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TRANSCRIPT:
DOUG: So, in mid-October, even real baseball fans are going to have their interest divided from the championship series in each league to what’s happening at PRSA ICON. And here to tell us about why baseball fans might be distracted during this important time of their season, Matt, thanks for joining us.
MATT: Thanks, Doug. It’s great to be with you today.
DOUG: Yeah. So, what is the baseball scoop at PRSA ICON?
MATT: Yeah. Funny you asked. So, we are actually bringing Banana Ball to this year’s PRSA ICON in Orlando. We’re excited to kick off our opening general session with the Savannah Bananas head coach, Tyler Gillum. He’s going to be motivating our audience and talking about some great things related to how they’ve really grown as an organization and how it can relate to PR and comms.
DOUG: And they’ve become a phenomenon. Obviously, that’s one thing that’s different this year than in past. What are some other things that are different for people who are attending? Maybe even some attending for the first time.
MATT: Absolutely. So, one of the great things about ICON this year is that we’ve got something for everyone. So, every level of communicator from the C-suite at the CCO level all the way to our students who are engaged in the PRSSA community, we’ve got something for you and across all the industry verticals. So, whether you’re in finance, health, life sciences, we’ve got sessions that are really geared toward the challenges that those folks are facing. So, crisis management continues to be top of mind. Of course, everybody’s favorite topic, AI, and I know we’ll talk more about that. It’s going be all over the agenda this year. And we’ve got new learning formats. We’ve got new speakers. And then, also, one of the great things about ICON is you can find a lot of solutions to your challenges right there in our expo hall with so many great solutions providers that are bringing you, things that’ll help you in your day-to-day job. They’ve got a lot of new AI solutions, so you’ll find companies that are bringing new technologies that are in AI enabled. So, all those great things. And one of my favorite things is the connections that you’ll make at ICON. You’re going to meet so many people across the board that you’ll have conversations in the hallway, that you’ll make lifelong connections that are going to last through your career.
DOUG: Yeah. And it’s great business opportunities as well. Now I’ll give you a little break on this question so you don’t have to include my session on AI in the Newsroom in your answer, but what are some of the sessions you’re most excited about?
MATT: I’ll talk about two great panels. We’ve got one panel that is answering a question that’s on everybody’s mind, and that is, is AI going to kill the future of PR jobs? And that is going be moderated by Ray Day, our immediate past chair of PRSA. And we’ve got a couple great executive recruiters who are on that panel as well as the global president of research from The Harris Poll. So, there’s going be a lot of fantastic insights coming right out of that session. And then a second one, that’s, looks great is going to be 2026 communications trends, and that’s moderated by Thomas Bennett from FleishmanHillard. And on that panel, we’ve got Damon Jones from Procter & Gamble, and they’ll also be execs from Hilton Grand Vacations and Universal. So, you won’t want to miss those.
DOUG: When Damon and I both started our careers, I actually had a chance to work with him on what was in a video news release for Procter & Gamble. And he was great to work with then. It’s incredible what he’s done. And you talked about AI before. One of the keys is how can PR practitioners use AI to their benefit?
MATT: Absolutely. So, you know, for us one of the things I’ve been hearing from our members and folks on the road is that they’re tired of hearing about just about the theoretical of AI, what the possibilities are. They’re really at the point where, know, they’re leading their teams, and they want to be able to apply what’s happening today into action, right? And how am I going to manage the change management piece of AI? How am I looking at all of those things? So, our sessions are really going to dive into the tactical, the roll up your sleeves, how you can get it done, how you can start to work with your teams on implementing the technology no matter what phase you’re at. So, if you’re if it’s something you’ve just been talking about in the office or you’ve already implemented, you’re already working with one of the platforms, and you want to have a better understand how to leverage it to drive efficiency, drive creativity, we’ve got sessions that’ll dive into that. We’ve got over fifteen sessions that are going to talk about everything from generative AI to leveraging agents in ways that you haven’t thought about.
DOUG: What’s really interesting is AI, as each new technology does, gives a chance for younger PR practitioners to really vault ahead because there’s an expectation that they’ve been living it from the start instead of having to maybe change the ways they’re operating. So that’s a big opportunity. I understand there’s also some new ethical standards that PRSA has put together. What are some of the changes and things to be aware of? And, again, AI comes into play there.
MATT: Yeah. Thanks for asking, Doug. So, our board of ethics and professional standards for PRSA has been looking at this from the early onset. It’s actually a few years ago, we put together a piece called “Promise and Pitfalls” that talks about starting with ethics. Because for PRSA, the code of ethics is one of our differentiating factors, right? So, now fast forward several years, AI has been top of mind. We’ve now got this new ethical standards advisory that talks about specifically how do you weave in a couple things. Number one, what are the risks that I need to consider when I’m thinking about utilizing these AI agents? And so those are going to dive into everything from unclear authorship, manipulative persuasion, and simulated engagement. And then the next piece, what are the best practices? So, what are others doing out there that I can start to consider when I’m thinking about utilizing AI in an ethical way? And so that’s going to cover transparency, the importance of human oversight in dealing with these things, AI literacy, governance, how am I training my team across all of this, you know, and finally, security risks. Those are, of course, big things that every organization needs to look at.
DOUG: Yeah. Those are key topics. One change up question I’d ask that’s sort of the opposite. We always talk about what’s new, what’s different, and what’s changing. But there’s a lot that’s been a consistent thread through the history of what PRSA ICON brings. Could you maybe talk a little bit about the core values that have been part of it and are still continuing to bring value, especially during this time of such massive disruption?
MATT: Most definitely. So, you know, when you think about who our members are, you know, we develop leaders within the PRSA community. And so, when you think about leadership, especially in this day and age of AI, one of the things that’s so important to go back to is developing those soft skills as a leader. And so, you’re going to find, that we go back to that, especially at the student level. When students are coming into the workforce, one of the things we’re hearing is, you know, how am I going to get my first job when they’re cutting all these entry level positions, right? And so, one of those things I’ve been telling students that I hear from agency leaders and CCOs is you’ve gotta be able to differentiate yourself. And if you’re not mastering those core skills like writing and, you know, having the EQ that you need to deal with a complex workforce, you’re not going to be able to set yourself apart. So, you will find those things at PRSA ICON this year that go back to basics and are at the core of being a good storyteller and communicator.
DOUG: Yeah. And I think being up to speed on what’s new, I get a chance to be a guest lecturer each year at NYU’s graduate PR program, which is really meaningful. And, of course, two years ago, AI didn’t even come up in discussion. I asked the professor this year, is it okay if I talk about it? Because I think a reality is if you’re coming into the space, you’ve gotta be AI native. You have to understand it, have experience with it, and know how to practice it ethically to move you ahead or else there’s someone who will know that, that’s going to be able to advance more quickly than you. As we wrap it up, any guides, interest, information for people who are attending, how do you get the most of it? You know, one of my thoughts is like, hey, if you go to a session, when you go to a session, make sure you speak to at least one other person at every session to make a connection, whether it’s the speakers or someone in the audience, but I know you’ve got a bunch of recommendations for people to get the maximum value.
MATT: Yeah. That is such great advice. I would say it starts before you even get on the plane out to ICON. Start to plan ahead. We’ve got the program already out there. Just before the conference launches, we’ll have our Whova app that will take you through. You can find who’s attending. Connect beforehand, find folks who are in similar industries. They want to connect. And so, like you said, when you’re there on-site, that is the best advice you can give every session, introduce yourself to someone new. I know it can be uncomfortable sometimes, a little, you know, nerve wracking, but don’t be afraid. Everybody is there to make connections and learn from each other. I just got back from the association executives annual conference, and I did the same thing, you know? Meeting other leaders who were there for the same thing, those connections and those conversations that you’re going to have in the hallway are going to be just as valuable as what you take away from those folks who are leading those sessions. So, do that. Just take it all in. It’s a big show. It’s a big conference. And like you said in the in the expo hall, you’re going take away some great things from those suppliers who are there as well. So, talk to them. They want to hear about what challenges you’re facing so they can help you find solutions as well. So, lots of great stuff. Just pace yourself and use the tools that we’ve got before you get there.
DOUG: Yeah. And I agree with everything you said except pace yourself. Just dive full in and go for it just like you did in this conversation. Thanks so much for being with us.
MATT: Absolutely. Thank you, Doug.
