How is technology changing the way political campaigns, advocacy groups, and public affairs professionals reach and influence people?

In this episode of Public Affairs Trends, Matt Kenney, founding partner of Echo Canyon Consulting, shares his perspective on the changing world of political campaigns, grassroots advocacy, and public engagement.

Drawing on a career that has taken him from military service and law school into political consulting, Matt explains the differences between running candidate campaigns and building support around issues and causes. He also discusses how artificial intelligence and other technologies are influencing voter outreach, communications, and the way campaigns connect with communities.

The conversation also looks at the human side of public affairs. Matt shares his experience of building Echo Canyon Consulting, why relationships and trust continue to matter in an increasingly technology-driven environment, and what values-driven leadership means when reputations and public opinion are at stake.

As AI gives campaigns and advocacy groups new ways to reach people at scale, can technology make public engagement more effective without losing the authenticity and trust that meaningful relationships depend on?

Listen to the conversation and share your thoughts.

In this episode, Jordan Lieberman, CEO of Powers Interactive, discusses how AI, data, and programmatic advertising are transforming political campaigns and offers valuable insights for businesses. He emphasizes that while technology is rapidly evolving, human qualities like trust, sound judgment, and attention to detail remain paramount for success.

Lieberman shares his perspective on the impact of Moore's Law, the challenges of misinformation, the importance of early digital engagement, and the unique urgency and detail orientation found in political work that can benefit commercial brands. The conversation highlights the increasing polarization in politics and America, underscoring the need for a discerning approach to information in the digital age.

In the inaugural Public Affairs Trends First Friday Briefing, host Neil Hughes rounds up the month's most important developments affecting public affairs, government relations, advocacy, and strategic communications.

This episode covers DCI Group's expansion of its public affairs team, Trident's top industry recognition for crisis and litigation communications, how Google's AI-powered search is changing digital advocacy, new research on AI visibility and media consumption in Washington, and what these developments mean for communications professionals navigating an increasingly complex policy landscape.

How do you stay ahead when communications, public affairs, technology, and public opinion are all changing at the same time?

In this introductory episode of Public Affairs Trends, I explain why we created this podcast and who it's for. This isn't a show about party politics or campaigning. Instead, it's a place for thoughtful conversations about the profession of public affairs itself, from stakeholder engagement and corporate communications to advocacy, policy, reputation, research, and the technologies reshaping how organizations connect with the people they serve.

Throughout this series, I'll be speaking with communications leaders, public affairs specialists, policymakers, researchers, journalists, agency leaders, technology innovators, and industry experts from around the world. Together, we'll examine the trends influencing today's communications landscape, including artificial intelligence, evolving media habits, changing public expectations, data-driven decision making, reputation management, and the future of stakeholder engagement.

Whether you work in government relations, corporate affairs, communications, public policy, advocacy, research, or simply want a better understanding of the forces shaping modern public discourse, this podcast is designed to help you make sense of a rapidly changing profession.

Thank you for joining me at the beginning of this journey. Be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode, and if there's a topic you'd like us to cover or a guest you'd like to hear from, I'd love to hear your suggestions.

Welcome to Public Affairs Trends.