Social media has had a corrosive effect on government and trust, and I think it is a real cause for concern.

Engagement and integrity are the two most fundamental aspects of building trust; lead from the front by evolving your company strategy, then live your values every day.

There's a lingering notion that elites continue to lead, and the masses will follow. This historic model of influence was predicated on the belief that elites have access to superior information and their interests are interconnected with those of the broader public.

We win with facts that are well expressed and frequently communicated; we lose with silence and indifference to the broader social context.

To be silent is to be complicit.

We're promoting the concept of public engagement. It's as much about what clients do as how they say it. It's about being in people's lives, taking on relevant, of-the-moment issues.

We do everything from community management to specific marketing promotions.

I had a job lined up as an assistant brand manager at Playtex, at age 23, all lined up. But my father had an offer to be acquired by DDB in 1978. He said, 'I'd really like you to come into the business for a year.'

In many cases, companies use the crisis moments to pivot to do better. We like to be part of that.

I love what I do. I really do. I don't find myself administering. I just like to work on clients.

I think PR people are caught in this mindset of 'control of the message.' There's a lot more freedom if you give up control. If you allow people to say things that are genuine and admit mistakes and get on.

Advertising has always been the 'head boy' of the communications industry, but not anymore. Now the rest - creative, digital, and media - is just as important.

Corporate blogging strategy requires some specialist insight in order to understand tone, the definition of micro-niche leaders, and subjects to cover.

When we were doing the launch of Kinect for Xbox, it was very much about getting sort of young blogger-influencer types to try this thing well in advance - a year before launch.

The world has flipped upside-down. It used to be a pyramid of authority; now it's upside down. The influence actually rests with the mid-level people, who speak peer-to-peer. If they're for you, you win.

I love playing tennis. I am an exercise freak.

We like being private because when there is a downturn, as in 2001 and 2008, we do not reduce people. Also, we have flat decision-making. It's quick. We don't have to meet quarterly numbers, and it's all about excellence of work for the client.

Social lets consumers talk about the products. You may pay your way onto the Facebook feed, but after that, it's conversations by the users. That's not sufficient because it leaves out what is possible for employees to talk, for R&D to talk, or the CEO to talk.

The media has to go local and go social.

The number one way to get trust back is to pay your employees well and get them to speak well about the company.

Have very frequent talks with employees because they are your best allies.

I want Edelman to remain a family business.

My father and I talked every day. He coached me on how to cold-call companies I wanted in our portfolio, how to network at public events, to cultivate senior journalists at important outlets, and how to run a profitable P&L. But, more or less, he allowed me to make my own mistakes.

In 1997, my father appointed me CEO but acted as player-coach, keeping busy on long-term clients such as KFC and international travel brands.