Beyond the Noise - the PRWeek podcast

Heather Blundell talks about her first year as Grayling’s UK chief executive in the latest PRWeek podcast.

Heather Blundell, who has over 15 years of experience working for global agencies including Edelman, Weber Shandwick and Ketchum, and who joined Grayling in October last year - speaks to PRWeek UK news editor Siobhan Holt in the latest episode of Beyond the Noise.

Beyond the Noise looks at some of the biggest issues affecting communications and PR. Download the podcast via Apple, Spotify, or listen on your favourite platform.

In the episode, Blundell discusses her first year at the agency and her experiences during the first 12 months. 

She speaks about the challenges, including what changes she has made at the agency ranging from launching a media relations unit called Grayling Media to a new 'integrated' healthcare division.

Blundell gives an update on what specialisms are faring the strongest for the agency and where Grayling UK has seen strong growth this year. 

New business is also examined, and the UK chief executive discusses agency/ client relationships and offers advice on how to avoid ghosting and poor pitching.

In addition, Blundell gives her take on the current recruitment market in PR, and explains why she believes its important for agencies to take part in the annual Pay Gap Report. 

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What’s the secret to launching a comms agency in this era? PRWeek UK’s latest podcast takes a close look.

This week's Beyond the Noise episode features founders of two new agencies: Aimee Jacobs of Klaxonn, the live experiences comms specialist, and James Hayward-Browne, one of three former Rise At Seven execs who launched digital PR firm Bottled Imagination.

Both agencies are nominated for New Consultancy of the Year at the upcoming PRWeek UK Awards.

Beyond the Noise looks at some of the biggest communications and PR issues. Download the podcast via Apple, Spotify, or listen in the browser above or on your favourite platform.

Speaking to PRWeek UK editor John Harrington, Jacobs and Hayward-Browne discuss the origins of their agencies and identify the biggest challenges in the early days, looking at key issues including recruitment, culture and the office.

They talk about the best techniques to market their agency. The importance of networking, growth targets and plans for the future are also discussed, alongside agency websites and branding (and the importance, or otherwise, of agency ‘merch’).

The duo also offer their top tips for aspiring agency founders.

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Our guests this week are Samantha Ndebele, healthcare senior account manager at Burson, and Lucy Somers, deputy group director of digital at PLMR and director of PLMR Genesis Digital.

Ndebele entered the industry after gaining an MA in Public Relations and Corporate Communications from Kingston University, while Somers undertook at apprenticeship at PLMR.

Beyond the Noise looks at some of the biggest communications and PR issues.

A recent episode looked at the future of academic courses in PR, with news that just one BA PR course currently operates – two decades ago there were 20. This week we look at things from the perspective of two high-flying comms professionals who entered PR relatively recently.

Speaking to PRWeek UK editor John Harrington and senior reporter Evie Barrett, Ndebele and Somers discuss their different paths in to the industry, looking at the advantages of taking an academic route and of apprenticeships.

They also talk about elements of their roles that can only be learned ‘on the job’, and Ndebele recounts her experience of being on a PR internship.

The duo predict what we may start seeing in PR courses in the years ahead.

Last but not least, they offer advice for any budding comms professional thinking about taking their first steps into the sector.

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Tom Stroud, a communications consultant and contestant on hit Netflix dating show Love is Blind UK, is the special guest on this week’s PRWeek Beyond the Noise podcast episode.

Tom Stroud discusses his background in PR and communications, as well as his experiences on the reality series Love is Blind UK, which has been in the top 10 most-viewed shows on Netflix since the season launched on 7 August. 

Love is Blind is a Netflix reality dating TV show featuring contestants who are looking for love based on personality rather than physical appearance.

Stroud talks about what influenced him to take part in Love is Blind UK, what PR skills he used to maximise the opportunity, and chats about what PR skills have come in useful in the aftermath of appearing in the show.

Stroud received backlash for his differing views with his partner Maria on whether men should pay for most things in a relationship, or if it should be more of a 50/50 split. Speaking on the podcast, he addresses the backlash and explained how his social media strategy has helped him respond to the criticism. 

Other topics discussed include reality TV stars becoming influencers and the biggest comms lessons Stroud has taken away from the experience. 

Joining Stroud on this episode are PRWeek UK new editor Siobhan Holt and senior reporter Evie Barrett.

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The right for PR practitioners to ‘switch off’ from work emails and phone calls out of contracted hours is just one of the topics discussed on the latest PRWeek UK podcast.

This week’s Beyond the Noise podcast is hosted by PRWeek’s editor-in-chief, Danny Rogers, and features news editor Siobhan Holt and senior reporter Evie Barrett.

Beyond the Noise looks at some of the biggest issues affecting communications and PR. Download the podcast via Apple, Spotify, or on your favourite platform.

Potential new government guidance is pledging to give employees the right to ‘switch off’ from work outside of contracted working hours. The PRWeek journalists assess whether this guidance could work for the PR and communications industry. 

Separately, the trio chat about the BBC talent show Strictly Come Dancing, which is set to return to television screens soon. We ask how the BBC can restore the show’s reputation following the recent allegations and string of negative stories; and hear from PR professionals who specialise in crisis and discuss the wider comms lessons. 

In addition, the journalists question whether the portrayal of comms and PR on television is helping or hindering the PR industry.

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Jordan Schwarzenberger, manager of the content-creator phenomenon Sidemen, is the special guest on this week’s episode of PRWeek’s Beyond the Noise podcast.

Jordan Schwarzenberger discusses his background with the YouTube collective Sidemen, who have amassed 6.4bn views from almost 400 YouTube videos in a startling career spanning more than a decade.

Beyond the Noise looks at some of the biggest issues affecting communications and PR.

Schwarzenberger talks about influencer-brand collaborations and offers some dos and don’ts for brands, including the importance of creative freedom and having one key message for creators. He looks at how Sidemen work with influencers for their branded ventures, which include fast-food chain Sides, Best Cereal, and XIX Vodka.

Earlier this year the Advertising Standards Authority upheld a complaint that the use of XIX in a Sidemen video wasn’t identifiable as marketing communications.

Schwarzenberger slammed the ruling – and others, including one this week against Steven Bartlett – as “insane”, saying they set “super-dangerous” precedents.

Elsewhere, the guest talks about how he and the group responded to the crisis last year brought about by group member KSI using a racial slur on a Sidemen video, and other members of the collective laughing. Schwarzenberger stresses the importance of being authentic when apologising.

Other topics discussed include the value of AI-enhanced influencers; Sideplus, Sidemen’s paid-for subscription service; and which social platforms are the most important to them. Schwarzenberger, who manages Sidemen via his Arcade Media venture, also gives the lowdown on his decision to join PR agency Grayling on a new advisory board.

Joining Schwarzenberger on this episode are PRWeek’s John Harrington (UK editor) and Evie Barrett (senior reporter).

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The implications of the recent far-right riots in parts of the UK are discussed from a comms industry perspective in the latest episode of PRWeek's Beyond the Noise podcast.

Our guests in this special edition are agency chief executives Farzana Baduel of Curzon PR and Shayoni Lynn of Lynn, who are also two of the founders of the new Asian Communications Network.

Beyond the Noise looks at some of the biggest issues affecting communications and PR. Download the podcast via Apple, Spotify, or listen on your favourite platform.

Speaking to PRWeek UK editor John Harrington, Baduel and Lynn discuss their personal experiences of how the riots have affected them and others in the sector.

They offer advice to industry leaders who are unsure about how to react regarding their own staff.

The agency founders analyse how disinformation has fuelled the disorder and examine the communications of individuals and organisations that have been countering it.

And given the role of X (formerly Twitter) in the crisis, and the statements from owner Elon Musk, we ask: is it time for PR to ditch the social media platform?

The duo also look at why relatively few brands and corporations have spoken out about the crisis.

Elsewhere, the impact of the riots on 'brand Britain' is scrutinised, as is the responsibility of some media in encouraging racism and hatred.

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Our guest this week is Richard Bailey, who just stepped down as senior lecturer in PR at Leeds Beckett University, where he first started teaching in 2003.

Bailey is also co-author of a new report by the PR Academy that paints a bleak picture of undergrad PR courses. There is now one solitary university offering a single honours bachelor of arts degree in PR - two decades ago, there were 20.

Beyond the Noise looks at some of the biggest issues affecting communications and PR. Download the podcast via Apple, Spotify, or listen on your favourite platform.

Speaking to PRWeek UK editor John Harrington and news editor Siobhan Holt, Bailey examines at how the BA syllabuses have changed over the years and offers some explanations as to why the number of PR undergraduate courses has dwindled.

These includes issues around fees, alternative ways to get into the sector, and wider concerns around a lack of understanding about the industry.

Bailey looks at how PR employers view BA PR degrees and discusses the continued strength of MA courses, and of journalism degrees in the UK. He also discusses how the types of people taking the courses has changed.

Bailey ends by offering predictions of what might be to come.

PRWeek will be looking at PR academic courses from the point of view of younger practitioners in a future episode of Beyond the Noise.

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The experiences of black PR professionals in the industry is the focus of latest podcast from PRWeek UK, which follows recent research on the topic.

Our guest on Beyond the Noise this week is Kamiqua Lake, founder of The Black Comms Network, which partnered with PRWeek on the new report called One Step Forward Two Steps Black.

The report, based on a survey of 170 professionals and conducted by Opinium, examines the lived experience of black and mixed race communications practitioners in the UK.

Beyond the Noise looks at some of the biggest issues affecting communications and PR. Download the podcast via Apple, Spotify, or listen on your favourite platform.

Lake is joined this week by PRWeek UK editor John Harrington and reporter Eliza Wiredu.

The trio discuss some of the major findings of the report, including the statistic that two thirds of black comms professionals have considered leaving the PR industry.

A lack of transparency around pay and progression opportunities is discussed, alongside the question of whether a lack of representation in leadership teams is a barrier.

The different types of microaggressions experienced by black and mixed race comms professionals are put under the spotlight.

Lake also offers her view on the kind of qualities possessed by progressive and inclusive employers and gives advice.

Meanwhile, agencies can still enter their data for the Pay Gaps Project from PRWeek and People Like Us. Click here for more details.

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This week's Beyond the Noise podcast is hosted by PRWeek UK news editor Siobhan Holt and features UK editor John Harrington and senior reporter Evie Barrett.

Beyond the Noise looks at some of the biggest issues affecting communications and PR. Download the podcast via Apple, Spotify, or on your favourite platform.

Last Friday's global IT outage that impacted Microsoft Windows devices, linked to an update by cyber security firm CrowdStrike, caused chaos for companies and other organisations across the world.

The PRWeek journalists assess CrowdStrike's communications response. We hear from some PR professionals at the forefront of the crisis and discuss the wider crisis comms lessons.

Separately, the trio discuss the possible implications of last week's news that Havas has seen its B Corp status revoked following a complaint by Clean Creatives related to the firm winning Shell’s global B2B media account last year.

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