One of PRWeek’s great strengths is providing content that helps PR professionals do their jobs better on a day-to-day basis.
Another is convening audiences in environments where they can spark off each other and enhance that learning process.
This year’s PRDecoded Conference on Wednesday and Thursday and Purpose Awards on Wednesday are the epitome of these two elements in action.
Here are a few reasons why that is a valuable use of time for any PR pro interested in advancing their expertise and, by extension, the organization they work for:
1. Invest in yourself and your company
Delegates get to step back and spend a valuable day and a half away from the daily grind focusing on the latest developments in their craft and learning from some of the best communicators and business leaders, 10 of which are listed below:
- Dan Amos, CEO of iconic Fortune 150 company Aflac
- Former senior adviser to Presidents Obama and Biden, Vice President Harris and House Speaker Pelosi, Ashley Etienne, now CBS News contributor and Weber Shandwick adviser
- Former PRWeek Communicator of the Year, March For Our Lives co-founder and Leaders We Deserve kingpin David Hogg
· GENYOUth CEO Ann Marie Krautheim
· Fernando Machado, former Unilever marketer and global CMO of Activision Blizzard, Burger King and, now, food tech unicorn startup NotCo
· Kris Holley, director of strategic sales and global marketing, Domino’s Pizza
· Former White House press secretary and now EVP of communications and advertising at United Airlines, Josh Earnest
· Former Ms. Wheelchair USA Madeleine Delp, now executive director of motivational nonprofit website Live Boundless
· Jon Harris, the super-energetic and charismatic chief communications and motivational officer at Conagra Brands
· McDonald’s VP of U.S. marketing, brand, content and culture, Jennifer Healan
2. Tackle big issues
In addition to the overall purpose theme, PRDecoded will also tackle hot topics including AI, sustainable fashion, DE&I, Gen Z, disability, addressing the 63 million-strong Hispanic audience in the U.S. and the hidden history of diverse PR pioneers.
3. The future of the corporate comms function
Several sessions will dig into the evolution of the in-house communications function, which is fundamental to the future of PR and drives a lot of the work and agency services that flow down from it. As well as the PR pros mentioned above, delegates will hear from senior comms representatives at high-profile and iconic brands including Panera Bread, Patagonia, NBCU Telemundo, Land O'Lakes, Southwest Airlines, Levi Strauss, Abbvie, Danone, City of Hope, Papa Johns, Kroger Co., Domino's Pizza, Nike, Mars Food North America, Bristol Myers Squibb, Christopher Reeve Foundation, Boston Consulting Group and Allbirds. These insights from people at the top of their game are priceless for any ambitious comms pro.
4. Purpose awards
The Purpose Awards have established themselves as the premier program for honoring work that really matters and delivers on brands’ commitments to serving all their stakeholders, not just shareholders. This year’s batch of fantastic case studies, teams and individuals represent the examples others can aspire to emulate and are a terrific source of inspiration. Take advantage of a special discount for having read this far and come and celebrate with the winners on the Wednesday evening of the conference.
5. Network for success
Any experienced PR pro will tell you that networking is key to business and personal success in the communications industry. Our super-engaging networker in chief, Conagra’s Jon Harris, will kick off the conference after our keynote from Aflac CEO Dan Amos with an interactive session designed to help everyone get to know each other for the rest of the conference and tease out the big topics we’ll concentrate on over the next day and a half. Jon is a master motivator and terrific communicator and he will set us all up for an enlightening, informative and enjoyable couple of days in Chi-Town.
I can’t wait to see you all there – if you’re still to book a ticket, take advantage of a special discount on me by clicking here.