From left in the above photo: Ray Day, APR, Ali Vitali, Robyn Patterson, Zac Moffatt, Leigh Ann Caldwell and Brendan Buck.
PRSA’s closing General Session at ICON 2025 in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 30, brought together a powerhouse panel of journalists, strategists and advisers for a lively conversation on how politics and Washington culture are reshaping the communications landscape.
Moderated by Ray Day, APR, 2025 PRSA chair, Stagwell vice chair, and Allison Worldwide executive chair, the session featured:
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Brendan Buck, former counselor to House Speaker Paul Ryan and press secretary to House Speaker John Boehner, now a partner at Seven Letter and an MSNBC political analyst.
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Leigh Ann Caldwell, chief Washington correspondent for Puck and former correspondent for The Washington Post and NBC News.
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Zac Moffatt, CEO of Targeted Victory and former digital director for the Romney for President campaign.
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Robyn Patterson, a former assistant White House press secretary for President Biden.
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Ali Vitali, MSNBC anchor and Capitol Hill correspondent.
Together, they examined how lessons from campaigns and policymaking in Washington are driving innovation, authenticity and adaptation across the communications profession.
Innovation and authenticity in the political arena
Panelists agreed that recent presidential campaigns often serve as incubators for innovation — fast-moving environments where new ideas, technologies and storytelling tactics are tested long before they reach corporate communications.
Moffatt recalled overseeing digital strategy during Mitt Romney’s 2012 run, when campaigns were still experimenting with social media.
“You have to take risks and live in the future,” he said. “If you sit out a cycle, you lose the pulse of what’s happening.”
For Vitali, that same mindset applies in journalism.
“There’s a new craving for authenticity, from candidates and from reporters,” she said. “Transparency builds trust, and audiences want to see behind the scenes.”
Over-scripting and the risk of playing it too safe
Several speakers urged communicators to embrace imperfection.
“We’ve over-optimized everything,” Moffatt said. “People don’t believe perfectly scripted messages anymore.”
Buck added that caution can be costly: “Donald Trump was everywhere. He had bad news cycles, sure, but he dominated the conversation. Caution alone won’t cut it.”
Patterson agreed that authenticity resonates even when it carries risk. “People don’t have to like everything about a leader,” she said. “They just want to believe they’re seeing who that person really is.”
Redefining earned and influencer media
Caldwell emphasized that traditional and emerging outlets now serve distinct but complementary roles. “You have to start with your goal,” she said. “If you want to reach decision-makers, go to outlets like Puck. If you want to reach the masses, use national or local platforms. Both matter.”
Patterson shared how the White House pairs traditional coverage with influencers and local voices to reach multiple audiences — “from The Wall Street Journal to TikTok.”
Buck noted that influencer strategies depend on relationships built over time: “You can’t just cold-call people the day you need them. Start years earlier.”
The new playbook for communicators
The panelists agreed that the rapid pace of political storytelling now mirrors the speed of brand and corporate communications. In an environment where news cycles unfold in minutes and audiences consume information through personalized feeds, communicators must strike a balance between agility and authenticity.
“Campaigns are learning labs for all of us,” Moffatt said. “You see what’s coming next — and if you’re not adapting, you’re falling behind.”
Vitali added that the line between political and corporate storytelling has blurred. “Whether you’re covering a campaign or leading a company, people expect transparency and consistency. They want to see the real person or brand behind the message.”
Buck noted that communicators should focus less on controlling every narrative and more on showing up in meaningful ways. “You can’t plan every headline,” he said. “But you can decide to participate — and that’s what earns credibility.”
Lessons for communicators
Across party lines, the panelists returned to one shared truth: relationships drive everything — whether you’re running a campaign, briefing a reporter, or managing a corporate narrative.
“Politics teaches you to meet people where they are,” Caldwell said. “But relationships and trust are what keep them listening.”
As the panel closed out ICON 2025, the message was clear: In a world where politics, media, and business intersect more than ever, communicators who lead with authenticity, agility, and courage will be the ones shaping what’s next.
Quick Takes From the D.C. Panel
- Podcasters Are the New Briefing Rooms. Long-form audio lets leaders and reporters speak directly and unscripted — but only if they’re genuinely engaging. However…
- “Send the CEO to Joe Rogan” Is the Wrong Takeaway. Match message to medium; not every voice fits the podcast format.
- Trust Your Leaders. Executives, candidates and spokespeople were chosen for a reason — let them speak as themselves, not through layers of over-management.
- Diversity Still Shapes the Playing Field. Voters and audiences extend different allowances to women and people of color — communications strategies must recognize those realities, not ignore them.
- Authenticity Can Clash With the Platform. Some environments reward outrage more than nuance; be aware that being “everywhere” risks undermining your credibility.
- Watch the 2026 Midterms. The cycle will reveal whether bold, social-first candidates who experiment with TikTok Lives and Instagram engagement can convert attention into votes.
- Short-Form and Long-Form Mastery. The next generation of communicators must be as effective in a 10-second clip as in a one-hour conversation.
- Less Media Training, More Thinking. Comms prep should build critical reasoning, not rote sound bites; those who know their principles can adapt to any format.
- Engagement Over Geography. Success now depends on mobilizing distinct audiences, not just chasing “swing” demographics.
- The Path Forward. Progress requires more women in leadership roles, more diverse communicators telling stories, and audiences willing to see leadership in multiple forms.
- Redefine “Influencer.” Look past follower counts to who decision-makers actually read — think niche Substacks, policy newsletters and Hill insiders.
- Transparency Builds Trust. Pull back the curtain. Gaggles, behind-the-scenes posts and visible process humanize both leaders and journalists.
- Message-Medium Fit Matters. Use op-eds for depth, TikTok for personality and podcasts for nuance, not one-size-fits-all storytelling.
- Consistency Over Calibration. The most trusted brands (and candidates) know what they stand for and repeat it with conviction.
Photos: Albert Chau Photography
The post ICON 2025 Recap: How Politics Is Rewriting the Rules of Communication first appeared on PRsay.