A Quiet Shift - How Polarization Is Reshaping Corporate Speech

Staying on Top of Current Trends in Public Relations

In this episode of PR Explored, host Michelle Garrett, a PR consultant, author, and writer, interviews her guest, Nicole Schuman, managing editor of PRNews, who describes her role planning editorial content, newsletters (including Friday Five and her weekly PR Roundup), podcasts, events, and social strategy.  They discuss industry trends, including major agency mergers and acquisitions leading to layoffs, while smaller independent and specialized agencies benefit from available talent and strong profits, and consultants help lean marketing teams.  Schuman notes PRNews readership increasingly includes marketers as comms responsibilities expand, prompting new e-learning modules.  They note that Schuman is receiving fewer AI-written pitches but that there remains a sameness in AI-driven contributed content, emphasizing the importance of specificity, relationships, and unique storytelling.  They review Morning Consult’s 2026 Most Trusted Brands report (Dawn, Band-Aid, Google) and note that trust gains are driven by nostalgia, including Mr. Pibb’s campaign, and that Tylenol remains the most trusted in medicine despite controversy.  They also discuss World Cup and Toy Story 5 brand tie-ins and using LinkedIn for sourcing and visibility. 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 01:06 Nicole Schumann Background 04:51 Life in DC and New York 08:10 Setting Up PR Trends 09:17 Agency Mergers and Talent Shifts 13:58 Going Independent and Niching Down 16:53 PR and Marketing Converge 22:04 AI Pitches and Inbox Fatigue 25:23 Thought Leadership Needs Specifics 28:39 Writing Voice Over Automation 30:51 AI Tool Overload and Reality Check 31:48 AI Jobs Rebound 32:45 Hiring Struggles Today 33:36 Brand Newsroom Boom 36:32 Trust Brands Report 38:58 Nostalgia Trust Wins 39:55 Tylenol Trust Case 44:02 Comfort Brand Consistency 45:35 World Cup Brand Plays 47:54 Lego Breakthrough Campaign 51:32 Toy Story Tie Ins 54:10 Long Game Marketing 56:11 LinkedIn Sourcing Tips 59:11 Wrap Up And Links Show notes: Follow Nicole Schuman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicoleschuman/ Visit PRNEWS online: https://www.prnewsonline.com/ Sign up for PRNEWS newsletters, including the Friday 5: https://www.prnewsonline.com/subscribe-newsletters/ Articles we discussed:  https://www.prnewsonline.com/pr-roundup-tylenol-tops-trust-rankings-local-journalism-hits-a-new-low-and-allbirds-becomes-smartbird [https://www.prnewsonline.com/pr-roundup-tylenol-tops-trust-rankings-local-journalism-hits-a-new-low-and-allbirds-becomes-smartbird] https://www.prnewsonline.com/pr-roundup-when-culture-moves-brands-follow-lessons-from-kalshi-the-world-cup-and-toy-story-5 [https://www.prnewsonline.com/pr-roundup-when-culture-moves-brands-follow-lessons-from-kalshi-the-world-cup-and-toy-story-5] Follow the host:  Website: www.michellegarrett.com [http://www.michellegarrett.com/]  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prstrategist/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/prstrategist/] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PRisUs [https://www.youtube.com/@PRisUs] X/Twitter: https://x.com/PRisUs Threads: https://www.threads.com/@prwritergal Michelle's book - B2B PR That Gets Results - is available now [https://michellegarrett.com/b2b-pr-book/] Book a no-obligation call to talk about your needs here [https://calendly.com/michellegarrett/30-minute-call-to-chat-about-your-pr-needs].  About the host: Michelle Garrett is a B2B PR consultant, media relations consultant, writer and author of B2B PR That Gets Results [https://michellegarrett.com/b2b-pr-book/], an Amazon Best Seller. She helps companies create content, earn media coverage, and position themselves as thought leaders in their industry. Michelle’s articles have been featured by Entrepreneur, Content Marketing Institute, Muck Rack, and Ragan’s PR Daily, among others. She’s a frequent speaker and podcast guest on public relations and content. Michelle has been repeatedly ranked among the top ten most influential PR professionals. [https://www.cision.com/resources/articles/pr-experts-influencers/]

Trade Media 101: How to Pitch and Build Relationships in B2B PR

In this episode of PR Explored, host Michelle Garrett, a PR consultant, author, and writer, interviews her guest, Kelly Rodriguez, editor-in-chief of Refrigerated & Frozen Foods (BNP Media), to explain what trade media is and why it matters for B2B PR. Rodriguez contrasts trade and mainstream coverage, emphasizing trade media’s highly engaged niche audiences, subject-matter expertise, and industry-specific language, using food and beverage examples. She advises PR pros to know each publication’s coverage area, tailor pitches, include the basics (who/what/when/where/why/how), and offer strong hooks, timeliness, and access (plant tours, trade-show meetings, and knowledgeable spokespeople like C-suite and R&D). They discuss relationship-building, noting it shouldn’t determine coverage but can improve relevance and responsiveness. Rodriguez also addresses editorial independence versus paid opportunities, and highlights growing importance of being cited in AI-driven search (GEO/AEO). Both stress providing high-quality, permissioned visuals and captions. 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 02:35 What Trade Media Is 03:36 Trade Media vs Mainstream 07:32 Why Niche Coverage Matters 12:56 Inside the Cold Chain World 16:28 Pitching Trade Editors 20:06 Passing Pitches to Peers 22:43 What Makes Pitches Pop 27:06 Trade Shows and Relationships 30:39 Long Timelines in B2B 31:18 PR Editor Partnerships 32:16 Offer Real Experts 33:15 Does Relationship Matter 36:33 Fairness And Fit 37:44 Editorial Versus Paid 43:08 Ads Influence Coverage 48:46 GEO AEO Trade Media 54:19 Visuals That Get Used 56:41 Photo Delivery Rights 59:01 Wrap Up And Thanks Show notes: Follow Kelley Rodriguez on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelleyrodriguez/ Visit Refrigerated & Frozen Foods online: https://www.refrigeratedfrozenfood.com/ Follow Refrigerated & Frozen Foods on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/refrigerated-frozen-foods-magazine/posts/?feedView=all Follow the host:  Website: www.michellegarrett.com [http://www.michellegarrett.com/]  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prstrategist/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/prstrategist/] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PRisUs [https://www.youtube.com/@PRisUs] X/Twitter: https://x.com/PRisUs Threads: https://www.threads.com/@prwritergal Michelle's book - B2B PR That Gets Results - is available now [https://michellegarrett.com/b2b-pr-book/] Book a no-obligation call to talk about your needs here [https://calendly.com/michellegarrett/30-minute-call-to-chat-about-your-pr-needs].  About the host: Michelle Garrett is a B2B PR consultant, media relations consultant, writer and author of B2B PR That Gets Results [https://michellegarrett.com/b2b-pr-book/], an Amazon Best Seller. She helps companies create content, earn media coverage, and position themselves as thought leaders in their industry. Michelle’s articles have been featured by Entrepreneur, Content Marketing Institute, Muck Rack, and Ragan’s PR Daily, among others. She’s a frequent speaker and podcast guest on public relations and content. Michelle has been repeatedly ranked among the top ten most influential PR professionals. [https://www.cision.com/resources/articles/pr-experts-influencers/]

A Quiet Shift - How Polarization Is Reshaping Corporate Speech

In this episode of PR Explored, host Michelle Garrett, a PR consultant, author, and writer, interviews her guest, Fred Cook, director of the Annenberg Center for Public Relations at USC and chair emeritus of Golin, about USC’s 2026 Global Communication Report, “A Quiet Shift,” on how political and social polarization is reshaping communications.  Based on a survey of about 800 PR professionals worldwide and CCO interviews, the report finds polarization is seen as harmful to the country and mental health yet beneficial to PR’s value; corporate advocacy support has dropped 38% since 2023 as companies say less about DEI, sustainability, and purpose.  Government/regulators have become the top stakeholder focus, resources are shifting toward crisis communications and government relations, silence is increasingly used as a strategy, departments anticipate restructuring, and most PR pros still expect positive growth while needing stronger political, crisis, and financial skills. 00:00 Welcome and Introductions 00:37 Fred Cook Background 02:02 USC PR Program Highlights 03:37 Report Theme Quiet Shift 05:55 Key Findings on Polarization 08:14 Generational Views and Public 09:50 Stakeholders and Government Focus 13:39 Corporate Advocacy Pullback 14:54 CEO Silence and Defensive Comms 18:51 Budget Shifts and New Skills 23:24 Restructuring and AI Readiness 27:11 Future Outlook and Apocaloptimists 32:05 Industry Risk and Brand Examples 34:51 Wrap Up and Final Thoughts Show notes:  Follow Fred Cook on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fredhcook/ View USC's 2026 Global Communication Report, “A Quiet Shift": https://annenberg.usc.edu/research/center-public-relations/global-communication-report Follow the host:  Website: www.michellegarrett.com [http://www.michellegarrett.com/]  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prstrategist/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/prstrategist/] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PRisUs [https://www.youtube.com/@PRisUs] X/Twitter: https://x.com/PRisUs Threads: https://www.threads.com/@prwritergal Michelle's book - B2B PR That Gets Results - is available now [https://michellegarrett.com/b2b-pr-book/] Book a no-obligation call to talk about your needs here [https://calendly.com/michellegarrett/30-minute-call-to-chat-about-your-pr-needs].  About the host: Michelle Garrett is a B2B PR consultant, media relations consultant, writer and author of B2B PR That Gets Results [https://michellegarrett.com/b2b-pr-book/], an Amazon Best Seller. She helps companies create content, earn media coverage, and position themselves as thought leaders in their industry. Michelle’s articles have been featured by Entrepreneur, Content Marketing Institute, Muck Rack, and Ragan’s PR Daily, among others. She’s a frequent speaker and podcast guest on public relations and content. Michelle has been repeatedly ranked among the top ten most influential PR professionals. [https://www.cision.com/resources/articles/pr-experts-influencers/]

Social Media Strategies to Boost Your B2B PR Efforts

In this episode of PR Explored, host Michelle Garrett, a PR consultant, author, and writer talks with her guest Andy Lambert, co-founder of ContentCal (acquired by Adobe) and author of Spheres of Influence, to discuss how B2B companies should approach social media and PR, especially on LinkedIn and YouTube. Lambert highlights LinkedIn’s algorithm shift toward personal profiles and subject-matter expertise, advises prioritizing original content over reshares, and notes strong performance from carousels and polls when used thoughtfully. He explains LinkedIn’s crackdown on automated AI comment tools while distinguishing useful AI assistance from low-quality AI-generated posts. The conversation emphasizes consistency, content pillars, and quality over “hacks,” plus the growing importance of LinkedIn and YouTube for AI-driven search, including the value of long-form YouTube and LinkedIn articles/newsletters. Lambert also shares practical AI search wins like creating a Wikipedia page and aligning messaging across profiles and review sites. 00:00 Welcome and Introductions 00:54 Andy Lambert Background 02:55 Being Everywhere to Audience 04:56 LinkedIn Trends and Algorithm 06:54 Formats Video Carousels Polls 09:56 Reshares Versus Original Posts 11:34 AI Comments and Content 19:40 Posting Frequency and Timing 23:21 Quality Over Hacks 26:21 Hashtags on LinkedIn 27:05 Why LinkedIn and YouTube 29:51 AI Search Proof Point 33:14 Think Like Media 34:00 Search Is Audience 36:50 Long Form and Articles 38:48 Newsletters and Repurposing 41:42 Do You Need YouTube 44:07 Budget and Authenticity 46:21 Trust and Human Stories 49:24 Algorithm Proof Strategy 50:18 Three AI Search Wins 53:19 Wrap Up and Thanks Show notes: Subscribe to Andy Lambert’s Substack: https://spheresofinfluence.substack.com Follow Andy Lambert on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andyrlambert/ Andy Lambert’s latest book, Spheres of Influence: https://spheresofinfluence.co/ Follow the host:  Website: www.michellegarrett.com [http://www.michellegarrett.com/]  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prstrategist/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/prstrategist/] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PRisUs [https://www.youtube.com/@PRisUs] X/Twitter: https://x.com/PRisUs Threads: https://www.threads.com/@prwritergal Michelle's book - B2B PR That Gets Results - is available now [https://michellegarrett.com/b2b-pr-book/] Book a no-obligation call to talk about your needs here [https://calendly.com/michellegarrett/30-minute-call-to-chat-about-your-pr-needs].  About the host: Michelle Garrett is a B2B PR consultant, media relations consultant, writer and author of B2B PR That Gets Results [https://michellegarrett.com/b2b-pr-book/], an Amazon Best Seller. She helps companies create content, earn media coverage, and position themselves as thought leaders in their industry. Michelle’s articles have been featured by Entrepreneur, Content Marketing Institute, Muck Rack, and Ragan’s PR Daily, among others. She’s a frequent speaker and podcast guest on public relations and content. Michelle has been repeatedly ranked among the top ten most influential PR professionals. [https://www.cision.com/resources/articles/pr-experts-influencers/]

Staying Crisis-Ready: What Matters Most?

In this episode of PR Explored, host Michelle Garrett, a PR consultant, author, and writer talks with her guest crisis communications expert Shawna Bruce, who shares her 40-year communications background, including 25+ years in military public affairs, work at Dow Chemical, and her current focus (since 2018) on training organizations to prepare for crises. They discuss why crisis communications is now operational infrastructure, how to anticipate risks by studying incidents in your sector, and the importance of preparation, practice, reviews, succession planning, and internal coordination. Bruce emphasizes message maps, fast approvals (including pre-approved holding statements), using owned media as a crisis hub, and having backups/shadows and realistic exercises ranging from lunch-and-learns to multi-day shift-based drills. They address AI-driven misinformation, the need for trusted official channels, careful use of AI for planning (not unsupervised response), and how trust is tested and reinforced during crises rather than built from scratch. 00:00 Welcome and Introductions 01:57 Shauna’s Crisis Background 04:46 Preparation Over Parachuting 06:01 Why Crisis Comms Matters Now 09:33 Anticipating Risks by Sector 14:07 Comms as Part of Response 17:04 Air Canada Language Lesson 21:34 How to Practice Crisis Drills 29:09 Small Business Crisis Basics 33:23 Preapproved Holding Statements 35:35 Trust and Cadence in Crisis 38:02 Internal Comms Ripple Effects 40:20 Track Issues Before Crisis 41:20 AI Misinformation Reality 43:36 Own Your Channels 50:59 Build Trust With Humanity 52:36 AI For Planning Not Response 57:10 When Everything Feels Crisis 58:57 Educate Leaders And Triage 01:05:18 Preparedness Resources Wrap Show notes: Follow Shawna Bruce on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawnabruce/ Visit Shawna Bruce’s site: https://www.mdbruceandassociates.com/ Follow the host:  Website: www.michellegarrett.com [http://www.michellegarrett.com/]  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prstrategist/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/prstrategist/] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PRisUs [https://www.youtube.com/@PRisUs] X/Twitter: https://x.com/PRisUs Threads: https://www.threads.com/@prwritergal Michelle's book - B2B PR That Gets Results - is available now [https://michellegarrett.com/b2b-pr-book/] Book a no-obligation call to talk about your needs here [https://calendly.com/michellegarrett/30-minute-call-to-chat-about-your-pr-needs].  About the host: Michelle Garrett is a B2B PR consultant, media relations consultant, writer and author of B2B PR That Gets Results [https://michellegarrett.com/b2b-pr-book/], an Amazon Best Seller. She helps companies create content, earn media coverage, and position themselves as thought leaders in their industry. Michelle’s articles have been featured by Entrepreneur, Content Marketing Institute, Muck Rack, and Ragan’s PR Daily, among others. She’s a frequent speaker and podcast guest on public relations and content. Michelle has been repeatedly ranked among the top ten most influential PR professionals. [https://www.cision.com/resources/articles/pr-experts-influencers/]