Change Of Venue, Venue Of Change

Talk about a stark transition: from the pastoral, peaceful tranquility of the Owl Conservatory to the boisterous urban gridlock of Amazonia in downtown Seattle. Quite the change. Arriving at the PRSA North Pacific District Conference, “change” would be the key watchword with a stellar lineup of game-changers in the communications industry.

Peering down from my perch on the bustling core of the Emerald City, known for its global icons like Amazon, Microsoft and Starbucks, I mused at the this venue of change, as well as the game-changers who have transformed their businesses and organizations by tracking emerging trends.

Titled #PRSAGameChangers: the conference featured, among others, the likes of Frank X. Shaw, the Corporate VP for Communications at Microsoft, Scott McClellan, Vice-President of Communications at Seattle University and former press secretary for President George W. Bush and Nicholas Thompson, Editor-In-Chief of Wired.

Every keynoter had good stories to tell, but Thompson’s presentation was seminal. He started by providing a blunt statement of the current situation: technology is changing our lives in ways heretofore unimagined. Nothing less than a “disturbance in the force” is afoot, affecting numerous issues from privacy to First Amendment rights.

Thompson led with an anecdote, casually referencing a recent interview with the president (cue puzzled glances).” “No, really, for about 45 minutes,” he continued. They discussed the pitfalls of digital technology and how our lives will change. “He was very engaged, very knowledgeable.” More incredulous looks.

With the audience in the palm of his hand, he then confessed that his interview subject was Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, not the current president here in the U.S. Thompson (below) admits we are woefully unprepared to address issues that will inevitably come with the development of artificial intelligence and robotics.

How will privacy, security and cyber-espionage evolve with universal interconnectivity? How will tech giants connect with their publics to write policy for the benefit of governments and citizens? Most importantly, how will the media continue upholding truth throughout in the face of an administration that’s declared war on journalists?

All significant questions, to be sure. “Is there any hope?” asked one conference delegate. “Yes,” replied Thompson, “at the ballot box this November.” Addressing issues of design, culture, media, tech and ethics, his presentation compellingly highlighted the big ideas and fearless takes on our digital future.

As a former chair of PRSA North Pacific district, my singular assignment of the conference was to introduce another game-changer, Zack Hutson, Vice-President of Corporate Affairs for Privateer Holdings Inc., the world’s first private equity firm to invest exclusively in legal cannabis.

“On the topic of cannabis,” I began, “a line from a Grateful Dead tune comes to mind: ‘what a long, strange trip it’s been.’ Marijuana has gone from a practical crop used by early colonists for textiles and rope to an evil substance known as the ‘devil weed,’ leading to criminalization of cannabis nationwide in 1937.”

“But as Bob Dylan crooned: ‘the times, they are a changin’.’ Today, most states allow for medical use of marijuana, and eight states and the District of Columbia have legalized the substance for recreational use. Hutson directs communications in building brands that lead, legitimize and define the future of the cannabis industry.”

The conference also featured a tribute to public relations pioneer, Jay Rockey, APR, Fellow PRSA, (below) who passed away earlier this year at 90. His game-changing campaign for the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair drew international attention, forever putting Seattle and the Space Needle on the map. His motto: “always try to do the right thing.”