What if some of the most powerful tools in policymaking had little to do with reason?

In this episode, John and Sonia speak with Martin Smith, Head of Policy Lab at Wellcome, who has spent years exploring how creative and experimental methods can produce different kinds of thinking in policy contexts.

From circus arts and collaborative mosaic-making to Brexit simulations and serious games, Martin reflects on a series of experiments that tested what happens when policymakers are taken out of the roundtable and put into unfamiliar territory. 

The conversation explores how physicality can shift mindsets, the ways unconventional formats can level the playing field between participants with very different kinds of expertise, and how changing the structure of engagement can shape the insights that emerge. 

Martin Smith is Head of the Policy Lab at Wellcome, a global charitable foundation funding science and social research. He previously advised the House of Commons Select Committee on Science and Technology.

This podcast is produced by Soapbox and Sociopúblico, two strategy and communications agencies working with think tanks, research organisations and foundations to help ideas achieve influence and impact.

Learn more at designbysoapbox.com and sociopublico.com.

How do ideas actually influence people?

We often assume that strong evidence, well-written reports or high-profile campaigns are enough. But in practice, influence tends to work in more subtle - and less predictable - ways.

In this episode, John interviews his co-host Sonia Jalfin, exploring what really shapes how ideas are taken up, shared and acted on.

As the originator of the term Influectuals, Sonia reflects on why influence is less about persuasion and more about how ideas are introduced, recognised and made to feel relevant. The conversation looks at the social and behavioural dynamics that sit behind this - from our instinct to follow others, to the role recognition and belonging play in shaping what we pay attention to.

Drawing on her experience working with research organisations, Sonia also explores what this means in practice: how ideas move beyond publication, and what it takes for research to resonate in real-world contexts.

Sonia Jalfin is the founder and director of Sociopúblico, a strategy and communications agency focused on turning research into social impact.

This podcast is produced by Soapbox and Sociopúblico, two strategy and communications agencies working with think tanks, research organisations and foundations to help ideas achieve influence and impact.

Learn more at designbysoapbox.com and sociopublico.com.

What does “brand” actually mean for a think tank? Is it a logo, a visual identity - or something more fundamental about how an organisation is understood?

In this episode Sonia interviews her co-host, John Schwartz, who has spent nearly two decades shaping how research organisations think about brand.

When Soapbox was founded, branding was rarely seen as a priority for think tanks. Today, it plays a central role in how organisations build credibility, communicate expertise and position themselves in increasingly competitive and complex environments.

In the conversation, Sonia and John explore how brand goes beyond design - shaping how organisations define their role, clarify what they stand for and make decisions about what they do (and don’t!) do. They also reflect on how the sector has evolved, from familiar “academic blue” conventions to more distinctive and confident institutional identities.

Drawing on examples including Chatham House and the Institute for Fiscal Studies, this episode looks at where research meets reputation - and why that matters more than ever.

John Schwartz is CEO of Soapbox, a specialist agency in branding and communications for policy and research organisations, and a doctoral researcher at the University of Bath.

This podcast is produced by Soapbox and Sociopúblico, two strategy and communications agencies working with think tanks, research organisations and foundations to help ideas achieve influence and impact.

Learn more at designbysoapbox.com and sociopublico.com.

Meet the Influectuals is back for a new season. 

Kicking things off, Sonia and John sit down with Joscha Wirtz, who isn’t just talking about AI—he’s building a think tank powered by it. Not a think tank about AI (there are plenty of those already), but one where AI runs research, communications, operations, and even fundraising.

In this episode, Joscha challenges the traditional think tank model and explores where organizations should start when adopting AI, which tools actually work, and whether AI enhances expertise or erodes trust.

And finally, should AI replace your favorite hosts? Or did it already?

This podcast is produced by Soapbox and Sociopúblico, two design and communications agencies working at the intersection of research and social progress. You can learn more about us at designbysoapbox.com and sociopublico.com. Feel free to contact us with ideas for future episodes.

How did we imagine the future of policy communications 10 years ago? How does the present compare?

In this episode, Sonia and John join Nick Scott to explore the transformative role of AI in research communications, from audience engagement to redefining authorship. They discuss the importance of think tanks embracing continuous learning and collaboration to be prepared for this evolving and uncertain AI-influenced landscape.

In Nick's words, 'buckle up because it's going to be an interesting ride'.

Nick Scott is a senior digital leader, co-founder of WonkComms Network and former Head of Digital at UNISON and Médicins Sans Frontières.

This podcast is produced by Soapbox and Sociopúblico, two design and communications agencies working at the intersection of research and social progress. You can learn more about us at designbysoapbox.com and sociopublico.com. Feel free to contact us with ideas for future episodes.

In today's context, it seems increasingly difficult to imagine a different, optimistic future. Sonia and John meet with Geoff Mulgan to discuss how to overcome this crisis of imagination in order to foster positive change. 

They explore the potential and limitations of generative ideas, and the importance of bridging theory and practice to effectively translate creative ideas into successful, complex policies. What is the role of think tanks in this process? How can engineers and artists help shape a different future?

Geoff Mulgan is Professor of Collective Intelligence, Public Policy and Social Innovation at University College London, and former Chief Executive of NESTA and The Young Foundation. 

This podcast is produced by Soapbox and Sociopúblico, two design and communications agencies working at the intersection of research and social progress. You can learn more about us at designbysoapbox.com and sociopublico.com. Feel free to contact us with ideas for future episodes.

Understanding how the human mind works and processes information is crucial for communicators. In this episode, Sonia and John meet with Lucía Macchia to delve into the potential of behavioral science for disseminating research and influencing policy. 

To explore the complex intersection of behavioral science and policy, they focus on a topic that most of us dread: pain. Lucía explains how economic and social distress can cause physical discomfort and why it's critical to measure and consider pain in public policy.

Lucía Macchia is a behavioral scientist and Lecturer at City, University of London, Visiting Fellow at the LSE; and a Research Affiliate at the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford.

This podcast is produced by Soapbox and Sociopúblico, two design and communications agencies working at the intersection of research and social progress. You can learn more about us at designbysoapbox.com and sociopublico.com. Feel free to contact us with ideas for future episodes.

Tax policy issues can seem quite technical and obscure to most people. So how has the Institute for Fiscal Studies positioned itself as one of the most influential think tanks in the UK? Why do people care about what they have to say?

In this episode, Sonia and John meet with Helen Miller, Deputy Director at the IFS, to find out how much of this reputation is owed to the IFS’s approach to communicating its expertise to the public and informing public policy. 

If you care about growth or living standards, she says, then you have to care about this obscure piece of policy.

This podcast is produced by Soapbox and Sociopúblico, two design and communications agencies working at the intersection of research and social progress. You can learn more about us at designbysoapbox.com and sociopublico.com. Feel free to contact us with ideas for future episodes.

Sonia and John are in London attending the On Think Tanks Conference at Chatham House. Among so many people with diverse –and sometimes conflicting– opinions, some pressing questions arise: Why does collaboration seem to be lacking in so many policy processes these days? How can we translate these dialogue instances into constructive decision-making processes? And how can process design methods help? In this episode, they turn to Chiara Rosselli for guidance.

Chiara is the co-founder and executive director of Apropos, a collective of process designers, facilitators and political analysts working for better communication and collaboration in politics and policy.

In today’s world of constant information and noise, it can be difficult to stand out. But some organizations and individuals have managed to become true thought leaders, shaping the way we think and talk about the issues of our time.

So, what sets them apart? 

Paul Constance is the perfect guest to help us answer these questions. Paul is a master of public influence. He worked for years as Chief of Strategic Communications at the Inter-American Development Bank, and now studies what he calls “slow policy” problems and consults for organizations that are working for very long-term change.

If influectuals do exist, Paul certainly knows how to create them.

This podcast is produced by Soapbox and Sociopúblico, two design and communications agencies working at the intersection of research and social progress. You can learn more about us at designbysoapbox.com and sociopublico.com. Feel free to contact us with ideas for future episodes.