The PR Week

Hosted by Steve Barrett, PRWeek

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Episodes

391

Latest episode

Aug 2026

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About the show

PRWeek's regular weekly roundup of everything that matters in the worlds of PR and communications.

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60 recent

August 13, 202636 min

The PR Week: 8.13.2026 - Grant Toups, Hotwire

The latest guest on The PR Week is Grant Toups, global CEO of Hotwire. Toups talks about his first days and weeks on the job after stepping into Hotwire’s top role more than six months ago , as well as how his agency uses AI and works with influencers and creators. He also chats about his inspirations from the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Plus, PRWeek’s Julia Walker discusses the biggest PR and communications news of the week, including PRWeek’s 2026 40 Under 40 list , Burson’s acquisition of AI company Limbik , a change at the top of American Airlines’ communications team and much more. PRWeek.com Theme music provided by TRIPLE SCOOP MUSIC Jaymes - First One Follow us: @PRWeekUS Receive the latest industry news, insights, and special reports. Start Your Free 1-Month Trial Subscription To PRWeek Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

August 6, 202630 min

The PR Week: 8.6.2026 - Ann Melinger, Bink

The latest guest on The PR Week is Ann Melinger, CEO of Bink, which works with biotech and life sciences companies on organizational culture, employee engagement and change management. She talks about Bink’s new Culture at Work Study and its key findings about how some companies fail to produce winning cultures while others thrive. Plus, PRWeek’s Diana Bradley on the biggest PR and communications news of the week, including key executive exits at Conagra , Edelman and Airbnb and acquisitions by FGS Global and One Strategy Group . PRWeek.com Theme music provided by TRIPLE SCOOP MUSIC Jaymes - First One Follow us: @PRWeekUS Receive the latest industry news, insights, and special reports. Start Your Free 1-Month Trial Subscription To PRWeek Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

July 30, 202633 min

The PR Week, 7.30.2026: Mike Rush, 360PR+

What area of marketing is best positioned to be in charge of affiliate marketing? Mike Rush, EVP and partner at 360PR+, makes the case that it’s PR on the latest edition of The PR Week . Rush also talks about the Boston PR market and what it’s like having a lettuce client in the current news cycle. Plus the biggest marketing and communications news of the week, such as PRWeek’s Power List 2026 , Wendy’s decision to hire a new PR AOR for the first time in more than 30 years, a new chief communications officer at Skims and a look inside the New York Liberty’s PR playbook . PRWeek.com Theme music provided by TRIPLE SCOOP MUSIC Jaymes - First One Follow us: @PRWeekUS Receive the latest industry news, insights, and special reports. Start Your Free 1-Month Trial Subscription To PRWeek Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

July 23, 202638 min

The PR Week: 7.23.2026 - Taj Reid, Burson

In beautiful Cannes, France, one of the most interesting places during the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity is actually a basement — because that’s where the shortlisted campaign case studies are. The latest guest on The PR Week , Taj Reid , global chief creative officer at Burson, talks about that and much more, including how Burson and VML won the PR Lions Grand Prix for their work for client KitKat. Reid also chats about unconventional paths into the industry, AI’s impact on creativity and inspirational work. Plus, PRWeek’s Carina Cole talks about winners and losers from the World Cup — that’s to say brand winners and losers — and effective tournament marketing by players, countries and fans. PRWeek.com Theme music provided by TRIPLE SCOOP MUSIC Jaymes - First One Follow us: @PRWeekUS Receive the latest industry news, insights, and special reports. Start Your Free 1-Month Trial Subscription To PRWeek Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

July 16, 202618 min

The PR Week: 7.16.2026 - Jennifer Risi, The Sway Effect

The latest edition of The PR Week features Jennifer Risi, founder and president of The Sway Effect. Risi founded The Sway Effect, a New York-headquartered global marketing and communications agency, exactly seven years ago on July 16. In 2025, The Sway Effect reported revenue of $4.9 million, up 11% from the same period a year prior, according to PRWeek’s latest Agency Business Report . Risi discusses what her firm has been up to, what she attributes its success to and highlights some client campaigns. She also talks about her takeaways from this year’s Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Plus, PRWeek news editor Diana Bradley reviews the biggest PR and communications news of the week with newly promoted senior reporter Julia Walker, including how brands are cracking jokes amid the cyclospora outbreak; the FDA taking steps to make good on its threat to remove the adequate provision rule for pharma DTC ads; Praytell’s expansion into the Asian market ; and people moves at SeatGeek , Etsy , Whoop and Unilever . PRWeek.com Theme music provided by TRIPLE SCOOP MUSIC Jaymes - First One Follow us: @PRWeekUS Receive the latest industry news, insights, and special reports. Start Your Free 1-Month Trial Subscription To PRWeek Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

July 9, 202630 min

The PR Week, 7.9.2026: Kevin Dulaney, SourceCode Communications

The latest edition of The PR Week features Kevin Dulaney , EVP of innovation and integrated marketing at SourceCode Communications and a top agency strategist on AI. He talks all about AI — from where it’s most useful for agencies and their clients to where it’s overhyped — and discusses what he thinks is coming next. Plus, the biggest PR and communications news of the week with PRWeek news editor Diana Bradley, including top World Cup campaigns , brands’ reaction to Taylor Swift’s wedding and major executive moves at Ogilvy , Onclusive and Nvidia . PRWeek.com Theme music provided by TRIPLE SCOOP MUSIC Jaymes - First One Follow us: @PRWeekUS Receive the latest industry news, insights, and special reports. Start Your Free 1-Month Trial Subscription To PRWeek Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

July 2, 202641 min

The PR Week: 7.2.2026 - Joe Paluska, Commonwealth Fusion Systems

The latest guest on The PR Week is helping explain fusion to the world and why it might soon be a part of people’s everyday lives. Joe Paluska is chief marketing officer of Commonwealth Fusion Systems, which spun out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and is now the world’s largest fusion company. He talks about making a complicated technology understandable to the public and explains how his company works with influencers and content creators. Plus, PRWeek associate news editor Jess Ruderman interviews Frank Washkuch about the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity and main takeaways from the event. PRWeek.com Theme music provided by TRIPLE SCOOP MUSIC Jaymes - First One Follow us: @PRWeekUS Receive the latest industry news, insights, and special reports. Start Your Free 1-Month Trial Subscription To PRWeek Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

June 30, 202616 min

Influence takes center stage, a podcast sponsored by Omnicom Public Relations

“PR is no longer that last mile. We’re the starting point in many initiatives.” Chris Foster, CEO of Omnicom Public Relations (OPR), spoke those words as he sat down with PRWeek in Cannes. This was evident in the many PR-led Cannes Lions award victories. It was equally apparent as Foster discussed his main takeaways from his time on the Croisette. These included a notable shift from ad influence to earned influence and the prevalence of reputation in conversations on the ground. Foster's all-encompassing chat with PRWeek executive editor Frank Washkuch also covered AI and the early days of OPR post-Omnicom-IPG merger. A must-listen. PRWeek.com Theme music provided by TRIPLE SCOOP MUSIC Jaymes - First One Follow us: @PRWeekUS Receive the latest industry news, insights, and special reports. Start Your Free 1-Month Trial Subscription To PRWeek Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

June 29, 202611 min

From side hustle to system: What the creator economy's maturation means for brands, a podcast sponsored by Hunter

Influencer marketing has officially grown up. What was once a fragmented landscape of one-off deals and experimental budgets has evolved into a sophisticated marketing channel defined by rising creator compensation, faster execution cycles and stronger long-term partnerships. Monica Caponigro, MD at Bobbie and co-author of a new study analyzing six years of creator partnership data, discusses the signals behind the creator economy's maturation and what they reveal about the future of brand-creator relationships. She'll explore why operational excellence is becoming the new competitive advantage, how marketers should rethink creator selection beyond follower count and why the brands winning today are treating creator marketing less like a campaign and more like a business system. PRWeek.com Theme music provided by TRIPLE SCOOP MUSIC Jaymes - First One Follow us: @PRWeekUS Receive the latest industry news, insights, and special reports. Start Your Free 1-Month Trial Subscription To PRWeek Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

June 25, 202626 min

The Ripple effect: From story to movement, a podcast sponsored by Chandler Chicco Agency

When one person shares their experience living with a condition, something powerful happens. Empathy spreads, understanding grows and change follows. Motivated by this belief, Chandler Chicco Agency created Ripple, which closes the gap between brands and the real patients they serve. The story behind this revolutionary offering, the incredible results already achieved and the lessons brands in every sector can learn are front and center during this podcast featuring Anna Khersonsky, managing director at Chandler Chicco Agency (CCA), Kerry O’Keefe, patient engagement lead for Ripple at CCA, and rare disease advocate James Ian. PRWeek.com Theme music provided by TRIPLE SCOOP MUSIC Jaymes - First One Follow us: @PRWeekUS Receive the latest industry news, insights, and special reports. Start Your Free 1-Month Trial Subscription To PRWeek Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.