In this special episode of the PR Wine Down podcast, April announces a temporary sabbatical as she and Laura take a much-deserved break from the podcast over the holiday season.

Don't cry! This isn’t goodbye -- just a temporary break, as they take a breather before diving back into the PR world’s latest trends and challenges in 2025.

Happy Holidays! Can't wait to wine down with you again next year!

Welcome back to the annual PR Wine Down Halloween Special! 

You know the drill: Pour yourself a brew and get ready for some tricks of the trade from your favorite podcast hosts. This year, we’re unmasking five never-before-heard stories from our anonymous listeners! Tune in as we earth the scariest PR blunders, client challenges and workplace issues 

Here’s what these Anonymous PR Horror Stories have in store: a classic screen-share mishap from an agency account manager; a case of pitching the wrong contacts for a promo event from a junior PR person; a controversial social media post made by a bust startup CEO; a question about whether to go to HR over a senior in-house executive’s workplace outburst; a reporter who has repeatedly canceled an important interview with one listener’s client; and more!

Have an anonymous PR horror story to share or questions you want to be answered on the show? Email us at [email protected].

Connect with Trust Relations:

You can stream the show live at 2:00 pm ET every Saturday, on ElectroMagnetic Radio.

You can also connect with Trust Relations on our website or on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Sound effects obtained from https://www.zapsplat.com.

Send in a voice message here: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/prwinedown 

In this episode of the PR Wine Down, April and Laura welcome special guest Gini Dietrich! Gini is the founder, CEO, and author of Spin Sucks, host of the Spin Sucks podcast, and author of Spin Sucks (the book). She is also the creator of the industry-famous PESO Model.  

Together, they dive into Gini's impressive career and discuss the future of PR across an expanding digital landscape, including the changes brought on by the rise of AI and the challenges associated with the increasing fractionalization of the news media.

Plus, in this week’s PR News segment, the hosts tackle a recent news story about a Colorado man who was left behind by co-workers on a corporate hiking retreat, and had to be rescued. April and Laura break down how this incident played out in the media and discuss what this unfortunate situation reveals about workplace culture today.

Follow Gini’s work here: https://spinsucks.com/ 

Read the PR  News of the Week here: https://www.si.com/onsi/adventure/hiking-feed/colorado-man-rescued-after-being-left-behind-by-co-workers-on-hiking-retreat 

Connect with Trust Relations:

Have an anonymous PR horror story to share or questions you want to be answered on the show? Email us at [email protected].

You can stream the show live at 2:00 pm ET every Saturday, on ElectroMagnetic Radio.

You can also connect with Trust Relations on our website or on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

⁠Visit the TR website here.: https://trustrelations.agency/ 

Sound effects obtained from https://www.zapsplat.com.

Send in a voice message here: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/prwinedown  

In this week’s episode of the PR Wine Down podcast, April and Laura discuss recent seismic shifts in the practice of the PR profession through the lens of two seasoned media strategists. 

First, your favorite hosts discuss an article fromThe Sword and the Script, about recent changes in print media monitoring and sentiment analysis. In this segment, April and Laura discuss Burrelles’ decision to retire its print monitoring services, PRophet’s integration of new Google AI models, and Meltwater’s newest AI features.

In the “What’s Up on Reddit?” segment, April and Laura read a post from one user who is lamenting the decline of dedicated beat reporters at many publications, in favor of employing generalists as news organizations continue to downsize. Tune in for a discussion about how PR practitioners can adapt and identify new media opportunities for clients in niche industries. 

Read the PR  News of the Week here: https://www.swordandthescript.com/2024/07/farewell-burrelles-pr-tech-sum-56/

Read this week’s Reddit post here: https://www.reddit.com/r/PublicRelations/comments/1enn00s/as_a_midish_level_pr_professional_working_in/ 

Connect with Trust Relations:

Have an anonymous PR horror story to share or questions you want to be answered on the show? Email us at [email protected].

You can stream the show live at 2:00 pm ET every Saturday, on ElectroMagnetic Radio.

You can also connect with Trust Relations on our website or on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Visit the TR website here.

Sound effects obtained from https://www.zapsplat.com.

Send in a voice message here: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/prwinedown  

On the podcast this week, our favorite hosts discuss two hot PR industry topics: competitive work environments and the future of local news. First, April and Laura share this week’s Anonymous PR Horror Story, from a listener who has encountered a culture of toxic competition at their first full-time PR agency job. Tune in as April and Laura share their advice to help this listener navigate her current role successfully — with the ultimate goal of finding a position elsewhere.  

Later, our hosts discuss a recent initiative from Outlier Media in Detroit, which allows local readers to text the newsroom directly, access critical information, and talk directly to a reporter. April and Laura share their thoughts about the program, and why it might be the first step in preserving local news outlets as a critical community resource.

Check out the Outlier Media initiative here: https://outliermedia.org/txt-outlier/

Connect with Trust Relations:

Have an anonymous PR horror story to share or questions you want to be answered on the show? Email us at [email protected].

You can stream the show live at 2:00 pm ET every Saturday, on ElectroMagnetic Radio.

You can also connect with Trust Relations on our website or on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Sound effects obtained from https://www.zapsplat.com.

Send in a voice message here: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/prwinedown 

On the podcast this week, April and Laura are catching up for a one-on-one chat about some recent trending topics impacting the PR industry and the future of work. First, your favorite hosts dissect an article from Business Insider, exploring PwC’s decision to cut back on their “Summer Fridays” perk. Tune in as April and Laura discuss the shifting power dynamics between employers and employees, why companies are cutting back on workplace wellness initiatives, and what these changes might mean for PR pros.

Also in this episode, we’ll introduce a new segment: What’s Up On Reddit? In this segment, April and Laura are taking it to the forums to discuss the recent topics trending for PR pros online. This week features a post requesting help with media list building, and includes our hosts’ expert tips for success.

Read about PwC’s announcement here: https://www.businessinsider.com/pwc-reduces-half-day-friday-benefit-for-uk-staff-2024-7?[%E2%80%A6]edium=social&utm_campaign=business-sf&utm_source=facebook

Read the Reddit thread referenced in this episode here: https://www.reddit.com/r/PublicRelations/comments/1e3yx3t/having_trouble_building_a_media_list_would/ 

Connect with Trust Relations:

Have an anonymous PR horror story to share or questions you want to be answered on the show? Email us at [email protected].

You can stream the show live at 2:00 pm ET every Saturday, on ElectroMagnetic Radio.

You can also connect with Trust Relations on our website or on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Sound effects obtained from https://www.zapsplat.com.

Send in a voice message here: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/prwinedown  

Eriksen Dickens is an award-winning filmmaker, actor, and co-founder of Platinum Peek. Inc video agency. This week, April and Laura welcome Eriksen to wine down with a discussion about the practical uses of video production for business leaders, including how documentary film can be applied to brand-building and positioning for entrepreneurs.

Today’s Anonymous PR Horror Story features a write-in from a listener submission who has been feeling overworked in their current in-house PR role review. Tune in to hear our hosts discuss tips for avoiding burnout and making the most of a difficult job in an uncertain economy. 

Learn more about Eriksen’s work here: https://dickensbrothers.com/ 

Connect with Trust Relations:

Have an anonymous PR horror story to share or questions you want to be answered on the show? Email us at [email protected].

You can stream the show live at 2:00 pm ET every Saturday, on ElectroMagnetic Radio.

You can also connect with Trust Relations on our website or on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Sound effects obtained from https://www.zapsplat.com.

Send in a voice message here: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/prwinedown  

It’s an election year in the United States, and that means it’s also a busy time for PR practitioners in Washington. Here today to take us behind the scenes is Krysten Copeland, founder of KC & Co Communications and author of the PR Girl in D.C. blog. In this episode, Krystem shares her expertise in PR for campaign planning and management, her career journey, and the realities of working in this fast-paced sector. 

Also in this episode, hosts April and Laura review Google’s recent missteps with its featured AI responses to users’ queries, analyze why some brands have begun to scale back their promotions of AI offerings, and how these tools might change PR as we know it.

Learn more about Krysten’s work here: https://www.prgirlindc.com/ 

Connect with Trust Relations:

Have an anonymous PR horror story to share or questions you want to be answered on the show? Email us at [email protected].

You can stream the show live at 2:00 pm ET every Saturday, on ElectroMagnetic Radio.

You can also connect with Trust Relations on our website or on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Sound effects obtained from https://www.zapsplat.com.

Send in a voice message here: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/prwinedown  

It’s almost time for one of our favorite annual events: The Women|Future Conference, presented by the Stevie Awards! This year, our CEO & Founder, April White, will be hosting a panel session titled "Building a Trusted Brand: Authenticity in a Time of Public Scrutiny and Hot News Cycles." Today’s episode features an exclusive pre-event interview with April’s colleague, friend and expert panelist Catharine Montgomery. Catharine is a crisis communications expert and the CEO & founder of the Better Together agency. Tune in for a sneak peek into the conversation, including: how brands can navigate hot topics in the news, centering brand authenticity in your PR activities, navigating crisis communications in the digital era, and more.

Also in this episode, April and Laura share an Anonymous PR Horror Story from one listener who encountered a few challenges with their new manager while pitching a bylined article. As always, they deliver advice for rising PR pros to master managing up, avoid pitching pitfalls, and find success in their PR careers. 

The Women|Future Conference will take place on Tuesday, July 23 and the "Building a Trusted Brand" panel session will begin at 12:00pm ET. We hope to see you there! If you're interested in attending this year's event—alongside a stellar lineup of speakers, leaders, executives, small business owners, entrepreneurs, and coaches—you can learn more about how to register on the Women|Future Conference website: https://events.zoom.us/ev/AgweWoSny3QkBvjw5Tp0zI-DovNQwX62VbBEqEf34kcXjR8l5CRJ~AkB1J1OQozhhPlfjhH3_WsNLv_PrujWr_WL0ZduLrUt_Nbw0_QJg6JGeeQ 

Learn more about Catharine’s work here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cnmontgomery/ 

Connect with Trust Relations:

Have an anonymous PR horror story to share or questions you want to be answered on the show? Email us at [email protected].

You can stream the show live at 2:00 pm ET every Saturday, on ElectroMagnetic Radio.

You can also connect with Trust Relations on our website or on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Sound effects obtained from https://www.zapsplat.com.

Send in a voice message here: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/prwinedown  

This week on the show, your favorite podcast hosts welcome Barrie Cohen for an interview! Barrie is the owner and founder of BC Public Relations. She’s here to discuss a few must-know tips for brands and PR practitioners in the healthcare and medical industries.

Later in this episode, April and Laura also cover the ubiquitous PR tool: the press release! Tune in for a deep dive into some common mistakes and best practices relating to writing, planning and distributing press releases in today’s media landscape.

Learn more about Barrie’s work here: https://bcpublicrelations.com/ 

Learn more about press releases on the Trust Weekly blog, here: https://trustrelations.agency/trust-weekly/trust-relations/pr-tools-what-does-a-press-release-actually-do/ 

Connect with Trust Relations:

Have an anonymous PR horror story to share or questions you want to be answered on the show? Email us at [email protected].

You can stream the show live at 2:00 pm ET every Saturday, on ElectroMagnetic Radio.

You can also connect with Trust Relations on our website or on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Sound effects obtained from https://www.zapsplat.com.

Send in a voice message here: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/prwinedown