The Crisis Beat

Episode 31: Trust and Grievance 

Crisis Beat Podcast – March 23, 2025

Hosts: Brady Wood & Dr. Mark Crowther

In this episode, PR strategist Brady Wood and Dr. Mark Crowther, Chair of Medicine at McMaster University, unpack the headline findings from the 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer—a report that reveals a deepening global “crisis of grievance.”

Main Event: The 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer – A Global Crisis of Grievance

Now in its 25th year, Edelman’s annual trust survey captures growing public disillusionment with governments, businesses, media, and NGOs. The 2025 edition shines a light on rising resentment and mistrust worldwide, calling for leadership that’s more transparent, accountable, and socially attuned.

News & Updates – Here’s What’s New in the News:

    •    Pyramid Secrets? A controversial new study claims SAR radar has identified a vast underground complex beneath the Pyramids of Giza.

    •    Meghan Markle: With Love, Meghan gets renewed by Netflix, despite mixed critical reviews.

    •    Blake Lively vs. Justin Baldoni: Blake Lively moves to dismiss Baldoni’s $400M defamation suit, calling it retaliatory. The case escalates, now drawing attention after a pointed joke from Ryan Reynolds at the SNL 50th Anniversary.

Tune in as Brady and Mark connect the dots between global trust dynamics, high-profile lawsuits, and mysterious underground discoveries. Catch the full episode—wherever you get your podcasts.

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Episode 30: Hospital Crisis Communications

Crisis Beat Podcast – February 9, 2025

Hosts: Brady Wood & Dr. Mark Crowther

In this episode, Brady Wood—PR professional and former hospital leader—and Dr. Mark Crowther, Chair of Medicine at McMaster, take listeners inside the high-stakes world of hospital crisis communications. Drawing from Brady’s firsthand experiences, they break down how hospitals manage public relations during emergencies, navigate sensitive messaging, and maintain public trust under pressure.

They also discussed multiple news story’s, such as the drama with Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, Megan Markle, plane malfunction at Pearson Airport, and much more.

Tune in for a compelling look at hospital PR strategies, crisis response, and real-world lessons from the front lines.

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Episode 29: LA Wildfires Crisis – Crisis Beat Podcast – January 26, 2025

Hosts: Brady Wood (PR Pro and Business Owner) & Dr. Mark Crowther (Chair of Medicine, McMaster)

News & Updates

Here’s what’s new in the news!

• Rebranding Fossils from China
• Justin Baldoni/Blake Lively
• Sam Altman
• Drake's Defamation Lawsuit
• Roger Telecom
• Megan & Harry

Main Event: Case Study – LA Wildfires Crisis

The Wildfires Erupt: On January 7, 2025, the Palisades Fire broke out, followed by the Eaton Fire. Los Angeles residents faced immense danger as these fires spread quickly.

Key Events:

• Mayor Karen Bass’s Absence: Bass was in Ghana on a diplomatic trip when the fires began, sparking criticism from her political opponents, including Rick Caruso.
• Governor Gavin Newsom’s Response: Newsom declared a state of emergency on January 7 and worked with federal agencies to secure resources. However, his handling of water resources during the fires came under fire.
• Trump’s Visit: Former President Donald Trump toured the damage and criticized Newsom’s management of the crisis. He made several controversial claims, including misstatements about forest management, water shortages, and fire hydrant issues.

Crisis Communications Insights:

• Transparency: Leaders need to clarify the causes of the crisis and the steps being taken to resolve it. In this case, better communication from both Bass and Newsom could have alleviated much of the public confusion.
• Empathy & Engagement: Acknowledging the hardship faced by affected communities and engaging directly with the public is essential to maintaining trust.
• Consistency & Clarity: Mixed messages, particularly those from Trump, fueled confusion. A unified and consistent approach is critical in a crisis like this.

Leadership Responses

• Mayor Karen Bass: Emphasized her focus on saving lives and homes upon her return to the city.
• Governor Gavin Newsom: Declared a state of emergency, but faced backlash for budget cuts to wildfire management.
• Donald Trump: Criticized Newsom’s handling of the crisis while offering his own controversial solutions.

Key Takeaways

• Crisis Communication is Crucial: In crises like wildfires, effective communication can mean the difference between success and failure in managing public perception.
• Managing Misinformation: During disasters, misinformation spreads quickly. Leaders must respond swiftly to clarify facts and keep the public informed.
• The Importance of Preparedness: Leaders must be proactive, prepared with crisis communication plans, and responsive to public concerns.

Catch the full episode for a deep dive into the LA wildfire crisis, the PR challenges faced by officials, and the lessons learned from this unfolding disaster!

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Episode 28: 2024 in Review-

Crisis Beat Podcast – January 6, 2025

Hosts: Brady Wood (PR Pro and Business Owner) & Dr. Mark Crowther (Chair of Medicine, McMaster)

Here’s some of the topic we discussed throughout the 2024 Review!

• United States election 
• Possible provincial and federal election for Canada
• Elon Musk and his multiple crisis, involvement in US public affairs, SpaceX throughout the year, etc 
• The possible terrorist attack involving cyber truck
• Boeing aircraft’s 
• Plane crashes
• Drake and kendrick Lamar, Drake suing,
• Ryan Reynold and Blake Lively, lawsuit, suing Justin Baldoni, new movie, New Year Times, etc 
• All the worst humans book

Catch the full episode for a deeper dive into the 2024 review and the crisis management strategies! 

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Episode 27: Jaguar’s Rebrand Crisis – Crisis Beat Podcast – December 15, 2024

Hosts: Brady Wood (PR Pro and Business Owner) & Dr. Mark Crowther (Chair of Medicine, McMaster)

News & Updates

Here’s what’s new in the news!

• Boeing: The company is slowly restarting production after a labor strike, with no major PR disasters in the last few weeks, but still facing challenges.
• Royal Family: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have decided to scale back on joint appearances, sparking rumors about their relationship.
• Jay-Z & Diddy: Jay-Z strongly denies recent allegations involving a 13-year-old, describing them as a "blackmail attempt" and expressing the emotional toll on his family.
• Meta Data Breach: On December 3, 2024, Meta suffered a data breach, exposing the personal data of millions, leading to criticism and legal challenges.
• Amazon Labor Strike: On December 5, 2024, thousands of Amazon warehouse workers went on strike over poor working conditions and low wages, disrupting the company during the holiday season.
• PharmaCorp Scandal: A major pharmaceutical company, PharmaCorp, falsified clinical trial data, causing a massive recall and a drop in stock prices.

Main Event: Case Study - Jaguar’s Rebrand Crisis

Jaguar’s controversial rebrand and the PR challenges it faces:

Timeline of Events

• 1922: Williams Lyons founded the Swallow Sidecar Company, which eventually became Jaguar.
• 1945: The company changed its name from SS Cars to Jaguar Cars.
• 2008: Jaguar was acquired by Tata Motors, which merged it with Land Rover.
• 2021: Jaguar announced plans to transition to fully electric vehicles by 2025.
• November 2024: Jaguar launched a new brand identity, moving towards ultra-luxury electric vehicles, focusing on diversity and inclusion.

Crisis Communications Insights

• Transparency: Jaguar needs to explain the reasons behind the rebrand and its vision for the future.
• Empathy & Engagement: Addressing criticism constructively and engaging meaningfully with customers will help rebuild trust.
• Consistency: Consistent messaging across all platforms is key to aligning with customer expectations while staying true to the brand's new direction.

Leadership Responses

• Rawdon Glover (Managing Director)
• Gerry McGovern (Creative Director)

Key Takeaways

• Reputation Matters: Jaguar’s struggles demonstrate how important it is to maintain clarity about your brand’s identity, especially when pivoting in a new direction.
• Handling Backlash: Brands need to approach rebrands thoughtfully, being mindful of their history while adapting to modern trends.
• Customer-Centric Approach: Listening to customer feedback and engaging with them meaningfully can help mitigate negative reactions to controversial moves.

Catch the full episode for a deeper dive into Jaguar’s rebrand, the crisis management strategies involved, and the lessons that can be learned from the pushback they’ve faced!

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Episode 26: Boeing Nowhere Fast- Crisis Beat Podcast – November 17, 2024

Hosts: Brady Wood (PR Pro and Business Owner) & Dr. Mark Crowther (Chair of Medicine, McMaster)

News & Updates

Here’s what’s new

This episode opens with a quick update on ongoing stories:

• Donald Trump’s Teflon Nature: A brief election update on Trump’s resilience in the face of scandals.
• Cool Study on Crisis Perception: A study debunking the idea that we’re living in more dangerous times, despite widespread media coverage of crises.
• U.S. vs. Canadian Crime Rates: Despite media perceptions, both the U.S. and Canada have seen significant declines in crime rates over the past 30 years.

Main Event: Case Study - Boeing’s Crisis Management

A deep dive into Boeing's ongoing struggles, from safety and production issues to leadership changes:

Timeline of Crises:

1. Lion Air Flight 610 (October 29, 2018)
2. Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 (March 10, 2019)
3. Global Grounding of 737 Max (March 2019)
4. Renewed Grounding in 2024
5. Financial Losses (April 2024)

Impact on Boeing:

• Erosion of Trust & Reputation Damage: The crashes and the company’s delayed responses damaged public trust. Boeing has faced criticism for not being more transparent and empathetic during the crises.
• Financial Fallout: The company’s financial performance remains poor, with large losses attributed to labor strikes, production delays, and quality issues. Trust has dropped significantly, impacting both market value and reputation.
• Ongoing Scrutiny: Regulatory bodies like the FAA continue to scrutinize Boeing’s practices, especially concerning its 737 MAX and new aircraft certifications.

Key Takeaways:

• Reputation Matters: Boeing’s crisis management strategies, especially in response to the 737 MAX disaster, have shown how crucial it is to act with transparency and empathy during crises.
• Ongoing Challenges: Despite efforts to improve, Boeing still faces significant challenges in restoring its reputation and stabilizing its financial health.
• Leadership Impact: The new CEO, Kelly Ortberg, has a monumental task ahead in navigating these crises and rebuilding trust with both employees and customers.

Catch the full episode for more insights into Boeing’s struggles, leadership transitions, and lessons in crisis management!

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Episode 25: The Crisis Beat Podcast – October 20, 2024

Hosts Brady Wood (business owner and PR pro) and Dr. Mark Crowther (Chair of Medicine at McMaster) are back to tackle the hot topic of cybersecurity and privacy. This episode dives into recent cyberattacks and the lessons we can learn from them.

News & Updates

Here’s what’s buzzing:

•Trump Assassination Attempt – An update on this shocking news.

•NASA Starliner – What’s the latest with this space project?

•Boeing’s Financial Woes – A rough patch for the aerospace giant.

•William Osler Hospital Incident – Apology issued after a Sikh man’s beard was shaved without consent.

•Pierre Poilievre & CTV – Another political moment worth noting.

Main Event: Cyberattack Case Studies

It’s been a wild month in the world of cybersecurity with some jaw-dropping breaches:

•Snowflake Breach

•Hacked by UNC5537; customer data, including Ticketmaster and Santander, exposed.

•CEO Frank Slootman is working with Mandiant to clean up the mess.

•Ticketmaster Breach

•A massive 560 million records leaked (linked to Snowflake).

•CEO Michael Rapino stepped up with credit monitoring for affected customers.

•AT&T Data Breach

•73 million customers’ details stolen.

•CEO John Stankey offered identity theft protection and reassured customers.

•CDK Global Ransomware Attack

•Thousands of car dealerships impacted.

•CEO Brian Krzanich focused on client communication and getting systems back online.

•Ascension Health System Ransomware Attack

•Emergency care disrupted at hospitals.

•CEO Joseph Impicciche prioritized patient safety while coordinating the response.

Leadership Lessons from the Breaches

Who handled these crises best? The hosts break it down:

•Snowflake: Frank Slootman went all-in on transparency.

•Ticketmaster: Michael Rapino led with quick action and customer care.

•AT&T: John Stankey stayed open and communicative.

•CDK Global: Brian Krzanich kept clients informed.

•Ascension Health: Joseph Impicciche focused on protecting patients.

Standout Star: Michael Rapino of Ticketmaster. His proactive crisis management and genuine focus on customers earned him top marks.

Key Takeaways

•Prevention is ideal, but how you respond to a breach can make or break your reputation.

•Strong communication and putting people first (customers, clients, patients) are what set leaders apart during a crisis.

Catch the full episode for all the details and insights!

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In this Episode, Brady and Mark we review the book All The Worst Humans by Phil Elwood, in which he tells the raunchy tales of his incredible journey doing PR for some very unsavoury characters.

Other updates in this Episode include: 

• Wells Fargo employee who died at work and wasn’t found for several days 
• San Francisco hospital where a patient went missing in 2013 and was found dead in a stairwell 
• An update on Drake’s reputation recovery efforts via recent New Yorker article ‘How Drake Lost the Plot’ 
• Kim Dotcom found liable to be extradited to the US 
• Premier of Ontario Canada Doug Ford made an off-colour joke of using the resources of a new animal hospital to help with wait times for humans in Ontario’s health system 

Other topics:

• What ‘Meh’ means 
• Bruce Springsteen 
• Doppelgangers 
• New Yorker article by Joshua Rothman on “Info-Determinism,” echo chambers, radicalization and ideology 
• The Crusades 
• Comedian Shane Gillis and Fox News 

Words of the day: Meh, Determinism 

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Mr Beast is a huge influencer with a multi-million person audience and a multi-hundred million dollar revenue stream. Some of his teammates have allegedly behaved very poorly. What should he do to preserve his reputation and the upward swing of his YouTube channel?  

Also 

• An aerospace company stranded astronauts on the international space station 
• A giant meat recall
• A antional sports team using drones to spy on competitiors 
• A US presidential candidate plays a prank with dead wildlife 

And

• Why is it called ‘The Crisis Beat’?
• Existential and espistemological musings about our different feeds and news sources creating two streams of truth; and the general believability of news  

Join us for another exciting episode and don’t forget to subscribe!

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Welcome to Crisis Beat, Episode 22, Hosts Brady Wood, a business owner and PR professional, and Dr. Mark Crowther, Chair of Medicine at McMaster University, are back together after Mark’s recent adventures.

Main Topic: The Secret Service in the Spotlight

The episode delves into the ongoing controversy surrounding the U.S. Secret Service, particularly focusing on the Senate hearings involving Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle.

Key Events:

• July 13: A Trump rally in Pennsylvania saw an assassination attempt by Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old. The Secret Service’s response, especially regarding the security of a building with a sloped roof, comes under intense scrutiny.
• July 22: Cheatle is subpoenaed to appear before the Senate. Key issues include her handling of the situation, the decision not to use a counter-sniper, and her statements about the sloped roof, which lacked clear policy support.
• July 23: Cheatle resigns amid growing criticism and calls for accountability.
• July 30: Acting Director Donald Rowe testifies, facing tough questions from Senator Josh Hawley about disciplinary actions and internal communication failures.

Breaking News Briefs:

• CrowdStrike Outage: Discussion on the recent widespread outage impacting critical systems, emphasizing the importance of proactive crisis management.
• Activist Targeting: Tips on how organizations can prepare for being targeted by activists.
• Food Recall Best Practices: Best practices for navigating recall communications.

Takeaways:

• Understanding and addressing issues in detail is crucial. If unsure, acknowledge it clearly.
• Accountability and transparency are key—avoid equivocation and be clear about processes and timelines.
• Leaders should demonstrate personal due diligence and make themselves available to address issues directly.

The episode wraps up with reflections on the importance of clear communication and accountability in crisis situations, and the need for robust response strategies in both internal and external crises.

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