How can organizations harness cutting-edge technologies to drive

strategic communications

and operations?

In 2025, issues management will be increasingly driven by technology and data analytics. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are key in predicting crises and providing real-time solutions. However, more data doesn’t automatically mean better solutions. Leaders and organizations benefit from analytical tools by integrating them with a plan that results in effective, transparent, and authentic messages. An issues management team cannot rely solely on AI; some factors like political dynamics and internal tensions, often known only informally, are not easily captured by algorithms.

Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors are now central to issues management, with organizations held accountable for their societal and environmental impact. Additionally, remote and hybrid work models necessitate robust internal communication strategies to maintain engagement and address concerns promptly. Human judgment and a deep understanding of an organization’s goals are essential for authentic communication.

The integration of technology and the need for transparent communication are shaping the future of issues management. Developing an issues management plan and providing related employee training can significantly contribute to risk mitigation and enhance strategic response effectiveness. Your company’s reputation can depend on it, so it is always best to plan ahead and act decisively.

Driven by the rapidly evolving political landscape and shifts in the way policymakers and the public wish to be engaged, digital advocacy is now a critical component of effective public affairs and government relations strategies. This shift is particularly relevant if polling holds true until the next federal election and Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives form government. Organizations will need to adapt to his prescribed engagement approach with his government: building and mobilizing grassroots support.

​Unlike traditional lobbying, which may face increased scrutiny and constraints, digital advocacy is versatile, dynamic, and cost-effective. It also allows for rapid response to policy changes and public discourse.

Digital tactics enable organizations to reach their target audience from almost every angle, at any time—whether it’s through morning newsletters, social media browsing between meetings, updating profiles on networking sites, or during commutes while listening to their favourite podcasts. Crucially, data analytics confirm whether campaigns are generating awareness and driving action amongst target audiences.

Building support takes time, which is why early engagement is crucial for organizations looking to best position themselves to navigate post-election policy changes.

As we start 2025, digital isn’t just a “nice to have.” It’s the new standard.

Healthcare has experienced a massive shift towards telehealth and remote patient monitoring (RPM). As we enter 2025 and look to the future, the expansion of these services will continue, driven by innovations in wearable technology and artificial intelligence (AI) diagnostics.

Pressed by the pandemic and the need for more accessible and efficient solutions, telehealth has become an integral part of healthcare. It offers patients the convenience of medical consultations from home, reducing the need for in-person visits. RPM, a subset of telehealth, involves the use of digital devices to collect and transmit patient data to healthcare providers, allowing for continuous monitoring.

Both have been changed by the advancement of wearable technology. Devices such as smartwatches and fitness trackers can monitor a wide range of health metrics, including heart rate, blood pressure, glucose levels, and sleep patterns—and this is just the beginning. Artificial intelligence is also revolutionizing the way healthcare data is analyzed and interpreted. In the context of telehealth and RPM, AI diagnostics can improve the accuracy of remote assessments.

As wearable technology and AI diagnostics continue to advance, their impact on healthcare services will not only improve patient outcomes but will reshape the way we think about healthcare delivery overall.

The communications world has evolved tremendously over the past two decades and we are now constantly bombarded with messages and notifications from emails, texts, productivity platforms, and social media. Every effort to communicate competes with more demands for our attention than ever before, yet many organizations resort to issuing media releases or other generic communications solutions, mistakenly believing that just speaking will solve their problems.

Our team members are inherently curious problem solvers. Driven by a desire to understand “the why,” we delve into the reasons behind our client’s proposed tactics. This process helps us understand the root of the challenge, allowing us to make better recommendations that support business outcomes rather than merely addressing symptoms.

Regardless of sector, using the right tools for the job is paramount to achieving success; communication is no different. The more we know about the problem that the organization is trying to address, the better our recommendations can be. Hyper-personalization tailors solutions and messages to individual audience preferences and behaviours, which enables engaging communications and fosters deeper connections; this approach will ultimately be more effective in supporting an organization’s desired outcomes.

As we grapple with the transformative impact of artificial intelligence (AI) in marketing, the focus has shifted from last year’s trepidation to this year’s burgeoning curiosity and momentum. AI tools have revolutionized time-intensive tasks, enabling us to achieve more in less time. One of the most exciting developments is the emergence of Agentic AI, which can autonomously set and pursue goals, making decisions and taking actions to achieve desired outcomes.

We’re already embedding these tools into our strategic and creative processes, analyzing and summarizing large volumes of research, creating audience personas, and designing prompts to help brands achieve a consistent brand voice. These tools and resources enable our team and clients to plan effectively and produce content at scale. However, for this work to remain relevant and valuable, it still requires a strong point of view and a critical lens.

As a colleague wisely said, “AI helps creative people with tedious tasks, not tedious people with creative tasks.” Leveraging AI to automate arduous tasks can help you scale creativity like never before, but it hasn’t displaced human expertise and originality. We’re embracing AI as a productivity tool and are committed to applying learnings in our own work as well as advising clients on how it can bring value for them.

Due to the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence tools that can be exploited by malevolent actors, misinformation can spread swiftly. Companies must develop proactive strategies to monitor and manage their reputation online. This involves leveraging advanced AI-driven tools to detect and counteract misinformation promptly, ensuring that false narratives do not gain traction and harm the company’s image or disrupt critical business functions.

The digital age demands that companies develop comprehensive and agile crisis management strategies. By utilizing social listening insights and other data analytics tools, companies can detect and respond swiftly to emerging crises.

Moreover, integrating risk and crisis management with digital transformation efforts highlights the need for collaboration across departments. IT leaders play a crucial role in assessing the impact of crises and developing mitigation plans, ensuring that company activities continue to proceed smoothly.

Emergency communication systems have also advanced, with enhanced wireless, satellite, and 5G connectivity facilitating seamless communication during crises. These systems are vital for maintaining clear and effective channels of communication.

Having a crisis management plan in place before tragedy strikes will pay dividends when a crisis occurs. As the saying goes, “Hope for the best, prepare for the worst!”

Artificial intelligence (AI) is dramatically transforming the practice of public relations, enabling the optimization of communication strategies. This will also result in a better return on investment for clients, as experts can spend more time personalizing solutions instead of purely gathering information.

With the automation of repetitive tasks, professionals can now focus on more strategic and creative initiatives whether they be government relations, media relations, or content creation. AI liberates cognitive capacity in PR professionals, allowing individuals to concentrate on more complex and strategic tasks.

AI allows for the efficient analysis of massive volumes of data to extract valuable insights on market trends and the sentiments of target audiences, leaving humans to interpret this data and refine messages. In the field of crisis management, AI tools detect warning signals in real time, allowing for quicker response times. It also plays a crucial role in trend monitoring, with increasingly effective predictive tools.

In 2025, AI will be commonly used by public relations professionals who are willing to learn and adapt to the practice. However, its integration raises significant ethical questions within organizations. Those who excel in this new era will prioritize transparency, data privacy, and the responsible use of AI.