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The latest PR news from PRovoke Media, previously known as the Holmes Report.

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Opinion and commentary from PRovoke Media, previously known as the Holmes Report.

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Latest video interviews and campaigns from PRovoke Media, previously known as the Holmes Report.

Longreads

Premium Content

Long-form journalism that analyzes the issues, challenges and opportunities facing the business and practice of PR.

Analysis

Industry-leading analysis of the PR stories that matter.

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Explore PR profiles and interviews with leaders from the marketing and PR worlds.

Research & Trends

Keeping up with the latest thinking on PR industry expansion.

Focus

Burson

Coverage and analysis of BCW's merger with Hill & Knowlton to create Burson.

Davos

All of PRovoke Media's coverage and events from the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Cannes

Coverage of the Cannes Lions from PRovoke Media in association with ICCO.

Crisis Review

PR Crisis & Business Crisis review. PRovoke Media's annual analysis of the top reputation crises to rock the corporate sector. Read on here.

Coronavirus

PRovoke Media's coverage of the Covid-19 crisis, focusing on corporate communication, public affairs & PR industry fallout.

Trend Forecasts

PRovoke Media's PR Trends round up. PRovoke Media's annual forecast of PR trends and news that will impact the PR world in the year ahead...

Diversity & Inclusion

Diversity & inclusion trends, views and analysis from Provoke Media.

Creativity

Creative work, trends and views from the global public relations industry.

Social & Digital

Dedicated to exploring the new frontiers of PR as it dives deeper into social media, content and analytics.

Technology

Our coverage of key technology PR trends and challenges from around the world of digital communications.

Consumer

From brand marketing to conscious consumerism, coverage of key marketing and PR trends worldwide.

Employee Engagement

PRovoke Media's coverage, analysis and news around the rapidly-shifting area of employee engagement and internal communications.

Sports Marketing

Sports PR news, diversity & inclusion trends, views and analysis from PRovoke Media. Subscribe today for the very latest in the world of sports communications.

Rankings & Data

Global PR Agency Rankings

PRovoke Media's definitive global benchmark of global PR agency size and growth.

2024 Agency Research: Enter Now

Enter PRovoke Media's 2024 Global 250 Agency Ranking and/or our Agencies of the Year competitions now.

Agencies of the Year

PRovoke Media's annual selections for PR Agencies of the Year, across all of the world's major markets.

Influence 100

The 100 most influential CCOs & CMOs of leading brands around the world.

Innovator 25

PRovoke Media profiles marcomms innovators from across North America, EMEA and Asia-Pac.

Global Creative Index

The most creatively awarded PR campaigns and agencies in the world.

Creativity in PR

In-depth annual research into the PR industry's efforts to raise creative standards.

Asia-Pacific Communication Index

APACD/Ruder Finn annual study of Asia-Pacific in-house communications professionals.

Events & Awards

SABRE Awards

The world's biggest PR awards programme, dedicated to benchmarking the best PR work from across the globe.

PRovokeSummit Global

The biggest PR conference of the year, a high-level forum designed to address the critical issues that matter most.

PRovoke Media Regional Series

A global network of conferences that explore the innovation and disruption that is redefining public relations.

Agencies of the Year

Unrivalled insight into the world's best PR agencies, across specialist and geographic categories.

Roundtables

Our Roundtables bring together in-house comms leaders with PR firms to examine the future of communications.

Cannes Condensed

PRovoke Media elevates the PR industry at Cannes, in conjunction with ICCO.

PRovoke Media — Davos

PRovoke Media's coverage & events from the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Agency Playbook

The PR industry’s most comprehensive listing of firms from every region and specialty

All Jobs

Find the latest global PR and communications jobs from PRovoke Media. From internships to account executives or directors. See all our PR jobs here.

Rochelle L. Ford

Dean

Elon University School of Communications
Elon, NC

“At its best, news reporting provides a voice for marginalized communities, while also holding people in power accountable.”

Rochelle Ford has been challenging the industry, particularly around diversity and inclusion, since long before it was in vogue, creating opportunities for PR students — especially those from underrepresented communities — and leading hundreds of presentations on the topic over her 23-year academic career. Just last year, she edited the autobiography of the late African-American PR pioneer Ofield Dukes, who was also a mentor to Ford early in her career. This year, she was named dean of Elon University’s school of communications, joining from Syracuse University, where she was chair of the public relations department and a professor.

In what area(s) does the PR need to innovate the most?
Diversity, analytics and measurement, management

How would you describe the communications/PR industry's level of innovation compared to other marketing disciplines?
About the same as other marketing disciplines.

Where is the PR industry's greatest opportunity for taking the lead on innovation?
Analytics and measurement.

Who most influences how innovative a brand's engagement is?
CEO

How do you define innovation?
Being creative to solve problems strategically based on research/analytics insights.

What is the most innovative comms/marketing initiative you've seen in the last 12 months?
March for Our Lives

In your opinion, what brands and/or agencies are most innovative around PR and marketing?
Proctor Gamble - The Talk

Describe a moment in your career that you would consider 'innovative.'
Creating the Adopt-a-Team program at Howard University, where companies adopt teams of diverse students teaching them about their sector and the students become brand ambassadors while obtaining internships, mentors and other experiences with the brand leaders.

Who do you admire for his/her approach to innovation?
Jim Weiss, founder W2O

How do you get out of a creativity rut?
Read something out of the ordinary, look at art.

What advice would you give to the PR industry around embracing innovation?
Push the envelope. Learn about AI, VR, AR, esports.

What would you be doing if you weren't doing your current job?
Missionary or professor

Favorite book/movie/podcast/article that's not directly related to PR/marketing/business?
Most recent favorite is "The Hate You Give”.