Reemerging, Reframing, Rebuilding

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Hi fam!

It’s been a minute since the last PRGM Post and trust us, we’ve missed being in your inbox just as much as you’ve (hopefully) missed seeing us here.

This past year has been one of deep transformation behind the scenes. We’ve been quietly building… a lot. New initiatives, new infrastructure, and new ways to support the PRGM community in ways that are more impactful, sustainable, and expansive.

And with that growth has come an honest reality: sometimes when you’re building multiple things at once, you have to shift your priorities. The PRGM Post is one of our favorite things we’ve ever created, but in this season, we’re allowing it to evolve with us.

That might mean we show up in your inbox two or three times a week. Or maybe just once every couple of weeks. Either way, we’re prioritizing intention over output and sustainability over burn-out. And we hope you’ll be here for that.

This space will continue to be a place for thoughtful insights, industry reflections, career opportunities, and community spotlights — just with a bit more room to breathe.

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📊 Deep Dive: How Data Is Reshaping the Way We Tell Stories

Once treated as an afterthought, data is now the connective tissue of impactful communications. In 2025, it’s not just about throwing a few stats into your pitch to “back it up.” It’s about letting data shape the story before it’s even told.

Why the Shift?
According to Muck Rack’s 2025 State of Journalism Report, journalists today are navigating shrinking newsrooms, information overload, and growing skepticism from readers. They’re not just looking for catchy angles, they’re looking for grounded, verifiable, and nuanced insights. That’s where comms professionals can lead with purpose.

Data That Builds Trust
Instead of asking “What data supports this story?” start with:

• What trends are emerging from our community or product?

• What conversations are already happening that we can quantify?

• Whose experience can we validate with numbers?

Your Own Backyard Is a Goldmine
You don’t need a massive research budget. First-party and community data is everywhere:

• IG poll results

• Newsletter click-through rates

• Community survey responses

• CRM behavior patterns

These aren’t just metrics, they’re breadcrumbs pointing to what your audience values.

Build With Journalists, Not Just For Them
Your pitch doesn’t need to start with a product. It can start with insight.

A Quick Litmus Test for Your Data Use:

• Is it current?

• Is it contextualized?

• Does it make people feel seen?

• Does it move the story forward?

The Future of Comms Is Data-Literate
This isn’t about becoming analysts. It’s about becoming more aware.

• Data can spark creativity, not just validate it.

• Data can affirm lived experiences.

• Data can differentiate your pitch from the rest.

📣 What You Can Do This Week:

• Run a one-question IG poll and screenshot the results for your next pitch.

• Review your top-performing email or content—what insights can you glean?

• Draft a subject line that starts with a data point, not a product mention.

🇫🇷 PR at Cannes: Gaining Ground

If it feels like more PR professionals are at Cannes Lions this year, that’s because they are. What was once seen as a space dominated by ad agencies is quickly becoming fertile ground for PR’s growing influence — with experiences curated by brands like Axios, ICCO, and Muck Rack.

As creative boundaries continue to blur, so does the definition of what makes a campaign worthy of recognition. And increasingly, it’s the strategic storytelling, earned-led ideas, and community-rooted narratives that are making noise and winning.

We’re especially proud that members of our own PRGM community are on the ground at Cannes this week. We’ll be sharing some of their learnings and key takeaways in the next edition, so stay tuned!

💡Loyalty Over Eyeballs: Why Niche Communities Win in 2025

Recent conversations from Cannes and 2024 data from Confidant and Vytal (via Axios) point to a future where influence is rooted in resonance, not reach:

• 88% of Americans engage in niche communities

• 45% of Gen Z, Millennials, and Gen X feel more connected to niche communities than mainstream culture

• 53% say they’re more likely to try a brand recommended by a trusted niche community

• 51% say feeling part of a brand’s community is important

What’s driving this shift?

In the words of Robyn Delmonte (aka GirlBossTown), “there’s power in jumping on a trend with no budget at all — because a lot of those trends are coming from creators on their couches, with green screens.” (Via Axios)

The takeaway: Internet lore, micro-creators, and deeply specific interest groups are rewriting the rules of what moves culture and comms pros are uniquely positioned to tap into that.

Strategic Moves for Comms & PR Teams:

• Be of the internet, not just on it: You can’t build community from the outside in. You need to be an active participant in the digital ecosystems you're hoping to reach.

• Find and follow your niche creators: From hoodie reviewers to identity-based content collectives, there's someone shaping the narrative you want to be a part of.

• Build for creative co-ownership: The best campaigns let communities create alongside you, not just react.

• Reframe ROI: The real win? When your brand becomes part of a community's story, not just a campaign insert.

📣 What You Can Do This Week:

• Audit your brand’s digital diet: Are you following the right creators and niche spaces?

• Look at your last press hit, did it make sense for the audience or just the outlet?

• Find one micro-trend or internet lore moment and brainstorm how your brand could engage meaningfully (without co-opting).

💭 Thought Leadership in 2025: Is the Founder Era Evolving?

For years, “building in public” was celebrated as a form of radical transparency, a direct pipeline between founders and their audiences. But lately, the tide is shifting. Today we’re seeing that static founder content no longer holds the same weight it once did. So what does meaningful thought leadership actually look like in 2025?

📉 Why the old model isn’t working:

• According to Edelman’s 2024 Trust Barometer, 61% of people believe business leaders purposely mislead the public (Edelman)

• AI-generated posts and overused founder tropes have saturated platforms like LinkedIn, making it harder than ever to stand out

• Attention spans are shrinking, most content is consumed in under 60 seconds

✅ What works now:

Thought leadership today demands originality, transparency, and timeliness. A 2024 report by LinkedIn and Edelman found 49% of buyers want original ideas, while 75% want thought leadership that’s both informative and actionable (LinkedIn x Edelman Report)

Here’s what’s gaining traction:

• Point of View Over Prestige: Generic motivational quotes aren’t enough. Audiences want commentary on real-time industry shifts, cultural moments, and brand decisions.

• A Platform-Native Presence: Executives using short-form video on LinkedIn saw a 52% increase in engagement year over year (Financial Times)

• Owned Media as Anchor: Blogs, newsletters, and YouTube series let founders control the narrative and build community beyond the algorithm.

• Vulnerability Over Polish: The rise of “radical honesty” in marketing is pushing leaders to share their lessons, not just launches (Vogue Business)

🎯 What PR + Comms Pros Should Do:

• Help founders clarify what they want to be known for and then build messaging around it

• Encourage multi-format storytelling (e.g., written + visual + voice)

• Pair brand POV with internal values and employee insight

• Track performance not just by impressions, but by meaningful conversation and relationship-building

The takeaway? CEO thought leadership isn’t dead, it’s evolving. The leaders who will continue breaking through in 2025 are those who lead with humanity, participate in the culture they serve, and speak when they actually have something to say.

💬 Community Spotlight: #5ThingsPRGM

We love highlighting professionals across the PR and communications space who are doing the work, showing up with heart, and generously sharing their lessons. Here are two recent gems from our #5ThingsPRGM series:

Aliyah Pinnock, Assistant PR Manager at Lash PR for KISS Products, is a rising force in beauty and lifestyle PR. Based in Brooklyn, she leads strategy, influencer programming, and cultural activations across the U.S. and Canada. In her #5Things feature, she opens up about learning to network as an introvert, finding confidence in consistency over titles, and how embracing the chaos has made her more grounded. Her reminder that “there’s room for you in this space” is the kind of wisdom we all need to keep close.

Read Her 5 Things Feature Here →

Sierra Wilson, Scripted Entertainment Publicist at NBCUniversal, has shaped moments across red carpets, press junkets, and iconic cultural stages—from BravoCon to RuPaul’s DragCon to LL COOL J’s Rock The Bells. In her feature, Sierra shares why asking more questions leads to better strategy, how her village inspires her, and what it means to pivot with purpose. Her advice? “You’re never in a position you don’t deserve to be in. You earned it — and no one can take that away from you.”

Read Her 5 Things Feature Here →

📱What We’ve Been Yapping About Lately

• What Labubu Can Teach Us About Virality, Scarcity, and Storytelling

• What PR & Comm Pros Need To Know From Muck Rack’s Latest Report

• How Your Communications Career Can Be A Vehicle For Advocacy

• Why Pride is NOT a PR Moment

🏢 Who’s Hiring?

• REI | Vice President of Communications (Seattle)

• Dallas Stars | Communications Assistant (Frisco, TX)

• Roblox | Senior Manager, US Policy Communications (Washington DC)

• Verso Books | Publicist or Senior Publicist (Hybrid)

• Sundance Institute | Temporary Associate Director, Communications

• WME | Director of Publicity (NY/CA) 

• PitchBlend (Multiple Positions)

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