Insights

In today’s newsletter, we’re diving into a topic we all know well: podcasts. They’ve become part of how we learn, lead and stay connected, shifting from background noise to a strategic channel for influence and engagement. In this issue, we explore how organizations are using podcasts to connect with niche audiences, deliver compelling stories, and build leader and brand visibility.

We’re introducing Crisis Frame, a strategic communications framework for high-stakes moments, designed to help organizations lead through disruption with clarity, speed and control. Today, we explore what that means in real terms.

We’re heading to Korea to once again to support the APEC CEO Summit, one of the region’s most impactful annual gatherings at the intersection of politics, business and society. Today, we take a closer look at why it matters and what we’re watching for.

If it seems like everyone is joining Substack, it’s because they are. Notable names who made the move over the past week include former The Verge tech reporter Alex Heath, former Vice President Kamala Harris (who is promoting her new book), and Global Gateway Advisors!

Science is under attack. Increasing partisanship is putting decades of progress at risk, underscoring the critical role communicators play in sustaining trust — acting as a conduit between scientists and the public, cutting through jargon, and building transparency. Today, we explore how to rise to this challenge.

Some quick media moves, news and several exciting upcoming events to ponder as you ride out the last wave of summer. And because it can’t be all work and no play, revisit Global Gateway Advisors’ Summer Edit for inspiration on what to read, watch or listen to this long weekend.

Young adults are struggling. Globally, one in seven youth live with a mental health condition, and many face stigma, isolation and a lack of support. Rates of anxiety, depression and stress are rising, often leaving youth unsure where to turn. That’s why we’re taking action. We’re proud to announce the launch of OK Today, a global, youth-driven collective on a mission to transform how the world sees and talks about mental health. It debuted at the 2025 AFS Youth Assembly this past weekend. More on that, and how your organization can get involved, below. Plus: Is corporate activism making a comeback? The numbers say yes.

The way we find information online is shifting fast. Browser-based AI search has more than doubled since June 2024, now accounting for 5.6% of all search traffic. This transition is disrupting how information is discovered, how publishers drive traffic and how brands reach their audiences. In today’s edition, we take a closer look at a new report from Muck Rack, the media intelligence platform, called “What Is AI Reading?”

We asked our team and friends of the firm to tell us what’s capturing their attention this summer — and because the news cycle is relentless, we also sought out TV and movie recommendations for those in need of a good distraction.

We asked our team and friends of the firm to tell us what’s capturing their attention this summer — and because the news cycle is relentless, we also sought out TV and movie recommendations for those in need of a good distraction.