Are press events still a smart comms tool - or just a tired ritual some of us can't give up?

Press events used to be a pinnacle of communications activation. The moment you filled a room with hacks, told your story once, and watched the headlines roll in. Or at least that's the fantasy many executives still cling to.

The reality? Unless you're a prime minister, president, or possibly Elon Musk, the days of commanding an army of journos with a click of the fingers are gone. Most outlets barely have the staff to cover a presidential visit, let alone your widget factory in Walsall.

In this episode we'll look at what constitutes a press event - conferences, launches, visits, stunts and more. We'll explore where they still make sense, and where they increasingly don't. We'll remind ourselves what the media actually want and need in today's disaggregated, always-on world. And we'll talk about how you deal with a leader who wants that room full of media - and you know you've not got a "scoobie doo's" chance of achieving it.

We'll try not to moan and mither too much, and instead focus on a few top tips you can take back to the team.

This episode is hosted by Matt Young and Andrew Brown.

Andrew Brown; formerly Director of Communications and Public affairs at Ageas Insurance, Andrew has more than ten years' experience leading the corporate affairs functions for global, listed, multifaceted firms across a range of regulated and unregulated sectors. He has considerable experience in issues, crisis and change management as well as reputation sentiment analysis and insight. Formerly Director of Communications at Drax Group plc and Group Corporate Affairs Director at Regus plc.

Matt Young has 25 years of experience across media relations, public affairs, regulatory development, employee engagement, brand development, competition and CSR. Group corporate affairs director at Lloyds Banking Group, part of the senior team which rescued the bank and rebuilt its reputation following the financial crisis. Formerly communications director at Santander UK and board member of the BBA.

You can get in touch by emailing [email protected] and please consider leaving us a review.

This podcast is produced by The Podcast Coach.

Is traditional business media dying? What's the best approach for handling a CEO whose bedroom antics have become newsworthy? What happens when a company tells the wrong story? And what have been some of the best placed PR stories from the last few weeks. All that and more coming up on this episode of The Little Questions.

This episode is hosted by Matt Young and Andrew Brown.

Andrew Brown; formerly Director of Communications and Public affairs at Ageas Insurance, Andrew has more than ten years' experience leading the corporate affairs functions for global, listed, multifaceted firms across a range of regulated and unregulated sectors. He has considerable experience in issues, crisis and change management as well as reputation sentiment analysis and insight. Formerly Director of Communications at Drax Group plc and Group Corporate Affairs Director at Regus plc.

Matt Young has 25 years of experience across media relations, public affairs, regulatory development, employee engagement, brand development, competition and CSR. Group corporate affairs director at Lloyds Banking Group, part of the senior team which rescued the bank and rebuilt its reputation following the financial crisis. Formerly communications director at Santander UK and board member of the BBA.

You can get in touch by emailing [email protected] and please consider leaving us a review.

This podcast is produced by The Podcast Coach.

Is comms becoming a bit too corporate?

We still spot trouble before it hits. We still know what plays in the media, what won't land with the public, and how to read the room better than anyone else on the ExCo. But when it comes to doing something bold and out there? When it comes to cutting through, not just smoothing over? Are we going a bit soft? Swapping instinct for process. Gut feel for governance. Provocation for pre-reads. Maybe — just maybe — all the time spent hanging around with our colleagues in Risk and Legal, we're starting to become a little too risk-averse ourselves. So, are comms professionals becoming internal diplomats first and foremost — helpful, trusted, and entirely forgettable? Are we trying too hard to get along, not stand out? Corporate affairs needs edge. Courage. Creativity. Spark.

This episode is hosted by Apella Advisors partners Andrew Brown and Matt Young.

Andrew Brown; formerly Director of Communications and Public affairs at Ageas Insurance, Andrew has more than ten years' experience leading the corporate affairs functions for global, listed, multifaceted firms across a range of regulated and unregulated sectors. He has considerable experience in issues, crisis and change management as well as reputation sentiment analysis and insight. Formerly Director of Communications at Drax Group plc and Group Corporate Affairs Director at Regus plc.

Matt Young has 25 years of experience across media relations, public affairs, regulatory development, employee engagement, brand development, competition and CSR. Group corporate affairs director at Lloyds Banking Group, part of the senior team which rescued the bank and rebuilt its reputation following the financial crisis. Formerly communications director at Santander UK and board member of the BBA.

You can get in touch by emailing [email protected] and please consider leaving us a review.

This podcast is produced by The Podcast Coach.

For our summer special, we've assembled a list of what we believe to be the most important things effective Corporate Affairs practitioners need to know – blending practical lessons, shared wisdom from talented colleagues, and insights that only time and experience can bring. Some of the points are practical, others are more philosophical, but whether you're at the beginning of your career or leading a global function, there's something here for everyone. We will be posting all 101 thoughts over the next five weeks of summer on our Apella Advisors LinkedIn Page. So search and follow us there, meanwhile, hear some of our favourites on this episode. This episode is hosted by Apella Advisors partners JennyScott, Andrew Brown, and Matt Young. Email us at [email protected] we'd love to hear your thoughts - which resonated with you… and what have we missed?

Andrew Brown; formerly Director of Communications and Public affairs at Ageas Insurance, Andrew has more than ten years' experience leading the corporate affairs functions for global, listed, multifaceted firms across a range of regulated and unregulated sectors. He has considerable experience in issues, crisis and change management as well as reputation sentiment analysis and insight. Formerly Director of Communications at Drax Group plc and Group Corporate Affairs Director at Regus plc.

Jenny Scott; Former Executive Director of Communications at the Bank of England and co-lead for Bank wide strategy. Advisor to the Governor, sat on the Bank's executive committee and risk committee. Formerly economics and politics correspondent for the BBC and presenter of the Daily Politics. Trustee of Pro Bono Economics.

Matt Young has 25 years of experience across media relations, public affairs, regulatory development, employee engagement, brand development, competition and CSR. Group corporate affairs director at Lloyds Banking Group, part of the senior team which rescued the bank and rebuilt its reputation following the financial crisis. Formerly communications director at Santander UK and board member of the BBA. You can get in touch by emailing [email protected] and please consider leaving us a review.

Find out more at apellaadvisors.com.

This podcast is produced by The Podcast Coach.

Welcome to another meander through the stories, people and events that have caught our attention in the past few weeks. From creating new world championships, to doctored sweets, and the lambasted lollipop man, plus the odd politician or two making an utter idiot of themselves.

Our aim here is to discuss the small stuff, in the world of communications and sometimes beyond. That proverbial chat over a pint after a long day manning the soundbite manufacturing line.

These are our critical 'little questions'.

This episode is hosted by Apella Advisors partners Andrew Brown and Matt Young.

Andrew Brown; formerly Director of Communications and Public affairs at Ageas Insurance, Andrew has more than ten years' experience leading the corporate affairs functions for global, listed, multifaceted firms across a range of regulated and unregulated sectors. He has considerable experience in issues, crisis and change management as well as reputation sentiment analysis and insight. Formerly Director of Communications at Drax Group plc and Group Corporate Affairs Director at Regus plc.

Matt Young has 25 years of experience across media relations, public affairs, regulatory development, employee engagement, brand development, competition and CSR. Group corporate affairs director at Lloyds Banking Group, part of the senior team which rescued the bank and rebuilt its reputation following the financial crisis. Formerly communications director at Santander UK and board member of the BBA.

You can get in touch by emailing [email protected] and please consider leaving us a review.

This podcast is produced by The Podcast Coach.

The Beatles once sang that money can't buy you love. However, spent in the right way, and on the right thing, it would seem it can buy you the attention and potentially even adoration of thousands, nay millions, of people around the world.

How? Sponsorship.

Once the process of getting your logo on a shirt, today it's all about stadiums, series, songs, influencers, even causes. Sponsorship is now a critical, strategic marcomms channel — used for everything from encouraging engagement, to winning hearts, as well as burying some frankly dodgy reputational baggage. Allegedly.

It is perhaps no surprise then that last year in the UK alone, £4.6bn was spent on sponsorship, up 10% on 2023, with this year looking like it will enjoy similar healthy growth.

So what is sponsorship and how does it work? Where are the opportunities, the traps and how can you tell the difference? What is the role for us corporate communicators, especially if and when things go south it's us that has to rush around with the dustpan and brush? We'll look at examples that made headlines, ones that built empires, and a few that made us bury our heads in our branded tote bags.

This time, Apella Advisors partners Andrew Brown and Matt Young chat through the challenges. benefits and failures of this ever growing part of the industry.

Andrew Brown; formerly Director of Communications and Public affairs at Ageas Insurance, Andrew has more than ten years' experience leading the corporate affairs functions for global, listed, multifaceted firms across a range of regulated and unregulated sectors. He has considerable experience in issues, crisis and change management as well as reputation sentiment analysis and insight. Formerly Director of Communications at Drax Group plc and Group Corporate Affairs Director at Regus plc.

Matt Young has 25 years of experience across media relations, public affairs, regulatory development, employee engagement, brand development, competition and CSR. Group corporate affairs director at Lloyds Banking Group, part of the senior team which rescued the bank and rebuilt its reputation following the financial crisis. Formerly communications director at Santander UK and board member of the BBA.

You can get in touch by emailing [email protected] and please consider leaving us a review.

This podcast is produced by The Podcast Coach.

On this edition of The Little Questions we're joined by Simon French, Chief Economist and Head of Research at Panmure Liberum. In a wide ranging conversation, we discuss how recent macro-economic events are impacting corporate reputation. Topics we cover include how corporate affairs teams should approach navigating such an uncertain environment; why you still need to listen to your maths teacher and "show me the workings out" and why comms has such an important role to play when all about are losing their heads. Simon also gives us his analysis for what's coming next. This episode is hosted by Jenny Scott and Anthony Silverman, Partners at Apella Advisors. Jenny Scott is former Executive Director of Communications at the Bank of England and co-lead for Bank wide strategy. Advisor to the Governor, sat on the Bank's executive committee and risk committee. Formerly economics and politics correspondent for the BBC and presenter of the Daily Politics. Trustee of Pro Bono Economics. Anthony Silverman has over 25 years advising global boards and executive teams with complex reputational needs. Recent clients include Aquiline Capital, Atlas Merchant Capital, Selfridges Group, and Pension Insurance Corporation. You can get in touch by emailing [email protected] and please consider leaving us a review. More information can be found on our website.

This podcast is produced by The Podcast Coach.

The world is in turmoil, so it feels like it's the right time for the PR professionals to get involved. It also feels like the right time to use Lenin's famous quote – "there are decades where nothing happens, and there are weeks where decades happen".

We have plenty of ground to cover on this edition of The Little Questions including Birmingham's bins, British steel, dead things (you'll find out why), the latest AI trend we're not sure about and what has to be the best PR of the month involving a Tunnocks teacake.

Hosting this one is Matt Young alongside fellow Apella Advisors partner, Andrew Brown.

Andrew Brown; formerly Director of Communications and Public affairs at Ageas Insurance, Andrew has more than ten years' experience leading the corporate affairs functions for global, listed, multifaceted firms across a range of regulated and unregulated sectors. He has considerable experience in issues, crisis and change management as well as reputation sentiment analysis and insight. Formerly Director of Communications at Drax Group plc and Group Corporate Affairs Director at Regus plc.

Matt Young has 25 years of experience across media relations, public affairs, regulatory development, employee engagement, brand development, competition and CSR. Group corporate affairs director at Lloyds Banking Group, part of the senior team which rescued the bank and rebuilt its reputation following the financial crisis. Formerly communications director at Santander UK and board member of the BBA.

You can get in touch by emailing [email protected] and please consider leaving us a review.

This podcast is produced by The Podcast Coach.

By rights, the fly-on-the-wall workplace documentary should have died a death the moment The Office became a hit. At that time, BBC shows like Airport, set in Heathrow, and Life of Grime about environmental health workers attracted cult followings with their often banal interviews, wobbly camerawork and acerbic voiceover narrations. Ricky Gervais' masterpiece took these stylistic devices and turned them up to 11 with the fictional Slough-based paper company Wernham Hogg, where "life is stationery".

Since then almost every conceivable place of work has been considered – from registrars to zookeepers and cruise ships to police stations. Airlines, banks, butchers and bakers even a candlestick maker.

Their appeal lingers. It's not hard to imagine why: we all work somewhere, we're inquisitive (ok nosey) animals. We want to peer into others' lives, and imagine what it is like, or thank our lucky stars we don't work there.

A question to ask then might be: who in their right mind would invite a camera crew into their business, with unhindered access? With minimal, if any, meaningful editorial control?

Quite a few firms it would seem.

Clearly the Corporate Affairs Directors who signs off on this (or perhaps even came up with the idea in the first place) see more upside than down.

So. Why would you? And why would you not? And if you do manage to persuade your boss, and your ExCo and your board what do you need to think about? What controls need to be in place? What might cause you sleepless nights?

These questions are answered, and more, on this edition of The Little Questions. Hosted by:

Andrew Brown; formerly Director of Communications and Public affairs at Ageas Insurance, Andrew has more than ten years' experience leading the corporate affairs functions for global, listed, multifaceted firms across a range of regulated and unregulated sectors. He has considerable experience in issues, crisis and change management as well as reputation sentiment analysis and insight. Formerly Director of Communications at Drax Group plc and Group Corporate Affairs Director at Regus plc.

Matt Young has 25 years of experience across media relations, public affairs, regulatory development, employee engagement, brand development, competition and CSR. Group corporate affairs director at Lloyds Banking Group, part of the senior team which rescued the bank and rebuilt its reputation following the financial crisis. Formerly communications director at Santander UK and board member of the BBA.

You can get in touch by emailing [email protected] and please consider leaving us a review.

This podcast is produced by The Podcast Coach.

Until the late 1980s, if the subject of engagement was raised at work, it was usually to sign a card and chuck in a quid for Terry in Accounts who'd just popped the question to Mandy in the typing pool.

This all changed in the mid 1990s when workplace academics began to opine on the idea that people could become engaged in their work. Fast forward a few years and a whole plethora of large consultancies and HR thought leaders had jumped on the bandwagon.

The theory goes that people will invest more physical, cognitive, and emotional energy when their work feels meaningful, safe, and supportive. This boosts productivity, lowers turnover and cultivates a better, positively reinforcing culture. They should also become strong external brand ambassadors. What's not to like?

There are clearly critical areas that we corporate communicators can and should be playing. Are we responsible, or important enablers? Where should we focus? How do you drive good engagement? What can we learn from when its gone wrong? Is it something you can measure?

These questions are answered, and more, on this edition of The Little Questions. Hosted by:

Andrew Brown; formerly Director of Communications and Public affairs at Ageas Insurance, Andrew has more than ten years' experience leading the corporate affairs functions for global, listed, multifaceted firms across a range of regulated and unregulated sectors. He has considerable experience in issues, crisis and change management as well as reputation sentiment analysis and insight. Formerly Director of Communications at Drax Group plc and Group Corporate Affairs Director at Regus plc.

Matt Young has 25 years of experience across media relations, public affairs, regulatory development, employee engagement, brand development, competition and CSR. Group corporate affairs director at Lloyds Banking Group, part of the senior team which rescued the bank and rebuilt its reputation following the financial crisis. Formerly communications director at Santander UK and board member of the BBA.

You can get in touch by emailing [email protected] and please consider leaving us a review.

Find out more at apellaadvisors.com.

This podcast is produced by The Podcast Coach.