Amanda Ponzar

My book "WOKE: A Cultural Competence Guide for Communicators" includes A BASIC GUIDE TO PUBLIC RELATIONS, a useful guide for those considering a career in PR. "In our modern world, effective communications are key. As organizations and individuals navigate the dynamic landscapes of our interconnected lives, public relations have become a critical element that helps shape perceptions, nurture relationships, and drive visibility, leading to success. Public Relations is the art and craft of managing internal and external communications between an organization, its stakeholders, and the media. A well-crafted and executed public relations plan can establish credibility, build trust, and maintain a positive reputation. Early in my career, I became aware of the incredible power of public relations to shape public perceptions. It was also clear to me that portrayals of Latinos in mainstream media were overwhelmingly negative. Therefore, I chose a career in public relations to play my part in transforming America’s perception of Latinos and to educate the public about the many positive contributions of Hispanics to the United States. I launched my agency, Reyes Entertainment (www.reyesentertainment.com), in Los Angeles, one of the largest bilingual media markets and Latino communities in the U.S. In addition, Los Angeles is home to Hollywood’s entertainment industry, one of the largest purveyors of media images seen by millions worldwide. https://lnkd.in/gDvjeppU

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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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A new survey from PR measurement platform Memo is a feel-good story for chief communications officers and their teams, but there is a catch. The survey highlights a 34% increase in communications teams reporting directly to the CEO versus last year and a 26% decrease in comms reporting to marketing. In today’s complex, politicized, multi-stakeholder world, getting communications pitch perfect is mission critical for every organization. That’s more likely to happen when comms teams have the CEO’s ear. BUT: The more separation there is between comms and marketing functions, the greater the risk of strategic dissonance between earned and paid media. Blending them creates powerful synergy. Here are 8 ways to do it, starting today: 1. Align your messaging across earned and paid channels for cohesive brand storytelling. 2. Amplify earned media coverage using paid to reach audiences who don’t consume through traditional channels. 3. Boost press coverage with paid media to enhance credibility and trust. 4. Extend the lifespan of strategically relevant earned media using engaging paid formats that keep the story alive. 5. Ensure a well-rounded narrative by promoting owned content that fills gaps in your brand story not sufficiently covered by the media. 6. Redirect key earned media storylines to specific audience segments (e.g., investors, future talent) by leveraging niche paid targeting. 7. Transform earned media outcomes into compelling multimedia formats — animations, videos, or carousels — to enhance your storytelling. 8. Report results holistically by showing exec teams how earned and paid media can work together to create greater impact. A well-rounded, cohesive media strategy is essential for breaking through the clutter. Separate reporting lines and bifurcated budgets shouldn't stand in the way. ♻️ Repost if you find this helpful or add to my list of tips. How do you integrate earned and paid media? #CommsStrategy #EarnedMedia #PaidMedia

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Incredible data out today from the #PeoplesClimateVote - the largest poll on climate change in the world: ✅ 80% of people globally want stronger #ClimateAction from their leaders. ✅ 53% of people globally are more worried about #ClimateChange than last year. ✅ 56% of people globally think about climate change daily or weekly. ✅ 69% of the world's population have experienced extreme weather that are impacting big life decisions. With more than half of the world's population voting in 2024 - people around the world have an opportunity to support candidates who will urgently increase climate action.

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As evidenced by the dynamics of the presidential election, women continue to be held to a different, much stricter standard than men. In my book "WOKE: A Cultural Competence Guide for Communicators, I delve into why and how women continue to struggle for equality and representation. "Women’s quest for equality is the longest-running struggle in the history of the world. Men have ruled over humanity for millennia, and nowhere has their dominance been more pronounced than over the lives and bodies of women. Although women have made great strides toward equality in the last few decades, they continue to be held to a different standard than men, and society holds many unconscious and deeply rooted biases against them. Nevertheless, women continue challenging traditional gender norms, advocating for equal rights, and reshaping female empowerment narratives." https://lnkd.in/gsTAMAbc

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With corporate mergers, restructuring, revenue declines and AI becoming the new normal, the focus for many workers in PR and comms has shifted from furthering careers to just being able to keep on making a good living. Here are some pointers for handling that instability -- Jane Genova https://odwpr.us/3OTpFcM

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Here's added support for the claim that comms pros are taking their rightful seat at the "strategy" table. Why? Because brand building and reputation management are strategic pillars for businesses. Memo's new "Evolving Role of Comms" report shows: 💡 A 34% increase in comms teams reporting directly to CEOs. 💡 A 26% decrease in reporting to marketing since 2023. 💡 An expanding role for comms, beyond earned media. 50% say they now own executive comms, internal comms, and marketing campaigns. CEOs experienced the value of comms during the pandemic and other challenging events of the early 2020s. These data suggest the C-suite is taking a serious look at a range of reputational risks, including: 🚨 Misinformation and disinformation due to AI. 🚨 Cybercrime, cybersecurity, and customer privacy. 🚨 Activist investors, including those pushing back against ESG policies. 🚨 Macroeconomic uncertainty, geopolitical, and climate events. The report also underscores the power that comes from: ⚡ Sharing executive perspectives to promote understanding of corporate values and ethics. ⚡ Having an aligned workforce. Empowered employees are your best advocates. The most interesting tension in this report is the question of priorities. Gaining competitive share-of-voice (SOV), raising awareness, and amplifying key messages top the to-do list more frequently than, say, managing disinformation or changing perceptions. It's a tightly-knit group of priorities, however. And that speaks to the complexities of modern communications. Comms folks drive clarity about purpose and values. They also understand the importance of closing the gaps between corporate stories and actions. Shout out to the comms folks out there who are claiming more space. Check out the full report in the link below. #Comms #PR #StrategicCommunications

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Yeah, it really sucks. As many of you know, I left Climate Nexus earlier this year. There were a number of reasons that went into that decision, and ultimately what made me take the leap were some great opportunities to continue work that mattered to me as an independent consultant. But it was also clear my time with Nexus had run its course. The challenges that led to the decision to shutter the organization are complex. I would caution anyone from extrapolating and generalizing too much as to what this means for climate communications and philanthropy writ large. Some of the fault lies with poor decisions made on the part of individuals, which can obviously happen within any organization. I do believe the fiscal sponsor model is at fault for failing to address structural weaknesses and allowing problems to fester. Decisions that might have been made to right the ship could have come sooner if the organization's leadership had autonomy (and responsibility) to make them, or if there was a true board. As awful as this ending is, it does not take away from the incredible work the team has done in the past decade+. Climate Nexus truly changed the conversation. Climate denial has no place in respectable media, and so many reporters who Nexus worked with over the years have produced amazing, incisive and impactful coverage thanks to the work of the brilliant communicators at Nexus. Nexus helped make sure people could see the forest for the trees at the most important climate moments – IPCC report releases, COPs, climate weeks, during the 2019 marches, the 2020 election and the passages of the infrastructure law and the IRA. Many decision-makers now take as fact (even if they disagree on the details) that an energy transition is inevitable and essential. Climate justice is no longer left to the side, but front and center. The public has a growing understanding of fossil fuels as the culprit responsible for extreme weather impacts, and see those impacts is affecting their lives. Solar and wind are more clearly understood as the only path for a sustainable, energy-secure future. The climate community is more coordinated and united in working towards shared goals than ever. I'm so proud of having been a part of this team. If you have a job open for a climate communicator, please consider hiring a Nexus alum. ❤️

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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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Many brands want to share their DEI initiatives but fear the backlash that may ensue. Learn how to successfully message your DEI strategy in 2024 in our latest blog. #DEI #BrandStrategy

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From internal agency structures in corporate settings to the agency mindset and agency hires … In this episode of the Communications Business Advisor podcast we’re addressing “The agency impact in corporate communications.” Just one more episode in season one. Listen in on your favorite podcast player, then tell me which episode resonated most, or which one helped you learn something new. Oh, and I’m sourcing topics for season two now. Got something to share? Send a DM. #communications #corporatecommunications #publicrelations #internalcommunications

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As the first anniversary of Oct. 7 approaches, how have your #ERG programs evolved over the past year? Is there more space or structure at work for interfaith dialogue and inclusive, intersectional comms? Please share this with your comms people doing the work and let me know if you're comfortable sharing your efforts for an upcoming Ragan Communications and PR Daily story. [email protected]

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PRWeek's great 2024 Business Report highlights the key challenge facing our industry. Communications is more important than ever. Comms and policy leaders are being asked to play far larger roles as business partners supporting ever more stakeholders. So why did the industry suffer so much in 2023 after many years of growth? As an sector, we are not adapting fast enough to the needs. Organizations are desperate for help but also under tremendous financial strain. They now need both senior level counsel and advisory support as well as deep domain expertise to actually produce. By and large, our industry is still split by this chasm - between strategic and tactical. Clients cannot afford to separate these, either in time or money. At Bully Pulpit International our goal is to bridge this divide, building a team that can both 'think and do' at the highest levels. It's not always easy. Last year was a challenge. But if you share this vision for the future, please check out some of our open roles: https://lnkd.in/dGQwJUSG

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My friend and colleague Jeff Caporizzo, a cancer survivor, will join an amazing panel of public health leaders from FDA, CDC, and NIH to share their insights on how audience-driven communications strategies can change the public’s awareness and behaviors towards cancer. Don’t miss this upcoming ICF webinar about the role communications can play in supporting positive public health outcomes. #cancerprevention #cancercommunications #CDC #FDA #NIH https://lnkd.in/e7te6Hh7

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As global warming worsens, the children in Lesotho will be affected the most. Teaching our kids to care about the environment can help lessen the impact of global warming. #savetheplanet #saveourplanet #savelesotho

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In the world of media and communications, the relationship between journalists and PR professionals is often misunderstood. However, the reality is far more nuanced and symbiotic. Journalists rely on PR folks to provide them with access to newsworthy stories, expert sources, and valuable insights. In turn, PR depends on journalists to amplify their messages and bring attention to their clients or organizations. A recent report by #MuckRack on the "State of Journalism," found that journalists acknowledge PR professionals 70% "as at least moderately important to their success." This mutual dependence highlights the essential role each plays in the dissemination of information to the public. Trust forms the foundation of our collaboration and ensures that the stories that reach the public are credible and impactful. Journalists rely on us to provide accurate and reliable information, while those of us in PR trust journalists to report the news fairly and accurately. Journalists are skilled storytellers who strive to craft compelling narratives that resonate with their audience. PR pros, on the other hand, are adept at identifying and shaping stories that align with our clients' goals and objectives. Together, we work to create stories that inform, engage, and inspire. I encourage you to read the attached report which provides many insights of today's newsrooms. #Journalism #PR #MediaRelations #PublicRelations #NewsMedia #MediaIndustry #JournalismEthics #Storytelling #MediaCollaboration #InformationSharing #MuckRack #StateOfJournalism #PressRelations #MediaPartnership Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Natan Edelsburg

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Misinformation, language barriers, and systemic inequities are hindering access to quality healthcare. How can we as PR communicators bridge the gap? Dive into the world of healthcare PR with Public Relations Specialist, Lupe Dragon as she explains why it's more important than ever to have great communication strategies in healthcare. 🗣️ 🩺🥼 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eedeQCnF #Blog #Healthcare #PublicRelations #PR

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Navigating Activism in 2024: A closer look at rising stakeholder expectations. As societal movements gain momentum, businesses must decide whether to lead change or stand on the sidelines. But how far is too far? And what are the risks of inaction? Here is my commentary on the role of corporate activism.

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