CCOs Prioritize Customer and Employee Engagement in 2022’s ‘New Normal’

It’s not a secret that the corporate communicator's job is far more complex than it was years ago. Nor is it surprising that 77 percent of respondents in a recent Edelman study say that the perception of the communicator as a strategic business partner changed during the pandemic.

To unpack the survey’s findings and gauge chief communicators' 2022 priorities, we spoke late in December 2021 with Edelman COO and corporate practice chair Jim O’Leary and the CCOs of Crown Media Family Networks and WW, Annie Howell and Joe Quenqua, respectively.

Beyond 2022 priorities, we discussed hiring practices, what lessons and tactics from the pandemic will endure, ESG and DEI issues and more.

The discussion was edited for clarity and length.

PRNEWS: Annie, Joe, before we dive in, can you give us some background on your respective organizational structures?

Annie Howell, CCO, Crown Media Family Networks

Annie Howell: Crown Media Family Networks is a wholly owned, independent media company that is owned by Hallmark Cards...I’m managing the business side as well as the consumer side of PR and social media. I have four direct reports, two in LA and two in New York. The LA guys are the publicity and talent management team and the social media group, and in New York, we have corporate communications, which also handles internal communications and our head of talent management and events planning.

Joe Quenqua, CCO, WW

Joe Quenqua: WW is a legacy company that has been around almost 60 years…we are a global operation…I report into our CEO, Mindy Grossman. When I came in, it was about creating an internalized function.