Talia Bender Small

The annual release of the Edelman Trust Barometer is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand global culture, public sentiment, and emerging business trends. Yesterday, for the +20th time in the history of the The Executives'​ Club of Chicago, Richard Edelman presented the latest findings to more than 500 attendees at the Harris Theater in Chicago. As always, the presentation, followed by a thoughtful and at times provocative conversation with Suntory Global Spirits CEO Greg Hughes and Executives’ Club President & CEO Dorri McWhorter, was highly insightful. A few highlights from the fresh-off-the-press trust findings: -  Growing insularity: Across many countries, people across all income groups are becoming more inward-looking and isolated, reinforcing polarization and the belief that their societies are deeply divided. -  Entrenched “trust ecosystems”: Opinions are becoming more siloed, with a growing reluctance to consider different perspectives and life experiences. In many ways, this reflects a broader shift from “We” to “Me.” - Widening trust gap: The divide in trust levels between income groups continues to grow. Lower-income households report significantly lower trust than higher-income households, and the gap is widening. - Declining optimism: Only 21% of Americans believe the next generation will be better off than today, a strikingly low number. Globally, the figure is only slightly above 30%. -  AI concerns: More than 70% of Americans believe AI threatens their job security and future career opportunities. As every year, the report offers powerful insights and important takeaways for leaders across industries. While some of the data and research points are deeply concerning, the panel conversation demonstrated that we all have agency to change some of the negative trajectory. Richard Edelman challenged the audience to learn more of how to "Disagree better" instead of immediately trying to persuade other people of our own opinion and perspectives. Thank you to the The Executives'​ Club of Chicago for organizing another outstanding event and bringing together such an engaging conversation on trust, leadership, and the future.

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Many say brands are failing at purpose. I believe most have simply misunderstood what it truly requires. Where do you see brands rising to the moment—and where do you believe they falling short? In my recent conversation with Mike Berberich on On Scope, we explored why purpose isn’t a slogan or side campaign—it’s a discipline. When embedded across how brands operate, connect, and contribute, it becomes a powerful force for trust and long-term value. We also talked about brands getting it right—and the practical shifts marketers can make to move from performative to powerful. 🎧 You can listen to the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/eqqzpQqg With many thanks to the Association of National Advertisers Center for Brand Purpose for hosting this vital conversation!

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From Classroom to CEO: What It Really Takes to Build a PR Firm Last week, Liselle and I had the privilege of speaking with Mary Ann Pearson, APR's communications students at California Baptist University about one of our favorite topics: what it really takes to start, sustain, and scale your own PR firm. Here are a few lessons we shared: 1️⃣ Find your niche and know your “why.” Specialization provides clarity, credibility, and lasting impact. 2️⃣ Master the business basics. It’s not glamorous, but knowing entity types, profit vs. expenses, and legal structures gives you freedom. 3️⃣ Balance creativity + profitability. Set fair rates, track non-billable hours, and build systems that let your passion pay the bills. 4️⃣ Culture > headcount. Success and growth are more than just adding people to your team. You'll want to create meaningful relationships with those who share your vision. 5️⃣ Brand your agency intentionally. Your own agency’s branding deserves the same care you offer clients. 6️⃣ Define your success. National growth? Boutique impact? Flexibility? Align your goals with your values. These lessons came from our blog post “From Classroom to CEO: Lessons in Building Your Own PR Firm.” Start small. Be consistent. Dream big. Find more tips: https://lnkd.in/gVXXcaZT DeGrave Communications, Inc. RMG Communications Liselle Regueiro DeGrave, APR PRessing on in Public Relations Podcast

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Thrilled to announce that Public Inc. has acquired Rocket Social Impact! For nearly two decades Public Inc. has worked alongside purpose-driven organizations to bring creativity, communications, and cultural insight to the work of impact. Rocket has built a fantastic reputation helping organizations design and deliver impact strategies that actually work. Bringing our teams together allows us to combine that expertise to accelerate Public’s growth in the U.S. market and beyond. I’m also thrilled that Melanie Newell will be leading our U.S. business as President of Public U.S. Looking forward to what we’ll build together. 👇

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Rolling Out just published a powerful feature on Esosa Osa, founder of Onyx Impact. She breaks down how culturally grounded insights and data-driven storytelling can reshape how brands and institutions connect with Black communities. Her perspective is an important reminder of why representation and research matter in shaping narratives that drive real impact. Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/eRuQaVKv #Leadership #CulturalInsights #BusinessInnovation

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Leadership isn’t a strategy, it’s a commitment to impact, empathy, and excellence. Three principles I’m doubling down on after the Edelman Global Leadership Accelerator: ✅ Clarity Creates Confidence - When we know the “why,” creativity and progress accelerate. Start with the 5 Whys model. ✅ Feedback is Fuel - Growth thrives on open, frequent feedback. Ask. Give. Embrace. ✅ Celebrate Small Wins - Momentum builds when we recognize progress, even in small steps. Make it visible: cheer loudly, share shout-outs, or surprise the team with treats. For me, leadership is about people and purpose - not just plans. Excited to bring these lessons into our work and keep pushing forward TOGETHER. What principles guide your leadership journey? #Leadership #Impact #Empathy #Determination #GrowthMindset #Edelman

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In tech, we’re constantly challenged to rethink legacy systems; to optimize, transform, innovate. As shifts happen in the DEI space, there is an opportunity for us to do the same. Traditional DEI models, focused on individual bias or one-off trainings, just aren’t built for sustainable change. If we want to scale equity, we need to take the same mindset we bring to tech models: challenge assumptions, redesign the architecture, and embed it across the system. DEI isn’t a feature or a "nice-to-have", it’s infrastructure. And just like in tech, the real transformation happens when we rewire how the whole system works. #DEI #Tech #Leadership

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Creating content that performs is hard. Creating content that connects is even harder. Today’s consumers are seeking more than just entertainment—they’re looking for relevance, values, and trust. In my latest piece for Forbes, I break down three shifts marketers need to make to stay competitive (and credible) in today’s content economy: 📣 Move beyond product-first messaging 🔐 Design for privacy-first performance 🧠 Use AI as a co-creator, not a crutch If you’re rethinking your content strategy for the second half of the year, this is for you 👇 https://lnkd.in/gVTJKVqd #ContentMarketing #BrandStorytelling #PrivacyFirstMarketing

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 Zero-click search is reshaping how people discover and learn about brands – with many stopping at AI-generated summaries instead of clicking through. That makes AI one of your brand’s most influential storytellers.     How are communicators responding? We. Communications teamed up with USC Center for Public Relations to find out. Our report, Message vs. the Machine, found that most communicators see a great opportunity, but half admit they don’t know where to start.    Start here: Download our new joint report: https://bit.ly/3LGrhrE

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This year marks the 10th anniversary of the USC Center for Public Relations Relevance Report, our annual look at a trend or issue that will matter to our industry and students in the year ahead. With Los Angeles at its center, our 2026 report explores how Sports unite us and help PR pros tell compelling stories. This year's collection of forward-looking essays examines how actions on the field reflect who we are off the field, from the rise of women’s sports to the evolving business of college athletics and the technologies changing the fan experience. Sports teach us teamwork, resilience and empathy. Qualities communicators need more than ever. I’m grateful to the more than 40 PR leaders and USC academics who shared relevant stories and counsel in this year's edition, including from FleishmanHillard, Mars, Conagra Brands, We. Communications, AEG and many others from our board, as well as our USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism faculty and students. You can download the 2025 Relevance Report here: https://lnkd.in/egPhMvP #PRFuture #USCAnnenberg #Sports #RelevanceReport #Leadership #PublicRelations #Communication

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🧼 Want to land PR without hiring a publicist? I sat down with Gloria Chou—PR queen, former U.S. diplomat, and champion of BIPOC and women founders—to unpack the exact framework she teaches that’s helped small brands land features in Oprah’s Favorite Things, Vogue, Forbes, and more. 👏🏼 In this episode of Beauty and the Brand, we dive into: 💥 Her CPR method that actually gets journalists to reply 🧠 How to pitch gift guides like a pro (yes, even with no media list) 💸 Why earned media > ads for building beauty brand trust 🧰 The 4 free tools every founder should be using for press Whether you’re new to pitching or want to 10x your media visibility—this one’s for you.

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Women’s History Month is generating significant media attention this March, with brands, institutions, and community organizations highlighting women’s leadership, entrepreneurship, and impact. According to Truescope media analysis, the observance has evolved into a major communications moment. Companies across industries are using the month to spotlight women founders, executives, and innovators while connecting brand storytelling to the people behind their organizations. Sports teams, media companies, financial services firms, and consumer brands are all participating, recognizing women leaders and launching initiatives that support mentorship, entrepreneurship, and community engagement. But behind many of these narratives is a deeper reality: women communications leaders are often the ones responsible for managing trust, reputation, and stakeholder expectations inside organizations. That dynamic will be part of the conversation at an upcoming CommPRO + CommunicationsMatch virtual town hall for Women’s History Month. Rather than a traditional webinar, the session will be an open discussion among communications professionals across public relations, corporate communications, and financial communications about how reputation is actually managed inside organizations and what leadership requires when trust is tested. I'll be hosting the conversation as focus on how credibility is built, protected, and sometimes repaired in real time. Women’s History Month is an opportunity to celebrate leadership, but it is also a moment to talk candidly about the responsibility of managing reputation in today’s communications environment. Join the conversation...

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Big conversations. Bold futures. In Mombasa for the #APRA2025 Conference, Dr. Ike Neliaku, President of NIPR, led a strategic meeting with Ryan Beiermeister, VP of Product Policy at OpenAI. The goal? To explore how AI can empower the NIPR Young Professionals Hub — equipping the next generation of PR leaders with the tools to thrive in a digital world. 🌍 We're not just talking about the future of PR we're shaping it. https://lnkd.in/dtVmkckQ #NIPR #OpenAI #PublicRelations

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Thanks for featuring this important read in Axios Communicators today Eleanor Hawkins. The Trump administration has asked every federal agency to identify nine organizations—including companies, universities, and nonprofits— believed to be in violation of federal civil rights or contracting rules because of DEI-related practices. These lists are due to the White House by May 21, 2025, and are expected to inform future investigations, funding decisions, and public enforcement. Many organizations have already taken action to modify policies in reaction to the EO; however, with 440 agencies listed in the Federal Register, the directive could result in up to 3,960 organizations being named. To help organizations prepare, FGS Global created a memo explaining key themes and risk signals that have emerged across sectors, drawn from our analysis of public disclosures, agency actions, and media narratives. If your organization needs help navigating this complex environment, be in touch.

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The AI Revolution Is Here: Implications for PR Educators and Future Communicators Key insights from the University of Southern California #AI Summit highlight AI’s influence on education, #research, and industry. As an adjunct professor at USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, I have identified three key insights regarding AI’s impact on #PR and #communications #education: AI proficiency is essential, but human skills remain irreplaceable. While AI is now fundamental for strategic decision-making, it cannot substitute for human voice, ethics, narrative understanding, or interpersonal trust. Second, tools and courses serve different purposes. Although USC provides campus-wide access to #ChatGPT Edu and seeks to integrate AI into curricula, educators should guide students to view AI as a collaborative tool that enhances, rather than replaces, human input in strategy and storytelling. Third, the PR and communications field requires professionals who can bridge AI capabilities with contextual understanding. As AI manages tasks such as copy generation and sentiment analysis, the true differentiators will be those who shape narratives, ask critical questions, and apply context. Students must learn to both use and direct AI effectively. #AIinEducation #PR #Communications #HigherEd #ArtificialIntelligence #USC

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