Bright lights, long nights
Welcome to this week's Field Notes. Brighter days ahead, color theories, AI, podcasts, industry angst, Brexit and year-end salutes.
Through The Dark
Those who came before us, before Tiktok and streaming and Elf, knew something about getting through long nights and dark times. I’m finding this particular festive season somewhat trying, but this little essay spoke to me.
Maybe it will for you, too.
Color Note 1: Selection
Another reason to start watching Pluribus, if you’re not already.
Color Note 2: Addiction
More on colors. Will going gray (or grey, mates) kill your smartphone addiction? Paywalled, but Julia Angwin says give it a try. On your phone, not your head.
Color Note 3: Theory
All of this nudged me down a late night of color-theory browsing. Like this.
Between The Waves
Book of the week, by Tom McTague. “An ambitious history of Britain’s volatile relationship with Europe, culminating in the 2016 referendum” … I know what you’re thinking, but it’s illuminating and entertaining. And probably important to understand what’s next.
Staying Human
My Instagram follow of the week suggestion: Shae Omonijo. She’s prolific on other platforms, too.
AI Dilemma
Speaking of AI, this Scott Galloway podcast lays out the highest-level questions pretty clearly. Some answers, too. Skip the first six minutes unless you want an unrelated rant about modern psychotherapy.
Pod Note 1: The Week Unspun
And speaking of podcasts, here’s the Boxing Day edition of The Week Unspun.
From the Spotify episode notes: [I was off] so Doug Downs and Farzana Baduel trade headlines for heart as Farzana shares her recent three-week journey through Sri Lanka, a country shaped by civil war, natural disasters, and powerful recovery. From her work with the Halo Trust, the world’s largest de-mining organization, to meeting the Prime Minister and local heroes reclaiming their land, Farzana brings vivid stories of courage and transformation.
The episode shifts gears into lighter fare with a fun, AI-generated “Board of Advisors,” exploring 2026 PR trends and cheeky questions like everyone’s favorite ice cream. It’s blend of global awareness, digital imagination, and strategic storytelling, all wrapped in warmth, wit, and curiosity.
Please give it a listen and share.
Pod Note 2: Yay Or Nay?
Last podcast comment. Yes, there are a lot of pods out there. And no, not all are amazing. But a good idea can turn into a great production with the right focus, and my colleague / co-host Doug Downs (see above) is very skilled at this.
Some organizations are put off by what seems like a “forever” commitment, but often a single series of 4-6 episodes is exactly what’s needed for a company or cause to communicate around an important moment or milestone. Give Doug a shout and tell him I sent you.
Industry Note: Anxiety Redux
A late-December exchange about the fate of PR between Sir Martin Sorrell and Sarah Waddington CBE continues to haunt my work timelines and chats. Arun Sudhaman’s perspective gets at the underlying angst.
My very brief take: for decades there have been two main branches of the PR family tree. One aims to grow brands and revenue through attention, awareness and trial. The other strives to build trust and value for organizations through engagement and dialog.
The growth branch sees itself at the heart, or even on top, of the marketing mix. The trust branch imagines itself as a core management discipline. Both are a little bit true, a little bit wishful thinking. The overlap: an unwavering faith in the power of earned content. The irony: a view that they’ve each evolved well beyond simple media relations, while fervently banking on a future premium for GEO-friendly earned content.
It’s a strange time to be in this business, and the future is mostly about which branch you’re sitting on. That’s my takeaway.
And A Gratitude Note: Year-End Salutes
Maybe a new annual tradition? A short list of people who’ve been particularly inspiring and helpful over the past year (links will take you to LinkedIn):
Farzana Baduel John O’Brien MBE Haiwen Lu Langworth, Kevin Briggs, Nataliya Popovych Sarah Scholefield, Gill Hardy, Kim Sample
More to come …
