Podcasts by PR Future, the USC Center for Public Relations Podcast
The PR Future podcast from the USC Center for Public Relations (CPR) shares the latest trends and provides insight into the future of public relations and strategic communication. Produced at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism and hosted by CPR Director and Golin Chairman Emeritus Fred Cook, #PRFuture features discussions with communication executives, academics, students and more as part of our mission to define the future of our industry and to develop those who will shape it. Join us for our new season in the Spring 2024 semester.
Further podcasts by USC Annenberg Center for Public Relations, Fred Cook
Podcast on the topic Marketing
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Jamie Margolin on Leading Youth to Power: PR and Activism in Zero Hour from 2023-12-13T18:29:10.792405
At age 15, Colombian-American activist Jamie Margolin organized the Zero Hour Youth Climate March, a youth-led demonstration urging those in power to take concrete measures against climate chang...
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Christopher Miller on Ben and Jerry’s Flavor for Activism from 2023-12-13T18:29:10.774347
Ben and Jerry’s has always been known for serving delicious ice cream with extra scoops of peace, love and justice. Social mission has always been an integral part of the company’s day-to-day op...
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Carolyn DeWitt on Rock the Vote's Brand Partnerships for Civic Engagement from 2023-12-13T18:29:10.769756
As we near November, the 2020 presidential election is on everyone’s minds. Dubbed the fight for the “soul of America,” it’s also the first presidential election to take place during a pandemic....
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Live Entertainment and Experiences: What Brands Need to Know in 2021 from 2023-12-13T18:29:10.758455
2020 is unlike any year we’ve experienced in our lifetimes; arguably, the only constant has been change. As PR professionals, we’re well-equipped to deal with crises. But in the time of COVID-19...
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A Conversation with NextGen PR Practitioners from 2023-12-13T18:29:10.739065
The Gen Z and Millennial audience is often an enigma; to seasoned PR practitioners, their obsession with TikTok videos clocking in at 60 seconds or less, the ever-evolving Instagram culture and ...
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Dinner Discussions and Democracy: Breaking Through Polarization with Philippa Hughes from 2023-12-13T18:29:10.695700
From cooking red and blue spaghetti while hosting Democrats and Republicans around her dining room table to leading dinner events with hundreds of people from diverse political viewpoints in com...
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Making an Impact: Grubhub, NBCUniversal, and Union Pacific Railroad on Corporate Social Engagement from 2023-12-13T18:29:10.643999
The USC Center for PR’s 2023 Relevance Report found that 47% of consumers believe corporations should get involved with social issues by focusing on internal policies and issues. But what does t...
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2024 Relevance Report Discussion: Welcome to AI from 2023-12-13T18:29:10.612559
In this episode, we navigate through the transformative impact of AI on the PR industry, discussing its potential for crisis communication, risk assessment, and countering disinformation. We ref...
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How AI is transforming the future of PR and communications from 2023-05-16T10:00
How is AI transforming the public relations industry, and what does it mean for PR professionals? We recently hosted a captivating discussion with a panel of AI pioneers, including Aaron Kwittke...
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PR&Its Role in Mental Health Support from 2023-04-25T10:00
The COVID-19 pandemic has been the most significant disruption of our lives. Its impact has been far-reaching, altering our work habits, communication styles, and even our priorities. Most impor...
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Public Relations in the Age of Social Media with TikTok Satirist ColorMeLoverly from 2023-02-21T11:00
TikTok has knocked down the wall between public figures and their audiences, putting celebrities and high profile individuals in closer contact than ever before. Inspired by the Harry and Megan ...
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Driving Corporate Activism with Lyft's Dominic Carr from 2023-01-31T11:00
How far should a company go with corporate activism? Lyft is setting the example for how companies should use corporate activism to speak out on issues. Last year, Texas passed the Heartbeat Act...
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Season 4 Coming Next Tuesday from 2023-01-24T11:00
Our student-produced podcast series, #PRFuture, returns with all-new episodes and interviews starting on January 31. We continue to look at causes, as featured in the Relevance Report, and intro...
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The Future of Corporate Activism from 2022-05-13T11:00
As a bookend to our third season of episodes, we are presenting a replay of our Kenneth Owler Smith Symposium on Public Relations, held at USC Annenberg, on the topic of “The Future of Corporate...
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Building With Purpose: Elyse Cohen of Rare Beauty from 2021-11-19T11:00
Inspired by Selena Gomez’s own mental health journey, Rare Beauty was built with a focus on mental health as the heart of its brand. When Rare Beauty was launched in September 2020, its commitme...
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Combating Media Bias with Vanessa Otero of Ad Fontes Media from 2021-10-22T10:00
In 2016, patent attorney Vanessa Otero posted a chart on the web. It was a simple graphic, rating the bias of news sources. And it went absolutely viral. This chart was the first of many iterati...
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Brand Purpose Best Practices with Burghardt Tenderich and Julia Kiefaber from 2021-08-19T10:00
Creating a truly purpose-driven communications campaign is a nuanced and laborious process — one that has become increasingly crucial in the world of public relations. In an era where brands are...
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Season 2 Wrap-Up: Fred Cook on Politics, Polarization and Purpose from 2021-07-29T10:00
This past year and a half has been nothing short of historic. As we’ve chronicled momentous events in real time through a communications lens this season, our guests have provided invaluable ins...
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Truth Decay: Discussing Disinformation, Polarization and Data with Jennifer Kavanagh from 2021-06-24T10:00
Political scientist Jennifer Kavanagh believes that there’s more behind polarization than just the existence of opposite perspectives. In 2018, she published a report with RAND CEO Michael D. Ri...
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High Conflict: Understanding Polarization with Bestselling Author Amanda Ripley from 2021-04-15T10:00
In her book “High Conflict: Why We Get Trapped and How We Get Out,” journalist and author Amanda Ripley introduces the framework that there are two types of conflict: high conflict and good conf...
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The Polarization Problem: Media Perspectives on Bridging the Divide with Christina Bellantoni from 2021-02-25T11:00
While it seems like people with different political ideologies can’t agree on anything these days, one thing we can all agree on is that our nation is polarized; perhaps like it never has been b...
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Inauguration Special: Communicating in the Divided States of America from 2021-01-20T11:00
As we inaugurate a new president amidst a pandemic and civil unrest, new data from the 2021 Global Communication Survey gives us valuable insight into what this next year may hold. In this episo...
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The Time is Now: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in 2021 from 2021-01-11T11:00
This year, we’ve not only experienced a pandemic that continues to upend our lives, but the resurgence of a powerful racial justice movement that has reminded us all that it is time for change. ...
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Melissa Waggener Zorkin on Finding your Purpose — And Leading With It from 2020-10-29T10:00
Fulfillment and purpose: two things that we all search for throughout our lives, and maybe have been thinking more about lately in our new normal. And two things that Global CEO and Founder of W...
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Season 1 Wrap-Up: Fred Cook on New Activism from 2020-10-15T10:00
In this special season finale episode, our host Fred Cook puts on his professor cap to bring together everything we’ve learned from prominent activists and communications pros in our debut seaso...
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USC Annenberg School's Henry Jenkins and Robert Kozinets on Fan Activism from 2020-08-17T10:00:58
From Star Trek to K-pop, fan culture is everywhere — and as USC Professors Henry Jenkins and Robert Kozinets say, so is fan activism. This week, we’re taking a more theoretical approach to New A...
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Kelly McGinnis on Employee Activism and Earning Profits Through Principles at Levi’s from 2020-07-30T10:00:09
Corporate activism has long been sewn into the fabric of Levi Strauss and Company, and over the past seven years, senior vice president and chief communications officer Kelly McGinnis has contin...
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Damon Jones on CSR in the Age of New Activism: How P&G is Changing the Tide from 2020-07-14T10:00:08
Damon Jones has been challenging gender stereotypes, promoting sustainability and fighting for racial equality for the past 23 years through his work at Procter and Gamble. Since being promoted ...
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April Reign on #OscarsSoWhite, Racial Justice and Social Media Activism from 2020-06-25T04:26:24
As she watched the Oscars from her living room, attorney April Reign tweeted a single hashtag that would change the conversation around diversity and inclusion in Hollywood forever. #OscarsSoWhi...
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March For Our Lives (Part II): Brendan Duff on Sparking a National Movement, PR and Youth Activism from 2020-05-19T04:37:12
March for Our Lives began in a small town in Florida, but its student organizers went on to spearhead the largest single-day protest against gun violence in U.S. history. The organization regist...
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March For Our Lives (Part I): Brendan Duff on Its Founding, PR and Youth Activism from 2020-05-19T03:57:56
On February 14, 2018, a gunman open-fired on Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, in what became the deadliest school shooting in U.S. history. The tragedy gave birth to an...
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