Category: News

ODWYERS: KEN MAKOVSKY ON 10 SWEEPING CHANGES THROUGH 40 YEARS IN BUSINESS

Over the past forty years, our industry has survived and prospered, during times of peace, prosperity and stability as well as uncertainty, polarization and challenging economies. With that long-term perspective in mind, here is my opinion of “the 10 most important” developments affecting PR in the past 40 years.

© Makovsky 2026

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LYTEN

One of our clients, Lyten, is an inventor of both a novel carbon nanomaterials solution, and a proprietary manufacturing technology with impact across many industries.

We worked with them from their company’s earliest days to strategically understand the value drivers of their story that would attract media and VC investors.

An integrated content and executive visibility program delivered the story with results in top media and the energy and sustainable technology media, starting in the US and then expanding internationally.
Are you trying to find visibility in the highly fragmented media environment around transitional energy or renewable solutions?

Let’s dive in together.
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HIGH-RISK BANKING COMMS

Since the bank failures of 2023, banking and financial clients have come to Makovsky as a front line defense in engaging with journalists when faced with challenging stories. We support them with highly confidential, rapid response teams, proprietary issue monitoring and tracking tools, for ongoing issues counseling, and with reputation recovery campaigns.
Navigating the higher communications risks of the current economic uncertainty?

Contact us and let’s discuss how.
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ROIVANT

For our client Roivant, we shaped a powerful and consistent narrative of investor-driven value, from pre- IPO, through multiple funding rounds, and with a through-story in every catalyst. Frequent top media coverage and consistent presence in industry publications and financial websites supported the share price despite a tough investment climate for other biotechs.
Do you want to build a long-term value story that lasts beyond any single funding announcement?

Contact us and let’s discuss how.
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ROIVANT + PORTFOLIO COMPANIES

In addition to the parent company Roivant, we also build media for other hot biotechs seeking to fund exciting science, among them: VantAI, an emerging leader in deploying AI deep learning to induced proximity therapeutics; Covant, a young player in covalent approaches to cures;  PsiVant, who works with Nvidia technology to deploy supercomputing to drug discovery and others.

The resulting media coverage brought the companies closer to VC and pharma investors such as Janssen, BSM, and Pfizer. 
Its a tough investor environment for biotechs - do you need your story to stand out?

Contact us and let’s discuss!
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roivant logo

ROIVANT

For our client Roivant, we not only sustain a powerful and consistent narrative of investor-driven value, from there IPO, through multiple funding rounds. We also brought Roivant’s industry leading science to media in areas such as irritable bowel disease, Crohns, immunological therapeutics and others. 
Its a tough investor environment for biotechs - do you need your story to stand out?

Contact us and let’s discuss!
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roivant logo

UST

For rising IT player UST, our solution to integrate the AI revolution into their digital transformation story was to identify the hot-button social disruption issues in areas like healthcare, cybersecurity and vulnerable manufacturing supply-chains. Then align top executive spokespeople to dynamically connect with reporters on breaking news topics.

The result was to create media attention on par with competitors many times UST’s size.
Trying to integrate the AI revolution into your digital transformation story?

Let’s dive in together.
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LYTEN

Our client Lyten is an example of how we’re able to get top media visibility for complex technologies.

We created a narrative around the powerful impact Lyten’s sustainable lithium-sulfur battery technology would have on industry and society.

We then familiarized a network of reporters that we work with to understand the social benefits, and choreographed a targeted thought leadership and executive visibility media campaign that delivered top media of value to Lyten’s strategic partners and investors.
Is it challenging to get top media visibility for your complex technology story?

Contact us and let’s discuss!
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MEDSEC

“Help us tell our story as a critical player
in the cybersecurity of the world’s medical devices.”
Want to know how we “bridged the gap” with the medical community and regulators to explain MedSec’s critical role in leading medical device cybersecurity?

Give us a call and we’ll show you how we did it!

LTI

“Help us evolve the company’s story from a
IT services firm to a digital solutions provider”
Want to know how we establish LTI's reputation as a thought leader for CIOs around the globe?

Give us a call and we’ll show you how we did it!
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MERCEDES-BENZ

“Help us launch our new CLA and reach the millennial audience in unexpected and new ways.”
Want to know how we leveraged a multi-industry influencer strategy to get the car in front of a younger audience?

Give us a call and we’ll look under the hood!

JED FOUNDATION

“Everyone is touched by mental health; we all have a story. We needed to be more than a resource for young adults but a true leader in everyday conversation.”
Want to know how we helped JED tackle suicide prevention and awareness?

Give us a call and we’ll fill you in.

SLEEP NUMBER

“Stores open every day in NYC. We needed the right people on the ground, who understand the media in the city that never sleeps — oh and help New Yorkers get a little more rest in the process!”
Want to know how we created a show stopping customer experience for Sleep Number’s grand opening?

Give us a call and get under the sheet!

Association for Computing Machinery

“Help us define and communicate a code of ethics
to help the technology industry move forward.”
Want to know how we fueled the discussion and built the case for the ethical use of technology by developing the “Nobel Prize” of computing?

Give us a call and we’ll show you how!

ADVANCED ACCELERATOR APPLICATIONS

“Help us educate oncologists about a rare cancer and our innovative Theragnostics treatment.”
Want to know how our campaign helped AAA garner FDA approval and move towards an acquisition by Novartis?

Give us a call and we’ll take you through the playbook!

KOWA

“Help us communicate the unique breakthrough of our new cholesterol treatment in a very crowded marketplace”
Want to know how we differentiated LIVALO and championed lowering cholesterol in patients across the country?

Give us a call and we’ll show you the plan!

ROCHE

“Help us launch our new drug to treat
primary and progressive Multiple Sclerosis.”
Want to know how we used digital and social analytics to understand the patient conversation and guide the ongoing communications?

Let’s get in the lab and we’ll show you how we did it!

DUCHESNAY

“Help us establish awareness and trust for our breakthrough drug to treat severe morning sickness.”
Want to know how we generated over 1 billion media impressions and cultivated 25 patient advocacy organizations?

Give us a call and we’ll put our arms around the program together!

BRACEWELL

“Help us establish and bolster our reputation as a legal thought-leader in the clean energy arena.”
Want to know how we helped accelerate law firm Bracewell’s revenue and geographic expansion?

Let’s open up the books and dive in together.

FORTISTAR

“Help us demonstrate the value to converting trash from landfills into transportation fuel.”
Want to know how we reached out to the landfill industry ecosystem and helped accelerate the adoption of Fortistar’s approach?

Let’s have a look together!

ENERGY STORAGE ASSOCIATION

“Help us develop a public relations platform
to raise our profile within and advocate for the energy storage industry.”
Want to know how we used strategic media relations to build ESA as a thought-leader and to bolster record numbers of attendance at its annual conference?

Give us a call and we’ll walk you through it!

HUBBELL

“Help us re-imagine our 150-year old brand from a products to a solutions company.”
Want to know how we re-branded the company and helped Hubbell achieve the #1 media share of voice three years in a row?

Let’s turn on the lights and have a look!

SORAA

“Help us demonstrate the premium value
and quality difference of our LED lighting products.”
Want to know how we helped this emerging company go from zero to $150m in revenue in four years?

Give us a call and we’ll shine the light on it!

VERICOOL

“Help us raise awareness of our innovative environmental packaging. Redefine our sustainability and growth story."
Want to know how we used an integrated communications program to demonstrate the value of Vericool’s breakthrough offering?

Let’s open up the package and dive in!

NEW YORK LIFE

“Help us launch a new kind of asset class to institutional and retail investors”
Want to know how we leveraged NYL’s portfolio managers to showcase their EIG 130/30 offering?

Let’s dig into the numbers together!

DEERPATH CAPITAL

“Help us showcase our expertise in meeting
the capital needs of American small businesses"
Want to know how we helped this direct lender to lower and middle market businesses gain the favor of the media and the investor community?

Give us a call and see how we lent our hand!

TMRW

"Help us generate excitement among institutional investors for innovations in fertility technology.”
Biotech startups emerge everyday, but only one was the lead story in Institutional Investor and
Bloomberg in the same week.

Give us a call and learn how TMRW became the biotech investment story of today.

CLEANCAPITAL

“Help us communicate our leading solar Investment platform to the investor community and the broader public at large.”
Want to know how we used traditional media, digital media and events to help our client reach record industry leading deal-flow?

Let’s step into the sun and have a chat!

HUNT MILITARY COMMUNITIES

"We are the largest private provider of military housing. Help us evolve our reputation to match the standard of our service."
Want to know how we helped Hunt bounce negative news from Google through proactive media outreach and favorable coverage?

Let’s get in the trenches and take a look together!

BOOZ & CO

“Help us differentiate ourselves in an industry where knowledge is power.”
Want to know how we developed global thought leadership franchises to help Booz dominate the C-Suite conversation?

Give us a call and let’s dissect the strategy!

RUSSELL REYNOLDS

“Help us position ourselves as the go-to firm for advising and recruiting C-suite executives.”
Want to know how we helped RR build its reputation as an expert in building executive suites and boardrooms to meet the sustainability and diversity needs of today?

Give us a call and we’ll show you the playbook!

MERCER

“Help us promote our brand
and IP to accelerate the growth of our consulting services into new markets.”
Want to know how we built visibility for Mercer and its expertise in healthcare, investments and career trends?

Give us a call and we’ll take you through our work!

GLAXOSMITHKLINE

“Help us destigmatize COPD disease and raise
awareness of our treatments to get patients the care that they need.”
Want to see how our team developed a film series to create a lens into COPD and built support for patients who are fighting everyday?

Give us a call and we’ll take you behind the scenes!

CHARLES SCHWAB

“Help us promote & accelerate the growth of our Independent Registered Investment Advisor Business”
Want to know how we helped Schwab dramatically grow the number of RIAs and set a new RIA market standard by developing a national award and garnering over 1 billion media impressions?

Give us a shout and we can lay out the portfolio.

KEARNEY

“Help us claim our position among the global consulting elite.”
Want to know how we leveraged thought-leadership and blue-chip business media to raise Kearney’s corporate profile to new heights?

Let’s dive in together.

JOHNSON & JOHNSON

“Help us define innovation as an organization, and develop programs that catalyze our people around creating what’s next.”
Want to know how we used rapid-prototyping and real-time validation to build new innovation stories?

Let’s get in the lab and we’ll show you how Innovation Relations works up close.

NORTHWEST HARDWOODS

“Help us amplify our voice and lead our industry against retaliatory tariffs and practices.”
Want to know how we used comprehensive programs targeted at policy makers, industry advocates and media to help get Hardwood included in phase one U.S. / China trade deal?

Give us a call and we’ll show you how!

PAYCOM

“Help us solidify our reputation and
value proposition ahead of our IPO.”
Want to know how we leveraged a proactive integrated comms plan to help take Paycom public and have its stock double in the first year?

Give us a call and we’ll walk you through it!

SPRINT

“Help us launch our new network roll-out and use advanced analytics to understand each local market’s reactions and how to respond.”
Want to know how we used advanced social listening to help Sprint get a leg up in an extremely competitive space?

Give us a call and we’ll walk you through this award-winning campaign!

MAZARS

“Help us raise our corporate profile as an accounting and consulting leader, while navigating perceptual challenges amidst complicated client programs.”
Want to know how we fiercely guarded our client’s
reputation while promoting its practitioners’ thought leadership?

Let’s consult the
manual together!