Talking Shop Podcast

We've talked a lot on the show about how the workplace is changing, primarily due to demographic shifts as well as the pandemic. This week, Ewan goes into some detail about how confused managers or executives can navigate this new world and advance their workplace culture. The steps aren't easy -- though they aren't too hard, either -- and definitely worth considering.

Then Cam dives into the wonderful world of news monitoring. Staying on top of news, social media, online sentiment, and industry news is critical for most companies, but what's the best way to do it? Cam walks through some examples and even offers up a few recommendations -- including some powerful searches that are entirely free.

In Check This Out, Ewan talks death (in a good, inspiring way!) and Cam pays tribute to a man who clearly has the right PR skills: Jeff Bezos. He recommends a Bloomberg Businessweek story that looks at how the Amazon CEO beat the National Enquirer.

Don't miss any future episodes and get updates about the podcast by signing up to the PR & Law Podcast newsletter. We promise: no spam. Ever.

If you enjoy the show, please tell a friend or family member. It's the best way to get the word out and we are very grateful! We also frequently post updates to the stories we discuss on social media. You can find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. You can also subscribe to our channels on YouTube and Soundcloud.

If you have a question we would be happy to answer it on the show! Just post it to social media with the hashtag #PRLawPod.

Links and Show Notes

• How Men Can Be More Inclusive Leaders - Harvard Business Review
• Basecamp's Experiment - PR & Law Podcast
• Subscribe to RSS - CamMacMurchy.com
• Toxic Social Media Leading to Renaissance in RSS Readers - CamMacMurchy.com
• Inoreader - Free RSS Feed Reader
• Muck Rack - Online Journalist Database
• Mailbrew - Create Beautiful, Custom Newsletters

Check This Out

• The Untold Story of how Jeff Bezos Beat the Tabloids - Bloomberg Businessweek
• Meet the Nun Who Wants You to Remember You Will Die - The New York Times

Hosts

Ewan Christie is an employment lawyer and partner at Duntrune LLP in Toronto, Canada.

Cam MacMurchy is a corporate communications executive with a multinational technology company listed in Hong Kong and curator of the Digital Bits PR and Communications newsletter. He also contributes to Apple news website 9to5Mac and shares his thoughts on PR, media, travel, and technology on his website.

Peloton, that premium brand that makes pricey exercise equipment for wealthy urbanites, has a knack for finding itself in the news for the wrong reasons. You may recall a television commercial that featured a man buying his wife a Peloton for Christmas, which thrust the company into social media wars. Now the problem is much worse: a six-year old child died, and dozens of others were injured, from the Tread+ treadmill marketed by Peloton. The company denied any problems at first, which wasn't exactly smart. It got a lot worse after that, giving us an excellent "what not to do" case study. It's these ones that we love to get into!

Ewan raises the issue of women in the workplace, and how they have suffered much more than other groups during the pandemic. He brings up some potential solutions to the problem, one of which could be opening the door to more remote work.

The hosts also discuss Cam's second Pfizer shot, which was given about an hour before recording, Ewan's recommendation of a television commercial, and a darkly funny comedy called "Why Women Kill."

Don't miss any future episodes and get updates about the podcast by signing up to the PR & Law Podcast newsletter. We promise: no spam. Ever.

If you enjoy the show, please tell a friend or family member. It's the best way to get the word out and we are very grateful! We also frequently post updates to the stories we discuss on social media. You can find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. You can also subscribe to our channels on YouTube and Soundcloud.

If you have a question we would be happy to answer it on the show! Just post it to social media with the hashtag #PRLawPod.

Links and Show Notes

• Experts Fear the Pandemic May Have Devastating Effects on Working Moms - National Post
• Tracking Job Losses for Mothers of School-Age Children During a Health Crisis - United States Census Bureau
• Child Dies in Accident Involving Peloton Treadmill - New York Times
• A Note from Peloton CEO John Foley about Tread+ - Peloton
• CSPC Warns Consumers: Stop Using the Pelton Tread+ - United States Consumer Product Safety Commission
• Lessons from Peloton's Treadmill Recall Reminiscent of Other Crises - PR News Online
• The Six Crisis Management Lessons from Peloton's Delayed Recall of Treadmills - Forbes

Check This Out

• Extra Gum: "For When It's Time" | Longform Film - YouTube
• Why Women Kill - IMDB

Hosts

Ewan Christie is an employment lawyer and partner at Duntrune LLP in Toronto, Canada.

Cam MacMurchy is a corporate communications executive with a multinational technology company listed in Hong Kong and curator of the Digital Bits PR and Communications newsletter. He also contributes to Apple news website 9to5Mac and shares his thoughts on PR, media, travel, and technology on his website.

It's probably happened to you: a work or school meeting held virtually over Zoom when your boss or instructor asks you to turn on the webcam. Everybody seems to have a different take on whether this is okay, but Cam and Ewan stand firmly in the camp of not wanting to turn on their cameras -- but it might not matter. Can your boss ask you to turn it on? Are there any circumstances where you might be able to defy your boss? The answer to both questions is 'yes'. Ewan breaks it down.

Then the hosts get into a topic that dominated the socials last week -- the case of productivity software maker Basecamp and its founders' decision to halt any discussion on politics or 'societal issues' from official workplace communications channels. The blowback was swift, but was it deserved? Ewan argues the founders are within their rights to run the company this way, but others also have the right to criticize them or resign (which many have). Cam looks at the PR side of things, dissecting the blog posts by each founder and what may have led to their decision to make such a public declaration. It's a fascinating case.

In Check This Out, Ewan looks at a journalism scandal at the New York Times while Cam argues Pfizer is cool and Moderna is... not.

Don't miss any future episodes and get updates about the podcast by signing up for the PR & Law Podcast newsletter. We promise: no spam. Ever.

If you enjoy the show, please tell a friend or family member. It's the best way to get the word out and we are very grateful! We also frequently post updates to the stories we discuss on social media. You can find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. You can also subscribe to our channels on YouTube and Soundcloud.

If you have a question we would be happy to answer it on the show! Just post it to social media with the hashtag #PRLawPod.

Links and Show Notes

• When is it Necessary to Turn on Your Video in a Zoom Meeting? - Fast Company
• Behind the Controversy at Basecamp - The Verge (also syndicated on Platformer)
• Changes at Basecamp - Jason Fried, Hey Blog
• Basecamp's New Etiquette Regarding Societal Politics at Work - David Heinmeier Hansson, Hey Blog
• Trouble at Basecamp, Bezos Fights for the Moon, and a Listener Question about Dating Apps - Pivot
• An Open Letter to Jason and David - JaneYang.org
• Why Coinbase will Struggle to Ban Politics from the Workplace - The Verge
• Basecamp Implodes as Employees Flee Company, Even Senior Staff - The Verge

Check This Out

• Sign of the Times: Caliphate and the Perils of Reporting Online - Harper's
• The Hot-Person Vaccine - The Atlantic

Hosts

Ewan Christie is an employment lawyer and partner at Duntrune LLP in Toronto, Canada.

Cam MacMurchy is a corporate communications executive with a multinational technology company listed in Hong Kong and curator of the Digital Bits PR and Communications newsletter. He also contributes to Apple news website 9to5Mac and shares his thoughts on PR, media, travel, and technology on his website.

Last week Cam talked about preparing for his first Pfizer shot in Hong Kong, and this week we find out that both hosts got their first dose last week after Ewan secured an early appointment as well. Ewan had some side effects with the Astra-Zeneca vaccine while Cam had no trouble with the Pfizer-BioNTech one, but the second dose might not be as easy.

The pandemic is still ravaging many countries around the world, but that hasn't stopped employers and employees from trying to influence the workplace in a post-pandemic environment -- namely how and whether remote work should be a part of this new era. Ewan shares a survey on the question and some interesting anomalies in the results.

Then Cam checks in with an article looking at five key things to consider to improve public relations in 2021, tips that he thinks have merit and encourages PR practitioners to consider. They range from commissioning white papers to paying more attention to Google Maps. If you want an edge on your competitors, don't miss this segment.

In Check This Out, Ewan recommends an unabashedly 90s group's new album, while Cam looks at the mysteries of typing -- yes, typing.

Don't miss any future episodes and get updates about the podcast by signing up for the PR & Law Podcast newsletter. We promise: no spam. Ever.

If you enjoy the show, please tell a friend or family member. It's the best way to get the word out and we are very grateful! We also frequently post updates to the stories we discuss on social media. You can find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. You can also subscribe to our channels on YouTube and Soundcloud.

If you have a question we would be happy to answer it on the show! Just post it to social media with the hashtag #PRLawPod.

Links and Show Notes

• How to Navigate the Post-pandemic Office - The New York Times
• Remote, Inc: How to Thrive at Work... Wherever You Are - Robert C. Polson and Alexandra Samuel (Amazon)
• Trust Crisis: Five Changes You Must Embrace for 2021 - PR Daily
• Invitation-only Communities for Successful Executives and Entrepreneurs - Forbes Councils

Check This Out

• Dinosaur Jr. Balance Noise with Nuance on Sweep It Into Space - Paste
• Why Am I Sp Bad At Typign? - Buzzfeed

Hosts

Ewan Christie is an employment lawyer and partner at Duntrune LLP in Toronto, Canada.

Cam MacMurchy is a corporate communications executive with a multinational technology company listed in Hong Kong and curator of the Digital Bits PR and Communications newsletter. He also contributes to Apple news website 9to5Mac and shares his thoughts on PR, media, travel, and technology on his website.

We made a full year! What better way to mark the first anniversary of the PR & Law Podcast than with another humiliating story of a bumbling, high-profile individual and his lack of computer skills. No, it's not Jeffrey Toobin redux -- it's a federal politician in Canada who went out for a jog, returned to his office, launched Zoom for a high-level government Q/A session, shed his clothes, popped into the shower, and then got dressed. It's all pretty routine except for the fact his camera was on the entire time. It's embarrassing, of course, but what should be done? Should anything be done? How does this compare to the infamous Jeffrey Toobin case we discussed in Episode 32? Ewan gives us some answers.

Then Cam, primed and ready for his first dose of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine, discusses the mess Johnson & Johnson has found itself in. The drugmaker had its vaccines suspended in the United States after six women developed blood clots after receiving the jab. It's not the first time a vaccine has run into PR problems (see: AstraZeneca in Episode 48), but the issues facing these companies might be larger and more complex than companies in other sectors. Cam explains some of the psychology behind resistance to the vaccines and how the drugmakers can try and extricate themselves from the powerful news currents that have put their brands at risk.

Don't miss any future episodes and get updates about the podcast by signing up for the PR & Law Podcast newsletter. We promise: no spam. Ever.

If you enjoy the show, please tell a friend or family member. It's the best way to get the word out and we are very grateful! We also frequently post updates to the stories we discuss on social media. You can find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. You can also subscribe to our channels on YouTube and Soundcloud.

If you have a question we would be happy to answer it on the show! Just post it to social media with the hashtag #PRLawPod.

Links and Show Notes

• MP William Amos Speaks Out: Leaked Naked Photo Sends Message 'Anything Goes' in Politics - CBC
• Episode #32: New Yorker's Jeffrey Toobin is Fired - PR & Law Podcast
• Decision to Pause Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Causes Public Confidence in Vaccine to Sink - YouGov
• Episode #48: AstraZeneca's Loss of Trust - PR & Law Podcast
• Johnson & Johnson Statement on COVID-19 Vaccine - Johnson & Johnson
• How Johnson & Johnson Could Regain Public's Trust in Covid Vaccine Crisis - Forbes
• China Considers Mixing COVID-19 Vaccines to Offer More Protection - South China Morning Post

Check This Out

• Meet The 40 New Billionaires Who Got Rich Fighting COVID-19 - Forbes
• America Ruined My Name For Me - The New Yorker

Hosts

Ewan Christie is an employment lawyer and partner at Duntrune LLP in Toronto, Canada.

Cam MacMurchy is a corporate communications executive with a multinational technology company listed in Hong Kong and curator of the Digital Bits PR and Communications newsletter. He also contributes to Apple news website 9to5Mac and shares his thoughts on PR, media, travel, and technology on his website.

This week we learned that the strongest push yet for a union inside e-commerce juggernaut Amazon fell short. Ewan sifts through the wreckage to try and find the way forward for both the company and its staff. We also discuss how labor unions have fallen out of favor and might need an image overhaul.

"Cancel culture" seems to be on everyone's lips these days. When you combine it with severe political and cultural polarization, the result is companies being squeezed in the middle, often forced to take sides. The most recent example was Major League Baseball's decision to pull its all-star game from the US state of Georgia in opposition to new voting laws that could make casting ballots more difficult. Cam looks at the tough choice companies have to face, and provides a few examples from China, where local brands have faced similar pressure for many years already.

Plus: a dive into the world of Biggie and Tupac and the rap war of the 1990s that left both talented artists dead. You'll also be surprised to learn where the term 'cancel culture' came from.

Don't miss any future episodes and get updates about the podcast by signing up to the PR & Law Podcast newsletter. We promise: no spam. Ever.

If you enjoy the show, please tell a friend or family member. It's the best way to get the word out and we are very grateful! We also frequently post updates to the stories we discuss on social media. You can find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. You can also subscribe to our channels on YouTube and Soundcloud.

If you have a question we would be happy to answer it on the show! Just post it to social media with the hashtag #PRLawPod.

Links and Show Notes

• NLRB Announces Results in Amazon Election - National Labor Relations Board
• Amazon Workers Vote Down Union Drive at Alabama Warehouse - New York Times
• Blowout in Bessemer: A Postmortem on the Amazon Campaign - The Nation
• A Boot Camp for All Things Content and Communications - Marketing Influence 360
• The New Cancel Culture Capitalism - New York Times

Check This Out

• The Strange Journey of 'Cancel', from a Black-Culture Punchline to a White-Grievance Watchword - The Washington Post
• Slow Burn: Biggie and Tupac - Slate
• Biggie: I've Got a Story to Tell - Netflix

Hosts

Ewan Christie is an employment lawyer and partner at Duntrune LLP in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Cam MacMurchy is a corporate communications executive with a multinational technology company listed in Hong Kong and curator of the Digital Bits PR and Communications newsletter. He also contributes to Apple news website 9to5Macand shares his thoughts on PR, media, travel, and technology on his website.

The ballots have been cast and the counting has begun on a vote that could bring foundational change to Amazon.com, the "everything store" that has only grown during the pandemic. Amazon has fought hard against unions in the past, and some are fearful of what Amazon might do once the ballots are counted and the result is known. Ewan looks into what's happening at the Amazon fulfillment warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama, and why he thinks unions might be on the rebound after decades of decline.

Then we touch on an issue that often divides communications and marketing people: the April Fool's Day joke. "Voltswagen" had egg on its face for its screw-up this year, but it wasn't the first April Fool's Day joke to backfire on a company and likely won't be the last. Cam looks at some other examples of what has worked and what hasn't, with some advice on how to approach April Fool's Day if your company is considering getting in on it next year.

Plus: a thorough ranking of the Muppets from NPR, professional bowler and trash talker Pete Weber hangs 'em up, and thoughts on two incredible films nominated for Best Picture at the upcoming Academy Awards.

Don't miss any future episodes and get updates about the podcast by signing up for the PR & Law Podcast newsletter. We promise: no spam. Ever.

If you enjoy the show, please tell a friend or family member. It's the best way to get the word out and we are very grateful! We also frequently post updates to the stories we discuss on social media. You can find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. You can also subscribe to our channels on YouTube and Soundcloud.

If you have a question we would be happy to answer it on the show! Just post it to social media with the hashtag #PRLawPod.

Links and Show Notes

• Amazon's Union Vote: What's at stake in the Alabama Warehouse Election - Cnet
• Documents Show Amazon Is Aware Drivers Pee In Bottles - The Intercept
• Is April Fool's Day Worth the Risk for Brands? - Content Marketing Institute
• Forget Voltswagen, it's Volkswagen that is the Real April Fool - Fast Company
• Episode #47: Burger King's Controversial (or Just Misunderstood?) Tweet - PR & Law Podcast

Check This Out

• The Father - Sony Pictures
• Minari - A24 Films
• Best Muppets, Ranked Ruthlessly - NPR
• 'Who do you Think you Are?' He was: Pete Weber's Famous Celebration Endures as He Retires from PBA Tour - The Athletic

Hosts

Ewan Christie is an employment lawyer and partner at Duntrune LLP in Toronto, Canada.

Cam MacMurchy is a corporate communications executive with a multinational technology company listed in Hong Kong and curator of the Digital Bits PR and Communications newsletter. He also contributes to Apple news website 9to5Mac and shares his thoughts on PR, media, travel, and technology on his website.

While vaccinations are happening and people are itching to get out from under the year-long COVID-19 pandemic, some parts of life may never go back to normal -- such as remote work. Ewan and Cam have a spirited debate on the merits of remote work, why some people thrive and others have problems adjusting. The discussion is against a backdrop of a Goldman Sachs deck in which analysts complain of a poor work-life balance. We try and get to the bottom of it.

Then we take aim (again) at Facebook. The MIT Technology Review published a lengthy article on Facebook's failures around AI and combatting disinformation -- particularly around the January 6 insurrection in Washington -- which triggered a multi-pronged response from Facebook PR. We talk about Facebook's tactics and debate what might work, and what just seems sleazy.

You'll want to stay right to the end for a hilarious story about 90s muscle man and "I can't believe it's not butter!" spokesperson Fabio, who had a rather unfortunate and bloody incident involving a goose and a rollercoaster. Yeah, you'll want to hear it.

Don't miss any future episodes and get updates about the podcast by signing up for the PR & Law Podcast newsletter. We promise: no spam. Ever.

If you enjoy the show, please tell a friend or family member. It's the best way to get the word out and we are very grateful! We also frequently post updates to the stories we discuss on social media. You can find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. You can also subscribe to our channels on YouTube and Soundcloud.

If you have a question we would be happy to answer it on the show! Just post it to social media with the hashtag #PRLawPod.

Links and Show Notes

• The Big, Stuck Boat is Glorious - The Atlantic
• 'I'm in a Really Dark Place': Complaints at Goldman Sachs Set Off a Workplace Debate - New York Times
• Goldman Sachs Working Conditions Survey - Google Drive
• The Great Vampire Squid Keeps on Sucking - Forbes
• How Facebook Got Addicted to Spreading Misinformation - MIT Technology Review
• Facebook Created an Employee 'Playbook' to Respond to Accusations of Polarization - BuzzFeed News

Check This Out

• Tina Turner's Life Explored in New Documentary - NPR
• It Has Been 20 Years Since Fabio Killed a Goose with His Face on a Rollercoaster - Medium

Hosts

Ewan Christie is an employment lawyer and partner at Duntrune LLP in Toronto, Canada.

Cam MacMurchy is a corporate communications executive with a multinational technology company listed in Hong Kong and curator of the Digital Bits PR and Communications newsletter. He also contributes to Apple news website 9to5Mac and shares his thoughts on PR, media, travel, and technology on his website.

Workers often suspect their bosses may be spying on them, either via security cameras or software that can track their internet use. But as Ewan explains this week, it's gotten much, much worse than that. New, more invasive technology is driving a boom in companies surveilling their staff with tools like real-time monitoring of staff computer screens, keystroke logging, and more. Ewan details what's going on and how workers can try and protect themselves.

COVID-19 remains a dark cloud over most of the world, but there's genuine excitement about the ramping up of vaccinations -- with the possible exception of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. There is so much public skepticism about the British vaccine that even several European governments suspended its use last week. It's an excellent example of how trust can be lost, and how providing facts and reassurance usually aren't enough to rebuild it.

Cam also talks about his experience taking COVID tests in Hong Kong and shares news that he's already got an appointment to get the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in the next 10 days.

In Check This Out, Ewan recommends a particular artist and song, despite his description on the show (you'll have to hear it!). Then Cam talks about the controversial four-part docuseries Allen v. Farrow on HBO which looks at accusations that famous film director Woody Allen sexually abused his adopted daughter, Dylan.

Don't miss any future episodes and get updates about the podcast by signing up for the PR & Law Podcast newsletter. We promise: no spam. Ever.

If you enjoy the show, please tell a friend or family member. It's the best way to get the word out and we are very grateful! We also frequently post updates to the stories we discuss on social media. You can find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. You can also subscribe to our channels on YouTube and Soundcloud.

If you have a question we would be happy to answer it on the show! Just post it to social media with the hashtag #PRLawPod.

Links and Show Notes

• How Your Boss Can Use Your Remote Work Tools to Spy on You - Wirecutter
• Bosses Started Spying on Remote Workers. Now They're Fighting Back - Wired
• AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot was the Hottest CEO in Pharma. Now He's on the Hot Seat - Forbes
• AstraZeneca Vaccine Suspended in More Countries over Low Number of Blood Clots - CBS
• Germans' Rejection of Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID Vaccine Hinders COVID Fight - CBS

Check This Out

• Cassandra Jenkins, "Hard Drive" - Youtube
• Allen v Farrow - HBO

Hosts

Ewan Christie is an employment lawyer and partner at Duntrune LLP in Toronto, Canada.

Cam MacMurchy is a corporate communications executive with a multinational technology company listed in Hong Kong and curator of the Digital Bits PR and Communications newsletter. He also contributes to Apple news website 9to5Macand shares his thoughts on PR, media, travel, and technology on his website.

Sometimes companies inadvertently draw media attention for a mistake -- or gaffe -- in their communications. Amazon is a great example, which just had to change its new phone icon because people felt it resembled Hitler's mustache. Burger King has a different story, though -- it walked itself right into a crisis. Five controversial words landed the company in a boiling vat of vegetable oil. Cam and Ewan debate how the ominous Tweet should have been considered, and Cam explains why ultimately it doesn't matter when planning communications campaigns.

The workplace has already changed since COVID-19 hit a year ago, but more changes are coming. Ewan mentions a clause that companies are beginning to put into employment contracts that could leave the employee high and dry. He explains what to look for and why it's a problem.

We also discuss late-night HBO host Bill Maher, Professor Scott Galloway, and the beautiful film Nomadland.

Don't miss any future episodes and get updates about the podcast by signing up for the PR & Law Podcast newsletter. We promise: no spam. Ever.

If you enjoy the show, please tell a friend or family member. It's the best way to get the word out and we are very grateful! We also frequently post updates to the stories we discuss on social media. You can find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. You can also subscribe to our channels on YouTube and Soundcloud.

If you have a question we would be happy to answer it on the show! Just post it to social media with the hashtag #PRLawPod.

Links and Show Notes

• Amazon Fixes App After Design Furor - TMZ
• Burger King's Sexist Tweet Spectacularly Backfires - Yahoo News

Check This Out

• Scott Galloway on Recasting American Individualism and Institutions - The Economist
• Nomadland - Hulu

Hosts

Ewan Christie is an employment lawyer and partner at Duntrune LLP in Toronto, Canada.

Cam MacMurchy is a corporate communications executive with a multinational technology company listed in Hong Kong and curator of the Digital Bits PR and Communications newsletter. He also contributes to Apple news website 9to5Mac and shares his thoughts on PR, media, travel, and technology on his website.