'AI is really terrifying!' - Virgin and M&S social media chiefs on PRWeek podcast

How are brands evolving their use of social media, and what does the future hold? That's the focus of the latest edition of PRWeek's Beyond the Noise podcast.

Our guests this week are social media chiefs at two major companies: Charlotte Tonry, social media lead at Marks & Spencer, and Vicky Longster, social media manager at Virgin.

PRWeek UK’s Beyond the Noise podcast, which is published on alternate weeks, looks at some of the biggest issues affecting comms and PR. Download the podcast via Apple, Spotify, or on your favourite platform.

This week's guests discuss how they work within the structure of their organisations, how their success is measured, and how the role has changed in recent times.

The various social platforms are scrutinised - including the 'new kid on the block', Threads, and Twitter's "bizarre" rebrand to X. The guests also highlight the increased importance of 'low-fi' video and the optimal length of clips.

Tonry and Longster recall the campaigns they are most proud of and discuss how they work with agencies.

They identify their biggest challenges, including keeping up with the latest trends. Longster says "competing for people's attention" is "getting harder and harder, especially with the rise of apps like TikTok where people are going there purely for entertainment purposes".

"It's that battle of, how do you get people's attention and be entertaining to people in a way that's still relevant for your brand?" she says.

The duo also look to the future, and discuss the biggest challenges and opportunities ahead - including the role of AI.

The guests are joined by usual host Frankie Oliver, the founder of New Society, and John Harrington, editor of PRWeek UK.

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