Industry Insights with Golin Meeting Recap
by Riley Mason
On Tuesday, April 16, PRSSA hosted Carrie von der Sitt for an industry insights session. She is the global head of growth at Golin, a global public relations agency that helps companies create change that matters.
Von der Sitt began her talk by walking through her career timeline. She encouraged students to pursue roles that align with their interests and to embrace learning experiences to help discover their path. In other words: sample before you pick a flavor, stay open to new opportunities, and work your network.
She then shared insights from her time at Golin. Clients she has worked with include McDonald’s, Lego, Discover, Gatorade and more. The agency’s founder, Al Golin, once said: “Advertising is what you say about yourself. Public relations is what others say about you.” Von der Sitt said this quote highlights the key difference between advertising and PR—and underscores what Golin values as a company.
Later in the session, von der Sitt addressed the top 10 questions that clients often ask PR agencies:
PRSSA members with Carrie von der Sitt
1. How can we develop an authentic purpose for our brand?
Start by identifying the core of the company and understanding how culture shapes the conversation around brand purpose.
2. How can we insert our brand into culture?
Use social listening tools and amplify trends that align with the brand’s identity.
3. We need better content that connects, persuades, excites and sells.
Leverage data sets to understand what social content performs best. This builds confidence in pitching content strategies to clients.
4. How can we harness our employees as brand advocates?
Focus on maintaining the company’s internal brand reputation so employees are proud to work there. This includes employee communications, brand reputation, and crisis management.
5. My CEO wants to be everywhere…
Provide media training to prepare executives for public appearances. Studies show a positive correlation between CEO media visibility and company stock performance.
6. Help me get my boss ready for the media.
In addition to traditional media coaching, AI-based training tools are emerging to help C-suite leaders prepare for media interactions.
7. Help me spot misinformation and disinformation.
Given the rising distrust in earned media, it’s important to help clients understand how misinformation spreads and how to counter it.
8. Help me understand the new administration’s policies and their potential impact.
Agencies often produce white papers that analyze evolving policy landscapes in Washington, D.C., to keep clients informed.
9. I want to know how my team can best harness the power of AI.
Focus on human enablement—how AI can make people smarter and more efficient. This starts with creating a blueprint for AI integration.
10. Help me drive true business impact through earned media.
Use measurement tools to show how earned media contributes to business outcomes, and clearly communicate that value to clients.
