PR Future, the USC Center for Public Relations Podcast

This year, we’ve not only experienced a pandemic that continues to upend our lives, but the resurgence of a powerful racial justice movement that has reminded us all that it is time for change. It is time for equality. It is time to put in the work across our industry and many others to dismantle white supremacy and systemic racism, and establish a work environment where everyone sees themselves represented and feels comfortable speaking their mind.

In this episode, our guests Bill Imada, chairman of IW Group, Julia Wilson, CEO of Wilson Global Communications and Margenett Moore-Roberts, chief inclusion officer of Golin and IPG DXTRA, discuss ways that agencies and corporations can improve their diversity efforts and in turn, find greater success. They also offer their predictions on the impact of the 2020 presidential election.

This discussion is part of our series reviewing the 2021 Relevance Report, a collection of essays from industry leaders which explores how to communicate with American consumers during this unprecedented time of COVID-19 and heightened political divide. Download your copy of the 2021 Relevance Report today at annenberg.usc.edu/research/center-public-relations/relevance-report.

Note: This episode was recorded in December 2020. 

Featuring:

Bill Imada, chairman of IW Group (@IWGroup)

Julia Wilson, CEO and founder of Wilson Global Communications (@wilsonglobalcom)

Margenett Moore-Roberts, chief inclusion officer of Golin and IPG DXTRA (@IPGDXTRA)

Host:

Fred Cook (@fredcook), Chairman of Golin, a global PR firm. Author of “Improvise - Unorthodox Career Advice from an Unlikely CEO” and Director of the USC Center for Public Relations

Follow us: @Center4PR (Twitter, Facebook and Instagram)

Newsletter: News from the USC Center for Public Relations

Visit our website: https://annenberg.usc.edu/research/center-public-relations

2020 is unlike any year we’ve experienced in our lifetimes; arguably, the only constant has been change. As PR professionals, we’re well-equipped to deal with crises. But in the time of COVID-19, we’ve grappled with entirely new kinds of challenges: closures of entire business sectors, fluctuating reopening guidelines and an entirely new definition of “normal life.”

Adrienne Cadena, president of brand activation firm Havas Street, and Maryanne Lataif, senior vice president of corporate communications at AEG, the world’s leading sports and entertainment company, and Jeffrey Cole, director of the USC Annenberg Center for the Digital Future, have been at the forefront of research and crisis response for the pandemic since March. In this episode, they’ll discuss the future of live experiences, provide insight into what our “new normal” may look like in the coming years and look at the potential impacts of the 2020 U.S. presidential election on the future of their industries and the world. 

This discussion is part of our series reviewing the 2021 Relevance Report, a collection of essays from industry leaders which explores how to communicate with American consumers during this unprecedented time of COVID-19 and heightened political divide. Download your copy of the 2021 Relevance Report today at annenberg.usc.edu/research/center-public-relations/relevance-report.

Featuring:

Adrienne Cadena, President of Havas Street (@HavasSTREET)

Maryanne Lataif, Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications at AEG (@AEGworldwide)

Jeffrey Cole, Director of the USC Annenberg Center for the Digital Future (@digitalcenter)

Host:

Fred Cook (@fredcook), Chairman of Golin, a global PR firm. Author of “Improvise - Unorthodox Career Advice from an Unlikely CEO” and Director of the USC Center for Public Relations

Follow us: @Center4PR (Twitter, Facebook and Instagram)

Newsletter: News from the USC Center for Public Relations

Visit our website: https://annenberg.usc.edu/research/center-public-relations

Participate in the 2021 Global Communication Survey through Jan. 1, 2021 here

Fulfillment and purpose: two things that we all search for throughout our lives, and maybe have been thinking more about lately in our new normal. And two things that Global CEO and Founder of WE Communications Melissa Waggener Zorkin thinks about constantly. Leading with purpose and fulfillment in mind, Melissa and her agency have built strong, authentic campaigns over the years for big companies like Microsoft and Khan Academy. 

Melissa's secret to success? Listening intently to internal voices and connecting everything they do to an organization's innate purpose. In this episode, Melissa will discuss the importance of having a diverse employee base and the increased need for focusing on diversity retention in the communications industry, what it means to find your organization’s purpose, and how to tie it to your campaigns to create authentic content that resonates with your audiences. 

This discussion is part of our series reviewing the 2021 Relevance Report, a collection of essays from industry leaders which explores how to communicate with American consumers during this unprecedented time of COVID-19 and heightened political divide. Download your copy of the 2021 Relevance Report today at annenberg.usc.edu/relevance.

Featuring:

Melissa Waggener Zorkin (@melissawz), Global CEO and founder of WE Communications

Host:

Fred Cook (@fredcook), Chairman of Golin, a global PR firm. Author of “Improvise - Unorthodox Career Advice from an Unlikely CEO” and Director of the USC Center for Public Relations

Follow us: @Center4PR (Twitter, Facebook and Instagram)

Newsletter: News from the USC Center for Public Relations

Visit our website: https://annenberg.usc.edu/research/center-public-relations

In this special season finale episode, our host Fred Cook puts on his professor cap to bring together everything we’ve learned from prominent activists and communications pros in our debut season of #PRFuture, in the context of the research that started it all: the 2020 Global Communication Report. 

In our research, we found that “New Activism” requires new communication. Our guests this season, all pioneers in communication and activism, have laid out what a successful future could look like for our industry in this ever-changing new normal. From earning profits through principles to creating entire corporate departments for activism efforts, we’ll review some of the best practices for engaging with this new generation of activists, and how it can transform your organization. 

This discussion is part of our series reviewing the 2020 Global Communication Report on New Activism, which is available for free download at annenberg.usc.edu/gcr.

Host:

Fred Cook (@fredcook), Chairman of Golin, a global PR firm. Author of “Improvise - Unorthodox Career Advice from an Unlikely CEO” and Director of the USC Center for Public Relations

Follow us: @Center4PR (Twitter, Facebook and Instagram)

Newsletter: News from the USC Center for Public Relations

Visit our website: https://annenberg.usc.edu/center4pr

As we near November, the 2020 presidential election is on everyone’s minds. Dubbed the fight for the “soul of America,” it’s also the first presidential election to take place during a pandemic. With a pandemic election comes a variety of obstacles to the voting process, which means voting rights organization Rock the Vote is working overtime to provide young voters with the resources they need to vote safely. 

Rock the Vote has always been famous for its partnerships with pop culture icons, including celebrities like Madonna and Lenny Kravitz, who have helped them educate young people on voting rights and the voting process. But beyond their continued work with celebrities including Snoop and Jaren Jackson Jr., the nonpartisan nonprofit forges valuable partnerships with high-profile organizations to spread voting information across a variety of digital channels and reach their younger audience. 

In this episode, Carolyn DeWitt, president and executive director of Rock the Vote, discusses how these partnerships help the organization achieve their goals and make civic engagement more accessible for young voters. She also offers valuable insight into the process of mail-in voting, and how to navigate it in the November election. 

This discussion is part of our series reviewing the 2020 Global Communication Report on New Activism, which is available for free download at annenberg.usc.edu/gcr .

Featuring:

Carolyn DeWitt (@carolyndewitt), President and Executive Director of Rock the Vote.

Host:

Fred Cook (@fredcook), Chairman of Golin, a global PR firm. Author of “Improvise - Unorthodox Career Advice from an Unlikely CEO” and Director of the USC Center for Public Relations

Follow us: @Center4PR (Twitter, Facebook and Instagram)

Newsletter: News from the USC Center for Public Relations

Visit our website: https://annenberg.usc.edu/research/center-public-relations

Ben and Jerry’s has always been known for serving delicious ice cream with extra scoops of peace, love and justice. Social mission has always been an integral part of the company’s day-to-day operations — so much so that Ben and Jerry’s has their own in-house activism department. 

Christopher Miller is the head of this activism team. A few months ago, he drafted Ben and Jerry's second statement in support of Black Lives Matter following the killing of George Floyd, which was lauded within the PR industry as one of the most successful corporate statements on racial justice.

In this episode, Christopher discusses how Ben and Jerry’s embeds activism into everything they do, including their ice cream flavors. He provides valuable insights into the importance of forming strong partnerships with activist groups that go beyond philanthropy, how to unlock the potential that all corporations have to play a role in large-scale social change and how to authentically speak out on issues that matter.

This discussion is part of our series reviewing the 2020 Global Communication Report on New Activism, which is available for free download at www.annenberg.usc.edu/gcr

Featuring:

Christopher Miller (@cmwdc), Head of Global Activism Strategy at Ben and Jerry’s

Host:

Fred Cook (@fredcook), Chairman of Golin, a global PR firm. Author of “Improvise - Unorthodox Career Advice from an Unlikely CEO” and Director of the USC Center for Public Relations

Follow us: @Center4PR (Twitter, Facebook and Instagram)

Newsletter: News from the USC Center for Public Relations

Visit our website: https://annenberg.usc.edu/research/center-public-relations

From Star Trek to K-pop, fan culture is everywhere — and as USC Professors Henry Jenkins and Robert Kozinets say, so is fan activism. This week, we’re taking a more theoretical approach to New Activism, exploring the roots of activism in fandom, and how corporate fans — also known as invested consumers — can help companies improve their corporate social responsibility initiatives. 

In this episode, Jenkins and Kozinets offer valuable insights into the ways companies can successfully interact with their fans on social issues related to business and promote civic engagement. They also discuss the do’s and don’ts of responding to widespread social activism and offer tips on staying connected with your company’s fandom from the c-suite.

Featuring:

Henry Jenkins (@henryjenkins), Author and Provost Professor of Communication, Journalism and Cinematic Arts, and Robert Kozinets (@Kozinets), Social media marketing researcher and Jayne and Hans Hufschmid Chair of Strategic Public Relations, both of the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.

Host:

Fred Cook (@fredcook), Chairman of Golin, a global PR firm. Author of “Improvise - Unorthodox Career Advice from an Unlikely CEO” and Director of the USC Center for Public Relations

Follow us: @Center4PR (Twitter, Facebook and Instagram)

Newsletter: News from the USC Center for Public Relations

Visit our website: https://annenberg.usc.edu/research/center-public-relations

Corporate activism has long been sewn into the fabric of Levi Strauss and Company, and over the past seven years, senior vice president and chief communications officer Kelly McGinnis has continued to uphold Levi Strauss’ reputation as a pioneer in tackling social issues. Bringing her background in social work to the table, Kelly has continued to seek out new opportunities to foster change in the corporate world through employee activism, activist partnerships and corporate coalitions. 

In this episode, Kelly discusses the power of listening to employee opinions, emphasizing that many of the company’s most memorable actions in response to social issues have come straight from their employees. She offers valuable insights into how the company builds advocacy into every level of its operation to amplify causes that they care about and form corporate coalitions that lobby for policy changes.

Featuring:

Kelly McGinnis (@kellylmcginnis), SVP and CCO of Levi Strauss and Company (@LeviStraussCo).

Host:

Fred Cook (@fredcook), Chairman of Golin, a global PR firm. Author of “Improvise - Unorthodox Career Advice from an Unlikely CEO” and Director of the USC Center for Public Relations

Follow us: @Center4PR (Twitter, Facebook and Instagram)

Newsletter: News from the USC Center for Public Relations

Visit our website: https://annenberg.usc.edu/research/center-public-relations

Damon Jones has been challenging gender stereotypes, promoting sustainability and fighting for racial equality for the past 23 years through his work at Procter and Gamble. Since being promoted to P&G's chief communications officer at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Damon has continued to foster important discussions within P&G’s audiences and enact positive social change in the corporate landscape. In July 2020, he was named the most influential person in public relations and business on the PR Week U.S. 2020 Power List, and is the first Black man to top the list in its 14-year history. 

In this episode, Damon discusses how corporations can get involved in activism and advocacy, and the importance of diversity in creating impactful campaigns, emphasizing that doing the right thing for society is always right for business. From PSAs on social distancing practices to new videos and resources in the #TakeOnRace campaign, P&G continues to foster conversations around the pressing issues of today, and demonstrates how corporations can effectively engage with activism on a regular basis.

Featuring: Damon Jones (@damondjones), CCO of Procter and Gamble (@ProcterGamble).

Host: Fred Cook (@fredcook), Chairman of Golin, a global PR firm. Author of “Improvise - Unorthodox Career Advice from an Unlikely CEO” and Director of the USC Center for Public Relations

Follow us: @Center4PR (Twitter, Facebook and Instagram)

Newsletter: News from the USC Center for Public Relations

Visit our website: https://annenberg.usc.edu/research/center-public-relations

As she watched the Oscars from her living room, attorney April Reign tweeted a single hashtag that would change the conversation around diversity and inclusion in Hollywood forever. #OscarsSoWhite started a movement that led her to devote her life to activism, working to amplify traditionally underrepresented voices in the entertainment industry. 

In this episode, April discusses how social media is propelling conversations around race, discrimination and social inequity to greater national attention, and how this phenomenon is playing an essential role in the recent resurgence of the #BlackLivesMatter movement. As an equity advisor for Sephora, April also offers valuable insights into how corporations can support the Black community both now and in the future, starting from within. 

Featuring: April Reign (@ReignOfApril)

Host: Fred Cook (@fredcook), Chairman of Golin, a global PR firm. Author of “Improvise - Unorthodox Career Advice from an Unlikely CEO” and Director of the USC Center for Public Relations

Follow us: @Center4PR (Twitter, Facebook and Instagram)

Newsletter: News from the USC Center for Public Relations

Visit our website: https://annenberg.usc.edu/research/center-public-relations