Observed Signal · Jun 29, 2026 · Partnership · Source: Adweek · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Chief Communications Officers Rise as Strategic Advisors
At an ADWEEK House Cannes Lions Communications Vanguard roundtable co-hosted with Burson, senior communications leaders from major brands argued the chief communications officer role has shifted from crisis manager to strategic, enterprise-level advisor. Panelists — including Damon Jones (P&G), Craig Buchholz (Burson), Gigi Ganatra (eBay), Adam Collins (Reddit) and Jason Schlossberg (SharkNinja) — said communications now informs business decisions earlier, helps protect and build trust and reputation, and must coordinate across functions because audiences no longer occupy separate lanes. The discussion emphasized that reputation underpins customer, employee and investor behavior and that earlier communications involvement improves outcomes for growth and change. The piece was published by ADWEEK and created in partnership with Burson.
Elevates the role of communications/PR to strategic C‑suite influence, which affects brand narrative, cross-functional decisioning and stakeholder trust — relevant to marketing and corporate communications but not a major AdTech platform or policy shift.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- An ADWEEK House Cannes Lions Communications Vanguard roundtable was co-hosted with Burson.
- Panelists included Damon Jones (chief communications officer, P&G), Craig Buchholz (CEO, U.S., Burson), Gigi Ganatra (chief communications officer, eBay), Adam Collins (chief communications officer, Reddit) and Jason Schlossberg (chief communications officer, SharkNinja).
- Panelists argued the chief communications officer role has evolved from crisis management to being a strategic advisor and enterprise leader within the C‑suite.
- The ADWEEK article states it was created in partnership with Burson.
Connected Companies & Entities
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“For Jason Schlossberg, chief communications officer at SharkNinja, the role carries real weight on the growth side of the ledger....”
Related Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
ADWEEK Launches Communications Vanguard for CCOs
ADWEEK announced Communications Vanguard, a new platform and community designed for C-level communications leaders to share strategies, convene, and access actionable content. The initiative, announced June 17, 2026, will debut with an inaugural Communications Vanguard Roundtable at ADWEEK House Cannes Lions on June 24 (2:45–3:15 p.m. CEST) in partnership with Burson, followed by a Communications Vanguard Luncheon at Brandweek. ADWEEK said the program will provide case studies, convening events, and opportunities for CCOs to bring a designated “Next Leader” to build networking and development pathways. The announcement includes commentary from Randa Stephan of Burson and is authored by Jenny Rooney of ADWEEK.
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