Stories by Thomas Mustac

The New York Times exposé published in December about Justin Baldoni’s alleged smear campaign against Blake Lively highlighted the dark side of PR. Then a week later, Baldoni filed a $250 million lawsuit against the New York Times, saying the media outlet got the story wrong. Ultimately, the legal questions in Baldoni’s suit concern media ethics. But in the meantime, the actors’ PR teams should keep these crisis communications tips top of mind.

According to a survey from Morgan Stanley Research, 94% of healthcare businesses use AI or machine learning in at least some capacity. Expectations have forever changed, and healthcare communicators must now rally behind AI to provide optimal outputs for their own companies as well as for clients and healthcare professionals.

Now more than ever, communicators need to play the long game to protect DE&I. Our author provides recommendations for how communicators can shield DE&I during this reputation-building era.

In a moment that underscores the challenges of navigating the political landscape, TikTok has found itself in a high-stakes battle. However, this evolving situation also offers valuable lessons for PR pros and businesses on crisis management, brand loyalty and communication strategies.

In a world of constant digital connectivity and rapid technological change, Generation Z is exhibiting a fascinating psychological phenomenon: They’re deeply nostalgic for eras they never experienced firsthand. This “historical nostalgia” among Gen Z offers a compelling window into how digital natives creatively engage with the past to meet psychological needs and navigate contemporary challenges—a phenomenon that brands must understand to forge meaningful connections with this generation.

For some brands, the Super Bowl doesn’t necessarily mean creating a multi-million dollar TV ad during the big game. Many notable promotions don’t even require an actual ad anymore, as the event is now a multi-platform experience for companies and consumers.

Here’s how content marketing used to work: Create great content for your website, and you would attract the attention of potential customers. But with artificial intelligence (AI) rewriting the rules, what happens when this basic principle no longer applies?

With Congress slated to consider a host of measures that could profoundly impact businesses in 2025—ranging from taxes to trade to artificial intelligence—it’s more important than ever that business leaders leverage a trusted army of authentic stakeholders and validators. Our author outlines the ways in which communication teams can take up this task, through proactive and creative storytelling.

Recent findings from Hotwire Global’s Data Maturity Survey of PR and communications executives responses reveal that while there is strong data adoption in the industry, there is still a gap between what teams are doing and what they could be achieving.

As professionals in the art of reputation management, this disastrous scenario is one to learn from. Let’s zoom out and see where James Kennedy’s PR team could have done better or, perhaps, opted out of representing the unpredictable “Vanderpump Rules” star.