The PR Week

On this week’s first live-from-Cannes special edition of The PR Week, PRWeek editorial director Steve Barrett interviews Stagwell CEO Mark Penn, who discusses the Stagwell Sport Beach at Cannes, the role of sports in marketing and the positioning of Stagwell as a challenger in the holding company landscape. Penn highlights the importance of collaboration among creative agencies and shares insights on political communication.Listen to their conversation and stay tuned for more exclusive interviews this week from the 2025 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. PRWeek.comTheme music provided by TRIPLE SCOOP MUSICJaymes - First One Follow us: @PRWeekUSReceive the latest industry news, insights, and special reports. Start Your Free 1-Month Trial Subscription To PRWeek Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

“You build a brand. You earn a reputation.” Just one of a myriad pearls of wisdom Ray Day, executive chair at Allison Worldwide and vice chair at Stagwell Group, shared with PRWeek’s Gideon Fidelzeid during this podcast. Reputation has always been among every company’s most important assets and every brand communicator’s most vital responsibilities. The associated challenges, though, have never been more daunting due to the unprecedented amount of uncertainty we all face today — societally, economically and otherwise. How do you combat that as a communicator? By being data-led, digital-first and future-focused. By being comfortable with the noise. By mastering the admittedly difficult balancing act of appealing to stakeholders on both sides of the political aisle. And by understanding and respecting the emotions of your key audiences. The intelligence you need to do all this is there for you — including in two pieces of recent research and a plethora of inspiring examples that are referenced throughout this conversation. PRWeek.comTheme music provided by TRIPLE SCOOP MUSICJaymes - First One Follow us: @PRWeekUSReceive the latest industry news, insights, and special reports. Start Your Free 1-Month Trial Subscription To PRWeek Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week’s guest on The PR Week podcast is Josh Earnest, former White House communications director and EVP of communications and advertising at United Airlines. He talks about a wide range of topics and issues, such as his priorities leading earned and paid media at a major international carrier, the challenges of messaging for critical topics like airline safety and issues at Newark Liberty International Airport and next week’s Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Plus the biggest marketing and communications news of the week, from Reddit naming its first chief communications officer to WPP CEO Mark Read’s decision to step down to the results of the wide-ranging Mars review.  PRWeek.comTheme music provided by TRIPLE SCOOP MUSICJaymes - First One Follow us: @PRWeekUSReceive the latest industry news, insights, and special reports. Start Your Free 1-Month Trial Subscription To PRWeek Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Maybe the biggest news to come out of PRWeek’s Agency Business Report 2025 was that Real Chemistry supplanted Edelman as the No. 1 PR firm in the U.S. by revenue for 2024. Real Chemistry CEO Shankar Narayanan talks about that honor, and what the disposal of specialist shop Swoop will mean for his firm, on the latest edition of The PR Week podcast. He also previews Real Chemistry’s presence at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, talks about how nearly all of his firm’s work is rooted in communications and discusses what happens when large organizations combine — spoiler: they don’t become more creative. Plus, the biggest marketing and communications news of the week, from the opening honorees on PRWeek’s Pride in PR list to McDonald’s chief impact officer Michael Gonda’s new job at Nike.   PRWeek.comTheme music provided by TRIPLE SCOOP MUSICJaymes - First One Follow us: @PRWeekUSReceive the latest industry news, insights, and special reports. Start Your Free 1-Month Trial Subscription To PRWeek Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week’s episode of The PR Week podcast comes to you from PRWeek’s Women of Distinction event at The Lighthouse at Pier 61 in New York City.PRWeek’s associate news editor Diana Bradley and reporter Julia Walker discuss this year’s Women of Distinction and Women to Watch honorees. Additionally, they give highlights from a panel held with comms execs from Wendy’s, McDonald’s and Merck on coping with RTO mandates as moms and a talk with Baked by Melissa CEO and cofounder Melissa Ben-Ishay.The episode also includes conversations with honorees from on and off the stage at the event. PRWeek.comTheme music provided by TRIPLE SCOOP MUSICJaymes - First One Follow us: @PRWeekUSReceive the latest industry news, insights, and special reports. Start Your Free 1-Month Trial Subscription To PRWeek Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

PRWeek toasted the best international work last week at the PRWeek Global Awards in London. Here’s a special behind-the-scenes look at the show with Andy Pharoah, VP of corporate affairs and sustainability at Mars and chair of judges for the awards program. Weber Shandwick was the big winner, taking home six awards from the Jumeirah Carlton Tower, in the heart of Knightsbridge, London.Plus, here’s a recap of the biggest marketing and communications news of the week, including Adam Collins stepping down from the top comms job at Molson Coors, major hires at Eli Lilly and Company and Jeep and a tribute to Al Tortorella, a key figure in Tylenol’s 1982 crisis response.  PRWeek.comTheme music provided by TRIPLE SCOOP MUSICJaymes - First One Follow us: @PRWeekUSReceive the latest industry news, insights, and special reports. Start Your Free 1-Month Trial Subscription To PRWeek Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The latest guest on The PR Week podcast is Dan Kramer, chief executive of global shareholder services at Equiniti. On the agenda: Kramer talks about his company’s recent acquisition of earned media platform Notified, working with PR and investor relations clients that report up through different parts of the business and how companies like his are using AI. Plus, PRWeek senior reporter Jess Ruderman with the biggest marketing and communications news of the week, including a major agency people move and a perspective on how influencers and brands are monetizing personal relationships.  PRWeek.comTheme music provided by TRIPLE SCOOP MUSICJaymes - First One Follow us: @PRWeekUSReceive the latest industry news, insights, and special reports. Start Your Free 1-Month Trial Subscription To PRWeek Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The latest guest on The PR Week — and not just any week, but Agency Business Report week — is Doug Thornell, CEO of SKDK, a firm that was up 26% in 2025 by revenue earned. He talks about the current complicated operating environment, which includes giving advice to clients about issues such as President Donald Trump’s promise to institute a 100% tariff on foreign-made movies. Plus, the biggest marketing and communications news of the week, from the just-convened Papal Conclave to Jack Leslie’s return to Weber Shandwick in an advisory role.  PRWeek.comTheme music provided by TRIPLE SCOOP MUSICJaymes - First One Follow us: @PRWeekUSReceive the latest industry news, insights, and special reports. Start Your Free 1-Month Trial Subscription To PRWeek Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The latest guest on The PR Week podcast is busy putting out a shingle for her own consultancy, Pam Goldstein Advisory.Pam Goldstein previously had a long tenure at McDonald’s and before that worked as a corporate communications and crisis wrangler at Edelman. She talks about the type of professional it takes to handle a corporate crisis and the kinds of work her firm will focus on.Plus, the biggest marketing and communications news of the week, from the resignation of Columbia University’s top communications executive to the PRWeek Agency Business Report 2025 Rankings, are featured on this edition of the podcast.  PRWeek.comTheme music provided by TRIPLE SCOOP MUSICJaymes - First One Follow us: @PRWeekUSReceive the latest industry news, insights, and special reports. Start Your Free 1-Month Trial Subscription To PRWeek Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Before joining Bully Pulpit International, Jeff Nussbaum was a speechwriter for former President Joe Biden and helped to direct speechwriting and messaging operations at four Democratic National Conventions. He’s also the author of the book “Undelivered,” which takes a deep dive into addresses that never saw the light of day from historical figures including former Presidents Dwight Eisenhower and Richard Nixon. Nussbaum joins The PR Week to talk about how he gets into the voice of a corporate client, and discusses the importance of humor in effective communications. Plus, the biggest marketing and communications news of the week, including the White House Correspondents Dinner, major people moves and reaction to the death of Pope Francis. PRWeek.comTheme music provided by TRIPLE SCOOP MUSICJaymes - First One Follow us: @PRWeekUSReceive the latest industry news, insights, and special reports. Start Your Free 1-Month Trial Subscription To PRWeek Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.