Stephane Prud'homme

Founder and Chief Innovation Officer
Credibility Institute

Montreal

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“Start embracing innovation now because you already are too late.”

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Taking concepts like trust reputation to a whole new level, Stephane Prud’homme is making his play at “shaking up the PR industry” through the Credibility Institute, an organization devoted to securing companies’, well, credibility. Prud’homme, who held senior communications jobs in Canada and Asia before starting the institute in Canada in 2018, has built the organization around building and managing businesses’ “intangible assets” –  branding, image, trustworthiness, credibility and reputation among them. With the help of AI, Prud’homme also work with executives on future-facing asset planning, backed by research, measurement and evaluation. Prud’homme, who has taught at McGill University and Université de Montréal, also runs the Academy of Intangible Assets Management, a certification program for early career communicators interested in entering the new field. 

How do you define innovation?
Creativity + team collaboration + data science = innovation. Enhancement of effectiveness of campaigns and activities, and data-driven decision-making.

What is the most innovative PR or marketing initiative you've seen over the past 12 months?
Apps in generative AI for PR and comms professionals, with so much more to come. 

In your opinion, which brands and/or agencies are most innovative in their approach to PR and marketing?
Credibility Institute/AI+PRTM and I.C. International/Σvaluation361TM.

Describe a moment in your career that you would consider to be innovative.
At this very moment. Working on a management tool such as Σvaluation361TM, and other online & AI tools gives me the impression that I'm innovative, as I've never been before.

Who do you admire for his/her approach to innovation?
Simon Sinek for new ideas and different ways of making informed decisions. I also admire Yuval Noah Harari for his innovative way of explaining human life.

How do you get out of a creativity rut?
In discussing with colleagues, experts, and academics.

What advice would you give to the PR industry around embracing innovation?
Start embracing innovation now, because you are already late. Innovation will take PR and comms strategies to the executive table and will propose data-driven decision-making.

What would you be doing if you weren't doing your current job?
I would be an academic teaching and researching in innovation, ComTech and EdTech for the comms and PR sectors.

Which book/movie/TV show/podcast/playlist/other cultural source has provided inspiration over the past year?
Movies: Blackberry and The Playlist. Podcasts: CIPR Engage; Meet the leader WEF; Center for entrepreneurship and innovation Oxford U; Ethics in AI Oxford U; Beyond PR; PRovoke Media; Quantum Credibility.

How can the PR and communications industry harness innovation to make more progress on diversity, equity and inclusion?
Innovation and AI integration in tools will definitely contribute to developing strategies for a better and more comprehensive DEI, not only in the PR and comms industry, but across all personal and professional life.

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