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Much of the content in this monthly long-form episode of FIR spotlights rising trends in marketing, including employee influencers, Gen Z’s rising power as influencers, the role of influencers in the 2024 U.S. presidential election, and AI’s growing presence in the marketing space. All of this is raising alarms about the need for marketers to be transparent and laser-focused on what matters to their stakeholders. Also in this episode: the dominance of chat podcasts and Dan York’s money-focused Tech Report.

The next monthly, long-form episode of FIR will drop on Monday, October 28.

We host a Communicators Zoom Chat most Thursdays at 1 p.m. ET. To obtain the credentials needed to participate, contact Shel or Neville directly, request them in our Facebook group, or email fircomments@gmail.com.

Special thanks to Jay Moonah for the opening and closing music.

You can find the stories from which Shel’s FIR content is selected at Shel’s Link Blog. Shel has started a metaverse-focused Flipboard magazine. You can catch up with both co-hosts on Neville’s blog and Shel’s blog.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this podcast are Shel’s and Neville’s and do not reflect the views of their employers and/or clients.

Links from this episode:

• NotebookLM Drives AI Audio Conversations That Feel Human – NevilleHobson .com
• Gen Z powers the rise of the corporate influencer
• Will This Be The First Influencer Election?
• How to Do Meme Marketing, According to Memelord Jason Levin
• What is Meme Marketing and How to Use Memes to Boost Brand Voice
• What is Meme Marketing? Strategy, Benefits and Example
• Case Study: Learning a lesson in meme marketing with Unstop & Flipkart GRiD
• Silence, brand: Why McDonald’s meme marketing is a flop
• Why this meme marketing agency avoids hiring ad agency professionals
• Chat Podcasts Rule the Market—and Always Will
• The podcast listening habits of registered voters — Voxtopica
• How to Embrace Authenticity in a World Craving Transparency
• Products Labeled ‘AI Powered’ Could Alienate Consumers, Study Finds
• How Brands Can Embrace Authenticity in a World Craving Transparency
• Why being “real” is the new power play for CEOs
• Americans Want Labeling for AI Content

Links from Dan York’s Report:

• Introducing live video in the Substack app
• Substack is trying to turn its writers into streamers
• PE & Trademarks
• WP Engine is banned from WordPress.org
• The WCUS Closing I Wish We’d Had – Brian Coords
• WCUS: Freedom Isn’t Free – James Giroux
• Social Web Foundation Launched — How In Is W3C on Fediverse? – The New Stack 
• On the Social Web Foundation
• Launch of the Social Web Foundation

About Shel Holtz

Shel Holtz, SCMP, ABC, IABC Fellow, is senior director of Communications at Webcor, a commercial general contractor headquartered in San Francisco. Before joining Webcor, Shel spent 21 years as principal of Holtz Communication + Technology. In addition to integrating technology into communications strategies, his expertise includes strategic communications planning, change management, organizational culture, business initiatives and communications research. Full bio

About Neville Hobson

Neville Hobson is a communicator, social strategist, consultant, digital change agent, writer, and podcaster. He is co-founder and co-host of the 'For Immediate Release' podcast. Since 2000, his career has focused on working with organisations globally to help them leverage his experiences, knowledge and subject-matter expertise of social networks, social media marketing, analytics and insights reporting, to create and build foundations for authentic engagement and to expand online reach and influence. Full bio