This week, Vienna was the capital of the global communication measurements industry – a place that sparked ideas, conversations, and revealed new directions. The 2025 AMEC Global Summit brought together the vibrant community for three days of shared insights, practical tools, and meaningful connection. From informal conversations over coffee to keynote ideas that challenged the status quo, this year’s event highlighted just how far we’ve come and where we’re headed next.
Kicking Off: Connection Comes First
Kicking Off: Connection Comes First
The summit began with a welcome gathering and speed networking – a chance to reconnect with familiar faces and meet new ones. Whether this was your first AMEC Summit or your tenth, it felt like stepping into a room full of peers who truly understand the work. The conversations that started here set the tone for the days ahead.
Аhead of the first full day of sessions, our team (joined by a few friends of Ruepoint) gathered for dinner at Figlmüller – home of the famous Vienna schnitzel. We were able to pause, reconnect, and reflect on the year behind us. These team gatherings matter. They keep us aligned, grounded, and excited for what’s next.
DAY 1
Update your CommsOS-From a Linear to a Cyclical Operating System
In his keynote, Ruepoint’s Head of Marketing & Comms, Iskren Lilov, made the case for replacing outdated “plan–push–pray” workflows with a modern, cyclical approach to communication.
Instead of starting from scratch with each campaign, cyclical workflows create a continuous loop where insight feeds strategy, strategy drives action, and action generates new insight.
The result? Faster learning, tighter alignment with business goals, and more value from every cycle. With the right mix of analyst support, quality data, and smart tools, comms teams can move beyond one-off tactics and build sustainable momentum.
Audience Compass: Navigating Cross–Channel Influence
Stephanie Cohen Glass (Microsoft) and Vincent Jacobi (WE Communications) shared how their teams built a more inclusive, data-informed approach to audience engagement. They tackled a common blind spot: over-relying on traditional media voices while overlooking diverse and younger audiences.
Their solution blended analytics with qualitative insight – using an “influence index” to redefine media lists and place senior leaders in unexpected spaces like podcasts. The result? Smarter engagement, quicker decision-making, and stronger internal alignment. Their message: audience-first comms isn’t about reaching everyone, but about reaching the right people in the right places.
The Future of PR: What 1,000+ PR pros reveal about AI, measurement and what’s next
In a data-rich keynote, Natan Edelsburg from Muck Rack shared how PR teams are shifting from experimenting with AI to integrating it into daily workflows. With 75% already using tools like ChatGPT, AI is now driving faster execution, sharper messaging, and even smarter meeting recaps.
Measurement is also gaining ground, with 40% of PR pros listing it as a core responsibility. Natan introduced a key trend to watch: generative AI optimisation – where visibility in AI-trained content may soon rival search rankings. His takeaway? The future belongs to teams who combine human insight, data, and tech.
How Synthetic data is revolutionising communications
Mary Elizabeth Germaine (Ketchum), Penelope Mantzaris (Edelman), and Kyle Mason (Shell) explored the growing role of synthetic audiences in strategy, planning, and crisis communications. These AI–generated models replicate real–world behavior and offer faster, cost–effective ways to test messaging, especially in niche or sensitive contexts. While not a replacement for traditional research, synthetic audiences help teams simulate audience responses and fine–tune strategy before going live – turning data into a dynamic planning partner.
From Data to Impact: Using theories of change and insights to shape campaign strategy and measurement
In this keynote, David Cantor from the Gates Foundation showed how a theory of change can align strategy, measurement, and impact. Grounded in their $200B commitment to ending preventable diseases and poverty, the Foundation uses clear public–facing goals–its “North Stars”–to guide internal teams and track meaningful metrics like optimism, trust, and support for global development. Instead of chasing vanity metrics, the team focuses on audience belief in progress as a catalyst for policy change. The result: campaigns that not only land–but move public sentiment, media narratives, and political will.
A new chapter for the Barcelona Principles
One of the most anticipated moments of the summit was the unveiling of the Barcelona Principles 4.0. Led by Richard Bagnall, the session introduced the latest evolution of our industry’s gold standard for communication evaluation – now with a sharper focus on transparency, outcomes, and alignment with organisational goals.
We’re proud to have contributed to the new edition and to support shared standards that help move the industry forward.
A night to remember
Hosted at the stunning Palais Coburg Residenz, the AMEC Gala Dinner was a celebration of community and progress. Under the theme “A rising tide lifts all ships,” the evening brought together people, ideas, and shared purpose – a reminder of why we gather each year and what makes this community so unique.
DAY 2
Reset Analysis and Public Communication to Change the World
Jim Macnamara challenged the comms industry to move from message delivery to meaningful participation in policy–making. Drawing from 18 months of research for his upcoming book, he revealed that public communication still largely occurs after decisions are made – often as one–way messaging. But in a time of declining trust and democratic backsliding, that’s no longer enough. He called for a shift toward listening at scale: using data, media, and public input analysis to embed citizen voices earlier in the policy cycle. For comms professionals, this isn’t just a duty – it’s an opportunity to influence decisions that shape our world.
B2B Marketing Trends from LinkedIn and what they mean for reputation, content, and impact
Nicole Moreo from LinkedIn took the stage to unpack the platform’s latest research on brand, content, and impact in B2B. Among the standouts: video views are up 36% year over year, and “hidden buyers” – procurement, finance, and other behind–the–scenes decision–makers – are influencing up to 60% of deals. Thought leadership remains key, especially when it comes from the C–suite, while smart marketers are rebalancing their strategies to avoid over–indexing on short–term demand. The takeaway? Influence in B2B isn’t just about reach – it’s about relevance, memory, and meeting buyers across the full funnel.
Beyond Metrics: How Communications intelligence is driving business impact at PwC
At PwC, communications is no longer just a reporting function – it’s becoming a strategic driver of business impact. In her keynote, Brittnee Long shared how the firm has shifted from counting coverage to aligning communication goals with broader organisational outcomes. The team built a new measurement framework focused on attention, attitude, and action – moving beyond vanity metrics to meaningful indicators of success. Collaborations with teams across the business, from HR to people analytics, helped embed insights into company–wide initiatives like “My Plus.” By tailoring deliverables to different audiences and integrating AI for speed and scale, PwC is building a user–first intelligence function that informs decisions and strengthens outcomes.
Broadcast redefined: how organisations are using audio visual communications to reach and engage with audiences effectively
In a world where audiences scroll more than they sit still, broadcast is evolving beyond the TV set. This panel explored how organisations are redefining “broadcast” to include podcasts, short–form video, and audio–visual storytelling that meets audiences where they are. Claire Pimm reflected on the UK Government’s COVID–19 briefings as a masterclass in trusted, high–impact communication, while Matt Oakley spotlighted how AI is helping agencies repurpose content and track reach across channels. From repackaged BBC stories to soap opera storylines with public service messaging, the message was clear: if you want to inform, inspire or shift perception–do it through sight, sound, and story.
Measurement Will Never Be The Same
That was the message from Jonny Bentwood, who closed the summit with a data–rich call to action for comms professionals to take the lead in the age of Gen AI. With 67% of Gen Z now turning to AI over Google for research, and 90% of AI visibility driven by earned media, the stakes couldn’t be clearer. Bentwood laid out a three–phase plan–benchmark, optimise, defend–to improve brand visibility in generative AI results, stressing the role of citations, listicles, Reddit, and AI–friendly metadata. His message was urgent but optimistic: PR leaders have the tools and expertise to shape the next era of search and reputation.
AMEC 2026 – we’ll see you in Dublin
To close out the summit, it was announced that next year’s AMEC Global Summit will take place in Dublin – with Muck Rack as proud sponsors. As a company born in Ireland and committed to the global comms community, we аre proud to see Ruepoint and Muck Rack headlining next year’s summit. We can’t wait to welcome the industry to our home turf – and continue raising the bar for media intelligence and communication measurement.
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