The PR Wine Down

This week on the podcast, we’re joined by Aaron Kwittken. He’s the founder and CEO of PRophet, an AI-driven, DaaS platform designed by and for PR professionals (part of the Stagwell Marketing Cloud.) With Aaron, hosts April and Laura chat through the latest developments in AI applications for PR professionals, including the risks, benefits and future of technology in the industry. This episode’s Anonymous PR Horror Story features a write-in from a junior listener who is concerned about an approach her senior manager has taken on a client campaign. April and Laura address the listener’s question with a conversation about what to do if you think your supervisor is wrong, from protecting the client’s best interests to preserving your working relationships.

Learn more about Aaron’s work here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronkwittken?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F 

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.

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Send in a voice message here: https://anchor.fm/prwinedown/message 

In this episode, co-hosts April and Laura are welcoming Julie Livingston, CEO of WantLeverage. Julie specializes in PR and LinkedIn marketing, and she’s here to share her tips to help PR professionals leverage LinkedIn to generate thought leadership and media opportunities for their clients. They also discuss a recent announcement from Levi’s, which detailed the company’s decision to use AI-generated models to increase the diversity represented in its latest ad campaigns. 

Learn more about Julie’s Work with WantLeverage here: https://wantleverage.com/ 

Read the PR news of the week here: https://www.intheknow.com/post/levis-ai-models/

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.

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Send in a voice message here: https://anchor.fm/prwinedown/message 

This week, the PR Wine Down is back to our regularly-scheduled programming! Your favorite co-hosts, April and Laura, are back in the virtual recording booth. Today’s guest is Peter George, author of "The Captivating Public Speaker" and CEO of Peter George Public Speaking. He’s here to cover the top three tips to help PR practitioners train (and become) better spokespeople. April and Laura also dive into a new Anonymous PR Horror Story from the listening audience, about an account executive struggling to find an effective mentor.

Listener Note: We’ve missed you! We’re back to a bi-weekly cadence. Tune in every two weeks as April and Laura share the latest trends and issues impacting the PR landscape.

Learn more about f Peter George Public Speaking here: https://petergeorgepublicspeaking.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.

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Send in a voice message here: https://anchor.fm/prwinedown/message 

For today’s special guest host episode, we’re welcoming Ronjini Joshua! She is the CEO of the Silver Telegram PR agency, and the podcast host and author behind “The PR Playbook.” Ronjini also appeared in episode 57! In the PR News segment, April and Ronjini discuss the current state of the PR industry, with a look at a recent community poll from PR NEWS and advice for agency leaders working to land new clients in a rocky economy. They also read an Anonymous PR Horror Story about one rookie PR manager’s first experience with in-person events and discuss best practices for securing deskside interviews.

PR NEWS OF THE WEEK: 

Read about the PR NEWS industry poll here:  ​​https://www.prnewsonline.com/is-the-pr-industry-hiring-or-layoffs/ 

ABOUT OUR GUEST HOST:

Ronjini Joshua is the founder of The Silver Telegram, a boutique PR firm focused on Media Relations. From Southern California to Silicon Valley and back, Ronjini has spent the last two decades working with enterprise and consumer tech brands, now including green tech and cannabis. She is an author and host of The PR Playbook Podcast, a podcast on decoding public relations for brands as well as the host of The Green Room podcast, a podcast about the journey of the cannabis industry and the people innovating it.

Learn more about Doug’s work here: https://thesilvertelegram.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.

This week’s episode features a surprise guest host appearance from April’s personal friend, mentor and former colleague: Doug Spong! Tune in as April and Doug discuss the recent Tik-Tok-inspired social media crisis, the “Kia Boyz Challenge.” April and Doug address this news with their strategic recommendations and an analysis of how Hyundai and Kia handled this viral rash of car thefts. Today’s Anonymous PR Horror Story features a write-in from a listener whose boss asked them to do some “reconnaissance” on another colleague. Themes in this story include agency culture, micro-managing, performance reviews, and how to handle inappropriate requests at work. They also discuss the increasing scrutiny of Tik Tok as tensions rise between the U.S. and China and whether the world has hit a point of no return for remote work.

PR NEWS OF THE WEEK:

Read about Hyundai and Kia here: https://www.theverge.com/2023/2/14/23599300/hyundai-kia-car-theft-software-update-free-tiktok-challenge

ABOUT OUR GUEST HOST:

Doug Spong has an Accreditation in Public Relations and is a PRSA Fellow. He is also the founder and CEO of The Doug Spong Co. Prior to founding The Doug Spong Co., Doug was the founder, president and managing partner of Minneapolis-based Carmichael Lynch and Spong, which is owned by Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG).

Learn more about Doug’s work here: https://www.dougspong.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.

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This week, our hosts are wrapping up a two-part interview with Carin Warner and Carly Martinetti, co-founders of Notably PR. They’re chatting with April and Laura about client management challenges and contract development, with advice for agency owners and freelancers seeking to expand their operations. Today’s Anonymous PR Horror Story segment addresses one listener’s concerns about a semi-anonymous performance review survey, requiring agency staff to rate their senior leadership team on a sliding scale.

Listener Note: We’ve missed you! We’re back to a bi-weekly cadence. Tune in every two weeks as April and Laura share the latest trends and issues impacting the PR landscape.

Learn more about Notably here: https://notablypr.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://anchor.fm/prwinedown/message

Today on the show, hosts April and Laura welcome guests Carin Warner and Carly Martinetti to the virtual recording booth. Tune in as the co-founders of Notably PR discuss their unique business story, from managing client expectations to launching a successful family-owned brand. They also cover Carin’s experience taking on a Fortune 500 behemoth selling carcinogenic cleaning products on behalf of a greener alternative — the household favorite, Seventh Generation. Also in this episode, April and Laura discuss the ongoing controversy over M&M'S popular spokescandies — including an analysis of whether the saga is a true case of public backlash, or a Super Bowl season PR stunt.

Listener Note: We’ve missed you! Today’s episode brings us back to a bi-weekly cadence. Tune in every two weeks as April and Laura share the latest trends and issues impacting the PR landscape.

Learn more about Notably here: https://notablypr.com/

Read about Maya Rudolph’s collaboration with M&MS here:  https://www.creativebloq.com/news/mms-rebrand-mayas 

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://anchor.fm/prwinedown/message

Welcome to our first-ever crossover episode! In this podcast special, the hosts from The PR Wine Down and Trust Relations: The Podcast team up to deliver advice, insights and hot takes for brands and integrated marketing professionals. Today’s episode also features a celebrity guest, with a name anyone in PR or marketing is sure to recognize. We’re pleased to welcome April’s personal friend, mentor and former colleague: Doug Spong! Together, they discuss the latest trends impacting PR, media relations and agency culture in 2023. They also share a few favorite campaigns from Doug’s storied career, including his work with Ty Pennington, Paris Hilton, Will Smith, American Standard, Hasbro’s Rubik’s Cube, Silk Soymilk, and more.

Later, April, Laura and Hamish read an anonymous listener’s PR Horror Story about one manager’s explosive reaction to a junior employee’s PTO request. In the Campaign Analysis segment, they discuss IKEA’s “Swedish Seedballs” campaign.

About the Guest:

Doug has an Accreditation in Public Relations and is a PRSA Fellow. He is also the founder and CEO of The Doug Spong Co. Previously, Doug was the founder, president and managing partner of Minneapolis-based Carmichael Lynch and Spong, which is owned by Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG).

Connect with Doug here: https://www.dougspong.com/

Campaign Analysis:

Read about IKEA’s Swedish Seedballs here: https://www.thedrum.com/news/2022/04/29/ad-the-day-ikea-and-wwf-partner-swedish-seedballs-campaign

Anonymous PR Horror Story: 

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

Send in a voice message here: https://anchor.fm/prwinedown/message

OFFER CODE:

Apply to use this episode’s offer code here: https://trustrelations.agency/landing-page-brand-workshop/

Listen to The PR Wine Down: 

https://trustrelations.agency/podcasts/78-holiday-special-unwrapping-april-lauras-essential-tips-for-pr-success/

Listen to Trust Relations: The Podcast: 

https://trustrelations.agency/trust-relations-podcast/

Connect with Trust Relations:

You can stream our shows 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.

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Happy Holidays from the PR Wine Down team! In our annual Holiday Special, hosts April and Laura have a roster packed with PR stocking-stuffers featuring their top tips for PR success in 2023, with advice for PR veterans and rookie practitioners alike. This year, we’re taking a break from our typical anonymous stories of agency horror, with a lineup of your best listener submissions featuring fond memories from careers in the agency scene. The news segment in this episode includes an analysis of Dr. Pepper’s unprecedented RFP requiring agencies to accept payment terms for an annual retainer. They also discuss one reporter’s abrupt departure from the Semafor newsroom over an alleged conflict of interests.

PR News of the Week:

Dr. Pepper RFP: https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/agencies-decry-unfair-payment-terms-in-keurig-dr-pepper-pr-retainer

Semafor and Chevron: https://www.semafor.com/article/12/01/2022/artists-step-up-in-battle-against-climate-change

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://anchor.fm/prwinedown/message

In today’s special episode for Veteran & Military Families Month, hosts April and Laura chat with two of our military spouses on staff. Briana Cusimano is a senior account executive at Trust Relations, whose spouse serves in the U.S. Army. Veronica Yip is our integrated marketing and communications manager and podcast producer, whose spouse currently serves in the U.S. Navy. Tune in as they discuss how the military life has impacted their careers and share their advice for other milsos who want to find success in a linear communications career path. April and Laura also discuss how the language used by leadership teams can impact PR agency culture and discuss the recently-announced layoffs at CNN. Today’s Anonymous PR Horror Story comes from a listener whose PR client is asking for placements in military trade publications — without the right software or spokesperson to back up their product claims.

Learn more about Briana: https://trustrelations.agency/meet-your-dream-team/briana-cusimano/

Learn more about Veronica: https://trustrelations.agency/meet-your-dream-team/veronica-yip/

Read the PR News of the Week here: https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/26/media/cnn-employees-reliable-sources

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://anchor.fm/prwinedown/message