Members of the Public Relations Global Network have once again shared their predictions for the public relations industry as we look ahead to 2025.

Gábor Jelinek reflects on the accuracy of last year's forecasts and discusses the evolving landscape of public relations, emphasizing the growing importance of integrated services, data-driven storytelling, and the impact of AI on communication strategies.

Gábor and Abbie explore regional differences in perspectives on sustainability and ESG initiatives, highlighting how cultural contexts shape industry trends.

They emphasize the value of trust and authenticity in this rapidly changing environment. PR professionals need to adapt to technological advancements while maintaining the human touch. "Staying nimble in an uncertain world will be an asset for PR firms."

Key Takeaways

• The importance of trustworthiness and authenticity in public relations cannot be overstated.
• AI will become a daily fixture in PR, influencing efficiency and operations significantly.
• Sustainability and ESG considerations will shape client expectations and PR strategies moving forward.
• Data-driven storytelling is essential as PR firms must adapt to evolving content demands.
• Staying nimble in an uncertain world will be crucial for PR firms to thrive.

About the Guest

Gábor Jelinek is the Executive Director of the Public Relations Global Network. Based in Budapest, Gábor has been involved with PRGN for over five years. Gábor worked as an editor for the Budapest Business Journal before transitioning into the agency business. He brings a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of the PR industry to his role as Executive Director of PRGN. In that capacity, Gábor is the center of action, supporting the work of the President and the Executive Committee to grow and develop the global communications network. Working closely with PRGN’s Business, Marketing and Membership committees, Gábor is the driver of global business development, self-marketing, and membership retention and recruitment.

More than 1,000 clients across six continents depend on the combined resources of the Public Relations Global Network to deliver targeted public relations campaigns in more than 80 markets around the world. With revenues of more than $100 million (U.S.), PRGN is among the world’s top five public relations networks. PRGN harnesses the resources of 40 independent public relations firms, 50 offices and more than 800 communications professionals to connect international companies and organizations with individual and culturally diverse markets globally.

About the Host

Abbie Fink is president of HMA Public Relations in Phoenix, Arizona and a founding member of PRGN. Her marketing communications background includes skills in media relations, digital communications, social media strategies, special event management, crisis communications, community relations, issues management, and marketing promotions for both the private and public sectors, including such industries as healthcare, financial services, professional services, government affairs and tribal affairs, as well as not-for-profit organizations.

PRGN Presents is brought to you by Public Relations Global Network, the world’s local public relations agency....

Read the English and Spanish transcripts of this episode on the podcast website.

In today’s media landscape, especially in Latin America, the way companies communicate has evolved. Traditional approaches, where a company’s brand takes center stage, are being joined by a new strategy: unbranded communication. This method enables organizations to share important messages and drive public opinion without a brand at the forefront.

In this first Spanish-language episode of PRGN Presents, Loreley Maldonado, founder of Eje Comunicación in Mexico, talks with journalist Valentina Giacaman, founder of RumboCierto Comunicaciones in Chile about unbranded communication.

At its core, unbranded communication is a strategic form of messaging that doesn’t overtly promote a specific brand. It’s commonly used in highly regulated industries like pharmaceuticals, energy, and food and beverages, where regulations prevent companies from directly advertising certain products or services. Instead, the focus shifts to promoting issues, policies, or public interest topics without overt commercial branding.

Unbranded communication isn’t new, but its impact is growing. It is powerful because it allows companies to bring topics to the forefront of public opinion without needing to place a brand behind them. It’s an approach that lets businesses connect with audiences on critical issues in a more neutral, informative way.

Key Takeaways

• Unbranded communication focuses on placing topics of interest in the public sphere without direct brand association.
• It is often used in regulated industries, such as pharmaceuticals, to advocate public health messages over direct product promotion.
• Media practices in Latin America have evolved, with decreased newsroom resources and changing marketing policies now requiring new forms of corporate communication.
• Unbranded communication should maintain high ethical standards, relying on factual information and expert collaboration to avoid misinformation.
• Unbranded communication requires thorough research and can take months to execute effectively; it is particularly aimed at long-term advocacy goals.

About the Guests

Valentina Giacaman is the founder of RumboCierto Comunicaciones in Santiago, Chile. RumboCierto is a communications firm with a strong local presence and significant global relationships, serving prestigious corporations, public institutions, foundations, and executives. Valentina holds a degree in Social Communication and Journalism as well as an MBA. Her career includes notable experience as a journalist at El Mercurio and as an executive in various companies. She is deeply passionate about entrepreneurship and innovation. Her current consultancy work focuses on reputation management, crisis communication, corporate positioning, and supporting the establishment of international companies in Chile. She also specializes in executive and corporate relations, as well as lobbying. Over the past 15 years, she has successfully advised more than 100 companies.

Loreley Maldonado is founder and CEO of Eje Comunicación in Mexico City. She has more than 25 years’ experience in the fields of strategic communications, public relations, public affairs and crisis management. Loreley has been...

Balancing personal life and work can be tough for business owners. In this episode, we explore how leaders can step back, let their teams step up, and find clarity along the way. Louise Oliver, president of Peritus PR, shares her story of how stepping away from her role led to unexpected growth for her team.

Louise opens up about the doubts she had before her recent maternity leave and how completely disconnecting from work for three months—no emails, no check-ins—was both scary and freeing. During that time, her team found new ways to work together, leaning on each other and building stronger connections.

"I realized I had been robbing them of an opportunity to forge their own bond and trust one another in the trenches," Louise says. She talks about the lessons she learned by letting go and how embracing her "irrelevance" as a leader helped her team thrive.

Louise shares some surprising benefits of stepping back and offers practical advice for other leaders ready to do the same.

Key Takeaways

• Business owners should embrace the challenge of disconnecting fully, trusting their teams to manage and grow in their absence.
• Taking a real leave, whether for personal reasons or a sabbatical, can be transformational for both the individual leader and the organization.
• Fully stepping away can reveal new strengths within a team and foster unexpected collaboration and efficiency.
• Leaders need to trust in their team’s capabilities and empower them to make decisions independently.
• Personal growth and organizational development often occur when leaders allow themselves to be "irrelevant" in day-to-day operations.

About the Guest

Louise Oliver is the president and founder of Peritus PR, one of Alabama's most respected communications firms, known for its innovative approach to public relations and advocacy. Louise has led Peritus PR to become a trusted partner for clients when the stakes are high. Her leadership is driven by a vision to build a firm that transcends traditional agency norms and outlives its founders, fostering a work culture that values purpose over burnout.

Louise's career journey is marked by several unique milestones, including lessons learned from running an Alabama-based company from Italy, culture-building in an industry notorious for burnout, and charting a new path as a young small-business owner dedicated to playing well in the sandbox. Her greatest passion is empowering her team to use their gifts to move Alabama forward. Outside of work, she is a proud mother of three under five—two boys and a baby girl—is married to a former U.S. Air Force dentist and resides in Mobile, Alabama.

About the Host

Abbie Fink is president of HMA Public Relations in Phoenix, Arizona and a founding member of PRGN. Her marketing communications background includes skills in media relations, digital communications, social media strategies, special event management, crisis communications, community relations, issues management, and marketing promotions for both the private and public sectors, including such industries as healthcare, financial services, professional services, government affairs and tribal affairs, as well as not-for-profit organizations.

PRGN Presents is brought to you by Public Relations Global Network, the world’s local public relations agency. Our executive producer is