Season 7, Episode 1 — "Relevance Report 2025: Sports"

As the 2025 Relevance Report launches, this debut episode brings together three leading voices in communication to reflect on how sports mirror the industry’s biggest transformations — from AI and media disruption to purpose-driven storytelling.

Guests:

• Jennifer Stephens-Acree — Founder & CEO, JSA Partners
• Kirk Stewart — USC Professor, Former Nike VP of Global Communications
• Maryanne Lataif — SVP, Corporate Communications, AEG
  Host: Fred Cook, Director, USC Center for Public Relations

• The Rise of Women’s Sports — 0:02
• Brand Sponsorship and Cultural Momentum — 3:00
• The “Bro Culture” and Camaraderie in Women’s Leagues — 5:00
• College Athletics and NIL Impact — 8:30
• The Transfer Portal and Fan Loyalty — 10:30
• Technology and the Fan Experience — 17:20
• Immersive Storytelling in Live Events — 19:30
• Celebrity Athletes and Media Power — 22:20
• The Future of PR in Sports — 25:40
• Sports as the Great Unifier — 29:10

1. Women’s Sports Are Leading a Cultural Shift
Jennifer Stephens-Acree spotlights the boom in women’s sports as both a cultural and commercial movement, where authenticity, storytelling, and activism have become the foundation for fan connection and brand relevance.

2. College Athletics Is at a Crossroads
Kirk Stewart critiques the financial and ethical complexities of college athletics, from billion-dollar NIL deals to constant roster turnover. His forecast: a new model resembling the NFL, with athletes eventually recognized as employees.

3. Technology Is Reimagining the Fan Experience
Maryanne Lataif reveals how AEG is revolutionizing live events with personalization tools, spatial audio, and real-time audience data, turning spectators into participants and deepening emotional connections to teams and artists.

4. PR’s Expanding Role in Sports
The panel agrees that communicators are now central to shaping sports narratives — from athlete storytelling to immersive digital fan engagement — as PR bridges data, creativity, and cultural relevance.

5. Sports as a Unifying Force
In an era of division, the guests identify sports as one of the last remaining shared spaces that bring people together, a reminder of PR’s power to connect communities through emotion and experience.

A production of the USC Annenberg Center for Public Relations at the University of Southern California.

Host: Fred Cook
Executive Producer: Ron Antonette

Season 7 Producers: Joe Carreon and Anvi Mahajan
Production: Camille Culbertson, Jack Gisler, Toma Battino
Editorial: Joey Cha, Ivan Feng, Natalie Lopez, Grace An, Emmy Snyder
Social Content: Angelina Tran, Hailey Evans
Growth: Van Luu, Shaan Dhaliwal

Follow the USC Center for PR (@usccenterforpr) on Instagram and LinkedIn.
Follow Fred Cook on LinkedIn.
Find all our reports at annenberg.usc.edu/cpr.

Download the 2025 Relevance Report at

annenberg.usc.edu/relevance

This episode is a replay of special podcast hosted by PRWeek about the 2025 USC Relevance Report.

This special PRWeek podcast, "AI Activated," brought together three PR industry leaders and PRWeek Hall of Famers to discuss AI's impact on public relations. Hosted by Steve Barrett, Editorial Director of PR Week, the conversation featured:

• Frank X. Shaw, Chief Communications Officer at Microsoft
• Melissa Waggener Zorkin, Global CEO of We. Communications
• Fred Cook, Director of USC Center for Public Relations and Chairman Emeritus at Golin

The discussion centered on research from Microsoft, We. and USC about AI's transformative effects on PR practices.

• AI's Impact on PR and the Role of Humanity 0:02
• Balancing AI and Humanity in Storytelling 2:31
• Fostering an AI-Ready Culture 5:49
• Challenges and Opportunities in AI Adoption 12:48
• AI in Media Relations and Measurement 16:21
• Preparing the Next Generation of PR Pros 22:17
• The Future of AI in PR 27:34

Key insights include:

AI as a Tool, Not a Replacement

The panel emphasizes that AI should enhance human storytelling and relationships rather than replace them. Frank Shaw compared current AI adoption to the early days of personal computers, suggesting we're just beginning to understand its potential.

Creating an AI-Ready Culture

Melissa Waggener Zorkin highlights the importance of employer encouragement in AI adoption, noting that organizations should empower employees to experiment with AI tools and celebrate early adopters who can share knowledge across teams.

Education and Skill Development

Fred Cook shares his experience incorporating AI into USC student projects, revealing how prompt engineering skills significantly impact results. He notes that students who crafted detailed prompts received better AI outputs than those using basic instructions.

Practical Applications

The conversation covers AI applications in content creation, data analysis, media relations, and measurement. Frank Shaw discusses using AI for strategic planning and information capture, while Melissa emphasizes AI's democratizing effect, allowing professionals at all levels to contribute innovative approaches.

Future Outlook

The panel agrees that AI will make PR more exciting for young professionals by automating routine tasks and allowing them to focus on more strategic and creative work. The podcast referenced two reports for further reading: "Energized by AI" and "The Relevance Report."

The USC Relevance Report of 40+ forward-looking essays about the current and future use of AI in public relations is available for free download at annenberg.usc.edu/relevance.

A production of the USC Annenberg Center for Public Relations at the University of Southern California.
Host, Fred Cook
Executive Producer, Ron Antonette
Season 6 Producers, Javiera Contreras, Anahita Mehra, Joe Carreon, Marshall Winfield
Created by ZaZu Lippert

LINKS
Follow the USC Center for PR (@usccenterforpr) on Instagram and LinkedIn.
Follow Fred Cook on LinkedIn.
Find all our reports at annenberg.usc.edu/cpr.

Based on a survey of over 1,000 PR professionals, the 2025 Global Communication Report from the USC Center for Public Relations –in conjunction with Zeno Group and IABC – reviews how AI, hybrid work, generational shifts, influencer culture, and polarization are reshaping public relations.

To download the report, go to this link

To find information about the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC), go to this link

Public relations is entering a new era—driven by technology, authenticity, and the influence of a younger, more optimistic generation.

AI in PR: Embraced as a powerful tool, not a replacement for human creativity

Hybrid Work: Redefining mentorship, collaboration, and team culture

Shifting Trust: Younger audiences rely more on influencers than traditional media

Skills for the Future: Media literacy and AI training are now essential

Polarization: A rising challenge that demands thoughtful communication

Gen Z’s Impact: Advocating for purpose-driven, inclusive, and authentic PR

A production of the USC Annenberg Center for Public Relations at the University of Southern California.
Host, Fred Cook
Executive Producer, Ron Antonette
Season 6 Producers, Javiera Contreras, Anahita Mehra, Joe Carreon, Marshall Winfield
Created by ZaZu Lippert

LINKS
Follow the USC Center for PR (@usccenterforpr) on Instagram and LinkedIn.
Follow Fred Cook on LinkedIn.
Find all our reports at annenberg.usc.edu/cpr.

Eli Williams of Day One Agency joins the conversation to unpack findings from the agency’s latest report, Gen Z: Life, Actually. The study challenges common assumptions about Gen Z and reveals a generation that’s more multifaceted—and in some ways, more traditional—than many marketers assume.

Through the lens of public relations and cultural insight, this episode explores how Gen Z is reshaping expectations around work, money, identity, and influence. Williams outlines three distinct cohorts within the generation and explains how their diverse values are already influencing the future of brand communication.

Moderated by Fred Cook, the conversation addresses key questions, including:

In what ways is Gen Z more similar to their parents than expected?

How do their views on stability, risk, and tradition split across subgroups?

Why does financial anxiety shape so many of their decisions?

What should communicators understand about Gen Z’s internal diversity?

How can media literacy become a strategic asset in engaging Gen Z?

Key Discussion Highlights
The report identifies three mindsets within Gen Z:

Neo-Traditionalists value stability and lean toward conservative ideals

Fluid Pragmatists take a cautious, balanced approach to major life decisions

Internet Age Explorers reject conventional paths in favor of experimentation and experience

Money as a Central Concern
Across all groups, financial uncertainty plays a central role in shaping priorities, spending, and life planning.

A New Life Timeline
Unlike previous generations, Gen Z is not in a hurry to pursue traditional milestones like marriage, homeownership, or long-term careers. Their timelines are fluid, self-defined, and experience-driven.

The Implications for PR
Gen Z’s complexity demands a more nuanced, culturally aware approach to communication. Understanding their values—and the differences within the generation—is key to long-term engagement.

Media Literacy as a Core Competency
Growing up in the digital age, Gen Z is becoming increasingly adept at filtering content and questioning sources. Communicators must recognize that this generation does not take information at face value.

Time markers
00:00 — Understanding Gen Z: A New Perspective
06:41 — The Three Cohorts of Gen Z
12:09 — Fluid Pragmatists: The Middle Path
17:37 — Internet Age Explorers: The Experimental Group
25:18 — Navigating the Future of PR with Gen Z
31:21 — Media Literacy and the Information Diet of Gen Z

Find the report here:
Gen Z: Life, Actually – Day One Agency
https://d1a.com/perspective/genz-life-actually

A production of the USC Annenberg Center for Public Relations at the University of Southern California.

Burghardt Tenderich, Professor of Professional Practice at USC, speaks to Chantelle Darby, VP of Communications for the global Venture Capital firm, Accel. Chantelle started her career on the agency side before leading Yelp through an IPO and working with Sheryl Sandberg on Lean In. Chantelle covers these roles and offers crucial advice for students and young professionals starting out in the industry.

Featuring: Chantelle Darby, VP Communications, Accel

Host: Fred Cook (@fredcook), Chairman Emeritus of Golin. Author of “Improvise - Unorthodox Career Advice from an Unlikely CEO” and Director of the USC Center for Public Relations

Executive Producer: Ron Antonette

Producers: Marshall Winfield,

Follow us: @USCCenterforPR (X, Facebook and Instagram) Newsletter: News from the USC Center for Public Relations Visit our website: https://annenberg.usc.edu/research/center-public-relations A production of the USC Annenberg Center for Public Relations at the University of Southern California.

A production of the USC Annenberg Center for Public Relations at the University of Southern California.

A production of the USC Annenberg Center for Public Relations at the University of Southern California.
Host, Fred Cook
Executive Producer, Ron Antonette
Season 6 Producers, Javiera Contreras, Anahita Mehra, Joe Carreon, Marshall Winfield
Created by ZaZu Lippert

LINKS
Follow the USC Center for PR (@usccenterforpr) on Instagram and LinkedIn.
Follow Fred Cook on LinkedIn.
Find all our reports at annenberg.usc.edu/cpr.

Faryar Borhani, Sona-Iliffe Moon, Jeff Beringer, Christina Bellantoni, and Michael Kittilson join Fred Cook to discuss the USC Annenberg Center for Public Relations' latest Relevance Report: AI Activated. The conversation covers governance, training and up-skilling, augmentation and more as we delve into how global institutions are handling the increased presence of AI, embracing change, and utilising the tools available.

Featuring:

Faryar Borhani: Faryar is the Chief Communications Officer at Encore Capital Group and has been a USC Annenberg Center for Public Relations Board Member since June 2024.

Sona Iliffe-Moon: Sona is currently the Chief Communications Officer at Yahoo. Prior to this, Sona was at Facebook and Lyft among other companies. Sona is also a USC alum having completed an MA in Strategic Public Relations at USC Annenberg.

Jeff Beringer: Jeff has been with Golin for over two decades and currently serves as their first Chief AI Officer. Jeff previously led marketing and transformation teams at IPG and web relations at Weber Shandwick.

Christina Bellantoni: Currently director of the Media Center at USC Annenberg, Christina was previously the Assistant Managing Editor of the LA Times and Editor-in-Chief at Roll Call.

Michael Kittilson: Michael is a USC Graduate student in Annenberg's PRA program. He leads multiple collaboration efforts with the PR Center's partners and is a Senior Research Associate at USC Annenberg Center for Climate Journalism and Communication.

Host: Fred Cook (@fredcook), Chairman Emeritus of Golin. Author of “Improvise - Unorthodox Career Advice from an Unlikely CEO” and Director of the USC Center for Public Relations

Reports: USC 2025 Relevance Report

Executive Producer: Ron Antonette

Producers: Marshall Winfield, Joseph Carreon, Anahita Mehra, Javiera Contreras

Follow us: @USCCenterforPR (X, Facebook and Instagram) Newsletter: News from the USC Center for Public Relations Visit our website: https://annenberg.usc.edu/research/center-public-relations A production of the USC Annenberg Center for Public Relations at the University of Southern California.

A production of the USC Annenberg Center for Public Relations at the University of Southern California.

As part of USC Annenberg’s PR Futures podcast, Professor Burghardt Tenderich spoke with USC alum and former Annenberg Executive in Residence, Pilaar Terry. Pilaar is currently the Managing partner and COO of POV Agency and the conversation covers her experiences as a founder, client relationships, advice to those starting out and more.

A production of the USC Annenberg Center for Public Relations at the University of Southern California.
Host, Fred Cook
Executive Producer, Ron Antonette
Season 6 Producers, Javiera Contreras, Anahita Mehra, Joe Carreon, Marshall Winfield
Created by ZaZu Lippert

LINKS
Follow the USC Center for PR (@usccenterforpr) on Instagram and LinkedIn.
Follow Fred Cook on LinkedIn.
Find all our reports at annenberg.usc.edu/cpr.