PR Delivered

One of the best parts about teaching is the opportunity to work with young people on building their skills and preparing them for the workplace. So, when I had the chance to do a teaching exchange through the EU’s Erasmus program with a PR school in Croatia – I jumped at the chance. When I was at the Edward Bernays University College, I met with a number of students  – and hoped a student would be interested in joining me on PR Delivered. Filip Marinović stepped up to the plate. Filip is the president of Bernays' student council and recently completed his final year of the Communications program. 

Thank you to Ryan Garbett for music and Rebecca Photopoulos for production. 

As a Croatian-Canadian, I’m always eager to visit the country of my birth. And when an opportunity emerged to do a teaching exchange through the EU’s Erasmus program with a PR school in Croatia – I jumped at the chance.

I travelled to the Edward Bernays University College in Zagreb, Croatia in May, where I delivered a series of guest lectures on a variety of PR topics. I enjoyed meeting the students and the faculty – and wanted to learn more about teaching and practicing PR in Croatia. Dr. Dejan Gluvacevic, the head of communication studies at Bernays, agreed to join me on PR Delivered. Have a listen. 

Stay tuned for PR in Croatia (Part 2) where I interview a PR student at the Edward Bernays University College. 

Thank you to Ryan Garbett for music and Sabrina Hempel for production of PR Delivered's Episode 31. 

In the early days of the pandemic, Ottawa Public Health's Twitter account was gaining buzz for the way the social media team was managing the account. It was fun, timely, informative and, most of all, engaging. So engaging, in fact, that the Ottawa Public Health Twitter account even caught the attention of Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds. The social media effort was inspiring and I was intrigued to learn more about their strategy, so I reached out to Kevin Parent, Ottawa Public Health's program and project management officer. On this episode of PR Delivered, Kevin shares his social media insights, his social media wins and his secret weapon - research. Have a listen to Kevin's stories about the power of social media. 

Building relationships - mino nawendiwin - is the mandate for Humber's department of Indigenous Education and Engagement. One of my fourth-year BPR students, Michael Jenkins, has taken on the role of Indigenous peer mentor with the department of IE&E - building relationships with Indigenous Humber students - helping them transition to college life and to build a strong Indigenous student network.

In this podcast, I wanted to speak to Michael not only about his PR education and experiences, but also about his role as an Indigenous learner and peer mentor building relationships with Humber's Indigenous students - and what he learned about his own Indigenous identity. 

Cole Douglas's PR journey is an often-used example of a BPR success story. A member of the inaugural cohort of Humber College's bachelor of PR, Cole was a keen and energetic student who was clearly listening in social media class. Before you could say TikTok - Cole started his own blog, established a consistent presence on Twitter and began networking with industry professionals. Cole was a CPRS student rep, a scholarship winner and secured a full-time PR job months before graduating. 

The podcast probes Cole's strategic approach to PR immersion - tracking his progress across PR agencies and his involvement in award-winning campaigns. Since recording this episode, Cole has changed positions and is now senior account manager at Narrative PR. 

During the pandemic, the #BlackLivesMatter movement impacted the PR industry by raising awareness of the lack of diversity and ushering in a renewed commitment among practitioners to tell a wider range of stories. Given the prominent role of influencers to tell those stories, it has become vitally important to choose influencers with strong followings among under-represented groups. Kensington Grey is an influencer agency that does just that. One of Kensington Grey’s recent hires is Jackie Abrowka – a Humber College bachelor of PR graduate – who is now a Talent Manager.

Jackie offered to share her insights on the importance of diversity in influencer relations; the role of a talent agency in developing influencer partnerships; and, securing a job during a pandemic.

Teaching social media to students across three programs - public relations, digital communications and journalism – means that I have to consider the role social media will play in their future careers. While PR and Digi Comm students may become social media content creators working for agencies and organizations – journalism students will create content for a different purpose – their content will be more personal – afterall it will be their own reputations at stake.

In this podcast, we explore the role of social media in the work of a journalist. As both a Humber prof and a reporter, Matt Elliott is uniquely positioned to share the inside scoop on how budding journalists should leverage social media – how to create content, navigate the challenges and ensure that what is posted is trustworthy.

Matt is a freelance city columnist for the Toronto Star, writes for CBC Toronto and launched an independent City Hall newsletter called City Hall Watcher. Matt also teaches journalism at Humber College.

In this podcast, I wanted to focus on how Martin Waxman identifies trends, keeps on top of trends and why he's decided to delve deeply into artificial intelligence (AI). I also wanted to get his take on what PR students and young practitioners needed to know and do to not only stay on top of AI-related issues, but to stay relevant in our ever-changing industry.

Martin is a digital communications strategist who has shared his insights on AI in PR on a number of industry podcasts including Inside PR, at industry conferences for CPRS and PRSA, and in a TEDx Talk for Trinity Bellwoods. 

Martin is the president of a PR consultancy, teaches social media at a number of institutions, developed a LinkedIn Learning series and newsletter, leads social media workshops, conducts AI research and sits on the #AIinPR panel. 

When Billy was a student in Humber College's BPR program - he was interested in the automotive industry - and it was his passion that drove him to his first job at Edelman Canada. When asked if you need a passion for an industry to succeed, Billy shared this advice  - "What you need in order to be successful is you need to be passionate about learning and not hesitate to put your hand up and ask for what you want." While still passionate about cars, Billy has now embraced all that agency life has to offer - and he's sharing his thoughts with you. Listen to Episode 24 of PR Delivered to learn more about how agency work can steer your career.   

Interac recently placed 8th on Leger Marketing's list of top Canadian companies in their 2021 Reputation Study and 4th overall on Gustavson's 2021 Brand Trust Index. Lauren Mostowyk is Interac's Director of Corporate Communications and on the team that helps keep Interac a trusted Canadian brand. In addition to speaking about corporate brand trust, Lauren talks to us about how her reputation and networking led her on a successful PR journey in corporate communication. Listen to Episode 23 where Lauren shares her insights and advice for PR students and new practitioners. 

Stella Lee and Brittany Wilson met on their first day of Humber’s PR certificate program over 10 years ago, interned with the same organization – a trampoline company - and continue to speak with each other on an almost daily basis. The other thing they have in common is that they both moved from PR to marketing roles. Stella is currently the marketing manager at AMD, a gaming and tech company and Brittany is at Tangerine, a financial services company, where she is currently the senior manager of brand management. 

Find out more about what motivated them to transition from PR to marketing roles - the challenges they faced as well as the opportunities they now enjoy. For any of you that have contemplated taking a role outside of your PR training - rest assured - you can definitely do it!

Did you know that as of January of this year, all websites must be accessible for persons with disabilities? This means that you need to be mindful of how you use fonts, images and emojis to ensure that people with visual or hearing impairments can access your content. In this episode of PR Delivered, Matisse Hamel-Nelis shares what it means to ensure accessibility in communications and how you can prepare yourself to be a leader in this space. In addition to her certifications in accessible communication, Matisse is currently the project manager, inclusive workspaces at the Canadian National Institute of the Blind and is a PR graduate from Durham College. According to Matisse, organizations are looking for communicators that can do PR and ensure that the work is fully accessible. Could this be you?

Is the press release dead? Not according to Daniel Torchia, executive director of Torchia Communications in Toronto. Danny suggests that the need for real-time, relevant and transparent content from our corporate neighbours, including organizations across sectors, makes the press release more important today than ever. Listen to PR Delivered Episode 20 – to hear about the press release as the anchor of a successful PESO strategy; the importance of CP Style; and the need for today’s PR practitioners to maintain a journalistic mindset in their writing. 

Diversity, equity and inclusion or D, E & I, has emerged as one of the most important PR industry themes for 2021. While the industry seems to agree that diversity, inclusion, equity and accessibility issues be spotlighted, we need to understand how the industry plans to address these issues ongoing.

We spoke to Russell Baker - IABC/Toronto Chapter President and spokesperson at Toronto Hydro - to learn about IABC's D, E & I initiatives, which includes a benchmark survey completed in conjunction with IABC chapters across Canada, as well as CPRS Toronto, the Canadian Council of PR firms and Leger Marketing. 

While awaiting the results of the survey, Russell shared that "communication leaders and non-leaders really should be educating themselves about what are some of the realities facing PR professionals in the industry. And that takes reading up and having conversations with peers and colleagues and really just being open to learning." 

Check out PR Delivered Episode 19 to learn more about IABC's efforts at promoting D, E & I in PR. 

The promise of an internship is often a college program's most coveted feature - and paid internships are the holy grail. Yet, many students are placed in internships that are unpaid or are offered honorariums at less than minimum wage. Last September, Bruce MacLellan, CEO at Proof Strategies and Ethan Teclu, BPR student and Proof's (paid) intern, wrote an opinion piece published in the Globe and Mail entitled: Let's pay student interns a fair wage. PR Delivered Episode 18 is a panel discussion with Bruce, Ethan and Humber College's Senior Dean of the Faculty of Media and Creative Arts, Guillermo Acosta - discussing the role of paid internships in college programs; the importance of a fair wage to students; and, the belief that paying interns will lead to a more diverse profession.  

Establishing trust is a cornerstone of public relations. Jordan Berman, author of The Trust Trifecta - A leader's guide to hitting the trust jackpot - shares his thoughts on building trust through consistent, transparent and authentic communication. Currently VP, Global Corporate Affairs, Business Transformation and Strategic Planning at Apotex, a Canadian-based, global pharmaceutical company and one-time graduate of Humber’s PR program, Jordan has a message for young PR practitioners - “every time you have to speak you are auditioning for leadership.” Hear more of Jordan's insights in Episode 17 of PR Delivered.

Developing a social media presence can seem daunting when you feel you have nothing to say. Afterall, that's the main reason most young people hold off taking a more professional approach to their social media platforms. Sure, you use social media for personal use, but developing a professional presence seems harder. 

Michelle Nguyen knows how you feel. When she started the bachelor of PR program almost four years ago, she admits to knowing something about social media, but in the past few years she's strengthened her social media skills considerably. Today, together with a couple of colleagues, she runs her own creative studio called Super Duper - helping clients with their social media challenges.

Michelle shares her advice on how to build a strong social media presence for the workplace. Take a listen to Episode 16 of PR Delivered. 

A lot of things have changed during the pandemic - including adapting to WFH (working from home). As a result, media relations has had to change - given the media are also WFH. We spoke to Samiha Fariha, account executive at Torchia Communications, who shared her thoughts on the new media relations realities and challenges, and offered pitching tips to gain media attention in a pandemic-focused time. 

PR Delivered connects students and new grads with industry professionals that have interesting stories to tell. Most interviews conclude by asking guests if they have any final thoughts to share with you, the listeners. Guests in the first thirteen episodes of the podcast have included current students, recent grads, experienced practitioners and senior execs who have shared their advice and tips, giving you a possible edge when embarking on your own PR journey.

The first podcast of the year is a compilation of insights to inspire your PR studies and practice in 2021. 

One of the most satisfying parts of teaching is the chance to connect with former students and see where they landed years after graduating. This episode of PR Delivered spotlights Humber College PR certificate grad Parm Chohan. 

Parm has pursued many paths: a master's degree; communications work; entrepreneurship; and, speaking on leadership and diversity and inclusion. 

With an impressive number of LinkedIn recommendations, former colleagues and professors consistently refer to Parm's confidence, professionalism and passion for his work. They also mention his sense of humour and "Parm charm". 

Meet Parm Chohan on Episode #13 of PR Delivered. 

You can reach Parm Chohan:

Facebook - @conquer leadership

LinkedIn - @parmchohan

Gaining confidence to publicly share expertise takes time and often comes from years of work experience. But that confidence can also come from higher learning. Leandra Greenfield knows something about that. A recent McMaster University master's grad in communications and new media, Leandra has developed expertise of her own, completing her thesis on corporate apologies.  Having completed her undergrad degree in PR at Humber College, Leandra shared her thoughts on the transition from college to university, her decision to take an academic path, and her thoughts on corporate apologies. 

Over 80% of employees are concerned they could lose their jobs because they lack skills and training, according to a recent Edelman Trust Barometer report.  "Keep filling your backpack, " says Leigh LePage, communications supervisor at the Children's Aid Society and Humber PR graduate. Leigh urges students to fill their backpacks with as many PR skills as possible to ride out these tumultuous times, and beyond. The advice is founded on a lattice concept, where skills are developed thoroughly in the job you have, rather than always aiming for a higher rung on the corporate ladder. The approach can not only build self-confidence, but improve employability. Listen to how Leigh has filled her backpack over the past decade. 

Frank Furtado's fifteen-year-old self would probably have said he'd be a YouTuber. But then he pursued other interests including radio and television arts and public relations. Fast forward to today, and Middle 8, Frank's YouTube channel, has close to 400K subscribers, definitely fulfilling his teenage ambition. Frank started Middle 8 when he had some unexpected time on his hands back at the end of 2017. By the time he graduated from Humber College's bachelor of public relations program, Middle 8 was his full-time job. When asked what it takes to be an independent content creator, Frank shares: "Don't be afraid. The hardest part for me was just starting." Listen to Frank's Middle 8 journey, the role PR has played in his success, and his advice for future YouTubers. And be sure to check out Middle 8 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/middle8

At a time when corporations are challenged with developing a new normal for their work culture, which likely includes working from home, Lululemon stands out for having already established fluidity between work and life. Meet Amie Zimon, Manager of Global Store Ambassador Program at Lululemon in Vancouver and co-founder of #100sweatysweats, who shares her experience of working at Lululemon's head office in Vancouver, B.C. for the past five years. A graduate of the University of Guelph-Humber, Amie's PR training equipped her for her communications role at the athletic-wear company, and for much more. Hear Amie's story on PR Delivered. 

Meet Lindsay Nahmiache - CEO and co-founder of Jive PR & Digital, who describes herself as an accidental entrepreneur. While her journey to owning her own business may not have been planned, it doesn't diminish her success. Lindsay shares insights about the entrepreneurial mindset - encouraging young people to get out there and take risks - because they can. Whether you see an entrepreneurial future for yourself, or shy away from the potential risks, Lindsay's belief in the entrepreneurial mindset will inspire PR students to seasoned professionals.  Lindsay has been recognized as one of Vancouver's Top 40 Under 40, appeared on the Financial Post's 100 Most Powerful Women, and is a UN Ambassador of Women's Entrepreneurship. 

Winning an industry award is a prestigious accomplishment, so winning as a student is particularly impressive. This episode we speak to Centennial College public relations grad Mubashira Farooqi. Mubashira, together with her team, won the 2020 CPRS ACE Award for student campaign of the year for their work on #FacetoFaceFeb on behalf of the GenWell Project. Mubashira shares her team's process, through conception to execution, and what led them to eventually win the ACE Award. We also hear from Anne Marie Males, chair of the CPRS ACE Awards committee and program co-ordinator for Humber College's bachelor of PR program. Anne Marie talks about the award submission process, expectations of a winning submission and provides tips for next year's applicants. Join us to hear more about what it takes to win a CPRS ACE award. 

Arefeh Ghane, a fourth-year Humber College bachelor of PR student, addresses the #BLM movement in the context of the PR industry.  

Arefeh provides actionable advice to PR practitioners on how to advance anti-racist sentiment and to add diversity to the PR workplace. Arefeh is currently an intern at Edelman Canada. 

So, you want to be an influencer? Spoiler alert - it's harder than you think. Understanding the value of influencers, finding suitable influencers, and key advice for becoming an effective influencer - Paradigm PR VP Falan Nyarko takes us through the business of influencer relations. Falan shares details of Paradigm's Under Armour influencer campaign and addresses how to ensure authenticity. 

Whether you're finding a PR internship, applying for your first job or are considering a career change, Bianca Boyd offers refreshingly honest advice on the PR agency or client-side dilemma. An industry expert who is now COO at the largest global PR firm, Edelman Canada, Bianca has also been client-side at Walmart. Bianca shares both the pros and the cons of working at agency and corporate positions, providing realistic and relevant insights. Bianca's guidance may help listeners make their own best choice between agency and client-side PR work. 

Are you chasing your dream PR job? Jayne Barrett chased, and caught, her dream job in communications with the NHL - and she's eager to share her journey. Jayne stresses the importance of advocating for yourself and maintaining your authenticity in your networking efforts. Hear more advice about the PR job search by listening to Jayne's interview. Who knows? Her advice might get you on the path to your dream job.