PROVOKE: WE, ROKK Roll Out AI Consulting Service

WE Communications and ROKK Solutions are rolling out a joint offering, called WE ROKK AI, designed to help organizations navigate AI policy. The new offering leverages WE’s expertise in technology and ROKK’s legislative expertise to provide clients guidance around the legal and policy complexities of AI to determine how the technology best fits into their operations.

“Artificial intelligence is reshaping the way we live, work and interact with information. As the technology advances, no industry will avoid its still unknown benefits and risks — or be immune to the policies that govern them,” said ROKK co-founder and partner Rodell Mollineau. “It’s why ROKK has partnered with the technology experts from WE Communications to help clients understand how to navigate AI policy.”

Read the full article on the joint offering, WE ROKK AI with ROKK Solutions and WE Communications, in PRovoke.

Kristi Noem, the governor of South Dakota, is readying for her national close-up. How else to interpret her recent controversial trip to Texas to “fix” her smile, documented in a lengthy video?

You know, the one she posted on X, Facebook and Instagram, singing the praises of Smile Texas, the cosmetic dental clinic that remedied what she said had been a problem incurred long ago in an accident while bicycling with her children. The one that chronicled her journey to, she said, “a smile that I can be proud of and confident in.”

ROKK Co-Founder and Partner Ron Bonjean spoke to The New York Times about what being in Trump’s circle has meant for Kristi Noem.

House Speaker Mike Johnson begins the two-week spring recess with a threat against his leadership. With the GOP’s majority soon shrinking to one seat, how will Johnson and the Republicans govern?

ROKK Co-Founder and Partner Ron Bonjean spoke with NPR’s Steve Inskeep on Morning Edition about House Speaker Johnson’s leadership as the house begins its two-week spring recess.

One of U.S. President Joe Biden’s key campaign messages, that Donald Trump is a threat to democracy, is winning over fewer Black supporters and those without college degrees than other segments of his political base, a Reuters/Ipsos poll found.

Worries about political extremism and threats to democracy have emerged as among Americans’ top concerns, following historic events including Republican former President Trump’s attempts to overturn his 2020 election defeat, the Supreme Court’s move to end the nationwide right to abortion and a surge in migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border.

Rodell Mollineau, co-founder and partner, spoke with Reuters about how voters should be viewing Trump and Biden’s accomplishments and failures when looking to the future. Read the full article here.

The race for the next Republican Senate leader has the potential to further expose deepening divisions within the party as the conference looks to select a new head in November after the longest-serving party leader in Senate history, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell R-Ky., steps down from his post. 

While the Republicans boast 49 seats in the Senate, they don’t all champion the same brand of conservatism. This has become more evident in the Trump era as the party’s positions and base shift. 

ROKK Co-Founder and Partner Ron Bonjean spoke to Fox News about what the fight for the next Republican Senate leader will look like for those who want to join the race. Read the full article here.

Donald Trump is sailing into battle against President Joe Biden powered by anger over the two policy issues that have driven his comeback campaign so far: immigration and the economy.

Trump came close to sweeping the board in the 16 “Super Tuesday” Republican primary races, putting him on the verge of clinching the party’s nomination and allowing him to train his full fire on Biden ahead of the November election.

ROKK Co-Founder and Partner Ron Bonjean spoke with Reuters about the disconnect on how voters view the economy. Read the full article here.

The furor over corporate diversity, equity and inclusion programs has turned so explosive that it’s never been busier for specialists on the topic.

Some companies are cutting back on DEI initiatives while others are disbanding them altogether. Many more are hurriedly reconfiguring their policies, striving to avoid lawsuits from conservative activists as they attack diversity programs. That’s led to a flurry of requests for audits from law firms and consultancies who specialize on diversity in the workplace.

ROKK’s Chief Development Officer Lindsay Singleton spoke with Bloomberg on what companies are doing in the wake of the push against DEI programs from conservative activists. Read the full article here and learn more about our DEI report here.

On February 28, 2024, ROKK Solutions hosted “Women Who ROKK the Media,” which featured veteran broadcast journalists Jessica Stone and Dr. Alison Burns. Introductions and the Q&A session were led by Varuna Bhatia, vice president and former journalist at Fox News, and Eva Tell, associate account executive and alum of the University of Maryland.

We first heard from Dr. Alison Burns, currently a professor at University of Maryland, and formerly a Washington correspondent and producer for Cox Media Group. She shared that the best way to connect and maintain relationships with reporters is to do your homework. When you know which outlets will best reach your target audience, your pitch is much stronger. She also encouraged our team to form meaningful relationships with reporters – noting that cold calls rarely work. This doesn’t have to be over lunch or coffee. It can be as simple as an introduction over a video call, which can go a long way. After 14 years, Burns traded the newsroom for the classroom to teach the next generation of journalists.

Jessica Stone, foreign correspondent at Voice of America and former White House Correspondent for CGTN America talked about the distinction between being a reporter and being an anchor. As a reporter, your focus is on the story. As an anchor, it’s not only the story, but how you tell the story. Your personality is part of how the story comes to life.  It’s also visual storytelling, which is why she is glad that everyone has cameras on their phones to capture the stories around them.

ROKK Solutions is proud to announce that our Co-Founder and Partner Rodell Mollineau has been elected to the PR Council’s Board of Directors for a three-year term. He joins alongside leaders who represent agencies of all sizes, geographies and specialities. 

The PR Council is the only association dedicated to supporting agencies with a core competency in earned media. Through a combination of convening, advising and learning opportunities, the PR Council aims to help Members—the leaders of 150 of US and Canada’s premier global, mid-size, regional and specialty firms—work smarter to build more valuable agencies.

Read the full press release about Rodell Mollineau joining PR Council’s Board of Directors.  

If anyone gets a thank-you note from President Biden for helping get him out of a jam in recent days, it should probably be former President Donald J. Trump.

Just when Mr. Biden was swamped by unwelcome questions about his age, his predecessor and challenger stepped in, rescuing him with an ill-timed diatribe vowing to “encourage” Russia to attack NATO allies that do not spend enough on their militaries.

ROKK Co-Founder and President Rodell Mollineau spoke with The New York Times about what we can expect this election year from former President Donald Trump.