“Communications today matters more than ever,” 5W Public Relations CEO and founder Ronn Torossian tells Doug Simon in the latest “PR’s Top Pros Talk” video interview.

“It’s really a remarkable time that we’re living through,” Torossian says. “As communicators, as marketers, as public relations people, we need to be cognizant that words matter.”

But it’s not just words, he tells Simon—it’s every aspect of communications that has taken on added significance and power. “Careers are changed just because of one word or one syllable, one tweet, one Instagram post.”

He also says that communications under the Biden administration will likely take on a different tone. “You’ll see less mixing of brands and politics that you did before. I don’t think we’ll see the Biden administration sending out tweet after tweet attacking companies or attacking people.”

However, brands need to be ready for whatever unexpected turns 2021 takes. “We’ve seen social justice issues and community concern issues come up like never before,” Torossian says. “It wouldn’t surprise me to see things like that arise in the days and weeks and years to come.”

He also discusses that changes that the virtual, work-from-home world has made on how communicators operate. “The way that you communicate on Zoom is a lot different that the way you communicate in person,” he says.

And many of the changes that took place in 2020 are probably here to stay. “I don’t believe that with the vaccine, we’re going to go back to nine to six, Monday to Friday,” Torossian tells Simon.

Overall, he is bullish on the state of PR in the coming year. “PR is here, and this is our moment.”

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D S Simon Media helps clients get their stories on television through satellite media tours and by producing and distributing content to the media. The company also produces live social media events.