CORPORATE TENURE: ERIN SING ON AN AGENCY’S MOST UNTAPPED COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

In the dynamic world of communications and marketing, the relationship between agencies and in-house teams represents one of the industry’s greatest opportunities for transformation. While there’s often an unspoken “us versus them” narrative, the agencies thriving today are those not only actively dismantling this outdated model; they’re taking a wrecking ball to it, and they’re doing it by building teams with dual experience.

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

In this month’s edition of Cup of Corporate Comms, credibility is the common thread. Brands are embedding themselves in communities rather than advertising at them, CEOs are navigating growing pressure to show up publicly, and companies are turning employees into trusted advocates. Meanwhile, sustainability leaders are reframing climate action in business terms, and AI search is making third-party validation increasingly essential to visibility. Across each shift, the message is clear: attention may be easier than ever to generate, but trust still has to be earned.

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.