CUP OF CORPORATE COMMS: AN UNFILTERED LOOK AT WHAT PERCOLATED IN MAY

Corporate communications is entering a period of rapid reset, shaped by rising scrutiny, AI disruption and shifting expectations across employees, customers and stakeholders. In this May 2026 roundup, we unpack the biggest trends in corporate communications, from the growing demand to prove—not just promote—brand purpose, to the rise of AI-driven search and the new importance of credible voices over content volume. We also explore how internal communications is evolving toward relevance and authenticity, and why executive leadership is being redefined by visible, human presence in an always-on environment. Together, these shifts signal a clear mandate: communications strategies must move beyond messaging to build trust, authority and measurable impact in a landscape where both people and machines are shaping reputation in real time.

Bros and Cons: How Pro Bono Media Training Helped Three Former Inmates Reclaim Their Story

Myrna Van Pelt, Managing Partner at HAVAS Red Australia, reflects on her pro bono media training work with Bros and Cons, a podcast founded by three Polynesian Australian brothers whose experiences with crime and incarceration have become the foundation for a global platform built on redemption and authentic storytelling. Unlike her typical executive coaching work, this engagement focused on helping the brothers tell their stories responsibly and step into the media landscape without being defined by their pasts — resulting in major trade publication coverage and tens of millions of content views worldwide. The project is a powerful example of how purpose-led communications can amplify underrepresented voices and create meaningful social impact.

HAVAS RED AUSTRALIA LAUNCHES HAVAS BLAK TO ELEVATE FIRST NATIONS COMMUNICATIONS

HAVAS Red Australia has signed a formal partnership with leading First Nations advocate and BlackCard founder, Mundanara Bayles, to launch HAVAS Blak, a communications offering. Havas Blak is designed to advance First Nations understanding, advocate First Nations voices and reshape Australia’s Indigenous communications landscape.

Red Hot Take: The Intranet Was Never the Problem

Everyone is rushing to add AI to their internal tools. The promise? Better access to information, stronger employee engagement, a smarter workplace. But before organizations hit deploy, there’s a more fundamental question worth asking: Is your intranet actually set up to work? We sat down with Jackie Carow Agency Director of Havas People, North America to find out.

CUP OF CORPORATE COMMS: AN UNFILTERED LOOK AT WHAT PERCOLATED IN MARCH

This month’s Cup of Corporate Comms digest reveals a discipline in full transformation: internal comms rising from overlooked function to organizational nerve center; brand storytelling evolving from fleeting moments into immersive, participatory worlds; executives stepping forward as living, breathing media channels; sustainability demanding clarity over complexity; and AI quietly rewriting the rules of visibility, where earned media now shapes not just what people see, but what machines say.