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How Google’s Chrome Sale Could Impact Marketers: Anti-PR Strategies to Protect Brands

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The potential sale of Google Chrome marks a critical turning point for marketers and brands in general. This disruption calls for a shift from reliance on traditional search dominance to a focus on authentic, trust-based communication. Anti-PR offers the strategic edge needed to navigate this new era—reshaping perceptions, engaging audiences, and reinforcing credibility.

TAMPA BAY, Fla.  , Dec. 3, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Google’s Chrome, which holds a 65% share of the global browser market, may soon be up for sale due to a DOJ antitrust ruling. (1) With the number one engine processing over 90% of global searches, this potential breakup threatens to unravel the tightly integrated system marketers rely on for SEO, SEM, and data-driven insights. (2) As the digital ecosystem faces a seismic shift, brands must embrace disruption and adapt strategies. “The days of relying solely on Google are over,” stresses Karla Jo Helms (KJ), Chief Evangelist and Anti-PR® Strategist for JOTO PR Disruptors™. “With the digital landscape fragmenting, companies must prioritize authenticity and trust; that’s what Anti-PR stands for.”

“Google’s potential breakup threatens the digital marketing landscape, forcing brands to rethink SEO, SEM, and content strategies. ‘The days of relying solely on Google are over,’ says Karla Jo Helms, emphasizing the need for authenticity and trust in a fragmented digital ecosystem.”

Impact on Marketers & Brands
As SEM continues to account for roughly 14% of total media spend, many brands depend heavily on Google’s ecosystem to drive traffic and lead. (3) A staggering 61% of marketers say generating traffic is their number one challenge, and nearly half of businesses credit organic search as their best source of ROI (4).

Google’s dominance in search engine marketing and its powerful role through Chrome has made it an essential tool for achieving success. That’s why its potential breakup disrupts the status quo, leaving many questioning if they need to revisit their strategies.

This adds to an already uncertain context: a recent survey suggests that marketing budgets dropped by 15% in 2024, and 24% of CMOs stated at the beginning of the year that their allocations were insufficient to execute their strategies. (5) With budgets tightening and a growing reliance on SEM for revenue generation, marketers need to find ways to do more with less.
“These ongoing changes force marketers to rethink everything—from paid search to content strategy. It’s not just about adapting to Google’s updates but preparing for a wider disruption,” Helms explains.

Search Engine Volume Projected to Drop by 25%
Regardless of what happens to Chrome, Gartner’s forecast of a 25% drop in search engine volume by 2026 signals a pivotal shift for digital marketing. (6) As organic and paid search continue to be vital channels for generating awareness and demand, this decline will force companies to update their entire approach.

“The importance of diversification in both advertising and communication strategies cannot be overstated,” Helms emphasizes. “With new competitors emerging and the growing emphasis on content quality, marketers will need to sharpen their approaches to ensure their content remains visible and relevant.”

Building Brand Reputation Through Anti-PR
The potential separation of Chrome from Google presents a unique challenge for marketers but also offers a valuable opportunity for those willing to learn how to control their narrative in an evolving media landscape. In this context, Anti-PR equips brands with the tools to reshape perceptions and maintain trust

Unlike traditional PR, which may crumble under such pressure, Anti-PR focuses on changing existing perceptions by addressing misconceptions with clear, data-driven stories. This helps brands not just survive but thrive through authenticity and disruption.

This approach doesn’t just complement marketing efforts—it supercharges them. By focusing on credibility and strategic storytelling, Anti-PR enhances marketing in ways that traditional approaches can’t match.

Anti-PR serves as the driving force behind your marketing campaign by:

Lowering Cost per Lead: Informed and engaged consumers are easier to convert. Anti-PR builds trust and awareness, reducing the time and resources needed to turn prospects into customers.Increasing Marketing ROI: Anti-PR penetrates the market with compelling stories and genuine value, amplifying your reach and impact.Augmenting Brand Value: Anti-PR fosters deep connections with audiences, enhancing your brand’s reputation and overall market value.Reshaping Public Perception: Anti-PR addresses misconceptions and positions your brand as a thought leader.Building Long-Term Engagement: Anti-PR doesn’t rely on short-term campaigns; it builds lasting relationships through active communication and a crisis management approach.Creating a Resilient Brand Reputation: In times of crisis or change —like the potential breakup of Google Chrome— Anti-PR provides stability.

In a post-Google-dominated ecosystem, where the rules are rewritten, JOTO PR’s Anti-PR approach emphasis on authenticity becomes more crucial than ever. “By integrating these strategies into your marketing efforts, you transform your brand’s presence. It’s not just about selling products—it’s about creating trust, loyalty, and a lasting impact,” concludes Helms.

About JOTO PR Disruptors™
Founded by PR veteran Karla Jo Helms, JOTO PR Disruptors™ emerged from extensive market research with CEOs of fast-growth companies. The agency combines crisis management skills with advanced media algorithms to develop Anti-PR® campaigns. Based in Tampa Bay, Florida, JOTO PR is globally recognized for its innovative Anti-PR services. More information is available at http://www.jotopr.com/.

About Karla Jo Helms
Karla Jo Helms is the Chief Evangelist and Anti-PR Strategist for JOTO PR Disruptors™.    
She learned firsthand how unforgiving business can be when millions of dollars are on the line—and how the control of public opinion often determines whether one company is happily chosen or another is brutally rejected. Being an alumnus of crisis management, Karla Jo has worked with litigation attorneys, private investigators, and the media to help restore companies of goodwill back into the good graces of public opinion. Helms speaks globally on public relations, how the PR industry itself has lost its way, and how, in the right hands, corporations can harness the power of Anti-PR to drive markets and impact market perception.    

References:
1.    Rijo, Luís. “Chrome Remains the Dominant Web Browser, Holding a Market Share of 65.158%.” PPC Land, 18 July 2024, ppc.land/chrome-remains-the-dominant-web-browser-holding-a-market-share-of-65-158/. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.
2.    Rana, Uday. “Google May Have to Sell Chrome. Why the Impact Could Be “Seismic.”” Global News, 21 Nov. 2024, globalnews.ca/news/10882021/google-chrome-sale-impact/. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.
3.    Adams, Peter. “Why Google’s Potential Chrome Sell-off Could Sow Fresh Marketing Disruption.” Marketing Dive, 22 Nov. 2024, http://www.marketingdive.com/news/google-chrome-sale-DOJ-antitrust-case-digital-marketing/733727/.
4.    Marino, Susie . “165 Powerful Digital Marketing Statistics for 2023.” WordStream, 2023, http://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2022/04/19/digital-marketing-statistics.
5.    Gartner. “Marketing Budgets 2023: A Comprehensive Guide for CMOs.” Gartner, 2023, http://www.gartner.com/en/marketing/topics/marketing-budget.
6.    Gartner. “Gartner Predicts Search Engine Volume Will Drop 25% by 2026, due to AI Chatbots and Other Virtual Agents.” Gartner, 14 Feb. 2024, http://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2024-02-19-gartner-predicts-search-engine-volume-will-drop-25-percent-by-2026-due-to-ai-chatbots-and-other-virtual-agents.

Media Inquiries:
Karla Jo Helms
JOTO PR™
727-777-4629
jotopr.com

Media Contact

Karla Jo Helms, JOTO PR™, 727-777-4629, khelms@jotopr.com, jotopr.com

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SOURCE JOTO PR™; JOTO PR™

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Trive Capital Announces Sale of EarthLink

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DALLAS, Oct. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Trive Capital (“Trive”) is pleased to announce that it has closed on the sale of EarthLink, LLC (“EarthLink” or the “Company”) to a family office consortium consisting of WaveDivision Capital (“Wave”), The Pritzker Organization (“TPO”) and Stephens Capital Partners (“SCP”), in partnership with EarthLink’s management team. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, EarthLink is one of the largest internet service providers in the United States, serving over 500,000 internet and managed services customers nationwide. Through partnerships with several of the nation’s largest fiber and 5G providers, EarthLink has built an asset-light, nationwide network that can offer fiber internet service to more than 68 million homes.

Since Trive’s investment in EarthLink in 2018 as part of a corporate carveout, the Company has transformed from a legacy DSL and email business in precipitous decline to an asset-light connectivity platform serving over 500,000 consumers and small businesses nationwide. The Company has grown and will continue to grow based on its expanded fiber and 5G internet solutions and commitment to customer service for consumers and small businesses.

Shravan Thadani, Partner at Trive, stated, “EarthLink has been a true partnership between management and Trive in every sense of the word. The team built a differentiated, asset-light platform that gives consumers and small businesses real choice in how they get connected, and did so while standing up every function of the platform outside of its former, public parent. We are proud to have been a part of such an iconic brand’s journey and will continue to support Wave, TPO and SCP as they work with management to accelerate growth in the coming years.”

“During our partnership with Trive, we have taken one of the most trusted brands in the internet space and turned it into a trusted option for consumers and small businesses nationwide,” commented Glenn Goad, Chief Executive Officer of EarthLink. “As internet access has become one of the most important utilities in a consumer’s life, EarthLink has a renewed focus on making it easier for our customers to access the best internet options at affordable prices. Trive was critically important through and after the carve-out, and we are excited to partner with Wave, TPO and SCP to continue to grow EarthLink alongside our trusted fiber and 5G partners. Our collective goal remains the same: to provide the right technology at the right price, supported by a world-class customer experience.”

About EarthLink

EarthLink is an internet service provider offering fiber and 5G internet solutions for homes and businesses nationwide. With a focus on dependable connectivity, flexible plans, and customer-focused service, EarthLink provides broadband options designed to meet the needs of modern households and businesses. EarthLink is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia and serves over 500,000 customers. To learn more, visit earthlink.net.

About Trive Capital

Trive Capital is a Dallas, Texas based private equity firm with more than $8 billion of regulatory assets under management. Trive focuses on investing equity and debt in what it sees as strategically viable middle-market companies with the potential for transformational upside through operational improvement.

The Trive team is comprised of seasoned investment professionals who have been involved in over 250 middle-market transactions representing in excess of $10 billion in revenue across Trive’s targeted industry sectors and situations.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/trive-capital-announces-sale-of-earthlink-302914673.html

SOURCE Trive Capital

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Rondo Energy and Rio Tinto Advance Australia’s Largest Thermal Energy Storage Project

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GLADSTONE, Australia, Oct. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Rondo Energy and Rio Tinto have started front-end engineering and design on the project for a 360 MWh storage / 30 MW discharge Rondo Heat Battery, supported by a grant from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).

ARENA’s funding for the project will be provided in stages, with an initial $3.6 million to complete front-end engineering and design work. Following successful completion of that study, ARENA will provide up to $38 million for deployment. ARENA has also approved up to $33.3 million in conditional contingency support, which would only be made available in defined circumstances to manage specific project risks, including cost overruns and electricity costs. 

If progressed, the project would be delivered at Rio Tinto’s Yarwun alumina refinery near Gladstone, Queensland and would be one of the first large-scale demonstrations of thermal energy storage for industrial process heat globally, and a world-first for the alumina industry.

Rondo Heat Batteries use abundant, low-cost midday electricity to charge, storing energy as high-temperature heat in refractory brick, and supplying energy as 24/7 continuous process heat to industry. Typically, the heat is delivered as steam, directly into an industrial facility’s steam network. Australia regularly has 4-6 hours of surplus solar-generated renewable electricity in the middle of the day, but industrial facilities need heat 24 hours a day, not just when the sun is shining. By charging when electricity is cheap and abundant and discharging continuously, Rondo Heat Batteries turn short periods of low-cost electricity into 24/7 delivery of low-cost steam. 

For energy-intensive industries such as alumina refining, Rondo Heat Batteries create a pathway to electrification that addresses both emissions and energy costs. Because the heat battery slots into the existing steam network, the facility’s processes run exactly as before — the only thing that changes is the energy for that heat: no longer from fossil fuels, but sourced from low cost electricity instead. The Yarwun study will assess the technical and economic viability of integrating the technology into refinery operations.

“This project shows how Australia’s abundant energy can become a competitive advantage for industry,” said Dr. Kira Rundel, Rondo’s Head of Australia. “Heat batteries allow manufacturers to use low-cost electricity to produce the reliable, round-the-clock heat their operations need. Australia’s largest heat battery will show how factories can cut emissions without increasing energy costs, helping Australian industry to increase global competitiveness and supporting local manufacturing jobs.”

Rio Tinto Pacific Operations Managing Director Armando Torres said: “Reducing emissions from alumina refining is complex, particularly when it comes to generating the high-pressure steam needed for our operations.

“This study will help us determine whether thermal energy storage can provide a technically and economically viable alternative to fossil fuels for part of Yarwun’s steam requirements.

“The best way to tackle challenges of this scale is through collaboration between industry, government, and technology partners. We welcome ARENA and Rondo’s support as we assess technologies that could help reduce our Scope 1 emissions while maintaining reliable operations at Yarwun.”

About Rondo Energy

Rondo Energy delivers firm heat and power, including combined heat and power (CHP), to heavy industry and provides power solutions and long duration storage to data centers. For industrial heat applications, Rondo Heat Batteries convert 4-6 hours of low-cost electricity into continuous 24-hour, high-temperature heat, delivered as steam or hot air up to 1,000°C. The heat delivered integrates directly with existing industrial equipment and processes, eliminating on-site emissions and running on lower cost energy. Rondo heat storage can integrate with steam turbines to deliver combined heat and power (CHP) for industry, and long duration power-to-power solutions for large energy consumers such as data centers. Built on proven refractory brick as the thermal storage medium, Rondo’s platform is engineered for multi-decade operation in the most demanding industrial environments.

Rondo Heat Batteries have been delivering firm heat and power at scale since 2023, with operational facilities serving customers in fuels and cement (including steam driving turbines for electricity) in the United States and in Asia. The next unit will come online shortly – a 100 MWh Rondo Heat Battery under construction in Europe for a chemical plant. Rondo is a global company based in California, with teams across North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Australia. Providing heat and power solutions to the alumina industry is an area of focus for the company due to the strong fit of Rondo’s technology with the heat and power needs of the alumina industry.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rondo-energy-and-rio-tinto-advance-australias-largest-thermal-energy-storage-project-302914664.html

SOURCE Rondo Energy

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14 Organizations Earn CHIME’s Highest Digital Health Most Wired Designation for 2026

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ANN ARBOR, Mich., Oct. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME), the leading professional organization for digital health leaders, today announced 14 organizations have achieved Level 10 in the 2026 CHIME Digital Health Most Wired (DHMW) survey. Powered by Digital Health Analytics (DHA), the survey is CHIME’s global assessment of digital health excellence, with Level 10 as its highest designation.

Representing health systems across the U.S., this year’s Level 10 organizations demonstrated exceptional performance across the enterprise digital ecosystem, leveraging technologies, data, infrastructure, and strategic practices shaping modern care delivery. The prestigious designation recognizes organizations that have moved beyond technology implementation to integrate digital investment across clinical and operational environments, producing measurable value for their health systems, patients, and providers.

The 2026 DHMW survey maintains a rigorous scoring methodology designed to account for differences in organizational size, complexity, risk, and resources, creating an equitable measure of performance across diverse healthcare environments. The model evaluates organizations across 10 distinct segments, measuring both the foundational elements required for digital maturity and the advanced practices that demonstrate broader adoption, integration, and value.

“Healthcare is experiencing extraordinary technological acceleration, driven in large part by the rapid adoption of AI and increasingly sophisticated digital capabilities,” said Russ Branzell, President and CEO of CHIME. “As that pace intensifies, the Digital Health Most Wired Survey continues to provide a rigorous benchmark for evaluating whether technology is translating into meaningful progress. It gives leaders a data-driven view of performance, critical gaps, and opportunities for high-impact investment while setting an industry standard of excellence for responsible technology adoption. The Level 10 organizations recognized this year exemplify the leadership and innovation required to turn digital investment into measurable improvements in care delivery.”

The 2026 Digital Health Most Wired survey includes data from more than 45,000 facilities worldwide, offering a global view of technology adoption, investment and performance across healthcare organizations and the evolving role of digital health in care delivery, operations and the patient and provider experience.

Each participating organization received a customized benchmarking report through the Digital Health Analytics (DHA) portal, offering detailed insights into performance metrics across 10 key segments:

InfrastructureSecurityAdministrationSupply chainAnalytics and data managementInteroperabilityPopulation healthPatient engagementInnovationClinical quality and safety

Fourteen healthcare organizations achieved Level 10 distinction, the highest designation awarded through the 2026 CHIME Digital Health Most Wired survey. The recipients are Baptist Health System (Jacksonville, Florida); Bon Secours Mercy Health (Ohio); MetroHealth Medical Center (Ohio); MultiCare Health System (Washington); Northeast Georgia Health System (Georgia); NYU Langone Health (New York); Parkview Health (Indiana); Roper St. Francis Healthcare Services, Inc. (South Carolina); Stanford Health Care (California); UCHealth (Colorado); UNC Health (North Carolina); University Health (Texas); University of Utah Health (Utah); and UPMC (Pennsylvania).

Collectively, the 2026 Level 10 designees reflect a healthcare environment in which digital performance increasingly depends on the alignment of technology strategy, data, infrastructure, and organizational priorities with strong leadership and a sustained commitment to innovation. Their results demonstrate how leading health systems are converting digital investment into measurable gains across clinical and operational environments while establishing the foundations required to responsibly adopt emerging technologies at scale.

CHIME will formally recognize these distinguished Level 10 honorees on November 12, 2026, during the CHIME26 Fall Forum in Denver, CO, which runs from November 11-14.

For additional details on the 2026 Digital Health Most Wired survey and the complete list of all Level 7-10 award recipients, visit dhanalytics.org.

About CHIME 
The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) is the leading professional organization for digital health executives and leaders. CHIME provides a trusted, collaborative environment where members and partners connect, share best practices, advance professional development, and advocate for the effective use of information and technology to improve health and care in the communities they serve. For more information, please visit chimecentral.org.

About Digital Health Analytics (DHA)
Digital Health Analytics provides healthcare organizations, technology companies, and academic researchers with the data, benchmarking, and market intelligence they need to lead digital transformation — 365 days a year. Powered by the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME), DHA helps provider organizations supercharge their digital health transformation capabilities. For more information about DHA, visit dhanalytics.org.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Calli Dretke
Executive Vice President & Chief Digital and Marketing Officer
CHIME
734.665.0000
cdretke@chimecentral.org

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SOURCE College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME)

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