PR 360

Tiffany Aguinaldo is an Account Director at Forge—a creative studio recently ranked the #4 fastest-growing private company in Orange County. Tiffany leads business development and PR at Forge and brings 15 years of experience with major brands like Hoag, Toyota, and The Irvine Company. She’s also the 2024 President of the Orange County PRSA. In this episode, she discusses the value of mentorship, Forge’s rapid rise, and her involvement with Disney Forward. Key Takeaways:- Mentorship is crucial for young professionals in PR- Understanding your audience is essential in PR today- Forge offers a unique experience for clients through personalized serviceEpisode Timeline:0:30 Introduction to Tiffany Aguinaldo2:15 Mentorship in public relations4:20 What are young people in PR most concerned about?7:00 Tod's advice for young people in communications8:45 Forge's incredible growth11:00 What separates Forge from other agencies?13:15 Forge's success stories15:30 The Disney Forward event18:25 Tiffany's reflections on her early career at GRC22:00 Tiffany's thought leadership philosophyThis episode’s guest:• Tiffany Aguinaldo on LinkedIn• Forge's websiteSubscribe and leave a 5-star review: https://pod.link/1496390646Contact Us!• Join the conversation by leaving a comment!• Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn!Thanks for listening!

Lana McGilvray is co-founder and CEO of Purpose Worldwide, a brand, communications, PR, and growth consultancy that specializes in helping clients drive their purpose and growth. In 2020, PR News recognized Lana as one of the Top Women in PR. Here, she discusses the importance of purpose in brand growth, the impact of AI on business, and the current state of DEI in PR. Key Takeaways:- Purpose is essential for brand growth and authenticity- Brands often struggle to define their purpose- The state of DEI in PR Episode Timeline:1:30  Why Lana was named "One of the Top Women in PR"2:30  Not all brands have a purpose3:45  How to help brands find their authentic purpose5:15  The problem with purpose-washing6:15  Matching purpose to growth 9:10  How AI fuels growth11:45 The importance of human intuition13:50 The current state of DEI in PR16:15 Rebranding DEI20:00 The importance of having a career with purpose  This episode’s guest: • Lana McGilvray on LinkedIn• Purpose North America• Council for Brand Purpose  Subscribe and leave a 5-star review: https://pod.link/1496390646Contact Us! •         Join the conversation by leaving a comment!•         Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn!Thanks for listening!

Chris Caggiano is the senior editor at Fareportal, a travel E-commerce brand, and Intelligent Relations, an AI-enabled PR software-as-service company. His writing has appeared in Inc., where he worked as a reporter, writer, and editor for 13 years, as well as in CMO, D&O Reporter, The American Lawyer, The Advocate, Business.com, among others. Here, he discusses how Preston, Intelligent Relations’ AI tool, aims to democratize PR for startups and explores the conflict between journalism and PR.Key Takeaways:- Developing a PR AI tool for startups- Finding the balance between clients and journalists- What makes good travel writing?Episode Timeline:1:15    Chris's work as a theater critic2:17     Chris sang at Carnegie Hall once4:40    What separates great travel writing from mediocre travel writing?7:30    Intelligent Relations was created with AI in mind9:15    The Preston AI11:00 A Preston use case13:30 How to insert your PR clients into journalism14:30 Clients get frustrated by their coverage16:30 The conflict between journalists and PR people18:30 How PR AI falls short 19:15 Advertising clients who don't know how to talk about their products22:00 PR is not advertising22:45 Thought leadership versus promotion26:10 It's about serving the reader26:40 Who is this for?This episode’s guest:• Intelligent Relations on LinkedIn• Intelligent Relations' website

Michelle Rupp is an EMMY and Edward R. Murrow Award-winning journalist and the Founder and CEO of Memorable Results Media, a boutique agency helping small and mid-sized businesses gain media coverage on local and regional TV. Here, she discusses the evolving landscape of local media, how to craft effective media pitches, and how businesses can prepare for a PR crisis.Key Takeaways:- The lasting power of local media- Keeping the audience top of mind- How to be prepared for a crisisEpisode Timeline:2:00 Has local media lost any power recently3:45 The importance of local journalists6:30 Connecting clients with local media outlets 8:45 Making clients newsworthy and timely11:30 Crafting powerful pitches12:30 Three components of a good story13:30 The importance of emotion16:45 How to prepare for a crisis20:30 Interacting with the media in a crisis22:00 Michelle's thought leadership philosophyThis episode’s guest:• Michelle Rupp on LinkedIn• Memorable Results Media on Instagram• Memorable Results MediaSubscribe and leave a 5-star review: https://pod.link/1496390646Contact Us!•            Join the conversation by leaving a comment!•            Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn!Thanks for listening!

Kourtney Jason is the president and co-founder of Pacific and Court, a Brooklyn-based book publicity and digital marketing agency, and the author of five nonfiction books, including "Lights, Camera, Booze: Drinking Games for Your Favorite Movies." Here, she discusses the current state of reading and publishing, the rise of audiobooks, and the importance of innovative PR strategies in reaching audiences. She also shares insights on crafting effective media pitches and the significance of timing in PR efforts. Key Takeaways:- Why traditional PR tactics are no longer sufficient in publishing- Why pitches fail- Book PR in the digital ageEpisode Timeline:2:45 What is the most popular drinking game from Kourtney's book?6:00 What is the current state of publishing in America?7:15     Audio books are becoming more popular8:00    Audio book recommendations9:00    Why traditional PR tactics aren't cutting it in 2025 10:45 What are some good Amazon alternatives?12:30 Why do most pitches fail?15:45 The benefit of pitching publishers individually17:00 Celebrities who tell the same stories repeatedly18:00 The importance of timeliness with pitches20:00 The increasing popularity of psychedelic books22:00 How to think like the mediaThis episode’s guest:• Kourtney Jason on LInkedIn• Pacific and Court's website• Pacific Court on Instagram

Lindsay Ferraro Bennett is a public relations executive at Pace PR with 20 years of longstanding relationships and results-driven work within the luxury, lifestyle, fitness, food/beverage, travel, health/wellness, and publishing industries. Here, she discusses the evolving landscape of affiliate marketing, the importance of authentic content, and the role of influencers in driving brand success. She also emphasizes the need for a diversified approach in affiliate strategies and shares insights on how Pace PR uniquely integrates PR with affiliate marketing to achieve effective results. Key Takeaways:- Why affiliate marketing is a growing sector for publishers- How Pace PR integrates PR with affiliate marketing effectively- The importance that thought leadership plays at Pace PREpisode Timeline:2:00    How Lindsay's background in magazines helps with affiliate strategies3:30    Strategies that are currently working in affiliate right now5:45    How to get niche sites on your radar7:45    Understanding your client's goals9:15    Not all affiliate publishers are created equal12:30 How does Pace choose influencers?14:30 The benefit of using micro-influencers16:00 Why is Pace so good at affiliate marketing?19:30 Lindsay's thought leadership philosophyThis episode’s guest:• Pace Public Relations• Pace PR on Instagram• Lindsay Ferraro Bennett on LinkedIn

Amanda Lee is the Vice President of Marketing, Analyst, and Public Relations at DDN, the world’s leading data intelligence platform. She has 20-plus years of experience in marketing communications across AI, data intelligence, and technology ecosystems. Here, she discusses the rapid advancements in AI technology, the importance of data infrastructure, and the challenges women face in the tech industry.  Key Takeaways:- How AI is revolutionizing supply chain, agriculture, and life sciences- Why data infrastructure is crucial for the success of AI models- The current state of women in tech Episode Timeline:1:30  Amanda's dogs3:15  How does Amanda keep up with all the changes in AI?4:30  Recent developments in AI that have impressed Amanda5:30  What's the hardest thing for marketers to explain to the public about AI?7:15  Is there enough data infrastructure to support AI growth?10:15 DDN's commitment to its customers12:14 AI's impact on various industries13:15 Autonomous cars17:00 Online safety issues caused by AI18:24 Challenges for women in technology This episode’s guest:• Amanda Lee on LinkedIn • DDN's website Subscribe and leave a 5-star review: https://pod.link/1496390646Contact Us!

Susan Peters, a former litigator turned PR expert, shares her unique journey from law to public relations. She discusses the benefits of PR for lawyers and offers insights into media training and interview preparation. The conversation also explores the impact of AI on the legal industry and PR, as well as effective social media strategies for lawyers. Key Takeaways:- How PR helps lawyers build their reputation and attract clients- The importance of media training- Susan's transition from a litigator to a PR expertEpisode Timeline:1:00     Susan's transition from litigator to PR Expert4:00    The benefits of PR for Lawyers5:30    How lawyers can raise their profiles through PR7:15    The dos and don'ts of media appearances10:40  The impact of AI on law and PR14:30  Why Google doesn't like AI writing16:40  The pain of radio disclaimers17:45  How are lawyers using social media to raise their profiles?20:20  Tod's favorite legal radio ad21:20  Susan's Role in Law Firm Media Professionals23:40  Susan's thought leadership philosophyThis episode’s guest:• Susan Peters on LinkedIn• Greybridgepr's website• Email: Susan@Greybridgepr.comSubscribe and leave a 5-star review: https://pod.link/1496390646Contact Us!•            Join the conversation by leaving a comment!•            Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn!Thanks for listening!