Podcast · Oct 2026

How AI and influencer marketing are changing PR

Leslie Hacker, founder of Hacker Communications and incoming President of CPRS Vancouver, joined the RW Digital Marketing podcast to discuss how AI, influencer marketing and reputation management are reshaping PR across Canada.

Prefer another app? Open in Spotify or read the episode notes on RW Digital.

From business journalism to building a PR collective

Leslie Hacker didn't start in PR. She studied journalism at Syracuse University and spent her early career as a business journalist for the New York Daily News, before moving to the other side of the story about fifteen years ago.

She founded Hacker Communications in 2015 during a difficult personal period, both of her parents were terminally ill, and she needed a career flexible enough to be there for them. What began as a practical decision became a deliberate one: rather than working as a generalist, she built a collective model, bringing together specialists in SEO, social media and PR. It filled a gap she'd noticed at traditional Toronto agencies, where few had dedicated social or influencer marketing expertise at the time.

That specialization became especially relevant when COVID hit. As businesses scrambled to move online and find new ways to reach audiences, demand for the agency's digital and social expertise grew. Along the way, she worked with early adopters of influencer marketing like Chef's Plate and Quesada Burritos, both of which were later acquired.

Why PR is now about reputation, not just coverage

A central theme of the conversation was how much PR has changed in just the last five years. As Hacker put it, most of what she learned in school no longer applies, largely because audiences no longer get their news only from traditional broadcasts. They discover information through influencers, YouTube, podcasts, Reddit and social media.

That shift has moved PR beyond pure media relations and toward reputation and discoverability: making sure that when someone searches for a brand, whether on Google or an AI tool, they find accurate, credible information.

AI search isn't limited to a brand's press coverage, either. Hacker explained that AI tools can draw on a brand's website, media coverage, reviews, podcasts, LinkedIn and social media to build a broader picture.

PR, SEO, social media, thought leadership and community presence increasingly feed the same goal: a credible, consistent brand footprint online.

Why influencer marketing is becoming part of PR

Influencer marketing is increasingly becoming part of modern PR. At Hacker Communications, creator selection goes well beyond follower count, focusing instead on storytelling, audience engagement and authenticity.

The Shipyards Christmas Market is a good example. The team invited around 30 selected media and creators to experience the market firsthand, meet vendors, hear from its founder, with no payment and no script. They simply shared the experience in their own voice.

The campaign generated significant social content and national media attention. The market grew from roughly a quarter of a million visitors to half a million in a single year, with the founder crediting social media for the growth.

Effective influencer marketing is about creating something people genuinely want to talk about, not simply buying reach.

Creating "newsworthy" content without manufactured hype

Another example came from a local plumbing client who assumed the industry was too unglamorous for press coverage. The fix wasn't inventing hype, it was finding a genuine data angle.

The team researched how aging infrastructure and changing climate patterns could affect local homes, then developed a story around older plumbing systems, possible cost implications, and comparisons with another city already addressing the issue.

The broader, data-driven angle gave outlets like Global News, CTV and CBC a story that was actually useful to their audiences, rather than another company advertisement.

Newsworthiness usually isn't about the brand itself. It's about finding information that helps the audience, with the brand positioned as a credible source.

Leading CPRS Vancouver into the AI era

As incoming President of CPRS Vancouver, part of a national association with 13 chapters, Hacker discussed her plans for the chapter, including professional development, mentorship and preparing PR professionals for a changing communications landscape.

That includes understanding AI, integrated communications, and the growing convergence of SEO, PR and social media. The focus isn't on replacing traditional PR, but on helping practitioners understand how these disciplines work together.

Advice for the next generation

Asked what matters most for junior PR professionals entering the field, Hacker pointed to strong, concise writing, rather than simply producing AI-generated volume, a working understanding of how SEO, PR and social fit together, and genuine self-motivation.

She also recommends developing one area of genuine expertise while understanding the wider communications ecosystem. In a field changing as quickly as PR, knowing what you do best and continuing to learn how everything connects can be a real career advantage.

Her broader message is simple: focus on the work you genuinely enjoy. That sense of purpose can sustain a career as the industry keeps evolving.