Disruption is a survival skill vital to move a company, brand and communications forward, according to panelists at today's PR Council's annual critical issues forum, who agreed that complacent organizations will fall to the next wave of challengers.

Simplicity is at the heart of disruption, which is fundamental to the running of successful companies.

Bough, McGuinness, Heinmann
Bough, McGuinness, Heimann

Gail Heimann, president of Weber Shandwick, who moderated the lively session, introduced the trio of guests as the Mount Rushmore of disruptors.

David Hantman, global public policy head of Airbnb, said his company enables people to use what they have more efficiently and provides choices. For instance, Airbnb gives hosts the cash to follow dreams and pursuits.

Airbnb has disrupted the traditional hospitality market and changed the basic expectations of travelers. Travelers "interact with others" via the online accommodations service.

Hantman, a veteran of Capitol Hill, said the initial instinct of legislators is to protect the way things are currently done to avoid upheaval.

He believes local governments—rather than fighting Airbnb's expansion into their markets—should ask why 10M people have used the service.

In Hantman's view, governments should work to promote transparency and traveller/host safety.

Peter McGuinness, chief marketing officer of Chobani, said the Greek yogurt company disrupted the status quo by simply marketing a product with real fruit and no chemicals.

The company, which helped drive share of Greek yogurt to 50 percent of the market, presented a different product to what customers were accustomed to.

McGuinness spoke of "disruption fatigue" and believes some components of a business cannot be tampered with because they go to the core of a brand's essence.

The former ad man said communications always boils down to having a creative message that is well executed.

Bonin Bough, VP-global media & consumer engagement at Mondelez International, called himself a fan of constant change.

He said corporate structures that were built in the past limit growth and opportunity and must be revamped.

Unless complacent companies "change their cultures to compete" they will lose share to aggressive challengers, said the Mondelez executive and veteran of PepsiCo and Weber Shandwick.

The panelists cited Apple's Steve Jobs, Virgin's Richard Branson and Tesla's Elon Musk as heroes of disruption.

Branson was called a calculated risk-taker and rebel with/without a cause who created an airline that flies the same planes and offers the same seats as competitors, yet provides flyers a fresh feel to travel.