PRSA ICON 2026: A Special Vibe on the Homefront
By Muffet Robinson
Where do I begin to write about an event on which many have already posted? I’ll start with a heartfelt thank you to wonderful PRSA Orlando colleagues for my invaluable scholarship. You realized that one who is now REWIRED from the paying workday can be laboring just as diligently in the volunteer world, with a need to KEEP UP with the latest PR trends.
My overall ICON 2026 vibe was one of excitement and pride. That, of course, was because it was here in Orlando. Along with the hard work and dedication of the PRSA National Board and amazing staff, it was OUR Chapter that put on a fabulous Opening Reception! It was OUR Chapter that had leaders such as Rich Donley, APR, Fellow PRSA; Chelsea Eagle and Mike Piacentino, APR; and a stellar committee of PR pros. It was OUR Chapter that I could help just a little bit, to say I was on the Committee “once removed” and become a self-appointed greeter for our guests!
Interestingly, another overall vibe in most sessions I attended was to be very careful when using Artificial Intelligence (AI). That is much different than the perspective with which I left ICON 2022. At that time, AI was touted as the best thing since sliced bread. Now, we are encouraged to check, source, and realize that human “touch” and thinking are still needed. Several presenters, such as former White House Speechwriter Steven Kelly, pointed out that AI is like a new colleague named “Chip.” He is good at writing words, likes the sound of his own voice, can be careless, but can’t eat dinner in Berlin (aka is not human!).
Instead of inputting a draft speech into AI for editing, Steven requests a separate page of potential changes/edits so he can then confirm each one. He also categorizes his AI use into green, yellow and red, red being where he’d never allow “Chip” to fly solo!
Having had few opportunities to hire an outside content creator in my nonprofit work, I learned about the frustrations and fixes to make Brand/Creator partnerships work. Especially interesting was the session about “Why Soft Skills are PR Practitioners Superpower in the Age of AI,” and playing “Common Ground Bingo” as an example. The bottom line? Power-up our soft skills and don’t forget our humanity in this AI world!
Another session that hit home dealt with, “Leading DEI in a Political Climate.” As people often don’t understand what DEI is, we were encouraged to consider and research the cultural context of words. (Cultural Intelligence (CQ) was the descriptor and I like it!) We broke into groups to tackle real situations, such as honoring women, when you can no longer celebrate Women’s History Month, etc.
“Manipulation in Media” focused on how quickly a name can become a headline, with the story moving after it has been debunked (think Taylor Swift), mostly due to bots. In another session, we were reminded that, “Everyone has AI, but not everyone has your story.” Your brand story hides in leadership interviews, customer feedback, organizational history, difficult decisions and documented experiences. Among the many morsels I took away from “Ethics Under Pressure…” is the term, “Personality Credit Score.” What number is hanging above your head?
The piece de resistance for me were the three General Session Speakers and I took away valuable nuggets from each. For instance, I had never heard of the Savannah Bananas, yet after Head Coach Tyler Gillum spoke, I was hooked! (Erika Spence and I have each entered to win a pair of the five million tickets to the Savannah Bananas game in Orlando in 2027. Wish us luck!)
Coach Gillum “chased his dogpile” (his goal or emotional connection) into baseball by chasing experiences, not money; and finding a great mentor. He learned, grew, and networked his way to the Bananas. With his goal to have a positive impact on one million people through baseball, education and exercise, the coach and team owners went on a journey of H-3: Handshakes, High Fives and HUGS!
Talk about a successful PR/marketing ride! By building their fan base with Banana Nanas and the Dad Bod Squad; creating never-forget moments; signing autographs non-stop; having a “fans first” mentality; focusing on entertainment, not baseball; and dancing to Hey Baby, they sure stand out! Among Tyler’s pearls of wisdom are to listen carefully and respond, do for one that you wish you could do for many, figure out how you stand out and not stand still, and BET ON YOURSELF!
Brand expert Sally Hogshead had us thinking about buying the experience, as opposed to the product. Talking about the “Science of Fascination,” to bewitch or hold capture, she explained how “different is better than ‘better.’” She likened the concept to a brown bottle of hydrogen peroxide on the shelf at seventy-nine cents as compared to the blue “Booboo Bubbles,” at about $4.99, which is basically the same thing.
Sally shared that a brand is an opinion. People are buying the experience, so we should target our product to a specific audience. If we try to be all things to all people, we are nothing to none! At the same time, she advised us we are either adding value or taking up space. Said another way, “Stand out or don’t matter.” (Think about that for a bit!)
The Closing Session speaker was Emmy Award-Winner and journalist Gaby Natale. What a power of example she is! Sharing that people “took her for less” due to her accent, she left the TV station broadcast world to produce her own programs and content. (If Arnold Schwarzenagger could do it, so could she!)
Gaby chose not to be “The Emulator.” Instead, she chose to have the “Pioneer Spirit” by opening herself up to believe in her own vision. Saying that every time we choose to pioneer, we move the world forward, she offered three steps to do just that:
1) Embrace your uniqueness and use it to your advantage;
2) Break barriers and embrace the pioneer’s growth trifecta of Excellence, Consistency and Visibility; and
3) Redefine what is possible by determining the stories you are uniquely qualified to identify, the opportunities you are uniquely positioned to recommend, and the white spaces in your industry that you are uniquely qualified to identify.
As Gaby shared her combined cancer and menopause journey along with the professional one, I was extremely impressed that she was embracing all of who she is and truly practicing what she preaches. Using her story and those “white spaces” for the greater good, she has become an Ambassador for Susan G. Komen and is soon introducing a bi-lingual website, called menopausia.com. Now that’s a pioneer who breaks barriers!
