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On June 15, I did something I never imagined I’d ever say out loud, let alone put in a corporate blog post: I became a HYROX Adaptive Invitational World Champion.

For context, I’m a legally blind athlete living with Stargardt’s Disease, a genetic condition that causes progressive central vision loss. I’ve been navigating sports differently my whole life, so lining up as one of only two Americans alongside 36 elite adaptive athletes from around the world, each with a different visible or non-visible disability, felt surreal…in the best way.

As a VP in the Edelman D.C. office where I’ve spent the past 12 years, I know this might not sound like a typical Inside Edelman post, but that’s one of the things I appreciate most about this place: people bring their full selves to work. Whether it’s a creative passion, or in this case, chasing a world championship, there’s room to show up fully.

For me, that passion is adaptive sport. And this race wasn’t just another milestone. It marked a real shift in how athletes with disabilities are being included and celebrated in global fitness events.

Wait, What Even Is HYROX?

Think of hybrid racing as the intersection between functional fitness and endurance sport. HYROX is one of the fastest-growing brands in hybrid racing. It consists of eight workout stations (sled pushes, sandbag lunges, burpee broad jumps, all the fun stuff) each separated by one-kilometer runs. It’s a full-body mental game, mostly held indoors in arenas packed with fans, rave lights, and EDM mixes of your favorite 2000s jams.

In just a few years, HYROX has gone from niche to global. And in the 2024/2025 season, they took a big step forward by adding an Adaptive Division. The goal: give more athletes with disabilities a shot at competing on the world stage while keeping the format challenging and competitive.

The inaugural HYROX Adaptive Invitational World Championships included six classification categories (visual, neurological, upper- and lower-limb impairments, hearing, seated), with course modifications and guide allowances to create a level playing field.

Why This Was Different

Adaptive athletes have been pushing boundaries forever. But in most races, we’re chasing the clock, not each other. Events don’t always have the divisions or turnout to make head-to-head competition possible.

That’s what made this race feel different. For many of us, it was the first time we could truly go up against our peers – and the talent was unreal. For example, Paralympian Lauren Steadman won the women’s upper-limb impairment division in 1 hour, 7 minutes, and 49 seconds. That’s not a feel-good finish. That’s world-class.

For those of us out there, me included, the weekend wasn’t just about the results. It was about being part of something that hadn’t existed before. Something built for us.

A Moment I’ll Never Forget

After I finished my race, I stuck around the finish line. That’s where the real magic happened. One by one, finishers crossed exhausted, emotional, and relieved. Then came David Wetherill, a Paralympian representing Great Britain who has a lower-limb impairment and relies on mobility aids to compete. As he approached the final station – 100 wall ball reps with a 14 lb. ball – HYROX staff spontaneously formed a cheer circle around him. Every athlete who had already finished joined in. We cheered. We danced. He gritted through, rep by rep, with a level of perseverance I’ve never witnessed from another human being.

That moment? That’s what adaptive sport can be. Not a footnote. A highlight.

How It Felt to Race

I compete with a guide runner, my longtime friend and former HYROX North American Champion, David Magida. Around the halfway mark, my legs were shot. We hit the sandbag lunges at station seven, and I could feel myself starting to tighten up. David looked over at me and said, “All you have to do is not blow up in the next 15 minutes and this thing is yours. Relax. You’ve already made it through the worst.”

It was just the nudge I needed. For a moment, I stopped bracing and let myself absorb what was happening. I picked up on the sound of the Rocky soundtrack playing over the speakers. I heard friends yell my name from the crowd.

As a low vision athlete, I don’t often allow myself to disassociate from my body. I rely heavily on hearing to navigate courses and trails. I don’t train or race with headphones or music. I’m tuned into every footstep, breath, and collision risk around me. But for a few seconds in this race, I let all that go.

At the finish, I was invited to ring the champion’s gong, a HYROX tradition. The first time I hit it, I felt weird. I hadn’t hit my target finish time, and that stuck in my head. But when the photographer asked for another shot, I rang it again and it just hit differently.

It wasn’t just about winning. It was about belonging in a space that hadn’t always existed.

Redefining “Disability”

This event helped me process something I’d been unsure how to own: my identity.

Because my disability isn’t always visible, I’ve sometimes hesitated to call it a disability at all. But competing shoulder-to-shoulder with people across a spectrum of abilities helped shift that. It reminded me that being an adaptive athlete isn’t about how others see you. It’s about how you show up, again and again, even when it’s hard to explain.

Being part of that first HYROX Adaptive Invitational cohort felt like finding a team I didn’t know I’d been waiting for. I was lucky to come away with a win, and I know some of the best adaptive athletes in the world haven’t found HYROX yet. Some haven’t heard of it. Some haven’t found the right training environment. Some are still figuring out if they belong.

That’s why this doesn’t feel like a peak. It feels like a spark. There’s more to build, more athletes to reach, more reps to put in. Until it’s time to pass the torch to the next champion, I look forward to working with Achilles International, an organization that provides resources to athletes with disabilities, to introduce more adaptive athletes to this incredible sport that has captured my attention, some blood and tears, and a whole lot of my sweat.

So, if you see me in the gym, on a trail, or in the streets, join me for a mile or two – or at the very least, say what’s up. These are solo races, but belonging is a team sport. You are all part of my team.

And we’re just getting started.

Tyson Greaves is a Vice President of U.S. Health, a member of our GRIOT Employee Network Group Steering Committee, and an adaptive athlete.

I met Richard Reeves at the PR Seminar in June in Savannah. He is the founder of the American Institute for Boys and Men, launched after a decade at the Brookings Institution, and the author of Of Boys and Men, which argues that supporting young men and boys is essential to true equality. As Reeves puts it, “we can do more for boys and men without doing less for women and girls.” He also warns that “the sense of male obsolescence is growing, along with signs of failure and alienation,” particularly lower down the social order. This view mirrors reporting that came out after the 2024 Presidential election, which found young men across races felt overlooked and economically stressed, factors that shaped their votes. A key finding from the 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer underscores this theme: 57 percent of men aged 18-34 support hostile activism as a means to bring about change.

Reeves provides some compelling statistics:

The gender gap in education has flipped. Men now earn 42 percent of college degrees, a complete reversal in the past 50 years.
The risk of suicide for boys and men is four times higher than for girls; it has increased by 40 percent since 2010.
There are more working-class men than women (men 64 percent, women 57 percent. This has changed fundamentally since 1980 when 85 percent of women were working class versus 75 percent of men. The large majority of Latino (81 percent) and Black (77 percent) males are working class.
Employment among working-class men has fallen from 90 percent in 1979 to 81 percent in 2024, while women’s employment has risen from 55 percent to 68 percent. White working-class employment declined from 91 percent to 82 percent, and Black male employment from 79 percent to 73 percent. In total, 9 million working-age men are out of work.
The average wage for working-class men has stagnated in the past 45 years at $852 per week, while the weekly wage for working-class women has gone up from $503 to $667 per week.

Reeves wants to reframe the narrative around young men. He is joined in this by former President Barack Obama, who was just on a podcast with his wife Michelle and brother-in-law Craig Robinson, where he said, “We’re constantly talking about what’s wrong with boys instead of what’s right with them.” Reeves goes on to assert that the term “toxic masculinity” is being used indiscriminately and that there are male traits that are a function of biology, not just socialization.

Obama and Reeves agree that there is important space for male solidarity. The former President said, “Having male friends I could talk to and count on was important in my life.” Obama hosted Camp Athlon at Camp David, a multi-sport, middle-aged male Olympics every year for his staff.

Males should feel good about going into fast growing professions according to Reeves, such as health, education, literacy and administration. These have been female professions with stigma for males; that stereotyping must end.

Reeves also wants significant investment in mental health and education for boys and men. Reeves writes, “One of the primary functions of human culture is to help young people to become responsible adults…To be grown up means learning how to temper our own natures…Boys become men, even gentlemen. The boy is still with us, just not in charge anymore.”

As a concluding thought, Reeves asks you to consider shifting the mental frame from “men are the problem to men having problems.” Male identity has been linked to having a good job and providing for the family. With globalization and deindustrialization, men have lost the provider status, with women picking up that responsibility. President Obama notes, “As a society we must make sure that men don’t feel redundant and that there’s not a place for them.” As the father of three daughters, I want their partners to be strong and confident, products of intentional investment in boys and young men.

Richard Edelman is CEO.

We’re spotlighting our Edelman Culture Champions, individuals recognized by their peers for exceptional dedication, positivity, and contributions to fostering a supportive workplace environment. These champions play a pivotal role in cultivating a culture where every voice is heard and valued. This edition of Inside Edelman features profiles of these outstanding colleagues from our U.S. offices, showcasing their efforts to uphold Edelman’s values of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB).

Tell us about your Edelman journey.

My Edelman story started long before I joined. In college, I took an intro to PR class taught by a professor who worked at Edelman. At the time, I didn’t fully understand what PR looked like in practice–but by the end of that course, I had declared a double major in PR and communications with a goal to end up at Edelman.

After graduation, I pursued my master's in strategic communications at the London School of Economics (LSE). A year later, I joined the Corporate Digital team in January 2024–and haven’t looked back since!

You were nominated for Culture Champion by your colleagues – how do you foster a collaborative and respectful culture within your team?

It may sound simple, but I show up, I smile, and I’m myself. I lead with curiosity when connecting with others. I’m not shy about asking questions, suggesting ideas, or following up because I believe a healthy culture feeds off that kind of energy.

Positivity is contagious–and that’s when culture starts to echo. I bring that energy and excitement to my office, to my teams, and now, I try to share it with Edel-friends near and far.  

How does your personal background play a role in your professional life?

I’m a first-generation Arab American, and growing up in an immigrant household taught me the value of creating community wherever I go. Building community takes time, energy and effort, but it’s always worth it.

When you think about the future of Edelman, what does it look like for you?

Edelman is a very special place, there’s so much heart and passion within these walls. Its history and legacy make it an exciting place to grow, both professionally and personally.

Looking ahead, I believe Edelman will continue being a place where people come together to create bold ideas that shape the world. I hope we keep investing in a people-first approach one that encourages us to lead with empathy, curiosity, and courage.

You play an active role at Edelman, serving as a Gen Z Lab Ambassador and co-lead of the GWEN ENG in Chicago. What advice would you offer to colleagues looking to get more involved?

Start small, but start somewhere. You don’t have to do it all–just find one space that excites you. Whether it’s an employee network like GWEN, a team initiative or a new office tradition, raise your hand and see where it takes you!

For me, these passion projects have brought a deeper sense of purpose to my day-to-day. I feel more connected to the people around me and more inspired by the impact we can make when we show up with genuine intention.

Masa Najjar is an Account Executive on the Corporate Digital team based in Chicago.

Last week, I had the privilege of attending the 10th Annual ColorComm Conference in Miami. For years, I had admired ColorComm from afar, curious, hopeful, yet uncertain if I belonged in a room filled with such accomplished women. As a communications professional with over two decades of experience, I’ve often found myself in spaces where few, if any, looked like me. So, walking into ColorComm for the first time was more than a conference experience – it was a homecoming.

Attending ColorComm reignited my “why.” As a leader on Edelman’s Multicultural team, I have the unique opportunity to elevate underrepresented voices in a media and marketing landscape that often sidelines them. This conference affirmed that our stories, our insights, and our presence are not just valuable, they’re essential.

I met women at every career stage: bright-eyed newcomers hungry for guidance, seasoned veterans wrestling with complex challenges, and visionary leaders lighting the path forward. We shared strategy, yes, but more importantly, we shared humanity.

ColorComm was founded by Lauren Wesley Wilson over a decade ago, born out of a moment of reckoning: she looked around her workplace and saw no leaders who looked like her. From that insight, she created what started as a small luncheon in Washington, D.C., and grew into the premier annual gathering for executive women of color in communications. This year’s theme, Breaking New Ground, was both a tribute to that founding vision and a call to action for the road ahead.

The theme could not have resonated more deeply for me. As a proud daughter of Newark, New Jersey – one of the nation’s most culturally rich yet under-celebrated cities – I’ve lived the experience of being “the only one” in the room. I’ve carried the weight of duality: showing up confidently while quietly questioning if I belonged. At ColorComm, that burden lifted.

For a long time, I believed ColorComm was only for the most senior of executives. I wasn’t sure if I had “earned” the space, despite my own accomplishments. That hesitation was rooted in the imposter syndrome many women of color carry, not from lack of ability, but from navigating spaces not built with us in mind.

But from the moment I arrived and checked in at registration, I knew I was exactly where I belonged. The warmth of the smiles, the enthusiastic “hellos” from strangers who felt like sisters, it was clear this space was designed not just to affirm us, but to push us further.

Early in my career, I struggled to speak up in rooms where no one looked like me. I questioned the value of my perspective. Over time, I’ve found – and fiercely protected – my voice. Today, I view it as both a privilege and responsibility to speak for the women of color who are still finding theirs.

This experience was shared by so many women I met at the conference. There was a collective understanding, a mutual nod that said, I see you. I’ve been you. We showed up not to compete, but to lift one another higher.

Several sessions struck a chord with me, but none more than the Kickoff General Session: “Non-Verbal Cues for Million $ Moves” led by Linda Clemons, CEO of Sisterpreneur, Inc. With the precision of a seasoned performer and the warmth of a mentor, Linda revealed the science of body language – how our posture, gaze, and gestures communicate power long before we speak. She taught us the “Three C’s” of non-verbal cues and challenged us to examine how we command space.

Equally powerful was “Get in the Game”, a conversation with trailblazing women from the NFL, NBA, and NHL: Dasha Smith, Kimberly Davis, and Lauren Sills. Their candid stories of navigating male-dominated spaces reminded me that being a woman of color isn’t a barrier, it’s a business advantage. They spoke of “informal networks” that create pathways to visibility and power. One quote still echoes in my mind: “Courage is our superpower.” That line alone was worth the flight to Miami.

Growing up in Newark, a city once unfairly dubbed “the world’s most unfriendly”, I beat the odds. I’m a first-generation college graduate, the first in my family to pursue a career in marketing and communications. For years, I spent more time explaining my job than talking about my purpose. But deep down, I always knew: I wanted to help tell the stories of people like me. People whose brilliance doesn’t always come with a spotlight.

That’s why I do this work. And that’s why ColorComm matters.

Leaving Miami, I didn’t just feel inspired, I felt responsible. I want to help build informal networks that boost the visibility of women of color. I want to mentor more boldly, lead more intentionally, and speak up even when it feels uncomfortable.

ColorComm reminded me that we are not alone. We are a movement. We are a force.

If you’ve ever doubted whether you belong in the room, this is your sign. You do. And not only do you belong, but the room needs you. Your story, your insights, your truth. ColorComm reminded me that when women of color gather, we don’t just break new ground – we build it.

Tamisha Hallman is a VP on the Multicultural Health team based in New York.

I woke up this morning to urgent texts from friends notifying me of the passing of Dr. David Nabarro. I met David through my wife, Claudia, who worked with him at the United Nations. He was a singular force in public health, an advocate for developing nations and a passionate believer in quality information as the fundamental force in behavior change.

David served in the UK Department for International Development in Iraq, Nepal, and Kenya. He taught at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and the University of Liverpool School of Medicine. He served as the first Coordinator of the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement, was the UK Special Envoy on Ebola, led the UN response to a cholera outbreak in Haiti and helped to launch the Sustainable Development Goals for the UN.

He worked closely with Edelman during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our firm hosted monthly calls for employees and clients featuring Dr. Nabarro. He provided important updates on the progress of the disease, best treatment options for sick parents, opined on the safety of the novel vaccines, gave us comfort in the lockdown that this was indeed the best approach to prevent the spread of the disease. He campaigned for sharing of early vaccine production with all nations, so that the elderly were universally protected. He was knighted by King Charles for his work during this terrible period.

He was a partner in our health Trust research which started during the pandemic. He was fascinated by the rise of a Person Like Me and local pharmacist as important sources of health information. He pushed for regulation of social media, which had become the primary source of advice for many consumers. He was appalled by the politicization of health during the pandemic, the loss of trust in national health figures such as Dr. Fauci and institutions from WHO to the CDC. He understood the unique role of the Employer in provision of consistent and objective health advice.

We also worked closely on COP28. He was in Dubai for the entire two weeks of negotiations. He was deeply concerned about the health effects of climate change. He believed that Africa would have permanent deterioration of its agricultural assets and that its people would be doomed to a perpetual state of poverty. He gave dimension to our PR teams seeking a higher mission for the carbon mitigation commitments.

He was a true friend of our family. Claudia was his director of communications and advocacy for the United Nations’ Sustainable Development goals. He was a tough boss; a daily 9 a.m. meeting meant that doors were closed at that exact time, with laggards locked out. He was full of ideas, based on idealism and his unique experience in the developing world. He was so happy with his new partner, Florence, who was his right hand on health and sustainability issues.

I say this of very few people; I loved David Nabarro. I cannot believe I will no longer be able to pick up the phone and reach him at any time of day or night to get his advice and counsel. I will carry on his mission of truth and fairness in the world.

Richard Edelman is CEO.

The incredible rise of Generative AI search (GEO), supplanting traditional search (SEO) has been identified by the Gartner Group. As I noted in May, the global research firm predicts brands' organic search traffic will fall 50 percent within three years as consumers shift to Large Language Models. The GEO search results are heavily weighted to stories in the media (85 percent). This has led Edelman to declare this decade as the Golden Age of Earned. GEO search is also Darwinian; when you ask for answers, you get one or two options, not a list of 20 on a search page. Therefore, PR has become an essential partner in generating sales; we have proven this for several clients.

Google’s announcement last week that it will now include creator content in its GEO search discovery process is a further endorsement of PR. The essential role of creators is their ability to channel culture as media. Our role is to find trusted creators who are genuine and credible. They will generate attention and loyalty without political risk or controversy. The reality of today’s media scene was perfectly captured at a press conference we did for a client last week, where two-thirds of attendees were creators and influencers.

I asked Tyler Vaught, our Global Head of Creator Marketing, to co-author this blog post. His comments follow.

The reach and impact of Creator-led content is about to grow exponentially now that Google has announced it will begin indexing public posts, photos, videos, carousels, and Reels from professional Instagram (and other Meta) accounts—making them appear directly in search results alongside websites, news articles, and YouTube videos.

This update lands just as AI-driven search—Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)—is rewriting the rules of discovery into what we have coined as “The Golden Age of Earned”. Chatbots and virtual assistants are pulling answers from independent, authentic sources—news outlets, user reviews, forums… and now, Creator posts. Paid ads and branded landing pages alone won’t cut it. To get picked up by AI summaries, you need earned signals—real, organic buzz that AI trusts and showcases.

Creators sit at the perfect crossroads of trust and reach:

Genuine Connection
A candid TikTok tutorial or an in-depth YouTube review feels more trustworthy than a polished advert. Every like, comment, or share is a data point that GEO systems interpret as “this matters.”

Built-In Discoverability
With your posts now indexed, thoughtful hashtags, keyword-rich captions, and even well-crafted alt text become mini-GEO wins. Your content can rank for queries like “easy weeknight dinners” or “home office setup tips.”

Multi-Platform Engine
Imagine a Pinterest board inspiring someone, an Instagram Reel reinforcing that spark, and then Google confirming your expertise—all in one seamless journey. That’s the power of Creator-driven discovery today.

Best Practices for Creator-Led Earned Media:

Blend GEO & Creative Briefs
Get your GEO and Creator strategies in sync. Map high-value conversational queries to Creator content ideas—so every script, caption, and on-screen graphic directly answers real user questions.

Optimize for AI Crawlers
Encourage detailed alt text, keyword-focused hashtags, and clear, punchy captions. These small touches help GEO systems understand and index your visuals and videos.

Match Format to Intent
Know where people go for what: quick hacks on TikTok, deep dives on YouTube, inspiration on Pinterest. Tailor your Creator partnerships to each platform’s search behavior.

Fuel the Earned-Paid Loop
Boost standout Creator posts with modest ad spends to spark extra engagement and organic mentions—then watch those earned signals compound in AI results.

The Takeaway

By indexing Creator content, Google has signaled that creator voices are Central to the future of AI-driven discovery. For brands, this is a pivotal moment: lean into trusted storytelling, optimize for GEO, not SEO, and let your earned media drive discovery. When AI assistants start pointing straight to your Reels and posts, you’ll know you’ve struck the perfect balance between creativity and visibility.

Richard Edelman is CEO.

Laura Loomer’s post last week was a bridge too far for decent and middle of the road Americans. To celebrate the opening of a new maximum-security jail in the Florida Everglades, she wrote, “Alligator Lives Matter. The Good news is alligators are guaranteed at least 65 million meals if we get started now.” I have seen hate speech in my life. This is at the far end of the spectrum, a vicious and bigoted statement designed to destabilize America’s burgeoning Latino population.

I am married to a Latina who works 12 hours a day on her NGO We Are All Human to change the narrative of her community. Latinos are responsible for four of five new small businesses in the U.S. CPG companies are relying on the Latino consumer for as much as 75 percent of their growth in the next decade. Latinos are the hardest-working Americans; I went to a grocery store for last minute shopping on July 4 and the entire floor staff was Latino. This is evidence of Latinos embracing the opportunity agenda of President Trump.

As a proud Jewish American, my immediate thought on seeing Loomer’s foul post was to think about Nazi Germany and the famous quote of German theologian and pastor Martin Niemöller:

“First, they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak for me.”

I am not making that mistake; I am speaking out. My wife Claudia and I are going to pursue an alliance between Latinos and Jews because we have a mutual set of values (Family, Hard Work, Religion, Charity) and interests (Tolerance, Diversity, Getting Ahead). The time for putting your head down and accepting bigotry as the price of being American is over.

Richard Edelman is CEO.

Zohran Mamdani’s stunning victory in New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary is a wake-up call for all communicators. Take creators seriously if you want to win the public argument. I have already posted an analysis of the Mamdani playbook largely authored by Hannah MacInnis. Now I will add a broader review of the TikTok news creator universe, with the help of our own Tyler Vaught, who runs our Creator Marketing offering.

Let’s start with the audience facts. The majority of 18–29-year-olds rely on creators for news (Pew Organization). They want organic and non-produced content, in short form (10 seconds, maximum one to two minutes). They want frequency of interaction, with the most successful creators consistently posting five to eight times per day. Likes and reposts are the key to audience vibe, not comments.

TikTok news creators fall into one of three buckets: Liberal (28 percent), Moderate (45 percent) or Conservative (25 percent). They are evenly split between male and female. Left-leaning creators tend to blend news with social commentary, often from an identity-based lens. Moderates such as Jordan Berman emphasize expertise and credibility given their backgrounds in law or finance. Conservatives have the largest audiences because they use multi-channel syndication.

Important conservative voices include Charlie Kirk with 10 million followers, Candace Owens with nearly 5 million, Ben Shapiro with nearly 3 million, Tucker Carlson with 4 million, Christian Walker with 1.4 million and Isabel Brown with nearly 600,000. Important left-leaning voices include Aaron Parnas with 3.5 million followers, V Spehar with 3.5 million for his UnderTheDeskNews, Harry Sisson with 1.8 million followers, Kat Abughazaleh with 217,000 followers, Josh Helfgott with 1.1 million, Charity Ekezie with 3.4 million.

Important moderate voices include Jordan Berman with 415,000 followers, Dave Jorgenson of The Washington Post with 1.8 million followers, Kyla Scanlon, Bianca Graulau and Cleo Abram.

Tyler told me that the best content format trends are:

Snackable and Stylized - UnderTheDeskNews is done under a desk.
Authenticity - Simple 10-second videos from a car.
Explanatory - Translate complex topics by using motion graphics and calm authority.

Should companies and brands wade into this new world? Absolutely YES but do it advisedly. Creators are the new vessels for earning public trust, especially with Gen Z. Brands should vet creators for credibility and values alignment, rather than disqualifying them for isolated controversial posts. Over-caution can cost brands younger audiences, cultural relevance, and leadership credibility.

Brands should consider collaborating with TikTok creators who have large followings, even if their content isn’t strictly focused on the brand’s specific niche. These creators offer unparalleled reach, cultural influence, and audience trust. Their broad appeal allows branded content to tap into a wider, more diverse viewer base, amplifying visibility and engagement. Additionally, these creators excel at storytelling and trend adaptation, which can help brands appear more authentic and relevant in the fast-paced TikTok ecosystem.

At Edelman we believe when you bring creators in the room you bring the community you are targeting in the room. You must partner with these creators as advisors, not just content producers.

Richard Edelman is CEO.

I watched with amazement last night as the Democratic mayoral primary results rolled in. I had been told by my stepdaughter Tamara that the Zohran Mamdani momentum was real and that he was going to win. Trapped in my old world thought bubble of Marist polls and mainstream media, I was convinced that Andrew Cuomo would be making easy work of the challenger. Simply put, I was dead wrong. I asked our digital PA specialist Hannah MacInnis for her view of what happened. Here it is:

How Zohran Mamdani Won the Social Media Game Against Andrew Cuomo

In the high-stakes 2025 New York City mayoral primary, one thing was clear: social media wasn't just part of the game, it was the game. And when it came to dominating TikTok, Instagram, and other digital platforms, Zohran Mamdani outpaced political heavyweight Andrew Cuomo by a landslide.

Mamdani has a platform-first strategy, focusing a great deal on TikTok. Unlike his opponents and politicians across the board, he approached social media as a core campaign tool, not an afterthought. His videos were relatable and rooted in the daily lives of New Yorkers. One viral clip featured him breaking his Ramadan fast with a burrito on the Q train. This small, genuine moment struck a chord with viewers and racked up hundreds of thousands of views. He regularly engaged with followers through TikTok Lives and trend-adapted content that simplified complex policy topics. Cuomo, by comparison, failed to adapt to the culture of these platforms. His sporadic and formal presence felt out of touch with younger audiences.

Creator Support, Collaboration, and Criticism
A critical factor in Mamdani's digital success was the support he received from influencers, particularly on TikTok. He not only garnered direct support from different creators but also fed off content criticizing his opponent. The beauty of the TikTok algorithm is users do not have to follow a certain creator to see their content, therefore extending the reach of videos to limitless potential. Those with minimal followers can also garner massive engagement on videos due to the topic or reshares by larger accounts (like Mamdani’s channel). The “For You Page” shows the user anything and everything, adding to the organic, quick-posting nature of TikTok content.

Direct endorsements:
@aoc
@waltermasterson
@cassiewillson
@sarahsquirm
@fiathomson
@harryjsisson

Creator Criticism:
*While some creators did not directly name Mamdani, they spoke on policies Mamdani was campaigning on.
@stopantisemitismorg
@IsabelBrown
@itsalllpolitics
@vickiepaladino
@officialchristianwalk1r

Memes, Slogans, and Campaign Virality
Mamdani's team leaned into the power of viral communication. Memorable slogans like "Don’t Rank Evil Andrew" became rallying cries and trended on TikTok. His progressive policies of free public transit, taxing the wealthy, affordable housing were packaged into digestible, meme-ready snippets.

Cuomo, on the other hand, became the subject of memes rather than the creator of them. The internet often portrayed him as a symbol of outdated politics, and this perception hurt his credibility with younger, digitally fluent voters.

Community-Centric Messaging
Mamdani’s campaign used social platforms to build a grassroots movement. His videos didn't just promote policies, they called on people to join events, canvass, and participate. This sense of collective ownership and activism made his campaign feel more like a community than a traditional political machine.

Cuomo’s campaign, by contrast, leaned on name recognition and legacy. But in an era where grassroots energy can be cultivated in a 60-second TikTok, legacy alone wasn't enough.

The Internet Candidate Wins
Zohran Mamdani's triumph in the social media sphere came down to a few key factors: He mastered the native language of platforms like TikTok. He activated influencers to become campaign partners and mouthpieces. He made policy sharable and engaging. He built community and momentum through consistent digital engagement.

Andrew Cuomo couldn’t keep up. In this new political era, authenticity and connectivity outweigh old-school credentials. Mamdani didn’t just run for mayor, he ran with the internet, and he won.

Richard Edelman is CEO.

AI is set to transform connectivity and cybersecurity. What impact do industry leaders anticipate over the coming years?

According to the UK National Cybersecurity Centre’s 2024 report on the impact of AI on cyber threats, “AI will almost certainly increase the volume and heighten the impact of cyber-attacks over the next two years.”

This judgement highlights a key tension at the heart of today’s interconnected economy. On the one hand, warnings like the above highlight the risks AI could pose to businesses and their customers. On the other, AI also provides a huge opportunity for those companies working to build connectivity and strengthen cyber defences. According to McKinsey, new use cases for generative AI could have an economic impact of between $60 billion and $100 billion in the telecoms industry alone. In cybersecurity, meanwhile, the market for AI-powered solutions is set to hit £133.8 billion by 2030, up from $14.9 billion in 2021.

Given the high stakes, there is a growing conversation about how AI should be implemented in the industries that contribute most to our connected world – from 5G and broadband to cloud computing.

The Human Factor

While the temptation is to focus purely on the technology, several organisations highlight that it is important to keep sight of the people involved in its development, as well as those at the front line of securing our cyber defences.

For example, in its annual survey, The Chartered Institute of Information Security found that cybersecurity professionals, perhaps unsurprisingly, see AI and machine learning as the innovation that will have the biggest impact on cybersecurity. But the report goes on to highlight the human factors affecting the people who are defending against AI threats. For example, 50 per cent of survey respondents reported that day-to-day stress and workload pressures keep them awake at night, while 22 per cent reported that they work more than 48 hours each week, spotlighting the ongoing need for cyber resilience.

People are also front of mind for BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, which, in March, laid out a series of recommendations to support the ethical and safe use of AI. The headline proposal was that any technologist working with AI should be a registered professional held to account against an independent set of standards. Speaking at the organisation’s March policy jam, Professor Bernd Stahl of the University of Nottingham argued that professional recognition will happen “for the same reason it happens in medicine, law and accountancy – because people recognise that these professions need to be regulated.”

The Cloud Opportunity

Looking at how AI is impacting the prospects of businesses, it is clear that cloud computing is one area where there is a significant opportunity, providing the foundations for cloud-based AI. The Cloud Industry Forum’s annual survey of senior IT and business decision-makers recently found that 96 per cent of businesses believe that AI will be ‘at least somewhat important’ to their organisation in the next five years. At the launch of the report in May, the organisation’s CEO, David Terrar, explained that “AI’s rapid rise has continued over the last 12 months and shows little sign of slowing.” He added that: “Cloud naturally has a key role to play in the further adoption of AI, offering the agility to enable businesses to experiment with AI and reap its rewards.”

What Does AI Mean for Telecoms and Broadband?

The outlook for telecoms is more nuanced. In February last year, The UK Telecoms Innovation Network released a paper highlighting that AI is expected to catalyse a transformation in the telecoms industry by bringing new entrants to the market and causing strategic shifts among key stakeholders. However, it also highlighted specific challenges that the industry faces when implementing AI. For example, the sector faces an AI skills gap as it competes for talent with other industries, while the rapid development cycle of AI is at odds with the decades-long planning processes more typically associated with national infrastructure such as telecoms networks.

Meanwhile, the Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development’s annual ‘State of Broadband’ report sees AI as “a potential accelerant towards sustainable development goals.” The report outlines how AI can contribute towards the Commission’s targets, such as by enhancing broadband operators’ operations through improved network efficiency and fraud detection and by streamlining processes in e-finance. At the same time, it also flags potential risks, such as information overload and the difficulty of discerning AI-generated content from true information.

Looking to the future, AI’s role in telecoms and cybersecurity is poised to grow exponentially, reshaping not just how we connect, but how we protect and interact with data too. The continued integration of AI into cloud computing, telecoms infrastructure and security frameworks will introduce new possibilities, from more efficient networks to smarter, more responsive security systems. However, the challenges ahead, from the AI skills gap to combatting increasingly sophisticated AI-empowered cyber threats, remain significant. To stay ahead of the curve, companies must not only invest in cutting-edge technologies but also prioritise the development of talent, contributing to informed regulatory frameworks and a culture of cybersecurity resilience. By doing so, they will be well-positioned to leverage AI in ways that drive both innovation and security in an increasingly connected world.

David Whitehead is EMEA Technology Executive Positioning Leader at Edelman.

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