Kylie McMullan, principal of Finch Media, has a strong background in public relations and marketing, stemming from her experience both client side with Johnson & Johnson, Doctors of BC, and Nature’s Path Organic Foods, and in agency, working on accounts such as Celestial Seasonings, Happy Planet Juice, and BC Women’s and Children’s Hospital. Kylie is also the co-author of the first Canadian-based public relations textbook, “Canadian PR for the Real World.” Kylie has a PhD in Industrial Economics and Management from KTH Royal Institute in Stockholm, Sweden. In this episode, Kylie shares her thoughts on building successful influencer campaigns and why earned media has become so important.

Key Takeaways:

- Why earned media is becoming more important than ever

- Keys to successful influencer campaigns

- AI is making PR ethics more important than ever

Episode Timeline:

1:45 Tod and Kylie are both getting over colds

3:00 What's happening at Finch Media?

4:00 The importance of earned media in 2025

6:00 How does the need for earned media benefit media outlets?

7:30 The importance of brand consistency in the AI era

9:25 The 3 tensions between influencers and organizations

13:30 Spokespeople can be a surprise

16:00 What are the qualities of an effective influencer

17:15 Do AI influencers matter?

20:00 PR practitioners are always adapting to technology

21:30 What are Kylie's students' ethical concerns

26:04 How Kylie helped her sibling, Chelsea, promote their short film

28:00 What's Kylie's thought leadership philosophy?

This episode’s guest:

• Kylie McMullan on LinkedIn

• Finchmedia.ca

• Finch Media on LinkedIn

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Keith Bowermaster, founder and president of The Modig Group, is a seasoned executive who specializes in strategic communications and change management. For over thirty years, he has excelled at developing effective communication strategies, managing crises, and influencing diverse audiences. In this episode, he discusses his strategies for effective change management and how PR agencies are fundamentally evolving on an organizational level.

Key Takeaways:

- An introduction to change management

- How the loss of junior-level employees will affect PR

- Keith's approach to thought leadership

Episode Timeline:

1:30 Keith's love of "Calvin and Hobbes"

4:00 What's happening at Modig Group?

5:45 The growing field of change management

7:45 Creating key messages in change management

9:30 Coca-Cola's AI ad

11:15 Why are agencies focusing on affordable PR

13:45 The rise of smaller agencies

16:15 Why smaller agencies have more skin in the game

18:00 The problems of losing junior-level employees in PR

22:00 Why Tod cringes at some AI talk

22:45 Keith's thought leadership philosophy

This episode’s guest:

• Keith Bowermaster on LinkedIn

• ModigGroup.com

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In PR 360's 300th episode, Tod Perry sits down with Linda Zebian, Muck Rack’s Vice President of Communications, and Matt Dzugan, the company’s Senior Director of Data, to discuss the evolving relationship between PR and AI. Together, they explore Muck Rack’s new AI-powered tool, Generative Pulse, along with its latest report on AI search. The conversation also delves into how AI is reshaping PR strategies and why earned media remains crucial for visibility in the age of artificial intelligence.

Key Takeaways:

- Why earned media is crucial for AI visibility and brand reputation

- Niche outlets are becoming more important in PR strategies

- The future of journalism in the AI era

Episode Timeline:

2:00Muck Rack's new tool: Generative Pulse

4:35 What does Generative Pulse look like for a client?

6:45Generative Pulse helps in a crisis

7:30How has AI changed the PR world and beyond in the past 18 months?

8:30People are using AI for retail purchases

10:22Muck Rack's AI search study insights

12:30Why does AI love learned media?

14:15ChatGPT's initial shortcomings

15:50Strategies for increasing AI visibility

21:00Crisis management with AI Tools

22:40Introduction to AI agents

25:30Building the ultimate agent

28:40The future of journalism and AI

This episode’s guests:

• Linda Zebian on LinkedIn

• Matt Dzugan on LinkedIn

• Muck Rack's free report at GenerativePulse.AI

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In this episode of PR 360, Tod Perry interviews Melissa Christensen, co-founder of Vigilante PR. For nearly 20 years, she’s been the bridge between brilliant minds and the rest of the world, balancing the art and science of communication to flip tech jargon into stories that captivate investors, intrigue journalists, and convert customers. In this episode, they discuss how Melissa founded Vigilante PR after her former agency went under due to questionable management. Now, Vigilante is breaking the mold through creativity, authenticity, and harnessing the power of true crime podcasts.

Key Takeaways:

- The agency has worked on true crime stories to help families seek justice

- Thought leadership should be educational, not promotional

- How a surprise career turn inspired Melissa to create Vigilante

Episode Timeline:

1:30 How Vigilante is using PR to bring justice for Megan Trussell

4:10 How Vigilante got involved in the Trussell case

5:30 How a shocking career turn inspired Melissa to create Vigilante

8:00 Forging a new path for PR

9:30 Why are a lot of agencies stuck in their ways?

11:15 Why senior-level PR people need to be involved on every level

13:30 Melissa's favorite campaigns

15:30 New ways of approaching journalists

17:15 How does Vigilante defy the odds

19:45 The band Melissa has seen over 400 times

22:30 Melissa's thought leadership philosophy

This episode’s guest:

• Melissa Christensen on LinkedIn

• Vigilante PR on LinkedIn

• Email: Melissa@Vigilante-PR.com

• PR Unplugged

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In this episode of PR360, Tod interviews Drew Holmgreen, the President and CEO of PPAI, the largest trade association for the $27B promotional products industry. Drew shares insights on the industry's massive economic impact, the emotional connections created through branded merchandise, and how companies can integrate physical products into digital campaigns. He also addresses challenges faced by the industry, including trade disruptions, and explains how PPAI is navigating the choppy waters.

Key Takeaways:

- Memorable promotional products can create lasting impressions and connections

- How trade disruptions have impacted the promotional products industry

- The importance of positive leadership

Episode Timeline:

0:00Introduction to PPAI and Drew Holmgreen

2:00The scope and impact of the promotional products industry

4:20Understanding branded merchandise

6:54The emotional connection of promotional products

9:45Integrating merch with digital campaigns

11:45The revenue potential of merchandising

13:00Howard Stern's aversion to promotional products

13:52Memorable promotional products and their impact

18:00Common mistakes in merchandising

20:25The creative side of the promotional products industry

22:00Navigating trade disruptions

27:40Thought leadership philosophy and positive leadership

This episode's guest:

• Drew Holmgreen on LinkedIn

• PPAI.org

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Paul Cohen is the founder of Attention Comms, an agency that helps mission-driven organizations fight for the attention they deserve and make a meaningful impact. As a trusted communications advisor, he has guided executives and teams across three continents, representing multinational corporations, startups, industry associations, sovereign governments, and nonprofits. In this episode of PR360, Paul explores the power of purpose-driven communication and what it looks like in the current cultural moment. He also discusses the important distinction between attracting attention versus media coverage.

- How purpose-driven organizations can stand out in today's climate

- Why organizations should focus on genuine causes rather than trends

- How AI companies pull their data

Episode Timeline:

0:00Introduction to Paul Cohen and Attention Comms

2:00Transitioning to Attention Comms

3:40The Importance of purpose-driven communication

5:40Authenticity in social justice messaging

7:50Attracting attention vs. media coverage

11:35The role of authenticity in leadership

15:50The role of AI at Attention Comms?

17:10How AI companies pull their data

19:10Paul's pitching secrets

This episode’s guest:

• Paul Cohen on LinkedIn

• AttentionComms.com

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Julie Wright is the Founder and CEO of (W)right On Communications, an award-winning strategic communications agency based in San Diego. Since launching the firm in 1998, she has grown it into one of Newsweek’s Best PR Agencies in America. In this episode, Julie shares insights on the difference between organic and AI search, how to optimize brands for AI-driven discovery, and the profound ways AI is reshaping journalism.

- Unique advantage that PR has in AI search

- The difference between AI and organic search

- The current state of US tourism

Episode Timeline:

1:30 Julie reflects on 30 years in PR

2:35 Staying informed on top of the rise of AI search

3:50 A searchable podcast database

4:45 The decline in organic search traffic

6:00 How does AI search change the world of journalism?

8:00 Optimizing your brand for AI search

10:50 How thought leaders can adapt to AI

13:35 Which sites are favored by AI search

16:00 How is (W)right On implementing AI?

19:00 Julie's recent acknowledgements

21:30 Changes in US tourism

22:30 Julie's thought leadership philosophy

This episode’s guest:

• Julie Wright on LinkedIn

• WrightOnComm.com

Subscribe and leave a 5-star review:

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Bridget Mercuri is the PR and Earned Media Director at AMPLIFY, a revolutionary boutique legal marketing and PR agency. She specializes in getting lawyers and law firms into the conversations and spaces that matter most—positioning them as thought leaders in an increasingly crowded legal landscape. On this episode, she shares the significance of earned media in the legal field, the importance of humanizing lawyers, and how to prepare clients for media appearances.

Key Takeaways:

- Amplify specializes in positioning lawyers as thought leaders

- The benefits of non-traditional media outlets

- The ins and outs of cruise law

Episode Timeline:

0:00Introduction to Bridget Mercuri and Amplify

3:30The importance of earned media in law

6:10Building relationships with reporters for effective PR

9:20Humanizing lawyers and their stories

12:00Preparing clients for media appearances

14:30How can good PR solve current problems in the legal industry

15:50Exploring non-traditional media outlets

18:00The ins and outs of cruise law

21:30Bridget's thought leadership philosophy

This episode’s guest:

• Amplifyforlawyers.com

• Email: Bridget@Amplifyforlawyers.com

• Email for lawyers: LFG@Amplifyforlawyers.com

• Amplify for Lawyers on Instagram

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