Alisa (Feinstein) Granz

The October monthly episode of our For Immediate Release podcast explores critical communication trends. Shel Holtz, SCMP, and I discuss six compelling topics, including Reddit's potential for crisis comms, the state of blogging in 2024, ethical concerns in celebrity news coverage, workplace connection challenges, and AI's impact across industries. In a blog post, I've set out some key takeaways that present opportunities for communicators, including leveraging Reddit for stakeholder engagement and preparing to guide organisations through AI adoption. Read more and listen now for valuable perspectives and insights on navigating today's complex communication landscape. https://lnkd.in/e5_CcMR2

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As our world gets more fraught and complex, audiences are increasingly choosing news sources which are more visual, reports are more watched, less read, with YouTube continuing its rise. The implications of this trend for deep understanding of difficult issues is worth pondering. More people are concerned about how to grapple with the rising torrent of fake news, and many having doubts about how AI might be deployed by newsrooms. Edelman has partnered with the Reuters Institute for this annual report as we are all in the business of communicating and good, credible and trusted information is critical to everyone in that process

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Comms Pros know - more than most - words matter. But sometimes, we use language that undermines our value. In-house stakeholders aren’t “clients.”  → We’re shoulder-to-shoulder partners. P&L centers shouldn't be called “The Business.”  → We're part of the business, not a subordinate function. Reinforcing an "us'" and "them" mindset is a disservice: It positions us as a less strategic function and makes us less effective. Ultimately, our job is to protect & promote brands and reputations. - Our roles are critical. - Our opinions are essential  - Our voices / expertise truly matter. We're Strategic Partners, not Service Providers.

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Authenticity is key for senior executives to be influential on LinkedIn, but not every leader finds it easy to engage genuinely. 🔸In episode 342 of our For Immediate Release podcast, Shel Holtz, SCMP, and I explore how communicators can help executives craft authentic online personas and build influence and trust, focused on LinkedIn, with practical examples. I also dive into this topic in a new blog post published today, arguing that authenticity opens the door to success. Communicators must guide leaders who struggle with authenticity, identifying formats or mediums that play to their strengths. Take a read and listen to our discussion ⬇️ #Authenticity #Communication #LinkedIn #FIRPodcast https://lnkd.in/eMu9D48j

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On Saturday, Elon Musk told his followers on X, “You are the media now.” Media democratization isn’t new, but it is accelerating. Check out this new piece from Weber Shandwick's Brad Burke offering fresh insights on the implications for businesses and brands. Highlights include: The 'media network effect:' The 'media network effect' means that everyone—from legacy media outlets to meme accounts—has the potential to shape public narratives. Insufficient strategies: Traditional media strategies are no longer sufficient. Media diets are increasingly personalized. Engaging with influential creators and communities has become even more essential. AI’s role in media: AI is transforming how news spreads. The future media ecosystem will be defined by machine-readable information. Companies must optimize their content to inform AI models before audiences even search, marking an 'owned media renaissance.' Profitable polarization: Polarization is not only politically effective but also profitable. Objectivity is less lucrative than algorithms that reaffirm biases. Advancing narrative intelligence: Deeper narrative intelligence has become essential, and AI can help test a broader range of messages and predict how stakeholders might respond. Check it out here: https://bit.ly/3CAv2KG. Would love to know what you think.

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In an oversaturated digital landscape, how do you break through cultural noise? Universal Standard continues to authentically differentiate from other brands by creating new industry blueprints. Read more in Refinery29.

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Joining Shameek Bose M.P.A. to preview the findings of our recent media landscape research, A Data-Driven Approach to Landing Sustainability Stories in Global Top-Tier Media with Alan Murray was a true career highlight. As one of the leading journalists of our time, Alan's perspective and recommendations were nothing short of inspiring. To complete this research, my team and I analyzed over 6,000 pieces of top-tier global media coverage in 2024 to answer three central questions: ⭐ What storylines are landing tier one coverage and what insights can companies draw from this to increase their coverage? ⭐ What narratives AREN'T landing in leading outlets? Which pitches should companies reconsider? ⭐ What can we learn from negative coverage of corporate sustainability commitments to ensure our clients don't fall in similar traps? The insights we identified through this project were surprising and are helping many of our clients uplevel their communications strategies for 2025. Let me know if you'd be interested in hearing the presentation live!

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The @PageSociety just released its newest report Beyond Communication: CCO Leadership in Navigating New Complexity. The findings underscore the CCO as an ever-more-essential partner with the CEO in defining and activating corporate character. Read more here: https://hubs.la/Q02x4nPQ0

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Proud when the work aims to drive change. 📣 The past few weeks, an integrated Edelman team spanning Creative, Earned Media, Client Leaders, Community Managers, Multicultural experts, Influencer Relations, Paid Media, and more, have been working on something important. Our client partners at Ajinomoto Co., Inc. have united a powerful coalition of Asian-American and other activists, chefs, food journalists, and nutritionists. Last week, they published an open letter calling on the NEJM Group - The New England Journal of Medicine - to revisit the racist term "Chinese Restaurant Syndrome" that they coined. ❗ ❗ Background: In 1968, the journal published a letter to the editor who wrote about effects from eating at some Chinese restaurants. The author of the letter didn't use the term, but the journal gave the letter the headline, "Chinese Restaurant Syndrome." From there, the media frenzy took off, creating a narrative that demonized MSG. 💡The Facts: MSG, a naturally occurring amino acid, is classified as safe by the FDA and is essential for bringing Umami to food. However, the 1968 headline by NEJM Group led to persistent racist misconceptions that the Asian community still confronts today. ⚡ Chef's and food writers such as Calvin Eng and Kat Lieu, DPT, CLT spoke about their experiences as Asian-American chefs who use MSG and the impact the racist rhetoric has on them as individuals, and the greater AAPI community at large. Kat said, "You have an America where Chinese food is seen as unhealthy or dirty or cheap, something like fast food, or worse." For Calvin, he envisions a future where MSG is valued for its role in enhancing flavor, free from outdated stigma, "It's about education and openness...We need to shift the conversation to celebrate the quality and authenticity of the food, moving beyond old misconceptions." Thanks to Shawna Chen, Axios, Stephanie Gravalese, Forbes, IFLScience, Joy Sauce, NextShark and more for covering and highlighting this important movement. Read more: The letter: https://lnkd.in/dfCS-iH4 Forbes: https://lnkd.in/d3iytwCR Axios: https://lnkd.in/dmiY_diH IFL Science: https://lnkd.in/dx9ZV-4u NextShark: https://lnkd.in/d8Vt6mye Joy Sauce: https://lnkd.in/duYHFKje Gennifer Horowitz Amanda (Drain) Gillman Brittany Herrmann Jane Chung Caroline Tortorella Carolina Rincon Sato Shelby Montgomery Jill Lehman Conor Hogan Lexie Flood Cameron Baker Jesse Suchmann Kelsey Cohen Stephanie Walker, MPH, CHES Michael Byrnes Ariana Saunders #chineserestaurantsyndrome #aapi #knowmsg #msg #umami #history #foodhistory #nejm #asianamericanhistory #asianamerican #food #chinesefood #asianfood

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Meet stakeholders where they are. Comms teams often dive in to diagnosis a problem and identify several actions the business *should* take. But tackling everything at once might not be feasible. Business leaders are navigating a lot and facing multiple challenges, all at once. That means trade-offs are inevitable. Instead of recommending multiple work streams, focus on one or two achievable areas to make an impact. This can be challenging for some. But the best solution also needs to fit the reality of the situation—not just the theory. Progress often beats perfection.

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On 🌎 World PR Day 💻 Frank X. Shaw of Microsoft posted about the difficulty of easily summing up what it is those of us in the communications field actually do - especially to strangers. He broke it down into 3 things that have remained constant: 1) The power of storytelling 2) Trust as a key brand pillar 3) Innovation (capital I) 🧠 It got me thinking but less about how to describe what I do to strangers at dinner parties, and more about how I explain it to my kids. Here are the 3 I came up with (share yours below please!) - 1) "Mama helps to spark story ideas, connecting storytellers with characters" 2) "Mama reads a lot and listens to super smart people talk about things most people don't understand and acts as a translator" 3) "Mama identifies and solves problems - sometimes before anyone even notices they're problems at all" #WorldPRDay #communications #PR #comms

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The world wavers between recession and growth. CMOs continue to navigate obstacles and embrace change. In part eight of our Global CMO Report, we explore the future of marketing and the mix of excitement and stress it brings. Check it out https://lnkd.in/es7Aj3aF #teamlewisglobal

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Build Resilience from the Inside Out. What separates the good from the great in high-pressured careers like PR? According to research, 75% of performance is determined by character - not competence. In this episode of #imPRessions, Peter Rea shares how developing virtues like courage, compassion and hope can help you thrive under uncertainty. If you want to boost your ability to perform under pressure, stream this episode. The Pollack Group

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Communications best practices apply to IR, just as they do for all strategic communications. Learn more about IR website essentials in the in-depth guide from PR Newswire ➡️ https://lnkd.in/e9wW2QaH #IR #InvestorRelations #Comms

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As election season peaks, it’s fair to ask whether or not CEOs and other C-Suite executives should share their thoughts and ideas on candidates or their platforms on social media. Well, as always it depends on many factors. But what I can say for sure is that doing so requires great care and a clear understanding of the terrain that lies ahead before pressing “Post”. In this year's "Social In The C-Suite" report, data showed that most leaders are opting for a "wait-and-see" approach, as social media posts on elections ranked in just the 20th percentile of content related to critical issues. It was outpaced by other topics like international conflicts, artificial intelligence and DEI/racial justice. So, if a CEO does post about the election, what can they expect? ⚠ Likes, shares, and criticisms: Our research showed that negative comments outshined positive comments on a 25:1 basis. CEO social posts on the election generated the second-highest negative sentiment rate, ranked behind comments made about the war in Palestine and Ukraine. ⬆ A Bigger Social Spotlight Elections are timely and relevant, making them lightning rods for visibility. Any online mention of a candidate or their policies is likely going to put a spotlight on leaders, so expect a lift in impressions. A simple social media post can (and will) make its way into traditional media coverage, multiplying the social post impact. Our research showed that 66% of visibility on CEO statements critical issues came from online posts. 👀 Friends, Foes and Followers: Swaying into public policy topics will put leaders in conversations possibly unrelated to their business, thus inspiring a group of new stakeholders to keep a watchful eye on public content from the CEO. Before posting on the election, leaders should ask themselves if the people having similar conversations online are also stakeholders that can boost or deflate a leader's reputation, and if so, is that leader prepared to speak to that audience beyond this one moment? Lots more to be considered, but feel free to download our #SocialInTheCSuite report for more insights on how CEOs are using social media to address the election. https://lnkd.in/gpA6PgAx

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A new Nielsen report sheds light on the fastest-growing consumer demographic in the U.S. According to Jackie Liu of The Pollack Group, Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander audiences are a diverse powerhouse influencing culture and commerce. The report reinforces that understanding AANHPI communities requires nuanced insights beyond surface-level generalizations through data-backed trends and unique media habits. Jackie shares top takeaways on communicating authentically to diverse Asian audiences. Discover proven strategies for success by exploring the full report at the link below. 👇

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In this recent article with Authority Magazine, I discuss the barriers women face in advancing to leadership roles and share actionable strategies to overcome these challenges. It's an honor to be part of this conversation and to continue advocating for a future where equity is not just an aspiration but a reality. Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/dXx-XWxK 💪🏽 #Leadership #WomenInLeadership #Equity #DEI #HopeForTheFuture #AmiraBarger

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Are the tools of journalism applicable to #corporate communications? Without a doubt. I recently had the opportunity to discuss three of those tools, and how to apply them, at a gathering of comms professionals from @Method Communications, @Sling&Stone, @Harvard and other teams from our @VCCP family. I’d love to hear about other skills from #journalism you think are applicable to helping companies tell their best stories in authentic, media-genic ways. Comment below!

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I LOVE election season. So much opportunity to secure coverage for brands. Here are five tips to navigate the bustling weeks ahead effectively. Get in touch if you want to explore how your brand can make a ‘splash’. Sigh. #election #pr

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