Gregory Fleischmann

📢 The Rise of the Hybrid CCO: The role of the Chief Communication Officer (CCO) is evolving at an unprecedented pace. In episode 424 of our For Immediate Release podcast, Shel Holtz, SCMP and I discuss a groundbreaking trend highlighted in research by the Observatory on Corporate Reputation (OCR): the emergence of the CCO-Plus role. ❓What’s Happening? CCOs are increasingly taking on additional business functions — marketing, HR, sustainability, and more — leading to new titles like Chief Communication and Marketing Officer (CCMO) and Chief Communication and Sustainability/ESG/Impact Officer (CCSEIO). According to the OCR, CCO-Plus roles have surged 88% since 2019, outnumbering traditional CCO roles in Fortune 1000 companies. 🤔 The Big Question: Is this trend towards hybrid roles enhancing organisational efficiency, or does it risk diluting the focus and effectiveness of these critical functions? As the lines between communication and other business functions blur, we might soon see even more integrated roles, like a Chief Communication and AI Officer (CCAIO). 🔊 Join the Conversation: Read my take on this topic, and listen to Shel's and my discussion of these questions in our latest podcast episode. Is your organisation adapting to this shift? How do you see the role of the CCO evolving in your business? #cco #corporatecommunication #FIRpodcast https://lnkd.in/esEb84Mx

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"Generational theories that draw out 'differences' between generations can help us discover the values of the times. These values influence individual choices, and the values digested by individuals help form communities through networks. Let's discover what lies beyond the 'differences' between generations. The insights you uncover should lead to business outcomes." https://lnkd.in/dqNDFNs3 #marketing #branding #business #grwothstrategy #growthmindset #gamechanger #tokyo #japan

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Douglas Knowledge Partners was brought on board as an editorial partner to help enhance the brand presence of Consulum, an advisory firm specializing in strategic advice for government entities. Refining and broadening their high-level concepts for a wider audience, enabled Consulum to attract talent and engage new clients. The opportunity Consulum is a strategic advisory firm that works with government organisations and leaders. Initially, Consulum grew by word of mouth. However, it became clear that greater brand recognition could create opportunities for talent attraction and client outreach, especially in new markets. Busy Consulum teams produced high-level thinking but needed collaborators to shape these concepts for a broader audience. Our role With more than a dozen articles on topics from creativity in government to attracting investment for economic development, we have helped to progress Consulum’s thought leadership. Tailoring our approach to their specific needs, we workshopped ideas, developed the “Consulum voice” and built a thought-leadership process guide. Over time, we supported the firm with research, analysis and data visualisation and helped to Consulum to hone proprietary methodologies such as the Government Promise System. The impact Thought leadership has now become integral to Consulum’s business strategy: this has provided strategic focus, helping to pinpoint topics and themes that reflect the organisation’s priorities. The approach is purposeful and proactive, creating IP to support Consulum’s differentiated offers. This has boosted Consulum’s visibility as a trusted thought leader on topics of global importance, drawing the attention of significant clients. It has also been beneficial for internal talent development – giving Consulum’s advisors opportunities to develop their skills, expand their expertise and build personal brands. #Editorial #ThoughtLeadership #DouglasKnowledgePartners Read more: https://lnkd.in/d-Pbrvuv

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For those who aren’t (yet) aware, I find many of Taylor Swift’s lyrics applicable to a variety of situations. Read what I wrote for Qorvis Insights about the Eras Tour, and what we can learn from Swift about the importance of proactive reputation management. 🐍 #ReputationManagement #TaylorSwift #ErasTour #Qorvis #Reputation

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It's going to be an interesting week in comms. The 2024 US election presents unique challenges and opportunities for brands considering leveraging it for their PR. Here are some pointers: 1. Exercise extreme caution, as the election is likely to be highly divisive. Avoid explicit political stances, as research shows only 21% of US consumers want brands to take political positions. Instead, focus on nonpartisan messages encouraging civic engagement. 2. Leverage contextual advertising carefully, ensuring ads appear alongside appropriate content. Consider alternative channels to reach audiences, as news programming will likely be saturated with political content. Emphasise authenticity and brand values rather than opportunistically jumping on election trends. 3. Only explore cause-related marketing aligned with nonpartisan issues. Utilise social listening to understand audience reactions to election-related content. Focus on long-term strategy rather than sacrificing brand positioning for short-term gains. Remember, while the election presents engagement opportunities, the risks of backlash and negative associations are significant. Carefully weigh potential benefits against risks before incorporating election-related themes into marketing strategies.

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For leaders suddenly needing to adapt to the election realities, we’ve got answers. You don’t need to change your values or even your priorities. But you better make sure your language is connecting with the people who are about to run Washington. Have a listen to this special edition of our podcast, and let us know what you think. The time is now to understand exactly how your audiences need to hear you. That’s how you win.

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Those in the governance and IR community may appreciate reading our new article entitled "Directors: Know the Risks before Caving to Activist Demands for a Public Sales Process", authored by Patrick Ryan, Josh Hochberg and myself. The piece outlines considerations for boards of directors facing activist demands to announce a strategic review. With M&A making a comeback, more public company directors are likely to find themselves in this situation. https://lnkd.in/gQ522Y_y

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As America's leading media expert, Michael Levine offers a thoughtful perspective on Ulrike Grunewald's comments about the ongoing challenges faced by the British royal family in the wake of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's departure from royal duties. "The tension between tradition and modernity has always been a delicate balancing act for the royal family," Levine stated. "Grunewald's observation underscores a fundamental truth about institutional reputation: the most damaging blows often come from within. When prominent figures in an organization—or a monarchy—air grievances publicly, it creates a narrative vacuum filled with controversy, speculation, and often irreversible harm." Levine continued, "The late Queen's insistence that one cannot be 'half in and half out' reflects her unmatched understanding of institutional integrity. A monarchy thrives on continuity, clarity, and commitment. Any deviation from these principles risks undermining its stability." Levine concluded, "This situation reveals the challenges of maintaining a centuries-old institution in a rapidly changing world and the power of storytelling in shaping public perception. Meghan and Harry's narrative is about personal freedom. For the royal family, it's about survival. How these two stories coexist—or clash—will define the monarchy's future." www.BoundlessMediaUSA.com

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This article from Columbia Journalism Review is fascinating, and an argument for the importance of a reputation management communication plan. There are volumes authored by PR pros advising against ignoring reporters inquiries, yet this article documents how frequently it happens. Throughout my career, I can count on one hand the number of times I have made a calculated decision not to respond to a media request, and 99.9% of the time it was after multiple engagements with a reporter who repeatedly misrepresented or distorted information (even if not intentionally). I suspect, more often than not, reporters get ghosted because the brand is caught off guard. They haven't planned how they will respond in a reputation crisis. Or haven't socialized the planned response with stakeholders. If the PR team is haggling with executives and lawyers on what to say or how to say it when the reporters' questions start rolling in, the opportunity to frame the narrative is quickly lost. Thanks for sharing the article Jennifer Johnson Avril! https://lnkd.in/gYmTA9CW

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A few thoughts in O'Dwyer's Public Relations News on one of DLPR's media relations strategies and how to handle delicate situations.

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I've really enjoyed getting to know Andrew S. and working with him on #FairnessMatters. This article kick's off the series in The Fulcrum and you can read more at www.fairnessmatters.vote.

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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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PR Executives are hired to solve problems, not create them. Last week, raw videos surfaced on TikTok’s sister platform of Baidu, Inc.’s PR VP, Qu Jing making demeaning comments about her team members. Her cringeworthy comments included ““I’m not your mother-in-law. I’m not your mom. I only care about your results.” She went onto ridicule her team members for not wanting to work nights/weekends and claiming difficult children were not her problem. This caused a public outcry on social media which ultimately lead to her departure from the company. While, Qu did apologize and took ownership of her poor judgement/treatment of her team members, the damage had already been done to both her credibility/character as well as the companies. We’ve all seen tweets, comments, and videos on various social platforms from executives, team members, customer service reps, front line workers, etc., that have caused a brand major damage and ultimately some have lost their jobs as a result. While in many cases, this instances may reflect a cultural problem within a company, often many forget everything they do is being recorded via an iPhone or app. This is a great P.S.A. for everyone to remember that we all live under the public microscope, and we are one tweet, one poor customer service experience, Instagram video and live interview from causing a pr crisis. What guardrails do you have in place to prevent such events from happening? Do you offer training and/or best practices for both executives and team members around this subject? #pr #crisiscommunications #corporatecommunications #leadership #toxicworkenvironment #socialmedia #mediarelations #mediatraining  #brands #tiktok #instagram #x

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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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Enjoyed this morning’s Meltwater Summit panel on how to reach Gen Z featuring Jess Xu (Edelman), Amanda Coffee (Under Armour), Kristin Matzen (TIME) and Lotte Jones (The News Movement). Panelists shared some helpful insights on Gen Z: 🗞️ With misinformation rampant, they DO read traditional, legacy news for credibility and fact check, fact check, fact check everything they read. 💵 They’re values-driven in selecting brands, but of course often buy based on convienence or price. It will be interesting to see how this plays out as they further settle into careers and grow their purchasing power. 📢 Gen Z colleagues are great resources for marketers to pressure test for authenticity to avoid blind spots - and it’s the responsibility of managers of Gen Z employees to help elevate and showcase their ideas. (Shameless plug for Edelman’s Gen Z Lab!)

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Here’s the playbook for disruption: Take attorneys out of the equation. Stop building CRM that succeeds or fails on their shoulders. We need to shift the focus and, instead, build the technology from the ground up for the professionals who actually use it: marketing and business development. From Accounting and Financial Planning for Law Firms

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What does it take to stay atop O'Dwyer's Public Relations News's list of top public relations firms? According to Dominic Rovano, CPA and Kelsey Campbell, the top firms stay ahead of their competitors by having more than just a brilliant creative strategy and strong industry relationships. 🪄 In their latest article, Rovano and Campbell teamed up to provide some clarity into how you can transform your PR firm into a top-ranking powerhouse. Here are some tips and tricks to help get you started: 📊 Understand your financials to make better informed business decisions and plan ahead for the future. 💡 Establish yourself as a comprehensive solution to your client's needs by having a diverse pool of clients and service offerings. 📝 Continuously review your accounts receivable and payable to identify potential financial pain points. Dive into the full article for more insights: https://ow.ly/HVKu50Rra1H #PublicRelations #PR #Armanino

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