GPRS https://www.provokemedia.com/ Global PR Summit News https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/video-war-in-ukraine-and-the-role-of-communicators https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/video-war-in-ukraine-and-the-role-of-communicators megan@provokemedia.com NewsPRovokeGlobalVideoLatest Video: War In Ukraine And The Role Of Communicators Natalya Popovych, head of One Philosophy, urged PR and Communications leaders against complying in covering up for profiteering from the war. Tue, 28 Nov 2023 00:29:59 Z 2023-11-30T10:21:50Z

Natalya Popovych, Ukrainian activist, agency owner and B4Ukraine steering committee member is interviewed by Maja Pawinska-Sims following her 2023 PRovokeGlobal session on 8 November.

The presentation focused on the present volatile period for democracy, business and law, and the role of communicators to serve them.

Find full coverage from the 2023 PRovokeGlobal Summit here: https://bit.ly/46aDp9e.

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https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/video-jeremiah-owyang-on-the-future-of-artificial-intelligence-in-pr https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/video-jeremiah-owyang-on-the-future-of-artificial-intelligence-in-pr megan@provokemedia.com PRovokeGlobalVideoLatest Video: Jeremiah Owyang On The Future Of Artificial Intelligence In PR Mon, 27 Nov 2023 22:44:29 Z 2023-11-28T00:30:47Z

Jeremiah Owyang, partner at Blitzscaling Ventures, talks with Arun Sudhaman following the PRovokeGlobal 2023 session he moderated on 7 November. Panelists included Gloria Vanderham, CEO of Bliss BioHealth and Bill Jewell, CIO at the US Chamber of Commerce.

Owyang, a Silicon Valley veteran briefed the audience on the latest developments in the AI space and and how rapid advancements will affect communicators at an unprecidented pace.

Find full coverage from the 2023 PRovokeGlobal Summit here: https://bit.ly/46aDp9e

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https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/video-disinformation-the-destruction-of-truth-combatting-harmful-narratives-at-scale https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/video-disinformation-the-destruction-of-truth-combatting-harmful-narratives-at-scale megan@provokemedia.com H+K StrategiesVideoNewsPRovokeGlobal Video: Disinformation, The Destruction of Truth, & Combatting Harmful Narratives at Scale AnnaMaria DeSalva and Mark Listes discuss combatting disinformation and emerging technology options for agency leaders. Mon, 27 Nov 2023 22:27:37 Z 2023-11-30T10:22:50Z Arun Sudhaman interviews AnnaMaria DeSalva, global chairman and CEO of Hill & Knowlton, and Mark Listes, CEO of Pendulum following their #PRovokeGlobal session sponsored by Hill & Knowlton. 

The panelists discussed the vital role communicators can and should play in combatting disinformation, as well as emerging technology solutions that agencies can leverage to analyze for risk more proactively. 

Find full coverage from the 2023 PRovokeGlobal Summit here: https://bit.ly/46aDp9e

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https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/provokeglobal-the-future-of-ai-in-communications-with-nicholas-thompson https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/provokeglobal-the-future-of-ai-in-communications-with-nicholas-thompson megan@provokemedia.com VideoPRovokeGlobalLatest Video: The Future Of AI In Communications With Nicholas Thompson Thompson, the CEO of The Atlantic, joins Paul Holmes for a brief interview following the session sponsored by BCW. Mon, 27 Nov 2023 22:17:57 Z 2023-11-29T07:09:17Z Paul Holmes interviews Nicholas Thompson, CEO of The Atlantic following their #PRovokeGlobal panel on November 7, 2023. The session explored ways in which the communications industry is on the frontlines of AI’s impact on society. 

Find full coverage from the 2023 PRovokeGlobal Summit here: https://bit.ly/46aDp9e

 
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https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/provokeglobal-the-summer-of-2023-and-keeping-equality-for-women-on-the-agenda https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/provokeglobal-the-summer-of-2023-and-keeping-equality-for-women-on-the-agenda megan@provokemedia.com VideoNewsPRovokeGlobal Video: The Summer Of 2023 And Keeping Equality For Women On The Agenda Gail Heimann, CEO of Weber Shandwick, joins Maja Pawinska-Sims for a post-session interview in this video. Mon, 27 Nov 2023 22:13:07 Z 2023-11-30T10:22:23Z Gail Heimann moderated a candid conversation on November 7, 2023 at #PRovokeGlobal with Candace Bushnell and Ashley Etienne, celebrating Barbie, Taylor, Beyoncé, Carrie, women athletes and policymakers; pushing us to consider what the world of marketing and communications can and must do to propel the she-conomy and keep the wave of Barbie Pink — and gender equality, above all — going.

Find full coverage from the 2023 PRovokeGlobal Summit here: https://bit.ly/46aDp9e.

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https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/provokeglobal-2023-video-highlights-reel https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/provokeglobal-2023-video-highlights-reel megan@provokemedia.com VideoPRovokeGlobal PRovokeGlobal: 2023 Video Highlights Reel Highlights from the 12th Global PR Summit & SABRE Awards, which took place in Washington DC on 6-8 November. Wed, 22 Nov 2023 05:07:20 Z 2023-11-22T05:07:20Z https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/provokeglobal-communicators-under-the-table-as-western-companies-prolong-ukraine-war https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/provokeglobal-communicators-under-the-table-as-western-companies-prolong-ukraine-war Cathy Wallace One PhilosophyUkraineEventsPRovokeGlobalNews PRovokeGlobal: Communicators ‘Under The Table’ As Western Companies Prolong Ukraine War Natalya Popovych issues rallying cry to strategic communicators to guide clients to do the right thing. Sun, 12 Nov 2023 05:02:21 Z 2023-11-12T05:24:24Z WASHINGTON, DC — In a sober but stirring address to PRovoke’s Global Summit, the head of One Philosophy, Ukraine’s largest comms agency, urged strategic communicators ‘turn their talents and time’ towards persistence with clients or activist action.

Natalya Popovych, who was given an Individual Achievement SABRE award in 2022 for her work tackling misinformation around the war, said Western companies were still playing a role in Russia’s war against Ukraine.

“Western companies prolong this war by not defunding it, not leaving, they continue to fund it through corporate taxes, tech transfers and the legitimisation of war for ordinary Russians,” she said. “We’ve been too silent as strategic communicators to present our case in a way companies would see how much risk they’re accumulating in staying in that market.” 

Popovych said many strategic communicators were ‘under the table’ when it came to guiding CEOs towards ethical and business decisions.

“We haven’t seen many resignations of CCOs or seen them commenting or urging CEOs to speak. We’ve seen a lot of large agencies leave the Russian market but we haven’t seen many of them able to influence their top clients to withdraw.

“Overall we’ve been failing in our role as strategic advisors since 2014 because we haven’t forseen all the risks.”

And she urged against complying in covering up for profiteering from the war or advising the C-suite to ‘shut countries like Ukraine down with donations.’

“There’s a magic figure of $15m offered as a donation to humanitarian causes in Ukraine as long as businesses continue to operate in Russia.

“Please believe me, the price of every single free warrior in Ukraine ready to sacrifice their lives so people in the world can have freedom and dignity is much higher than $15m.”

Popovych said she believed communicators had the values and belief in humanity necessary to act, but “I feel that when life and death decisions, existential moments in history come up, communicators are sometimes nowhere to be seen.”

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https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/in-pictures-provokeglobal-2023 https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/in-pictures-provokeglobal-2023 news@provokemedia.com SABRE AwardsPRovokeGlobalNewsGlobalSABREEventsAwards In Pictures: PRovokeGlobal 2023 All of the photos from the 2023 PRovokeGlobal Summit & SABRE Awards, which took place in Washington DC on 6-8 November. Fri, 10 Nov 2023 11:54:55 Z 2023-11-10T11:54:55Z https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/provokeglobal-esg-as-a-term-needs-to-go-away https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/provokeglobal-esg-as-a-term-needs-to-go-away Zhao Lu Maslansky + PartnersPRovokeGlobalEventsNews PRovokeGlobal: "ESG As A Term Needs To Go Away" The moral framing of ESG language highlights the divisive nature of debates in today’s environment. Thu, 09 Nov 2023 16:36:14 Z 2023-11-09T16:36:14Z WASHINGTON, DC — In a thought-provoking presentation at today’s PRovokeGlobal, language strategy firm maslansky + partners’ CEO, Michael Maslansky, made a compelling case for retiring the term 'ESG', asserting that it hinders rather than aids the cause.

Maslansky, drawing on his firm’s extensive experience with various Fortune 500 companies, emphasized the critical role of language in communicating complex ideas. He argued, “It’s not what you say that matters. It’s what your audience hears.”

The central point of contention was the framing of ESG. Maslansky challenged that the term itself is an “empty term” that lacks “embedded meaning.” Based on extensive studies with over 7,000 interviews and nine focus groups, He revealed that only 10% of Americans are familiar with the term. 

Maslansky presented findings from another study, where 80% of the surveyed expressed discomfort with the term “dihydrogen monoxide” until they realized it was just water, showing that unfamiliar terms tend to draw negative inferences. 

The speaker went on to criticize the moral framing of ESG language, highlighting the divisive nature of moral debates in today’s environment. “We live in an environment where we don’t all agree on the moral terms of the debate or on the same morality or values,” Maslansky explained. 

He proposed a shift from moral to business terms that link ESG to financial materiality, citing higher favorability and reduced polarization shown by survey participants.

Alternatively, Maslansky advocated for discarding the term ESG entirely, urging to readopt the phrase “responsible business.” He argued, “ESG as a term needs to go away. It is not helping the cause. In fact, in many ways, it is holding us back.” 

Maslansky presented statistics indicating that reframing ESG as responsible business garnered increased support across party lines.

“Across the political spectrum, there is a sense that responsible businesses are going to deliver better outcomes for clients, customers, and employees. And they’re gonna succeed financially,” he suggested.

Maslansky concluded the presentation by outlining three core principles for effective communication: making actions real, fitting actions to the brand, and delivering value, not values. 

He stressed the importance of closely connecting actions to the business, using inclusive accessible language to a broader audience, and demonstrating value, “If you can’t tell a clear story about why your business is taking this action, you probably shouldn’t be taking the action.”

“What we're saying here is to focus on doing the right thing, talking about why it is connected to your business, as opposed to making a bigger, broader statement about the ‘why’ that is connected to values that not everyone might agree with.”

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https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/provokeglobal-the-art-of-authentic-influencer-marketing https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/provokeglobal-the-art-of-authentic-influencer-marketing Zhao Lu Havas RedInfluencer MArketingPRovokeGlobalEventsNews PRovokeGlobal: The Art of Authentic Influencer Marketing Authentic influencer content comes with plenty of challenges in 2023. Thu, 09 Nov 2023 14:40:51 Z 2023-11-09T14:40:51Z
Moderated by Provoke Media’s senior reporter Diana Marszalek and sponsored by public relations agency Havas Red, the panel featured insights from Melanie Klausner (executive VP at Havas Red), Neil Brennan (VP at online media monitoring company Meltwater), Jason Allen (social reputation consultant at CSAA Insurance Group), and Tanya Fraser

(SVP and head of US cards advertising at Citi).

Having embraced influencer marketing for nearly a decade, Klausner emphasized the importance of defining campaign purposes and carefully selecting influencers aligned with those goals. She shared a poignant example of a successful non-profit campaign that invited volunteers to share authentic stories, resulting in increased volunteerism and donations.

Brennan highlighted the shift towards appreciating the creativity of online creators and emphasized the value of integrating social content creation at the inception of campaign planning. Fraser echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the need to design content for influencers as complete individuals, tailoring it to their best-performing platforms.

CSAA Insurance Group, a AAA insurer, is a new player in the influencer marketing space. However, they have already achieved considerable success with influencers in their awareness campaigns, Allen shared.

One such campaign called “Boys No More” was particularly noteworthy. It featured pop culture icons like Joey Fatone and Nick Lachey singing about CSAA’s commitment to their customers. The CSAA team recognized the importance of influencers in amplifying cultural momentum through social media and thus collaborated with Christie Allen, a geriatric millennial singer, to create this campaign.

“She ended up being a key tool for us to help amplify that and make our campaign a part of the chatter,” Allen noted. “And made it feel authentic and real.”

However, working with influencers comes with challenges. 

Brennan stressed the importance of aligning creator values and past content with brand goals. Recruiting existing customers is a great way to achieve success, according to Brennan, instead of seeking out new creators externally.

Fraser added that, especially in regulated industries like Citi, vetting and contracting processes can extend the cost and timeframe significantly.

According to Fraser, it’s a “joint storytelling process” to maintain a balance between authentic storytelling and quality control. The influencers are required to interact with the products and share their genuine experiences. However, Citi has a responsibility to ensure that the narratives comply with the legal and policy requirements.

And even when using brand ambassadors who are employees, as Allen mentioned, educating them on prioritized platforms and tools is crucial.

“[Employee-generated content] can get messy because people are their whole selves online and that’s not necessarily just their business persona,” Allen said, adding that they typically concentrate on LinkedIn and provide pre-written text for employees.

Klausner advised brands to discover their digital personality for unfiltered storytelling. She shared an example of reshaping an executive’s LinkedIn profile, incorporating his passion for tennis, which significantly enhanced his engagement and human connection.

“That’s something we try to do with all of our clients, shaping those conversations, so that it is authentic to the brand, to the employees, how you want to show up as an organization and live those purposes and values as a whole person.”

When discussing metrics for tracking campaign success, all speakers emphasized engagement, views, landing page visits, acquisitions, and followership. Fraser noted that engagement metrics should align with campaign objectives and platform nature. 

Allen shared an innovative metric from the “Boys No More” campaign, where they analyzed positive comments from users with verified blue check marks to gauge content reach:

“Because the algorithm picks up that people who follow this person will [be more likely to] like this content as well, that can give you an understanding of how far-reaching your content is.”


 
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https://www.provokemedia.com/research/article/weber-shandwick-named-2023-global-agency-of-the-year https://www.provokemedia.com/research/article/weber-shandwick-named-2023-global-agency-of-the-year arun@provokemedia.com Weber ShandwickSABRE AwardsResearchPRSummitPRovokeGlobalNewsGlobal SABRE AWardsGlobal PR SummitEventsAwardsAgencies of the Year Weber Shandwick Named 2023 Global Agency Of The Year Weber Shandwick takes top honour, alongside Agency of the Year recognition for W, SEC Newgate, Ketchum, Ogilvy PR, Prosek Partners, Finn Partners and the Hoffman Agency. Thu, 09 Nov 2023 12:32:29 Z 2023-11-09T12:32:29Z The Weber Shandwick Collective was named Global Agency of the Year at the 2023 Global SABRE Awards, which took place in Washington DC last night. 

As the only large PR consultancy to receive finalist nominations in PRovoke Media's Regional Consultancy of the Year category across North America, EMEA and Asia-Pacific, the Interpublic Group agency prevailed over multinational PR firms BCW, Edelman, FleishmanHillard and H+K Strategies.

Weber Shandwick submitted a well-rounded performance across the three regions, underpinned by impressive creative work and a focus on solving at the intersections of such critical issues as geopolitics, brand activism, health and wellness and technological development. 

Weber Shandwick was one of seven agencies to win Global Agency of the Year recognition from a shortlist of 35 firms, drawn from our Agency of the Year honorees in North America, EMEA, Asia-Pacific and LatAm. Full analysis of all winners can be found here or below.

Global PR Agencies of the Year

Global PR Agencies of the Year
BCW
Edelman
FleishmanHillard
H+K Strategies
Weber Shandwick

Consumer PR Agencies of the Year
Citizen Relations
Marco
PR Pundit
Splendid
W

Corporate/Public Affairs Agencies of the Year 
Blurred
Rud Pedersen
Sandpiper
SEC Newgate

Creative PR Agencies of the Year 
Cirkle
First Partners
MSL
Ketchum
Retroviral

Digital PR Agencies of the Year
Highwire
Jin
Lippe Taylor
Ogilvy PR Asia-Pacific
Prain Global

Financial PR Agencies of the Year
Ashbury
FGS Global
Prosek Partners
Vested

Healthcare PR Agencies of the Year
Finn Partners
GCI Health
Real Chemistry
Spectrum Science
Weber Shandwick

Technology PR Agencies of the Year
Allison
CCgroup
The Hoffman Agency
PAN Communications
WE Communications

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https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/provokeglobal-it's-important-to-stay-true-to-what-the-company-is https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/provokeglobal-it's-important-to-stay-true-to-what-the-company-is diana@provokemedia.com Porter NovelliPanasonicBayerPRovokeGlobalIn-HouseAgencyNews PRovokeGlobal: "It's Important To Stay True To What The Company Is" Government and political affairs leaders from Panasonic and Bayer discussed the challenges of communicating during polarized times at the PRovokeGlobal summit Wednesday in Washington. Wed, 08 Nov 2023 21:38:35 Z 2023-11-10T15:30:22Z WASHINGTON — With consumers increasingly polarized, businesses are leveraging a range of tactics — which include tying actions to the core values of organizations — to authentically communicate without alienating stakeholders, speakers said Wednesday at the PRovokeGlobal summit in Washington.

“It’s important to stay true to what the company is,” said Jeff Werner, VP of corporate and government affairs for Panasonic North America, which has had its core principles in place for roughly a century. He highlighted the significance of consistency and authenticity in messaging, stating that they should be the guiding principles for business decisions and communication with multiple stakeholders.

Werner’s comments were part of a Porter Novelli-sponsored panel that explored the complexities businesses face in communicating authentically and purposefully without alienating audiences in the process. Kasey Gillette, Bayer’s senior director for sustainability and political affairs, also participated in the discussion, which was moderated by Porter Novelli global CEO Jillian Janaczek.

That polarization necessitates careful navigation to communicate effectively while maintaining and even growing a brand's consumer base was an overarching theme of the conversation, which, in featuring individuals who hold corporate and political affairs positions, offered perspectives and considerations beyond traditional communications.

Werner noted the potential risks when companies take positions on external social issues, particularly in the political realm, and stressed that with risk comes the need for strategic thinking and preparedness.

“You need to be consistent, and you have to look at precedent of what you’ve done in the past,” he said.

“This is all risk-related,” he said.

Gillette also stressed the value of demonstrating the authentic connection between a business and its actions, especially in a world where consumers receive information in real-time.

“The truth is, it’s complicated and we revisit it constantly,” Gillette said. Yet she, too, stressed the importance of harnessing a company’s mission statement as a “true north star” in weighing communications around divisive topics. “It helps us authentically connect our business to what we’re doing,” she said.

Doing that, as well as listening to stakeholders on all sides of divisive issues, goes a long way toward easing tensions around hot-button issues, even if not resolving differences among groups, be they internal or external stakeholders.

“You can show up in places with humility and respect and explain your position without alienating them,” Gillette said.

“If it's authentic, they understand what why you’re doing it even if they don’t agree with it,” she said.

Werner also underscored the importance of companies being duly prepared to handle today’s rampant polarization and how it can test brands’ positions and reputations.

“There’s always going to be some blow-back. I think you have to find a way to have that blow-back be heard. You simply have to expect it and be prepared for it,” Werner said. “But the balance is going to get harder and harder to strike”.

Both panelists underscored the idea that in a divided society, social responsibility is integral to business operations. They recognized that not addressing an issue is a position in itself, and they advocated for proactive engagement with social issues. Werner mentioned that businesses, regardless of their status, must adapt and modernize to meet the expectations of an increasingly socially conscious consumer base.

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https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/provoke-global-2024-elections-are-an-opportunity-for-business https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/provoke-global-2024-elections-are-an-opportunity-for-business pholmes@provokemedia.com Brakkton BookerPoliticoKetchumPRovokeGlobalNews PRovoke Global: "2024 Elections Are An Opportunity For Business" Companies will have an opportunity to inject themselves into the news cycle and to learn about the use of technology from political campaigns, Politico correspondent Brakkton Booker said. Wed, 08 Nov 2023 20:47:59 Z 2023-11-09T12:22:17Z WASHINGTON, DC—With major elections in the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union—the first election there since Brexit—coming up in the year ahead, companies will have an opportunity to inject themselves into the news and to learn about the use of technology from political campaigns, Politico correspondent Brakkton Booker told attendees at PRovoke Global in Washington, DC, today.

“Without a doubt next year’s elections will be an opportunity for companies and brands, for a couple of reasons,” Booker said. “Journalists love having a calendar, because it tells you where to go to look for trends. And if you are a business that wants to get in front of media folks you know where you have to be. In summer, you have to be in Chicago, you have to be in Milwaukee, which is where the cameras will be.

“I also look at this as an opportunity to look at how presidential campaigns are using technology and digital communications tools. Campaigns are spending big money trying to figure out how to connect with voters at a time when people are cutting the cord. Companies will be looking to see what works so they can play in that lane too.”

Booker was appearing in conversation with John R Bradbury Jr, managing director of crisis and issues management at Ketchum, which sponsored the session on “The Road Ahead: Navigating the 2024 Elections.” Balancing the opportunities Booker talked about, Bradbury asked whether companies also faced threats and might be used as “props for the campaigns to score points.”

Said Booker, “I think consumers still want to know where businesses stand. People are going to say, do these companies share my values. Prior to 2020, I don’t think people cared so deeply. But the public is going to be demanding more.”

Echoing the morning session during which ADL chief executive Jonathan Greenblatt spoke about the corporate response to events in the Middle East, he said: “A lot of people want to see whether companies stand with Israel, for example. They are going to demand that companies take a stand on these issues.”

As someone who does not focus on corporate issues, he said, “I don’t envy companies that are now expected to take on these issues.” Media companies, he said, are very aware of how corporate positions are being evaluated through a political lens. “It’s been fascinating to watch the unforced errors by companies like Budweiser. But it’s a difficult time for companies.

“We’re always looking to how companies are navigating these issues, because business and politics are always intertwined.”

Appearing after a night of special elections on which Democrats racked up a series of victories, enshrining abortion rights in the Ohio constitution, deliver wins to Democrats in Virginia at a time when the Republican Governor was pursuing an aggressively anti-abortion and anti-trans rights agenda.

“The big takeaway is that maybe Biden’s sagging poll numbers are not that big of an issue,” Booker said. “People thought Biden would be a drag on Democrats, but Democrats had a good night. And the other big takeaway is that abortion is going to continue to be a big issue. The Republican push to restrict access to abortion is not resonating in blue or red states.”

Speaking remotely from Florida, where he was covering the GOP debate, he added: “I think we are seeing that when you have had rights it is very difficult to get used to living without them. That issue is not going away. Voters nationally are not in favor of adding more restrictions.”

Similarly, he said, he did not expect to see a lot of discussion around the “woke capitalism” issue that was so important to candidates like Ron DeSantis and Vivek Ramaswamy. “The salience of the ‘woke capitalism’ issue has been fading. That’s not what voters are looking for right now. I doubt it will even get a mention tonight.”

As for issues that could become more important as the election approaches, he pointed to immigration: “If we see more immigrants showing up in liberal cities, or if we see as real catastrophe at the border, that could force the administration to do something real on the issue.”

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https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/provokeglobal-communicators-cannot-control-the-ai-era https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/provokeglobal-communicators-cannot-control-the-ai-era Cathy Wallace ChatGPTAINext Practices GroupEventsPRovokeGlobalNews PRovokeGlobal: Communicators Cannot Control The AI Era Silicon Valley veteran Jeremiah Owyang outlines developments in AI and how they will affect communicators, who must ‘start now’ and ‘fight fire with fire’. Wed, 08 Nov 2023 20:16:34 Z 2023-11-10T14:44:47Z WASHINGTON, DC — Communicators need to be prepared to lose control of messaging as AI takes hold, the PRovokeGlobal 2023 Summit heard today.

Jeremiah Owyang, partner at Blitzscaling Ventures, told delegates that in his 27 years in Silicon Valley he had never experienced a tech development like AI. Putting the growth into context, he revealed that whilst Netflix took years to achieve 1m users and Twitter, Facebook and Spotify took 1,500 days, Chat GPT achieved 1m users in five days and now has more than 100m users globally.

“Yes there are upsides for communicators, we can reduce content costs and provide mass personalisation at scale,” he said. “But humans will rely on AI and the AI is going to get the information and make the decisions. That’s something communicators had control over, now you’re going to lose that control.”

If comms professionals aren’t already experimenting with pilots, such creating a style guide for prompts to generate content in keeping with the brand’s style, tone and voice, they’re behind the curve, he said.

AI is already generating 15% of content created by a leading global pharma company, according to Owyang. 

“Fight fire with fire. You as communicators must build your own AI agents,” Owyang urged.
In an energetic presentation to a panel comprising of Gloria Vanderham, CEO of Bliss BioHealth and Bill Jewell, CIO at the US Chamber of Commerce, Owyang asserted that AI search engine perplexity.ai was ‘the Google-killer’ and stated it would end the ‘abusive relationship’ we all have with Google search.

"A lot of people are concerned about hallucinations and accurate content – that’s going to be gone in 12 months thanks to tools like this which enable real-time info and provide citations to actual sources," he said.

The selection of stories the tool uses is a ‘black box’, and Owyang said this had dramatic implications for how comms professionals manage SEO, which is ‘no longer relevant in AI’.
Vandeham said that AI would continue ‘a really exciting time in healthcare’ but cautioned that ‘from my perspective, it’s all about human judgement’.

And Jewell added: “AI is going to replace some parts of brain power but brains do a lot of different things. AI doesn’t replace judgement yet.

"The tool will create content but ultimately we are responsible for it, you can’t deliver something that has errors in the analysis and say ‘oh it’s the AI’."

Following an executive order from President Joe Biden released earlier this week, Jewell confirmed the Chamber of Commerce is enabling AI, with some concerns around privacy and security.

And whilst AI has the power to combat misinformation, it also brings the risk of deepfakes, an eventuality for which Owyang warned the audience all communicators must prepare their clients’ executive boards. "The cost of a deepfake is zero."

Both Vanderham and Jewell advised communicators to get started with AI now, rehearse and hone prompts, and push through the discomfort of getting to grips with it. 

"Get out there and try it, tinker, show resilience. The more you use it, the more intuitive it will become," Jewell said. 

Vanderham added: “You can’t learn to drive a car while in park. Start now.”

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https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/it-was-a-lot-easier-when-corporations-shut-the-hell-up-provokeglobal https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/it-was-a-lot-easier-when-corporations-shut-the-hell-up-provokeglobal arun@provokemedia.com Diversity & InclusionDEIESGEventsPRovokeGlobalNews "It Was A Lot Easier When Corporations Just Did What They Did": PRovokeGlobal In the turbulent waters of Washington's political landscape, finding common ground between Democrats and Republicans has become an elusive goal for corporates. Wed, 08 Nov 2023 18:44:10 Z 2023-11-09T16:10:19Z WASHINGTON, DC — In the turbulent waters of Washington's political landscape, finding common ground between Democrats and Republicans has become an elusive goal. Yet, industry experts and observers at today's PRovokeGlobal Summit believe that amid the partisan divide, some areas still offer a glimmer of hope for bipartisan cooperation.

Megan Wilson, a senior healthcare reporter at Politico, highlighted the healthcare space as one of the few policy areas where Democrats and Republicans can find common ground. She noted that despite the challenges, there are pockets of agreement that allow both sides to work together in crafting policy solutions.

However, Rodell Mollineau, CEO of Rokk Solutions, offered a sobering perspective on larger policy issues. He pointed out that on critical matters like gun reform, immigration, and fiscal responsibility, the momentum for bipartisanship has dwindled. Mollineau observed a growing number of elected officials in Washington who are staunchly partisan and resistant to compromise, which has contributed to the political gridlock.

Paul Holmes, founder and chair of PRovoke Media, succinctly described the current atmosphere as "chaos is an end in itself," reflecting the disarray in Washington's political landscape.

Mollineau expanded on this by noting that some politicians are being rewarded by their constituents for their staunchly partisan positions. Yet while some voters seek upheaval, there is also a demand for practical solutions to everyday problems.

This disconnect between the political rhetoric in Washington and the experiences of everyday Americans poses challenges for businesses and corporations, particularly when it comes to hot-button issues like DEI and ESG. 

Wilson pointed to the increasing involvement of employees and shareholders in political donations, influencing corporate engagement in politics. She also pointed out that the Biden Administration has prioritized health equity, which has substantial implications for healthcare providers and corporations.

Mollineau, meanwhile, highlighted that some politicians have attempted to rein in corporate engagement in political and social issues through legislation. Over 30 pieces of legislation were filed at the start of this Congress to limit the influence of ESG initiatives, but none have advanced significantly. Mollineau explained that some view ESG as a threat to long-standing constituencies, while others aim to discourage corporations from challenging politicians on contentious issues.

In the face of these challenges, Mollineau's advice to corporations is clear: "Live your values."

"It was a lot easier when corporations did what they did, made money and shut the hell up," said Mollineau. "Once corporate entities started having opinions on [issues] it got a little bit more uncomfortable, that relationship between politicians and corporations. My advice to everyone is ‘live your values’. If these were your values before the culture wars, then you have nothing to worry about."

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https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/provoke-global-there-s-a-huge-gap-in-brands'-understanding-of-what-it-means-to-be-over-50 https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/provoke-global-there-s-a-huge-gap-in-brands'-understanding-of-what-it-means-to-be-over-50 maja@provokemedia.com Maja Pawinska SimsPRovokeGlobalIn-HouseNewsAgencyAARPFleishmanHillard PRovoke Global: "There’s A Huge Gap In Brands' Understanding Of What It Means To Be Over 50" FleishmanHillard’s John Saunders spoke to AARP communications and marketing chief Martha Boudreau about the impact of ageism in culture. Wed, 08 Nov 2023 17:46:58 Z 2023-11-08T17:46:58Z WASHINGTON, DC — Engaging consumers aged over 50 has become increasingly difficult for companies and brands to navigate, with many marketing and communications campaigns missing the mark when it comes to resonating with this potentially lucrative sector of society, according to speakers at the PRovokeGlobal summit this week.

In conversation with John Saunders, president and CEO of FleishmanHillard, Martha Boudreau – chief communications and marketing officer of powerful US lobbying group AARP, which focuses on issues affecting those over the age of 50 – said “ageism is embedded in culture in ways we don’t even realise, and is further impacted by the marketing and advertising industry.”

She said: “Ageism hits all of us at different moments and what drives that is societal views as to what it is to age. In this country, productivity, raising families and vibrancy are directed associated with youth and youth is good, while being older or retired are viewed negatively. We need to think about the gift we have, to live longer than ever before.”

Boudreau said part of the problem was cultural: “In the US, how we treat people who are older is not at the level of respect you see in non-Western cultures. We’re very focused on productivity and what we’re capable of contributing to society physically. In Asia, countries like Vietnam, Korea and Japan look at age as something which is a gift and comes with wisdom. Native American cultures view older people as wisdom keepers. In Africa there’s reverence for knowledge and experience; that often in cultures that live in intergenerational relationships, and that’s not the case in the US.”

Saunders asked Boudreau – whose role includes engaging AARP’s 38 million members through all channels, including the most-read magazine in the US – to what extent communications professionals are in tune with an ageing population and marketing to people who are 50+, and how the industry gets it wrong.

Boudreau said: “I’ve been complaining about this for years and I think it’s working – I see brands who are nailing it. In brand campaigns, the creative teams, account leads and clients are focused on the younger generation because of the outdated belief that if you want to drive the brand you need to focus on the youth market. The fact is that whether you’re in auto or shampoo, consumers aged 50+ have an enormous amount of buying power – more than $8 trillion – and the time and willingness to consider new brands. Looking at the over 50s doesn’t age up your brand, it creates a new market.”

She added: “There’s often a misstep in how brands represent older people – showing that age means isolation, dependency, they show people in a healthcare setting, or sitting on a bench alone in boring clothing. All those notions make brands miss the mark, because no-one wants to be represented that way. There’s a huge gap in the understanding of what it means to age now, versus how marketing sees older people.”

One of AARP’s successes in this area has been its partnership with Getty Images, which resulted in the ‘Disrupt Aging’ collection of photographs more reflective of what being over 50 means today: “There was a dearth of pictures of older people in the workplace, their lifestyle, having fun and with friends. They are the leader in supplying imagery to global creative markets, and they had to bring it up to date.”

Boudreau concluded: “One of the greatest and most remarkable achievements of our time is increasing people’s life expectancy. If you are 50 you probably have half of your life ahead of you. What are you going to be spending your money on? Over 50s spend a lot of money on travel, cosmetics, vehicles, technology. If I said you had 50 years left when you hit 50, what would you do and think differently? Go back to school? Go and live somewhere else? Buy the car you’ve always wanted? For those of us with children, they could live to 100.

“As marketers and communicators we need to think about what that means in terms of resonating with people’s lifestyles, from 75 year olds travelling to intergenerational relationships, and all that vibrancy.”

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https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/provokeglobal-if-you-spoke-out-about-blm-you-have-to-speak-out-about-anti-semitism https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/provokeglobal-if-you-spoke-out-about-blm-you-have-to-speak-out-about-anti-semitism pholmes@provokemedia.com Anti-Defamation LeagueJonathan GreenblattRichard EdelmanEdelmanPRovokeGlobalNews PRovokeGlobal: "If You Spoke Out About BLM, You Have To Speak Out About Anti-Semitism" Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, addressed the rising tide of online hate, the conflict in Israel, and anti-Semitic attacks on college campuses. Wed, 08 Nov 2023 15:08:47 Z 2023-11-08T15:08:47Z WASHINGTON, DC—Corporate CEOs who spoke out against racism during the Black Lives Matter protests, or about anti-Asian hate during the Covid pandemic, have an obligation to speak out about the rising tide of anti-Semitism in America and around the world, Jonathan Greenblatt—chief executive of the Anti-Defamation League—told the audience at PRovoke Global in Washington, DC, this morning.

Appearing in conversation with Edelman chief executive Richard Edelman, Greenblatt, who is an MBA and has worked in senior roles in the corporate world, told the audience: “You can be like Brian Armstrong from Coinbase. We don’t take a positon on anything. That’s fine. But if you are a CEO who took a position on Black Lives Matter and anti-Asian hate and you’re not taking a position on flagrant anti-Semitism… You have to speak out about anti-Semitism.

“If you spoke out about Ukraine, you have to speak out.”

Edelman began the conversation citing FBI statistics showing that 2022 saw the highest number of hate crimes since the Bureau began tracking statistics. “America is turning on itself,” he said. Greenblatt responded with ADL research showing a 500% increase in racially-motivated vandalism and violence even before the Hamas attacks on October 7. And he pointed to the attacks on Jewish students at universities across America over the past month.

“There is no question that right now we are dealing with a tsunami of hate,” said Greenblatt. “There are three main factors driving it. First, there’s the coarsening of the public conversation, which I think started in 2016 with Donald Trump running for president.” The ADL, he emphasized, is not a partisan group. “I don’t care how you vote but I care what you value. Donald Trunp started saying and tweeting things we had never seen before from a serious politician, about Muslims and Mexicans and the Star of David, he coarsened the conversation and we saw a huge spike in hate as a result.

“And as President Trump coarsened things we have seen hard left extremism hardened yesterday, and we are seeing it on college campuses like Harvard and NYU. Jewish students will tell you about the micro-aggressions they face every day.”

The second factor, he said, was that as a result “extremists feel emboldened. They are running for office at the federal level and local level. Proud boys and oath keepers running for school boards.

“And third, social media, from Twitter to TikTok from YouTube to Facebook, social media is a super-spreader of hate. It had diminished dialogue and our intelligence by reducing everything to 280 characters. The algorithms are designed to get your dopamine levels surging.”

Social media, Greenblatt said had become “the main vector for prejudice today,” although he added: “It’s not just social media. You need to monitor gaming. Even if you’re not paying, your kids and grandkids are playing online games. Messaging apps. Artificial reality.”

The need to balance free speech with the obligation to speak out about hate speech was important, he said. “ADL has been fighting for the First Amendment for more than 100 years and I believe it’s absolutely pivotal. But freedom of speech is not the freedom to slander people, it’s not the freedom to incite violence against people. That’s not my view, that’s the Supreme Court’s view.

“Hate speech may be the price of free speech, but that doesn't mean this stuff should be algorithmically amplified. So we worked with the NAACP and others to campaign against social media companies that were profiting from hate. We had more than 1,000 companies support our campaign, and that forced Facebook to change, to reduce white supremacy and Holocaust denial. The new leadership at X is a little less receptive, I think it’s fair to say.”

And brands, he told the audience, can help by refusing to allow their ads to appear next to hate speech.

Edelman pointed to research from his firm’s Trust Barometer suggesting that companies are among the most trusted sources of information for any people around the world, and that employees are looking to their companies to provide safe spaces.

Said Greenblatt, “Cynicism and distrust of the government, the media, organized religion, are so high right now. For the chief executive, that’s complicated, you thought you were here to drive ROI and now you’re responsible for making people feel safe.”

The ADL, he said, has created a workplace pledge that can help companies address the needs of Jewish employees.

“If you have employee resource groups and your Jewish employees want one, you should support that. You do it for Asian employees and Black employees you should do it for your Jewish employees too. If you have DEI, make sure your training includes anti-Semitism. Many of them don’t, they focus on racism and anti-gay or anti-trans prejudice. And you need to allow religious accommodation.

“Those things are easy. It’s a pretty low bar that anyone should be able to meet.” Companies such as Google, Adidas, Omnicom, and KKR, he said, have taken that pledge.

Edelman also asked, in the wake of violence and harassment against Jewish students on campus, what advice Greenblatt had for college presidents and their communications advisors.

“If I am a college president, every university has a code of conduct, an honor code, and if you have seen the vdeios of Jewish students being harassed and shouted down and threatened, that is a violation of those honor codes. The fact that so many university presidents are un willing to call that out is why we are in this situation.

“People in positions of authority need to be accountable to a shared set of values. Leaders need to lead, not just appeasing the majority, but protecting the minority.”

As for the current conflict in Israel, Greenblatt said he believed that the ADL’s strong positions on Black Lives Matter, on anti-Asian hate, and on President Trump’s proposed Muslim ban (“despicable,” he told the audience), “helped us establish the ADL speaking out against all forms of hate. And that has given us more credibility when we speak out against hate.”

Having said that, of course, the organization has taken a high-profile position on Hamas and Israel. 

“I would argue that Gaza is an open air prison and the warden is Hamas. The occupier is Hamas. It has been squelching the rights of its own people,” he said. “We need to recognize that Palestinians deserve dignity too and you can talk about the innocent lives of people in Gaza at the same time.”

But he remains unequivocally opposed to the victimization of all Jewish people by some of those who oppose the Israeli government or current Israeli policies. “Jewish people are held responsible—here and around the world—for the policies of Israel, and that is racist.

“Think about the anti-Asian hate triggered by the Covid pandemic. You can be upset about the government in Beijing but that is not an excuse to attack Chinese students or vandalize Chinese restaurants. And being opposed to the government of Israel is not an excuse to attack Jewish people. That’s hate, and it’s racism.”

Finally, he was asked about fighting disinformation online and the need to intervene when false information isdistributed online. 

“I learned from communicators years ago that you should just ignore it,” he said. “But that doesn’t work. It just stays there and eventually it gets repeated and legitimized. You are better off countering the slander and pushing back against the lies. There is always a risk that you can dignify what should not be dignified and give it oxygen. So you have to be clever about how you push back

“Communicators have to play three-dimensional chess. You need to have a degree of digilence in terms of listening and monitoring and you have to have a proactive ability to respond.”

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https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/provokeglobal-disruptive-approaches-to-tackling-climate-change https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/provokeglobal-disruptive-approaches-to-tackling-climate-change Cathy Wallace Finn PartnersEventsPRovokeGlobalNews PRovokeGlobal: Disruptive Approaches To Tackling Climate Change Wincup CEO and creator of America’s first solar-powered city share insights into what it takes to disrupt the status quo and create solutions to the climate crisis. Wed, 08 Nov 2023 15:01:17 Z 2023-11-08T15:01:17Z WASHINGTON, DC — Leaders, innovators and communicators have to stop following what customers and board members want in order to drive radical change to tackle the climate crisis, PRovoke’s Global Summit heard yesterday, in a session moderated by Finn Partners senior partner Brianne Chai-Onn.

Brad Laporte, CEO of Wincup, a US plastics company that created a marine biodegradable straw called phade, said leaders can’t set out to make money if they want to change the world.

"We can’t rely on the 8% of Americans who recycle or the companies that have invested billions in oil and gas. In order to be a disruptor you can’t follow," he said. "It sounds simple but it’s true."

Sydney Kitson, former football player and CEO of Kitson Partners, a Florida-based real estate company that created America’s first fully solar-powered city, added: "You’d be surprised how many people don’t want solar energy, and have a lot of interest in oil and gas.

"That can be somewhat challenging to overcome as you’re trying to work through being a change agent."

Laporte said that the largest group communicators needed to target when attempting radical solutions was: "Folks who want to do the right thing by the environment but don’t want to be inconvenienced by it. It has to be easy for them." He cited the example of paper straws, which customers requested but then almost universally stopped using because "it wasn’t easy". 

"We’ve made a new product that looks and feels like plastic, completely biodegrades and performs better than paper. The client base really liked it and that turned it into a ‘we have to have it’."

Both Laporte and Kitson emphasised the importance of collaboration when tackling climate issues, from getting buy-in from investors to partnering with other brands and organisations, including environmental groups. 

And Kitson advised complete transparency with communications. "If our detractors wanted something we put it online for them. We gave them everything they wanted," he said. "People had to get used to the fact we meant everything we said."

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https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/provokeglobal-can-brands-help-people-connect https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/provokeglobal-can-brands-help-people-connect Cathy Wallace Citizen RelationsNewsEventsPRovokeGlobal PRovokeGlobal: Can Brands Help People Connect? Brands have an opportunity to use their ‘magic’ to help drive connection over shared values. Wed, 08 Nov 2023 14:21:50 Z 2023-11-08T14:21:50Z WASHINGTON, DC — Nearly 90% of consumers want brands to step in and address social issues such as mental health, homelessness and income inequality, the PRovokeGlobal Summit heard yesterday.

Brands have an opportunity to use their ‘magic’ to help drive connection over shared values, experts said, but they need to look beyond their current target audiences. Speaking at a panel session, Lindsay Page, senior VP strategy at Citizen Relations, said a new report by the agency had quizzed some 3,000 respondents across the UK, US and Canada on the topic of connection.

The Citizens Connection Report, released yesterday, discovered that 57% of people felt alone even when surrounded by others and 30% were less likely to discuss controversial topics since the pandemic.

Susan McPherson, CEO of McPherson Strategies and author of The Lost Art of Connecting, told delegates: "There’s an opportunity for brands to step up and help consumers connect."

Page cited an initiative by Heineken alongside Danish organisation The Human Library which matched people with others willing to discuss a topic upon which they differed. "The impact of those conversations is huge," she said. "They were able to track progress across polarisation and differing opinions. That’s something brands don’t do enough of."

McPherson urged brands to speak out on issues, saying: "This goes back to findings around brands stepping up and standing for something, that can be a way to build connection. 

"It can go the other way too, but you’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t, so take the logical step and use your brand magic to drive connection."

The Citizen Relations study found that people felt more disconnected since the pandemic, but Mcpherson asserted that it was a ‘fallacy’ that Covid drove a sense of disconnection. "We had major issues of connective tissue between us before. The pandemic just escalated it."

Brands should also be looking beyond their current target audience or segments, Page and McPherson agreed. 

"It’s a notion and obsession to a fault for brands and clients to have a target audience, but we’ve seen brands untangle demographic laziness into more personality-based segments. It’s a proof point that we can’t be put into buckets," Page said.

McPherson added that brands should ‘open their eyes’, saying they often miss whole segments of the population with messaging due to having blinkers on.

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https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/provokeglobal-why-geopolitics-is-the-cco-s-newest-remit https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/provokeglobal-why-geopolitics-is-the-cco-s-newest-remit maja@provokemedia.com Maja Pawinska SimsTurner Global SolutionsMyriantWeber ShandwickNewsAgencyPRovokeGlobal PRovokeGlobal: Why Geopolitics Is The CCO’s Newest Remit Speakers at the summit this week discussed the impact on communicators of the rising expectation of corporate diplomacy. Wed, 08 Nov 2023 00:07:54 Z 2023-11-08T00:07:54Z WASHINGTON, DC — Speakers at the PRovokeGlobal summit this week discussed the rising expectation for multinational companies to respond to geopolitical tension, international conflicts and the rise of mis/disinformation, making a deeper understanding of global geopolitics, history, current events, and culture part of every CCO’s remit.

Pam Jenkins, chief public affairs officer at The Weber Shandwick Collective, said: “For companies and organisations to stay on top, it’s not enough for communications folks to kick this to general counsel – in the past we tracked regulations, legislation, foreign policy and elections and now we need to understand stakeholder opinions.

"The headwinds of geopolitical tensions are consequential to business success and reputation. Silence is not an option – it’s not ok to do nothing, but knowing when and how to communicate is a high stakes gambit. When geopolitical tensions spike, employees and public expect companies to speak up.”

Jenkins continued: “In the past weeks we’ve seen Israel/Hamas turn into fully fledged war, and a humanitarian and hostage crisis. We’ve seen polarization in our workplaces and seen anti-Semitism and Islamophobia at the highest level. When we’re crafting statements on what’s happening in the Middle East, some people have personal ties to the region and so feel deeply through religion, heritage or culture.

"Employees look at what’s happening through the same emotional lens. All of us have been moved or triggered by images and stories we’ve seen.”

Michael Turner, founder of Turner Global Solutions and former head of comms at the US Embassy in Beijing, stressed the need for a deep understanding of history, geography, politics, culture, and religion in navigating geopolitical challenges.

“When we look at how media picked up on the business angle on what’s happening in the Middle East, we saw the same when businesses were thinking about pulling out from Russia when it invaded Ukraine," said Jenkins. "In Israel/Hamas the focus is more on employees, discord and divisions. We also know employees have expectations of businesses to take action or at least say something.”

Ethan Bauley, head of narrative intelligence and senior principal at C-suite advisory Myriant, provided insights on technology-driven analysis of corporate responses, highlighting the importance of empathy and forward-looking concepts like diplomacy in statements.

Jenkins emphasized the global reach of companies and the necessity to understand diverse perspectives. "Companies have employees all around the world, so we need to understand differences in how different countries might see the war, sentiment in different markets and their expectations for employers and companies."

Bauley echoed the significance of generational differences in viewpoints and the role of social media in shaping opinions. He said there was a clear need for better data to understand the narratives permeating across channels.

In terms of preparedness, Turner outlined a comprehensive approach: “There are dozens of geopolitical flashpoints. As a communicator for your enterprise you really need to augment your geopolitical knowledge. The first step is a deep vulnerabilities assessment – look across your enterprise and really figure out where the risks are, through the geopolitical lens.

"Once you identify where you might be vulnerable, the next stage is a stakeholder mapping exercise. Who are the people in your enterprise’s orbit who are really important – do you know what they care about? As diplomats, it’s about building and strengthening relationships, and being in touch with people that matter to you when you don’t need anything from them.

"Another part of stakeholder mapping is geographically where you are – do you know what the geopolitical and societal issues are in areas where they could erupt? Then scenario and contingency planning through that geopolitical lens and scenario planning around misinformation and disinformation.”

Bauley highlighted the need for increased creativity in risk assessment within the industry: "The creativity of the actors in this space is tremendous, and as an industry we need to be more creative about how we are thinking about risk.”

Looking ahead, Turner underlined the growing influence of China on the global stage and urged communication professionals to gain a better understanding of China's geopolitical dynamics.

“Having spent much of the past four years in China, while it’s understandable that we’re focused on the Middle East right now, Beijing has not lost focus on its stated ambitions and China’ws ability to get involved everywhere around the world is growing. As comms people, a better understanding of China is absolutely indispensable.”

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https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/provokeglobal-if-we-create-safe-spaces-for-those-on-the-margins-everyone-feels-like-they-belong https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/provokeglobal-if-we-create-safe-spaces-for-those-on-the-margins-everyone-feels-like-they-belong diana@provokemedia.com PR CouncilGolinAgencyDEINewsPRovokeGlobal PRovokeGlobal: "If We Create Safe Spaces For Those On The Margins, Everyone Feels Like They Belong" Speakers at PRovokeGlobal Tuesday discussed what the PR industry has to do to build and support inclusive teams. Tue, 07 Nov 2023 23:14:35 Z 2023-11-07T23:14:35Z WASHINGTON — With DEI still very much an industry issue, it is imperative that agencies and clients bolster and align their efforts to support and nurture inclusive teams, industry experts said.

Speaking at the PRovokeGlobal summit in Washington Tuesday, participants in a panel  titled "Working Together to Build Inclusive Teams for the Modern Era of PR” delved into the critical topic of creating an inclusive workforce within the public relations industry.

Natasha O’Dell Archer, Golin’s global head of DE&I, PR Council president Kim Sample and Gabriella Lunceford, a Howard University senior who participated in Golin’s 2023 PRep School fellowship for future Black leaders, participated in the conversation.

The panelists emphasized that building inclusive teams is not only a priority but also a fundamental requirement for success in the modern era of public relations, and discussed why the industry is lagging in doing that — and what it can do to improve.

Archer emphasized the importance of creating safe spaces for marginalized populations. "If we create safe spaces for those on the margins, everyone feels like they belong," Archer said. She also discussed Golin's PRep School program, which focuses on developing future Black leaders and recruits from HBCUs and members of dynamic service organizations within the Divine Nine.

Lunceford, a member of the inaugural PRep School class (and a future Golin employee), highlighted the unique approach of the program, stating, "I've been seeing the push in PR a lot for diversity, but to me, it seemed like, 'we offer diverse spaces, but you have to find us.'" Prep School brought the opportunities to her and provided valuable experiences that have clarified her career path, she said.

Lunceford also encouraged agencies to look beyond traditional PR majors when recruiting. "I don't think people know how much agencies have to offer," she said, stressing the importance of making potential employees aware of their options.

Sample addressed the need for financial investment and commitment from the top leadership to build inclusive teams. She highlighted the importance of accountability and goal setting in the middle management ranks, noting that "our industry is going to lose if we don't get super focused and aggressive on this."

Sample also lamented the industry's apparent regression in diversification, emphasizing that it's an opportunity for agencies to make their own businesses and clients' businesses stronger.

The discussion highlighted the efforts made by agencies to recruit talent from HBCUs and develop long-term relationships with the universities as part of the process. Still, Sample pointed out that the industry needs to address the promotion and retention problem more proactively.

Sample recognized the challenges of onboarding and suggested the need for more training for managers to create inclusive environments. She emphasized that these conversations about underrepresented talent and accountability are essential.

The panel session underlined the importance of aligning with clients to build diverse workforces, emphasizing that "Better Together," a set of guidelines issued by the PR Council in October, can play a pivotal role in fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion within the PR industry. These guidelines, crafted by cross-agency DEI leaders, offer best practices for the RFP and pitch process, staffing plans, recruiting, and onboarding, aiming to unify efforts and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion.

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https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/provokeglobal-don't-lean-into-the-polarization-around-esg https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/provokeglobal-don't-lean-into-the-polarization-around-esg pholmes@provokemedia.com ESGIBMEniMarsSEC NewgatePRovokeGlobalNews PRovokeGlobal: "Don't Lean Into The Polarization Around ESG" Communicators need to resist the temptation to lead into the polarization around environmental, social, and governance issues, Andy Pharoah told the audience at PRovoke Global. Tue, 07 Nov 2023 22:19:19 Z 2023-11-07T22:19:20Z WASHINGTON, DC—Communicators need to resist the temptation to lead into the polarization around environmental, social, and governance issues, Mars vice president of corporate affairs and sustainability Andy Pharoah told the audience at PRovoke Global today, during a discussion on creating authentic narratives around ESG commitments.

“You can get a lot of media coverage, but the more we allow the environment to be a polarized issue the more difficult it will be to achieve our long-term goals.”

He pointed to research conducted by Mars and IPSOS, which found that around the world 60-75% want to see companies prioritize environmental issues as much as they do economic issues—suggesting that there is perhaps more consensus on the importance of environmental responsibility that recent media coverage suggests.

Pharaoh’s perspective was supported by Marco Margheri, heead of US Relations of Eni and chairman of Eni New Energies US, who said that companies need to reframe the discussion to bring people together.

“In some cases ESG has meant the equation between new investment and the past,” said Margheri, warning that such a framing can create fear among people who feel that they will miss out during the coming transition. “We have to invest in the supply chains that we have today and help them adapt. We have to balance the promise of a long-term future with short-term commitments.”

Pharaoh also suggested that there are benefits to avoiding the term ESG. “It’s a jumble of letters and not the way people relate to the issues,” he said. “We provide lots of information, we have considerable reporting on our website, but we try to tell it in terms of stories that people understand.”

Fiorenzo Tagliabue, group CEO of session sponsor SEC Newgate, set up the conversation by citing research his company undertook across 12 markets.

“The international business landscape is dynamic and complex,” he said. “Factors like diversity and sustainability and ethical governance are critical. People are demanding companies be more involved in social purpose and to deliver concrete activities. “One of the clear findings is that companies cannot afford to ignore ESG issues. More than 70% of respondents agree that companies need strategies and actions to address ESG, and want companies to speak out on these issues.”

But he warned that companies need to put actions ahead of communications.

Responding to that, Carmen San Segundo Gamez, global marketing and communications director for ESG and CSR at IBM said that one of the challenges she faced was focusing the company’s communications on the most important issues.

“ESG for us is about impact on communities from environmental impact and social impact and also around the ethics of things like artificial intelligence. We need to communicate many issues and respond to many conversations that society is having. So we have a framework with 10 commitments that helps us focus on what is most relevant for the company.

“We are a B2B company. The end consumer does not always know about IBM. They don’t know our history and traditions—we issued our first environmental report 50 years ago—they don’t work with us on a day-to-day basis. Our recent report focused on a concept called ‘time travelers,’ relating what we do now to what we did in the past. It shows consistency of our commitment.”

That approach had increased page views and engagement, she said.

Pharaoh, meanwhile, emphasized the importance of hard targets and hard data. “We want to halve our footprint by 2030 while growing out business. We have targets around water and packaging and improving the lives of a million people in our extended supply chain. We embed it, and treat it like any other business metric.”

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https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/provokeglobal-the-growing-threat-of-ai-generated-false-narratives https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/provokeglobal-the-growing-threat-of-ai-generated-false-narratives pholmes@provokemedia.com BCWNick ThompsonThe AtlanticPRovokeGlobalNews PRovokeGlobal: The Growing Threat Of AI-Generated False Narratives “One of the most important priorities for all of us over the nexr year will be not to buy into AI generated disinformation narratives,” said The Atlantic CEO Nick Thompson. Tue, 07 Nov 2023 20:15:13 Z 2023-11-07T20:15:13Z WASHINGTON, DC—With 40 national elections taking place in 2024, the threat of false narratives created by artificial intelligence has never been more serious, The Atlantic chief executive Nick Thompson told a PRovoke Global audience in Washington, DC, today.

“One of the most important priorities for all of us over the nexr year will be not to buy into AI generated disinformation narratives,” said Thompson, who appeared in conversation with BCW chief executive Corey duBrowa at a session focused on The Future of AI in Communications.

“We are not a breaking news organization, so we don’t have to take an immediate position on issues like who bombed the hospital in Gaza, which is the greatest threat” Thompson said. “But we are very aware of the risk of AI generated fake news, and deep fake video. And we also have to be aware—as we have seen in Gaza—that you will have true narratives that people won’t believe because they say they are generated by AI.”

While AI is enabling and empowering false narratives, it will also provide communicators with the tools to address those narratives, duBrowa said, citing a new tool developed by the agency that uses cognitive AI to evaluate disinformation threats and uses generative AI to message against those threats.

So while AI will create new kinds of disinformation—“the internet is becoming a low trust environment, and that makes every single transaction harder,” Thompson said—there is also the potential for AI to be part of the solution identifying and addressing disinformation.

The conversation captured both Thompson’s enthusiasm for the way AI will impact and transform communications and journalism, and the concerns that derive from uncertainty about the development of any new technology.

Thompson began by talking about the way in which he was using AI in his personal writing—creating a book for his children about the “animal World Cup” and having AI write theme tunes for the animals—and using “prompt engineering” to improve his writing.

“You should be using it every day,” Thompson told the audience. “I am very confident it is going to be important to all of us, and I tell my people, you don’t have to use it in your work, but please just learn.”

The Atlantic, he said, had built a number of tools that use AI on the commercial side of the business: “We are building a tool to make sure all of our sponsored content to make sure it is FTC compliant.” On the editorial side of the business, however, the company has been more conservative: “On the editorial side, if The Atlantic was to write a story that pulled a quote from Open AI there would be controversy.”

The discussion also turned to the importance of transparency in the use of AI: Thompson is insistent that companies, including public relations agencies—need to be transparent whenever AI has been used to generate content, but he is also skeptical about claims that use of The Atlantic’s content by AI is a threat to traditional publishing.

“The Atlantic is the 21st most commonly cited source in Google,” he said. “My book is in the database.  My desired outcome would be to have a couple of trusted partners we work with, but I don’t want that antagonistic dynamic where we are accusing people of stealing our content. I understand that there’s a lot of money at stake. We are going to lose money because of this. That doesn’t give us a right to an equivalent amount of money. Change happens.

“There were parts of publishing industry that got mad at Google for stealing our traffic and wanted compensation for that. There are people who say Google stole our ad money. My reaction to that is, you’re saying they out-competed us.

Speaking just days after the White House issued an executive order on AI, Thompson said he thought it was important that government study the way AI impacts employment and disinformation. “We need to identify the most important issues in AI and understand the impacts,” he said. “That will have a relatively limited impact but it’s unambiguously good.”

On the other hand, he expressed concern about using the Defense Production Act to require companies building especially large, widely applicable AI models to disclose details to the government about their training and safety testing process—and to use “red teaming,” a process that involves companies attempting to “hack” their own tools to understand security risks.

“That’s probably bad, because it will mean anyone who wants to do this will need to have a million lawyers, which is in the interest of the very large tech companies that were at those meetings in the White House and lock out challengers. On the one hand you should ‘red team’ these models, but at the same time you should have a truly competitive market.”

 

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https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/provokeglobal-being-an-ally-is-standing-in-your-truth-and-admitting-you-don't-have-all-the-answers https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/provokeglobal-being-an-ally-is-standing-in-your-truth-and-admitting-you-don't-have-all-the-answers diana@provokemedia.com Young ChangemakersWE CommunicationsVPSThe RomansPRovokeGlobalNewsDEICitizen RelationsAgency PRovokeGlobal: "Being An Ally Is Standing In Your Truth And Admitting You Don't Have All The Answers" Recipients of this year's Young Changemakers awards discussed what PR agencies are doing right and wrong when it comes to retaining BIPOC talent. Tue, 07 Nov 2023 19:35:55 Z 2024-01-09T20:01:10Z WASHINGTON —  This year's Young Changemaker award winners came together today at the PRovokeGlobal summit in Washington to address the pressing issue of retaining BIPOC talent in public relations in a far-reaching discussion that  focused on what firms are doing right, what they are doing wrong, and alternative solutions to creating a more inclusive and diverse workforce.

Representing the next generation of diverse leaders, the winners of the WE Communications awards — Stephanie Lett-Dawkins, Kandace Williamson, and Jean Linis-Dinco — shared their insights and experiences, shedding light on the challenges and opportunities within the industry. Their concerns are far and wide, starting with the going practice in the industry of lumping different minority communities together under blanket terms.

"I do not subscribe to the word BIPOC. It obscures class distinction. It obscures economic disparity. It’s reductive because it doesn’t take in the material conditions that have allowed racism to flourish,” said Linis-Dinco, a VPS data governance specialist.

Lett-Dawkins, an account supervisor at Citizen Relations, emphasized the untapped potential of BIPOC talent, highlighting that "there would be such a big return on investment, there would be more award-winning work done if there were more people of color at the table making decisions and sharing their thoughts."

Williamson, an account director at The Romans, stressed the importance of allyship, saying, "Being an ally is standing in your truth and admitting you don’t have all the answers."

The panelists emphasized the need to understand and empower underrepresented groups and communities. Williamson added, "When it comes to retention and making sure we are empowering these underrepresented groups, I think the first step is understanding that."

In the context of retention, the panelists discussed the challenges faced by individuals who haven't assimilated, emphasizing the importance of fostering a sense of community and understanding among employees.

The discussion delved into the role of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives within organizations. Lett-Dawkins expressed the need for follow-ups on DEI training, stating, "I would have been a lot further a lot faster" if companies were more proactive in implementing such initiatives.

Williamson highlighted the importance of making individuals feel like they belong and encouraged companies to provide the right coaches, mentors, and opportunities to help employees move up the corporate ladder.

Linis-Dinco cautioned against treating DEI as a superficial solution, saying, "You cannot solve a systemic problem with Band-Aid solutions."

The panelists collectively agreed that DEI should not be pushed off during economic challenges. Williamson advocated for making DEI a central part of an agency's focus, stating, "It’s a disservice to push diversity to the backburner. It would be a bigger return on investment to over-index on DEI."

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https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/provokeglobal-we-have-the-best-access-to-fake-information-of-all-time https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/provokeglobal-we-have-the-best-access-to-fake-information-of-all-time arun@provokemedia.com misinformationDisinformationFake NewsPendulumHill & KnowltonPRovokeGlobalEventsNews PRovokeGlobal: "We Have The Best Access To Fake Information Of All Time" Amid global conflict, major elections and geopolitical tensions, more proactive strategies are required in the battle against disinformation. Tue, 07 Nov 2023 18:41:07 Z 2023-11-07T18:41:07Z WASHINGTON, DC — In a world where information travels at the speed of light, the battle against disinformation has intensified. Mark Listes, CEO of Pendulum Intelligence, and AnnaMaria DeSalva, CEO of Hill & Knowlton, sounded the alarm on the growing menace of fake news and the need for proactive measures during a discussion at today's PRovokeGlobal 2023 Summit in Washington DC.

Listes highlighted the unprecedented access to fake information in today's digital age. He emphasized that a 20-year-old with an iPhone and a TikTok account can create a story that goes viral overnight, making it increasingly challenging to distinguish fact from fiction.

DeSalva, meanwhile, underscored the rapid spread of disinformation, which now outpaces the dissemination of legitimate information by 70%. She pointed out that the viral nature of disinformation makes it nearly impossible to control, resulting in an annual cost of $78 billion to the global economy.

Listes stressed that the threat target landscape has expanded significantly, and the notion that crises only affect large corporations or high-profile entities no longer holds true. In today's information-driven world, everyone is susceptible to the ramifications of disinformation.

"Today, we have the best access to fake information of all time," he said. "The threat target landscape has really expanded in scope.The world of 'this doesn’t happen to me because I’m not big enough or not in the news', doesn’t exist anymore." 

Furthermore, Listes emphasized the importance of proactive engagement in addressing the challenges of mis and disinformation. Companies and entities that can respond swiftly and effectively are more likely to emerge from crises unscathed. To do so, he advocated for early detection, a well-prepared crisis framework, and the right tools to navigate the vast information landscape.

Listes added, "We must operate under the assumption that everything that can be said has already been said somewhere. The key is to identify it early and determine whether it warrants allocation of time and resources."

Acknowledging the chaotic nature of the contemporary behavioral landscape, Listes pointed out that technology, while contributing to the problem, can also be part of the solution.

DeSalva highlighted the symbiotic relationship between disinformation and polarization, which poses a pressing challenge. She emphasized that employers need to create a safe and productive environment that promotes civil dialogue and collaboration to address these issues.

Listes reiterated the dynamic nature of the information landscape, cautioning against waiting for a regulatory silver bullet. He stressed the importance of deploying technology alongside advisory and in-house services to withstand the inevitability of attacks and to adapt to ever-evolving threats.

As risks associated with disinformation continue to grow, DeSalva noted a rising need for reputation capital. Many companies are forming committees or adjusting their charters to better manage reputation risk, recognizing that merely conducting business well is no longer sufficient.

"In general, I feel the governance environment is becoming more attuned to reputation risk," said DeSalva. 

In closing, Listes highlighted the importance of maintaining a realistic perspective in the fight against disinformation. While challenges abound, he emphasized that this should be seen as an opportunity to build on existing knowledge.

"This is a conversation full of doom and gloom. Quite frankly, it should be," said Listes. "We have to understand what the landscape looks like. We have to know what is going on. At the same time, we also know how to handle crisis, this shouldn’t be all doom and gloom.

"This should be something where we are able to build on what we’ve known. Don’t go down some silver bullet road of technology and regulation. Trust what you know and augment that with the best partners and resources that you have."

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