Sehrish Sayani

With today's news that Waystar is aiming to raise up to $1B through its IPO, we took a look at what its S-1 can tell us from a communications perspective. Read the takeaways here: https://lnkd.in/ekEpVic2

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Mega-mergers like Omnicom and Interpublic should raise serious concerns for companies navigating sensitive public policy and PR challenges. When a single corporate conglomerate owns agencies representing BOTH SIDES of a conflict, how can you be sure your strategy stays protected? Conflicts of interest and blurred lines seem inevitable. In the high-stakes world of public affairs and PR, discretion and loyalty are non-negotiable. That’s why so many organizations turn to independent firms like Sachs Media for: ✔️ Conflict-free representation ✔️ Strict confidentiality with no shared parent company ✔️ Direct, senior-level attention without competing priorities In a world where influence is everything, your voice should never be just another account on a balance sheet. Choose partners working only for YOU.

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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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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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Ok so really this is just about everyone wanting to be Bloomberg News And why not? High-quality journalism-led by the print side Niche but large target audience Also has its own billionaire exec convening execs But recreating all of that isn’t really feasible Yet you still want to be part of the news game Bezos (of The Washington Post fame) certainly does So, what is the opportunity if you’re maybe not so bullish on WaPo? Well, mass appeal broadcast TV – especially news – is on the decline And getting folks to a new platform for streaming news (aka CNN+) is too difficult So why not just have them watch it on a platform they already have Like Amazon Prime? Which will potentially be ‘testing the waters' with special election night coverage With Brian Williams who will lead a ‘non-partisan’ discussion of it Will people watch? Eh Regular folks have said for ‘eons’ that they have wanted TV political coverage to be Non-partisan Less sensational But that’s not reality especially at a time when boot-strapped, scrappy YouTube-based political creators are cutting into mainstream tv broadcast political audiences You can certainly be corporate but there must be an edge to the coverage So, the clips can also go viral on social media And folks tune in If I was Amazon Prime, and wanted to build a streaming news commentary service in the future, I would act almost like I was in pro wrestling and try to recruit talent from the ‘Independents’ aka large YouTube channels with dedicated followers, etc., to anchor coverage / programmatic aspects And leave some distance from the main company brand, some elbow room for them to have their own biases I would just ensure that those biases are balanced against another anchor’s And ensure everyone is supported by a fleet of homegrown reporting talent Whose profiles you really invest in And if they go off one day to do their own thing and have their own real following for that? Good – in this day and age that means you’re probably winning 

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What are the trends in marketing thought leadership and how can polling give your brand an advantage? Join #B2BMarCom on May 23 to learn more.

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In an external environment characterized by news fragmentation, polarization, competing voices and a prodigious amount of noise, it has never been more important for business executives to communicate with clarity, consistency, and authenticity to their most coveted stakeholders. My agency KWT Global just released our inaugural Resonance Report, in partnership with HarrisX - a Stagwell Inc. company, which surveyed C-suite and senior executives across the U.S. to learn more about their perceptions of their own external presence and the role it plays in business success. To read more about the findings, please click through below.

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An annual jersey rollout is always exciting when you work in sports. It also comes with its fair share of risks. Every year, teams face a familiar set of challenges when launching a new jersey. PR pros are at the center of assessing how it will impact the targeted outcomes. A few natural risks, year after year, include: - Retailers accidentally leaking the design early. - Fans criticizing the jersey for being too far from tradition or too radical. - Previous/discarded/outdated versions of the mock-ups surfacing on social media. - Distribution issues delaying pre-orders or shipments. - Media outlets framing the launch as overly commercial or missing the mark. I've found that a 5x5 risk assessment matrix helps identify and prioritize these risks by likelihood and severity. PR pros are usually already thinking about worst-case scenarios so this approach shown in my clip helps ensure departments are aligned and prepared to handle challenges effectively. Hopefully it makes for a smoother rollout or, at the very least, provides clarity on what will take place when the inevitable happens.

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What happens when everyone is a media outlet? 🤔 My Weber Shandwick colleague Brad Burke challenges us to rethink how we create and consume information in 2024 in what I think is a pretty thought-provoking PRWeek article (which you can read here: https://lnkd.in/eDkszxFw), where he introduces the concept of a "media network effect." If you're in #BrandMarketing or #CorporateCommunications, this article might offer some interesting insights into our ever-evolving media landscape: - We're living in a world where everyone has a TV studio in their pocket 📱 - Platforms allow anyone to build audiences around the world 🌎 - At the same time, #AI is not just creating content, but consuming it too 🤖 Does this new reality demand a shift in our approach to leverage this "media network effect" in our communication strategies? I believe so. I personally find this fascinating, and I love the fact that it's forcing us as communicators to be more curious, strategic, and creative. With that being said, I'm curious about what my "network" thinks. Drop a comment below or message me. Let's talk about what the "media network effect" means for our work and our society going forward. #MediaLandscape #CommunicationsStrategy #AIinMarketing #BrandStrategy

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Start-up and scale-up founders, CEOs and CMOs can save themselves a lot of heartache if they assess their company's readiness for corporate communications before they bring on an expensive corp comm leader. By identifying where the requisite building blocks for success already exist, executives can develop the function in a way that impacts business results by making better hiring decisions, understanding where to expect results near and long term, and strategically planning their investments in the function. Looking for a guide to help you do this? Drop me a line. As a 25-year veteran leader who has helped a number of start-ups and scale-ups build their corporate communications departments, I can help you figure out if you are ready to add this strategic function. #CorporateCommunications #ScaleUp #StartUp #PublicRelations

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I’ve been invited once again to serve on the jury for the Media Savvy by Hong Bao Media. With AI being the buzzword everywhere, it’s not surprising that I was asked to address why business leaders need to proactively engage with the media in today's rapidly evolving landscape of disinformation and AI. While you can watch the video for the detailed answer, heres the cliffsnotes version: 🌟 Transparency and Credibility: Build trust through open communication. 🚀Proactive Engagement: Influence the conversation and stay ahead. 📜Influencing Policy: Shape and guide regulatory discussions. Watch the video here: https://lnkd.in/g9_Cdt5F #ai #misinformation #mediasavvy

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It's crucial as PR practitioners that we adapt to new technologies rapidly, yet cautiously. (We're nothing if not cautious, right?!) The use if AI has rapidly changed the way we conduct business, for the better/more efficient. We have enhanced our service offerings, improved response times, and are better managing our workloads. GenAI has benefited our clients as much as it's benefitted us. Read more in Axios about how MikeWorldWide has advanced using AI. #AI #GenAI #publicrelations #PRAgency

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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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If you work in the communications/media, you need to be reading SEMAFOR. This piece by Ben Smith and Maxwell Tani captures the fundamental changes in our industry centered around how mainstream news outlets aren’t the only ones influencing public opinion. "The biggest shift in contemporary politics and PR may be that the cost of an error has dropped, while the value of ubiquity has risen...Conversely, a fragmented media landscape means that you need to go on ten podcasts to reach the scale of audience a cable television show used to command. And so a new wave of public figures, and their advisers, will need to navigate in a looser and more forgiving media landscape."

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Thank you to PRNEWS for publishing my piece on lessons brands and communications leaders can learn from the recent fallout at NBC News and the pitfalls of binary thinking. "This debacle is one of many scenarios that remind us of why deliberate, well-coordinated and consistent internal communications are even more important in today’s climate where sensitive information leaks are becoming commonplace." If you're so inclined, you can read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/eSjSG26d

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Embrace Hyper-Personalization in 2025 AI and machine learning are revolutionizing digital engagement. Brands must leverage these technologies to create tailored experiences that resonate on a personal level. Is your strategy ready for this shift? Explore how to adapt your communications strategy for the future. As we move toward 2025, these strategies will ensure that brands can engage authentically, respond effectively to change, and foster lasting connections with their audiences. https://lnkd.in/gtY5WX2P #DigitalEngagement #AIinMarketing #Trends #PR #Marketing #2025

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As we discussed during our team meeting yesterday, this communications environment is very fluid and we are assessing opportunities and challenges for our clients in real time as we communicate through change. Things we are talking about include: considering this window of opportunity with media sources, refocusing messages with a laser focus on audience, and capitalizing on the non-traditional media environment to tell the story. All while strategizing for what comes next. More detail 👇 Shout out to Nicole Ryan and the Curley Company Public Affairs team for all the good counsel they are giving our clients right now. #PR #publicaffairs #mediastrategy #leadingthroughchange

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Let me know if you would like an introduction.

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