About the Author
SEC Newgate Global Team
Hosted in Chicago, the PRovoke Global Summit was an insightful opportunity to discuss, together with global leaders and major brand professionals, the issues and topics shaping today’s communications industry.
Here’s what was discussed.
The state of the PR industry
With trust in earned media decreased to just 28% – a stark contrast to the 80% levels of the 1970s – communicators face an existential credibility challenge. Moreover, due to widespread anger, deep polarization, and dual realities, organizations are under constant scrutiny. Adding to this complexity is the endless stream of information, increasingly shaped and amplified by AI, which accelerates both misinformation and reputational risk.
In this complex and volatile landscape, it is more important than ever for companies to strengthen relationships with all stakeholders. Building trust and credibility through consistent and transparent engagement ensures that when organizations communicate, their messages are clearly understood and perceived as authentic. That’s why clients and corporates are searching for advisory-driven agencies that can help them navigate uncertainty, build resilient brands and above all manage stakeholder relationships and expectations.
These agencies are no longer just storytellers; they are strategic partners, guiding organizations through political, social, and technological disruption while protecting trust and reputation.
The rise of corporate diplomacy
Policy, politics, and public affairs have become core arenas for corporate communication. Today’s CEOs often act as diplomats, spending time in Washington and Brussels to track political developments and navigate complex stakeholder ecosystems. This includes establishing solid and beneficial relationships with regulators, strengthening connections with relevant communities, and gaining a deeper understanding of employees’ expectations.
Going ‘glocal’
Blending global reach with local insight has never been more critical. On one hand, audiences increasingly trust local voices, institutions, and experiences, favoring brands that connect through authentic and locally rooted storytelling. On the other hand, core strategic themes – such as sustainability, innovation, and purpose – remain universal, shaping narratives that resonate across markets worldwide.
Agility is the new stability
To remain relevant, organizations must be agile and highly receptive, anticipating and adapting to cultural trends in real time. AI and advanced data tools play a pivotal role in this process, enabling predictive messaging and live sentiment tracking and enhancing companies’ ability to engage with audiences proactively.
Yet, as these technologies become integral to communication strategies, their influence extends beyond engagement, reshaping workflows and business models.
One point, however, was immediately clear: AI can accelerate productivity and enhance efficiency, but it will always require human touch to translate data into actionable insights. A perspective that deeply resonates with the findings of our report ‘PR2030: The Future of Global Communications’, which explores the forces driving change in the communications industry. Among these, AI – while it will make workflows more hybrid and transform content creation – will also demand human oversight to preserve trust, creativity and ethical standards.
Looking ahead
The conversations in Chicago highlighted how the communications industry is at a pivotal moment. Trust is fragile and fragmented, technology is accelerating change and stakeholder expectations are higher than ever. In this context, success will depend on agencies and brands that can act as strategic advisors and corporate diplomats while leveraging local insight for authentic storytelling and AI and data for agility and foresight.
After the Summit sessions, the event concluded with the PRovoke Media Global SABRE Awards ceremony, where SEC Newgate was named Global Agency of the Year 2025 – our second win as Best Global Agency in just three years.
Making the evening even more special, SEC Newgate CEE, together with TVN Warner Bros. Discovery received a PRovoke Media Global SABRE Award as best global projects of 2025 – an honor recognizing the top 1% of the most impactful campaigns of the year – for the ‘Saving Free Media in Poland’ initiative.