at Conagra, Edelman and Airbnb and acquisitions by FGS Global and One Strategy Group.

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What area of marketing is best positioned to be in charge of affiliate marketing? Mike Rush, EVP and partner at 360PR+, makes the case that it’s PR on the latest edition of The PR Week. 

Rush also talks about the Boston PR market and what it’s like having a lettuce client in the current news cycle. Plus the biggest marketing and communications news of the week, such as PRWeek’s Power List 2026, Wendy’s decision to hire a new PR AOR for the first time in more than 30 years, a new chief communications officer at Skims and...

In beautiful Cannes, France, one of the most interesting places during the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity is actually a basement — because that’s where the shortlisted campaign case studies are. 

The latest guest on The PR Week, Taj Reid, global chief creative officer at Burson, talks about that and much more, including how Burson and VML won the PR Lions Grand Prix for their work for client KitKat. Reid also chats about unconventional paths into the industry, AI’s impact on creativity and inspirational work. 

Plus, PRWeek’s Carina Cole talks about winners and losers...

The latest edition of The PR Week features Jennifer Risi, founder and president of The Sway Effect.

Risi founded The Sway Effect, a New York-headquartered global marketing and communications agency, exactly seven years ago on July 16. In 2025, The Sway Effect reported revenue of $4.9 million, up 11% from the same period a year prior, according to PRWeek’s latest Agency Business Report. 

Risi discusses what her firm has been up to, what she attributes its success to and highlights some client campaigns. 

She also talks about her takeaways from this year’s Cannes Lions International Festiv...

The latest edition of The PR Week features Kevin Dulaney, EVP of innovation and integrated marketing at SourceCode Communications and a top agency strategist on AI. 

He talks all about AI — from where it’s most useful for agencies and their clients to where it’s overhyped — and discusses what he thinks is coming next. 

Plus, the biggest PR and communications news of the week with PRWeek news editor Diana Bradley, including top World Cup campaigns, brands’ reaction to Taylor Swift’s wedding and major executive moves at Ogilvy, Onclusive and Nvidia.

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The latest guest on The PR Week is helping explain fusion to the world and why it might soon be a part of people’s everyday lives. 

Joe Paluska is chief marketing officer of Commonwealth Fusion Systems, which spun out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and is now the world’s largest fusion company. He talks about making a complicated technology understandable to the public and explains how his company works with influencers and content creators. 

Plus, PRWeek associate news editor Jess Ruderman interviews Frank Washkuch about the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity and ma...

“PR is no longer that last mile. We’re the starting point in many initiatives.” Chris Foster, CEO of Omnicom Public Relations (OPR), spoke those words as he sat down with PRWeek in Cannes. This was evident in the many PR-led Cannes Lions award victories. It was equally apparent as Foster discussed his main takeaways from his time on the Croisette. These included a notable shift from ad influence to earned influence and the prevalence of reputation in conversations on the ground. Foster's all-encompassing chat with PRWeek executive editor Frank Washkuch also covered AI and the early days of OPR po...

Influencer marketing has officially grown up. What was once a fragmented landscape of one-off deals and experimental budgets has evolved into a sophisticated marketing channel defined by rising creator compensation, faster execution cycles and stronger long-term partnerships. Monica Caponigro, MD at Bobbie and co-author of a new study analyzing six years of creator partnership data, discusses the signals behind the creator economy's maturation and what they reveal about the future of brand-creator relationships. She'll explore why operational excellence is becoming the new competitive advantage, how marketers should rethink creator selection beyond follower count and why the brands winning today...

When one person shares their experience living with a condition, something powerful happens. Empathy spreads, understanding grows and change follows. Motivated by this belief, Chandler Chicco Agency created Ripple, which closes the gap between brands and the real patients they serve. The story behind this revolutionary offering, the incredible results already achieved and the lessons brands in every sector can learn are front and center during this podcast featuring Anna Khersonsky, managing director at Chandler Chicco Agency (CCA), Kerry O’Keefe, patient engagement lead for Ripple at CCA, and rare disease advocate James Ian. 

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So much conversation around AI has centered on its power as a tool to change how communicators operate. And it’s all valid. However, the realization has become inescapable: AI is no longer just a productivity enabler or touchpoint of amplification. During this podcast featuring RepTrak’s chief reputation and strategy officer Stephen Hahn, we tackle how AI has become your most important stakeholder for everything from reputation matters to crisis comms to the development of actionable insights.

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This week’s guest on The PR Week podcast is Mike Neumeier, cofounder and CEO of Arketi Group. 

In a wide-ranging interview, Neumeier talks about everything from the Atlanta PR market to making AI an effective part of an agency’s workflow. He also chats about the firm’s aggressive expansion strategy and what it looks for in prospective deals. 

Plus, the biggest marketing and communications news of the week: the first round of the 2026 World Cup, the Knicks winning the NBA title, AMD’s new chief communications officer and much more. 

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This week’s guest on The PR Week podcast is Jim O’Leary, an alum of Edelman and Weber Shandwick who recently joined Penta Group as CEO. O’Leary talks about why he switched firms and what the agency of the future looks like. Plus, the biggest PR and communications news of the week, including the completed Golin Ketchum merger, a new healthcare leader at Allison Worldwide and an interesting NBA Playoffs campaign starring Chipotle and Timothée Chalamet. And it wouldn’t be The PR Week podcast without some banter about the start of the World Cup, so tune in t...

Does every technology client now need to be able to tell an AI story? 

Tyler Perry, co-CEO of Mission North, tries to answer that question and much more on this latest edition of The PR Week podcast. 

Perry also chats about: 

-How her firm makes sure employees are upskilled on the latest technology. 

-Mission North’s status as a Benefit Corporation, and how it balances that with servicing clients. 

-Her expectations for the PR agency sector. 

Also on this episode: PRWeek’s Jess Ruderman talks about the 2026 edition of...

The question is no longer whether brands should work with influencers. It’s about how brands can leverage culturally relevant influencers as part of an integrated digital ecosystem that drives brand impact while building trust, brand equity and advocacy, all while staying compliant within industry regulations.

Healthcare brands face some of the toughest such regulations, which is why this sector is so helpful to examine in this regard. That is why the counsel offered on this podcast from Real Chemistry’s Erin Bittner, president of integrated communications, and Bayer’s Courtney Ambrosi, director of consumer integrated marketing strate...

As brands race to understand how they show up in generative AI and measure their visibility, many make strategic decisions based on incomplete data. A smart prompt framework can be the main ingredient for uncovering key narratives, filling visibility gaps and gaining share of answer.

During this podcast, Coyne PR’s Stacy Bataille, SVP, and Sierra L'Altrelli, VP of PR and analytics, provide a 360-degree master class to help you truly tap into the power of the prompt. They counsel on how to achieve the right language, tone and intent in all your prompts. They lay out th...

The latest guest on The PR Week podcast is Alex Myers, founder and CEO of Manifest, who joins the show to talk about the growth of his firm and what he’s learned along the way. Among those lessons, how to break through across types of media, whether paid, earned or owned. 

Also on this week’s show, the biggest PR and communications news of the week, such as major people moves at Lumen Technologies and

Duolingo, World Cup campaigns and mass transit madness and Charmin’s fast reaction to an NBA cultural moment. 

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This week’s episode of The PR Week podcast was recorded on the ground at our 2026 Women of Distinction event in New York City, which was held on May 19. This year, PRWeek honored 27 Women of Distinction and 13 Women to Watch. 

Hear highlights from the day’s panels, which included sessions on “How to Thrive as Communications Intensifies” and “The Future of the Corporate Affairs Organization.” The event’s keynote speaker, NHL senior executive Kim Davis, also spoke about leading as a woman of color and the vision behind the league’s Heated Rivalry strategy. 

PRWeek news editor Diana...

The special guest on this week’s episode of The PR Week podcast is Jim Joseph, global head of brand impact at FleishmanHillard. 

Joseph talks about the launch this week of FleishmanHillard’s America 250 Unit, a specialized offering designed to help brands and organizations navigate the opportunities and complexities surrounding the United States’ 250th anniversary in 2026.

Plus, the biggest marketing and communications news of the week is discussed, such as PRWeek's Agency Business Report 2026; the return of Haymarket Media’s AI Deciphered conference in New York in November; a new reputation management and crisis consultan...

Creativity isn’t what you make. It’s how you think. And organizations that treat it as a department — rather than a discipline —are leaving serious competitive advantage on the table. In this episode, we challenge one of business’ most frustrating and persistent myths: that creativity belongs to a certain type of person in a certain type of role.

We make the case that creativity is not an output but a behavior: a way of thinking, questioning and problem-solving that drives measurable impact. We explore how creative thinking has been systematically stripped from our institutions and culture, and what t...

This week’s guest on The PR Week podcast is Courtney Kasinger, executive director of communications at Eli Lilly and Company and jury chair for the 2026 PRWeek Healthcare Awards. 

She talks about standout work from this year’s awards program and other trends she’s seeing in healthcare and marketing communications. 

Plus the biggest marketing and communications news of the week, such as major agency acquisitions and a new role for one of the sports world’s most prominent communicators.

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Recorded live at the PRWeek Sports Conference in New York City, this is The PR Week podcast.

From the rise of women’s sports leagues and the road to the World Cup and the Olympic Games, sports is the ultimate consumer powerhouse. On today’s show, you will hear from leaders in sports and communications, beginning with keynote speaker and multi-time WNBA champ Breanna Stewart. 

Plus, hear from panelists such as Anna Lingeris of Hershey, Cynthia Martinez of the U.S. Soccer Federation and Taylor CEO Maeve Hagen. 

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Last week’s PRWeek Crisis Conference in Washington, DC, had a who’s who list of speakers and attendees. 

On this podcast, hear from Kristin Cabot, who talks about taking back the narrative after the Coldplay KissCam incident went viral. 

Also hear from attendees and speakers Chuck Todd of the Chuck Toddcast and Noosphere’s Sunday Night with Chuck Todd, Marli Collier of Airlines for America and Lauren Odell of Gladstone Partners.

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The latest guest on The PR Week podcast is Adam Sohn, VP of communications at T-Mobile, and a veteran of communications roles at companies including Microsoft, Amazon and Lockheed Martin. 

He talks about a day in the life of a tech sector PR executive, how his team uses AI and what the Seattle PR scene is like.

Plus, the biggest marketing and communications news of the week, from the “rise of consultancies” to the latest on how Nutella maximized its big moment in space. 

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The latest guest on The PR Week podcast is Bradley Akubuiro, head of the corporate communications practice at Bully Pulpit International and a veteran of companies such as Boeing and United Technologies and organizations such as the Rainbow PUSH Coalition. 

He talks about crisis communications, and why it often flummoxes organizations, as well as memories of the late Rev. Jesse Jackson. 

Plus, the biggest marketing and communications news of the week, including Artemis II, and why it was a major opportunity for one brand; Martin Sorrell’s thoughts on the state of the industry and hold...

Brandon Stanton is a photographer, influential social media content creator and author — and now he’s also PRWeek’s Communicator of the Year for 2026. 

Stanton joins the latest edition of The PR Week podcast to talk about the different countries and cultures he’s visited, from places as varied as Iran to Queens, New York. He also chats about approaching a subject and surprises he’s encountered. 

Plus, the biggest marketing and communications news of the week, including a major communications hire at Nike, a new co-CEO at Kekst CNC, Therabody’s new PR AOR and how KitKat...