Oue 10th annual Innovator 25 class in the Americas features some of PR’s most forward-looking thinkers, individuals taking the lead, and the risk, in advancing the industry through ingenuity at a time when the winds of change of demand it.

The mix of our 2022 class shows that innovation is found across the PR — our innovators are experts in data science, advocacy, diplomacy, agency leadership and corporate comms as much as creative specialties. After two-plus years of pandemic living, these innovators are keen to take PR into the future by expanding, reshaping and sharpening the industry. 

You can read all of the Innovator 25 Profiles, and explore their inspiration, advice and career learnings, using the navigation menu on this page. We have also collected insights and trends among this year's Innovators in the infographics below, including the organizations they come from, the brands and people they admire, their collective take on the PR industry's strengths and weaknesses when it comes to innovation, and their own personal habits and tips. 

This year, we polled our innovators on the year’s most pertinent issues, including workplace topics like DEI and company culture that are top-of-mind among leaders as well as employees. You can read their responses below. 

Some 56% of our innovators work at agencies while 44% have in-house roles. Most of them, 64%, have been in their current role for up to three years, versus four to eight years (18%), eight to 12 years (5%), 12-20 years (9%), and 20-plus (5%). 

They live in New York, Washington, São Paolo, New Jersey, Miami, Venezuela, Oakland, Austin, Salt Lake City, Atlanta, Los Altos, Chicago, San Francisco and Mexico City. 

Every member of this year’s class said they think the pandemic made the industry more innovative. Some 39% see PR’s level of innovation as equal to other marketing disciplines, whereas 35% see it as more innovative and 22% less.  

They rank the industry’s greatest opportunities to take the lead in innovation as data analytics and measurement (30%), integrated marketing (30%) and DEI (20%).