The Business Communicators

Have you seen Tom Cruise’s clips on Tik Tok? He’s golfing, performing coin magic and talking to Mikhail Gorbachev. Or is he? The Business Communicators discuss the realities of “deep fakes” and the potential ramifications they could have on world events, the stock market, and why comms pros need to be prepared to combat misinformation in the evolving digital age. Then, the podcast dissects the upcoming multi-billion-dollar NFL contracts and what it means for the future of TV networks and the way we consume digital content.

The show opens with Austin, Hattie and Thomas discussing a new Tik Tok account, @deeptomcruise, that features what seem like real videos of Cruise, that if one didn’t look deeper would believe they are the real thing. It’s both mind-blowing and baffling.  

But, Tom Cruise isn’t the only deep fake account on the internet -- and that is terrifying. With software becoming increasingly sophisticated, the alarming mountain of misinformation they communicate --  and the confusion they create -- could have a lasting impact on how we operate as communications professionals.

Next up, Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka once said, "If you're not IN the parade, you WATCH the parade. That's life. Amazon is in the parade as the frontrunner to sign a deal with the National Football League to carry a significant number of games exclusively on Thursday nights. This is a big deal for the Amazon Prime streaming service and perhaps not so good for traditional TV.  The Business Communicators discuss what the big move means financially for the future of cable network markets, the NFL, and how we consume media.

Music Credit: Smoke (with Lostboycrow) – Feather

Connect with The Business Communicators on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn, and find out more about our show at TheBusinessCommunicators.com. And, if you haven’t done so already, be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave us a five-star review. Questions or comments? Send us an email to [email protected] or text “podcast” to (713) 360-0133.

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Photography is visual artistry. The right images have the ability to transform in ways mere words cannot. Ask Austin-based photographer Marc Morrison, who has shot worldwide campaigns more than two decades, and his commissions have ventured into various genres. 

His portraiture includes everyone from celebrities to Fortune 500 CEOs and world leaders. And Marc’s work has appeared in countless outlets like Fortune, Forbes, The Verge, TIME, Rolling Stone, Essence, New York Times, Golf Digest and Sports Illustrated.

Whether it’s shooting for global brands like Samsung, Sony Music, Ogilvy & Mather and ExxonMobil, or with A-list artists and athletes like Cardi B, Lil Wayne, Tan France or Myles Garrett – Marc pushes creative boundaries while understanding how to achieve a client’s vision.

On this week’s episode of The Business Communicators, Marc joins Austin Staton and Hattie Horn to talk about working with clients to develop a strategy that achieves their vision, and how images elevate campaigns and communications. Plus, he’ll also share amazing behind-the-scenes stories on what it’s like working with some of the world’s biggest artists.

Music Credit: Smoke (with Lostboycrow) – Feather

Connect with The Business Communicators on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn, and find out more about our show at TheBusinessCommunicators.com. And, if you haven’t done so already, be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave us a five-star review. Questions or comments? Send us an email to [email protected] or text “podcast” to (713) 360-0133.

IABC Houston Sponsors

• Diamond Partner: Pierpont Communications
• Chapter Partner: Mykrantz & Co

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As Texas recovers from Winter Storm Uri, many across the country are asking, “what went wrong” in the Lone Star State. From a crisis communications perspective, many Texans were left in the dark by state-level leaders and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT). With more than 4.5 million customers without power – and many more without access to clean water – could this have been prevented? 

Pinch-hitting for Hattie Horn this week, Dan Gold, an award-winning global MarComs strategist hailing from Canada, joins Austin Staton and Thomas Baen to dissect the crisis in Texas, and how Texans could have benefitted from effective crisis management. The Business Communicators offer their insights for a crisis comms playbook and give key takeaways that businesses can use to equip their teams in the event of a crisis.

Then, Facebook has taken a drastic approach in Australia to ban all news stories from its site, after a long-running battle over who should pay for news online. Rather than pay media companies in return for linking to their stories, as a forthcoming Australian law would require, the company opted to block all such links on its platform. What does this mean for free speech and access to information in Australia? Will it have longer-lasting implications globally?

The show closes with a new segment that focuses on writing prompts and extemporaneous speaking. This week’s: “Name something simple that brings you joy.” To our listeners: We want to hear from you. Tell us on social media what things in life bring you joy. We’ll share the best responses on next week’s episode of the podcast.

Music Credit: Smoke (with Lostboycrow) – Feather

Connect with The Business Communicators on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn, and find out more about our show at TheBusinessCommunicators.com. And, if you haven’t done so already, be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave us a five-star review. Questions or comments? Send us an email to [email protected] or text “podcast” to (713) 360-0133.

IABC Houston Sponsors

• Diamond Partner: Pierpont Communications
• Chapter Partner: Mykrantz & Co

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This week, The Business Communicators tackle the biggest headlines in the PR, branding and digital media world. The show begins by analyzing the downfall of The Lincoln Project, and Aunt Jemima’s rebranding, finally retiring the racist stereotype that has adorned its label for decades. Then, Austin, Hattie and Thomas weigh in on why Instagram banned Robert Kennedy Jr. from the platform, and the emergence of Clubhouse, the upstart $1 billion social media platform taking the world by storm.

First up, The Lincoln Project, a political Super PAC which raised more than $90 million ahead of the 2020 election, is under fire after co-founder John Weaver is alleged to have sexually harassed more than 20 men. What did the organization know and when? To make matters worse, it’s speculated that the organization hacked co-founder Jennifer Horn’s Twitter account last week after she stepped down from her role due to Weaver's "grotesque and inappropriate behavior." Can the organization be trusted moving forward, or are these communications and ethical failures the beginning of the end for the Super PAC?

Then, although reinventing the company was a long-time coming, will the new look and image of the Pearl Milling Company resonate with consumers that are used to the previous image and name that sustained Aunt Jemima for over 100 years; or once the new packaging is on retail shelves will customers say “yum” or “yuk”, and will it mean that the Pearl Milling Company might get flattened by the competition? 

Next up, the Kennedy name is powerful, and it is also synonymous with controversy. Instagram has shut down Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s account for spreading misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines. With more than 800,000 followers on Kennedy’s account, Facebook, which owns Instagram, announced that it would flag or remove posts from users and groups that spread misinformation about vaccines. Spreading misinformation on social media is dangerous. Full stop. However, can are digital media companies taking censorship too far, and is their business model sustainable with a lack of moderation?

Closing out the show, if you are a social media enthusiast like us, you’re likely well-aware of Clubhouse, the invite-only social audio app, where everyone wants to be part of the club. Founded in March 2020 by Paul Davison and Rohan Seth, Clubhouse boasts more than six million weekly users and boasts a value of over $1 billion. Buoyed currently by a host of A-list celebrities including Elon Musk and Oprah Winfrey, Clubhouse's exclusivity, candid conversations, and the opportunity to share the stage is what currently makes it so alluring. Although Davison and Seth say Clubhouse was created for everyone, can the app maintain its appeal to user once it’s open to all?

Music Credit: Smoke (with Lostboycrow) -- Feather

Connect with The Business Communicators on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn, and find out more about our show at TheBusinessCommunicators.com. And, if you haven’t done so already, be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave us a five-star review. Questions or comments? Send us an email to [email protected] or text “podcast” to (713) 360-0133.

IABC Houston Sponsors

• Diamond Partner: Pierpont Communications
• Chapter Partner: Mykrantz & Co

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As communications professionals, we aspire to be labeled as “thought leaders” within our organization. But, is attaching that label ourselves detrimental to our careers? Chris Brogan, a New York Times Bestselling author, joined The Business Communicators to share the truth about authentic leaders, his insights on brand strategy, and why real stories sell.

Brogan, president of Chris Brogan Media and CEO of Owner Media Group, Inc., is a sought-after keynote speakerand has consulted with the biggest Fortune 100 brands in the world. Brogan joined the podcast for a humorous and candid conversation about all things comms. Listeners will learn:

• tips on personal branding 
• how companies can truly embrace diverse and inclusion
• channeling your passions into a single focus
• the future of agile working in a post-COVID world and how to avoid a sterile work environment
• how to truly resonate with a global audience
• why being the smartest person in the room could be detrimental to your corporate ambitions

Music Credit: Smoke (with Lostboycrow) – Feather 

Connect with The Business Communicators on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn, and find out more about our show at TheBusinessCommunicators.com. And, if you haven’t done so already, be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave us a five-star review. Questions or comments? Send us an email to [email protected] or text “podcast” to (713) 360-0133.

IABC Houston Sponsors

• Diamond Partner: Pierpont Communications
• Chapter Partner: Mykrantz & Co

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Despite a strong global economy and near full employment, none of the four societal institutions that the study measures—government, business, NGOs and media—is trusted according to the 2021 Edelman Trust Barometer. 

Tonia Ries, the Global Executive Director of Intellectual Property at Edelman and steward of the Edelman Trust Barometer, joins The Business Communicators to discuss the cause of this paradox and how it is a wake-up call and challenge for these institutions to look at new ways to effectively rebuild trust with their stakeholders.

Then, NFL All-Pro Wide Receiver Emmanuel Sanders has always preferred to use pen and paper. Before winning the Super Bowl with the Broncos, as a teenager he used a journal to organize his thoughts and create his vision for the future. Emmanuel is also an entrepreneur, husband and father who continues to use journals to track his goals and build upon his dreams. 

He joins the show to talk about his partnership with TRU RED to launch their Expert Notetaking Collection of writing journals and pens for entrepreneurs to bring their most creative ideas to life. Our listeners can check them out at staples.com/spark2finish.

The show closes as Austin, Hattie and Thomas break down the recent Wall Street and Reddit saga and whether or not financial institutions can be trusted moving forward. And, a discussion on why Budweiser is winning the advertising battle ahead of this week’s Super Bowl.

Music Credit: Smoke (with Lostboycrow) – Feather

Connect with The Business Communicators on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn, and find out more about our show at TheBusinessCommunicators.com. And, if you haven’t done so already, be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave us a five-star review. Questions or comments? Send us an email to [email protected] or text “podcast” to (713) 360-0133.

IABC Houston Sponsors

• Diamond Partner: Pierpont Communications
• Chapter Partner: Mykrantz & Co

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Amanda Gorman captivated a global audience last week as she delivered her poem, The Hill We Climb, at the inauguration. And, a new presidential administration is tasked with rebuilding trust as the country aims to mitigate risk associated with the deadly COVID-19 pandemic. What lessons can communications learn from the inaugural poem and the COVID-19 vaccine rollout?

Gorman, a 22-year-old Harvard grad, became the youngest inaugural poet ever, joining the likes of Robert Frost and Maya Angelou. Why was her message of national unity while reflecting on the fragile state of the country so impactful? What role did social media play in elevating her message to a global audience? And, what are the key takeaways from her poem that businesses can use to identify and develop effective messaging? 

Then, a New York Times article suggests that “we’re underselling the vaccine.” Why? Early on during the COVID-19 pandemic, many health experts — in the U.S. and around the world — decided that the public could not be trusted to hear the truth about masks. Instead, the experts spread a misleading message, discouraging the use of masks. While their motivation was mostly good, the message was still a mistake and it confused people. 

Now a version of the mask story is repeating itself — this time involving the vaccines. Once again, the experts don’t seem to trust the public to hear the full truth. How can communications professionals, healthcare workers and the government collaborate to help rebuild trust and transparency with the public? 

Music Credit:Smoke (with Lostboycrow) – Feather

Connect with The Business Communicators on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn, and find out more about our show at TheBusinessCommunicators.com. And, if you haven’t done so already, be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave us a five-star review. Questions or comments? Send us an email to [email protected] or text “podcast” to (713) 360-0133.

IABC Houston Sponsors

• Diamond Partner: Pierpont Communications
• Chapter Partner: Mykrantz & Co

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For emerging electronic DJ and producer Kyle Featherstone, known professionally as Feather, music is the great equalizer. Kyle’s love for EDM and his need to produce music during the COVID-19 pandemic led him to TikTok where to date, his work has reached millions of followers and fans.

Born in Minnesota and currently residing in Nashville, Kyle joins The Business Communicators for an engaging conversation on:

• how digital media has allowed him to directly connect with his fans, and build a community that is organically, and authentically his own
• the creative process behind his debut EP, Becoming
• why it’s critical to build a team of trusted advisors to sharpen your craft
• how collaboration is changing the game for emerging artists inside the music industry

Editor’s Note: Special thanks to Kyle for allowing our podcast to use his track, Smoke, for this episode. Listen to Feather’s EP, Becoming, on Spotify.

Connect with The Business Communicators on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn, and find out more about our show at TheBusinessCommunicators.com. And, if you haven’t done so already, be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave us a five-star review. Questions or comments? Send us an email to [email protected] or text “podcast” to (713) 360-0133.

IABC Houston Sponsors

• Diamond Partner: Pierpont Communications
• Chapter Partner: Mykrantz & Co

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Editor’s Note: This episode was recorded on Friday, Jan. 8, hours before Twitter permanently suspended Donald Trump's account “due to the risk of further incitement of violence.” 

Just days into the new year, the weaponization of social media ignited a firestorm of violence in Washington D.C., leaving five dead, and the country in chaos. To mitigate potential harm, President Trump was banned from nearly all digital platforms for “incitement of violence” just days before the 2021 inauguration. How did we get here? The Business Communicators dives into the role communications played in the chaos, and why now more than ever, words matter when helping move this country forward. 

Then, do politics, pizza and public relations mix? The show delves into an ill-advised press release from Pizza Inn last week that “demanded” changes to nonexistent voter fraud. Was this merely a PR stunt? Did it violate the IABC and PRSA Code of Ethics? Why did a Dallas-based agency, Champion Management, ultimately issue the press release on behalf of Pizza Inn CEO Brandon Solano? And, how can agencies avoid an ethical quandary moving forward?

Note: Please consider listening to our debut episode as Axios’ Sara Fischer discussed the weaponization of social media.

Connect with The Business Communicators on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn, and find out more about our show at TheBusinessCommunicators.com. And, if you haven’t done so already, be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave us a five-star review. Questions or comments? Send us an email to [email protected] or text “podcast” to (713) 360-0133.

IABC Houston Sponsors

• Diamond Partner: Pierpont Communications
• Chapter Partner: Mykrantz & Co

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Bah! Humbug! The year 2020 might have stolen that phrase from Ebenezer Scrooge. But, was the year a total loss? On the final episode of this “unprecedented” year, The Business Communicators trio break down why a Texas-based company had their order for co-branded winter jackets rejected, why virtual reality is poised to shape the rest of the decade for communicators, the top comms trends of the year, and the truth about Santa Claus.

The show opens with discussion of Santa Claus and his impending tour of the globe amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, and why Todd Anderson, CEO of Innovex, called out The North Face for refusing his order of 400 jackets to be given as holiday gifts to his employees. Anderson was told by his distributor that The North Face rejected the idea of placing an oil and gas services logo on its jackets. Anderson responded to The North Face with a charged letter that has industry experts debating if The North Face was right in its stance, or if they’re merely virtue signaling.

Then, with communications professionals trying to close the gap between the official message and their employees, virtual reality represents yet another tool that can’t be ignored. And according to a new study by Murion, twice as many learning and development leaders will utilize reality for soft skills training by 2022.  What’s in it for you?

The show closes by analyzing the existing stock of social media tools and the most noteworthy social media trends and updates that your company should utilize as we head into 2021.

Connect with The Business Communicators on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn, and find out more about our chapter at IABCHouston.com. And, if you haven’t done so already, be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave us a five-star review. Questions or comments? Send us an email to [email protected] or text “podcast” to (713) 360-0133.

IABC Houston Sponsors

• Diamond Partner: Pierpont Communications
• Chapter Partner: Mykrantz & Co

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