Search behavior has shifted, and social platforms are now a primary search engine. Google Search Console's new Platform properties feature finally lets businesses track how their Instagram, TikTok, X, and YouTube posts perform in Search, turning years of guesswork about social-and-search into hard data.

Millions watched the World Cup. But only one brand made them feel something. Here's how Adidas's "Backyard Legends" campaign proved that emotional attunement — not ad spend — is what turns visibility into lasting brand loyalty.

Markets are shifting more rapidly than ever. Customer expectations are evolving. AI is transforming how we research and how we make decisions. Traditional media gatekeepers have given way to creators, communities, podcasts and algorithms, reshaping how trust and influence correlate. The result? Brands and leaders can no longer rely on yesterday's playbook. Communications, PR, marketing, and leadership are being reinvented before our eyes. Organizations that fail to evolve risk becoming irrelevant, while those willing to embrace reinvention are positioning themselves for what's next. 

Our founder Anna Crowe and VP of Communications Natalia Barclay spent a week on the French Riviera for Cannes Lions 2026, and they came back with one message louder than the rest: the brands winning right now aren't the ones with the biggest AI budget. They're the ones who haven't lost their humanity in the process.

From Mastercard's CMO on why AI raises the bar instead of lowering it, to Starbucks' new play to tap the creator economy, to Oprah dropping a one-liner that stopped a packed room cold, this year's festival made one thing clear: intention is quickly becoming the most valuable currency in marketing.

We're breaking down what we saw, heard and can't stop thinking about, and what it means for how brands should be showing up for the rest of 2026.

Starbucks didn't just launch a TikTok partnership — it made a decision about who carries the brand's voice. The architecture behind that move has implications for every brand still waiting on a content strategy.

The latest in Meta and Instagram platform updates are coming fast, and they’re shifting how brands show up online.

If SEO helps your content get discovered and ranked, AEO helps your brand become the answer.

For years, hype was the engine driving brand growth. Limited drops, influencer buzz and viral moments created urgency, and urgency translated into sales. But that model is losing its edge.

A recent Axios analysis found that high-quality CEO thought leadership can generate an average of $367 million in shareholder value in a single week. That’s not a branding metric; that’s enterprise value, and it reframes the role of PR entirely. 

In the span of a single weekend, the right activation can catapult a brand from relative obscurity to cultural mainstay.

OpenAI launched advertising inside ChatGPT for Free and Go tier users, which is approximately 95% of their userbase. So, what does this mean for brands and the communications professionals advising them? 

The capabilities that drive effective public relations have not changed, but our understanding of their value has. Emotional intelligence. Cultural fluency. Anticipation. Reputation stewardship. Crisis navigation.

The question is no longer how to win back drinkers. It’s how to stay relevant to a generation that often opts out entirely.

For communications teams, awards season offers a timely reminder that recognition is rarely instant, reach does not always equal relevance and persistence is often the deciding factor. Here are three takeaways PR professionals can borrow from Hollywood. 

We’re uniting six integrated arms under one strategic vision, building on the agency's legacy and expanding beyond traditional PR and influencer marketing into a fully integrated media platform for the creator-driven, trust-based economy.

The consumer products industry is experiencing its most dramatic shift in product discovery since ecommerce. Understanding this shift starts with recognizing what consumers are doing with AI when they shop.

Travelers aren’t just booking trips online anymore; they are utilizing AI for almost every single aspect of the planning process. So, what does that mean for travel brands?

The conversations are not about what AI could do anymore; instead, they are about what it takes to make it work inside real organizations.

Creating a product is one thing. However, building a brand that people remember, trust and emotionally connect to is something entirely different.