Stories and Strategies for Public Relations and Marketing

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"Stories and Strategies for Public Relations and Marketing," hosted by Doug Downs.

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Latest Episodes

Flattered to Death: The AI Sycophant in the Room

We live in a moment where artificial intelligence can write our emails, plan our meetings, even give us life advice. But here’s the problem: these systems are often too agreeable for our own good. They’re less like truth tellers and more like digital echo chambers. They nod along, validate our choices, and tell us exactly what we want to hear.

To use an outdated term… GenAI is too often like a Yes Man.

In this episode we’re looking at the rise of sycophancy in generative AI, the tendency of machines to flatter us instead of challenging us. What does this mean for employees, for leaders, and especially for communicators who rely on AI as a tool? And how do we make sure our AI mirrors are giving us clarity, not just compliments?

Listen For

3:49 Is ChatGPT too nice for our own good?

6:55 Can AI flattery mislead leaders?

8:52 Do AIs just tell you what you want to hear?

14:36 Is generative AI breaking social unity?

20:45 Answer to Last Episode’s Question from Mark Lowe

Guest: Tina McCorkindale, PhD

Website | LinkedIn | Google Scholar Profile

Link to Tina’s LinkedIn article on The Danger of Sycophancy in GenAI

Check out the IPR Video Series In a Car with IPR

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The Mamdani Effect: Can TikTok Win a Mayoral Race?

Can a cyclist-turned (accused) communist New York mayoral candidate teach the PR world a thing or two about emotional storytelling?

This week we unpack the “Mamdani effect” how Zohran Mamdani is rewriting the rules of political communications with cultural fluency, TikTok charm, and unforgettable soundbites.

Other topics, what are the comms implications of the Omnicom-IPG mega-merger, and what is the likely impact on agency identities, client retention, and the war for talent?

From Alberta, Canada… a Teacher’s Stike and the Government is paying parents. Is that to help them manage or is it a PR bribe? Are there ethical implications here?

Listen For

:34 What makes Mamdani a standout communicator?
3:10 Can Mamdani’s social strategy work outside NYC?
10:00 What’s the real impact of the Omnicom-IPG merger?
14:55 Is Alberta’s $30/day tactic good PR or spin?
18:49 Are PR communities key in turbulent times?

The Week Unspun is a weekly livestream every Friday at 10am ET/3pm BT. Check it out on our YouTube Channel or via this LinkedIn channel

We publish the audio from these livestreams to the Stories and Strategies podcast feed every Friday until Sunday evening when it’s no longer available.

Folgate Advisors

Curzon Public Relations Website

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Is Attention the New Currency in Public Relations?

Is attention the new currency? Politicians, brands, influencers, even your neighbor’s viral TikTok are all competing for the same scarce resource: your focus.

But attention is slippery. It can make you a household name overnight and it can vanish just as quickly.

In an age where algorithms decide what we see and artificial intelligence rewrites how we discover information, the fight for attention has never been more intense.

What happens when public relations and communications agencies find themselves at the same crossroads media once faced? How do you win attention when the competition is everything else in the feed? How do you turn fleeting visibility into lasting credibility? And how do you build narratives that not only go viral but endure?

Listen For

5:14 What is attention as a commodity in PR?

8:48 How has the attention economy changed branding?

11:22 What can PR learn from politics?

14:05 Are we paying too much for lost attention?

17:51 Are attention spans shorter or content louder?

18:53 Answer to Last Episode’s Question from Richard Bagnall

Guest: Mark Lowe, Third City

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What’s the Point of Public Relations if You Can’t Prove it Worked?

The call for better measurement in public relations is not new. For decades, leaders in the field have warned that counting impressions, likes, and advertising value equivalents is not enough. Yet here we are, still leaning on the same empty numbers while the C-suite is asking for proof of outcomes that matter.

The urgency has been with us for years, but too often the industry has not listened to its own advice.

We aren’t listening to ourselves!

Now, as budgets are cut and communications teams risk being sidelined, the pressure to finally get measurement right has never been greater.

Richard Bagnall is recognized as one of the world’s foremost experts in PR measurement, past chair of AMEC, and co-creator of the Integrated Evaluation Framework. He has worked with global organizations from NATO to the World Bank and continues to remind practitioners that vanity metrics will not protect their budgets or their jobs.

Listen For

4:48 Why does PR measurement matter now?
7:27 What are outputs, outtakes, and outcomes?
11:41 How do you measure with no budget?
14:05 What is “crawl, walk, run”?
18:40 Jonathan Mast’s answer to last episode’s question?

Guest: Richard Bagnall

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Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is here… is Public Relations Ready?

Search is changing faster than most PR professionals realize. For years, SEO was about keywords and backlinks. Now, with AI-driven tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity shaping how people find information, the game is shifting to AEO (Answer Engine Optimization).

Instead of tricking algorithms, brands need to prove expertise, authority, and trustworthiness at every turn. To stay discoverable, we need to craft smarter prompts, produce content that actually engages, and choose the right AI tools for visibility.

AI is rewriting the rules of credibility and your PR efforts might get left behind.

Listen For

5:32 What’s the difference between SEO, AEO, and GEO?
8:32 Is Google losing its dominance in the search space to tools like ChatGPT?
11:24 Can AI-generated thought leadership be trusted?
13:28How should PR professionals train AI tools to deliver better content results?
18:19 Answer to Last Episode’s Question from Susana Mendoza

Guest: Jonathan Mast

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Public Relations for Hispanic Audiences

Getting Hispanic communications wrong is not just a slip. It can cost brands credibility, trust, and millions in wasted campaigns. Too often, companies think a simple translation is enough, only to find their carefully crafted message falls flat or even offends the very audience they are trying to reach. With more than 65 million Hispanics in the United States, representing one of the fastest growing and most influential communities, PR professionals cannot afford cultural blind spots.

In this episode Susana Mendoza, who helps brands authentically connect with Hispanic audiences, shares where campaigns most often go wrong, how to segment messaging without stereotypes, and why understanding generational and cultural nuances is critical to success.

From Univision and Telemundo to influencers and radio, Susana lays out the media landscape and offers practical insights for PR teams navigating sensitive issues such as immigration, healthcare, and public safety.

Ask us for the Spanish version of this transcript

Listen For

4:38 Translation Traps & Cultural Missteps

8:27 The Power of Spanish-Language Radio

11:17 Can ChatGPT Really Translate Culture?

15:38 Build Trust Before the Campaign Starts

17:21 Answer to Last Episode’s Question from Jackson Wightman

Guest: Susana Mendoza

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Ask us for the Spanish version of this transcript.

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The Dangerous Echo of Polarized Voices

What happens when your newsfeed becomes a battlefield?

In the US and UK, political leaders trade accusations, social media thrives on outrage, and communities are left simmering in distrust. What used to be disagreements over policy now look more like open hostility, with violence creeping closer to the center of public life.

Attacks on lawmakers, threats to schools, and the killing of high-profile figures are no longer shocking outliers but part of a troubling pattern.

This episode asks a difficult but urgent question: how much of this violence is rooted in the way we communicate? Words frame identities, assign blame, and sometimes push people toward radical action.

Sticks and stones may break bones… but in today’s world, it’s the words that are drawing blood.

Listen For

3:17 Identity-Based Polarization

6:22 How Algorithms Divide Us

10:20 The Rush to Blame

14:49 Messaging That Can Prevent Violence

19:33 Teaching Kids to Resist Radicalization and Disinformation

Guest: Amy Pate

Email | Website | X

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Beyond SEO: Understanding Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)

Google Search still holds about 90% of global search volume as of mid‑2025, but change is underway as more users begin turning to AI.

AI search is rewriting the rules of discovery, and PR needs to adapt. With ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity each scraping different corners of the web, the old focus on big-name publications is no longer enough. The most influential sources may now be niche review sites, specialized forums, or content hubs you have never pitched. Knowing what each Large Language Model (LLM) values and how to optimize for it, is becoming a core PR skill.

In this episode, we explore how Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is reshaping PR. From the rise of “dual websites” for humans and bots to the ethical tensions between LLMs and media outlets, we discuss how PR teams can rethink targeting, adapt content, and position clients for visibility in an AI‑first world.

Listen For

5:49 Dual Websites: One for Humans, One for Machines

8:39 LLMs as New Media Channels

11:38 What AI Tools Scrape (and Why It Matters)

14:45 Can Bots Get Past Paywalls? The Legal and Ethical Minefield

17:01 Answer to Last Episode’s Question From Heather Blundell

Guest: Jackson Wightman, Founder Proper Propaganda

Website | Email | LinkedIn

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The Hidden Reason Women are Leaving Public Relations

More women are now leaving the PR industry because of perimenopause and menopause than because of childbirth.

That’s a staggering, often invisible, that’s shift happening right at the top. It’s not burnout or work-life balance pushing them out, but a phase of life that’s rarely acknowledged and even more rarely supported.

This episode is an unflinching conversation about the real pressures senior women face.

Why is menopause still a taboo topic at work?

How misunderstood are its impacts on confidence, performance, and retention?

And what must organizations and agencies do to support their best talent before they quietly walk away?

Listen For

4:22 The Invisible Workplace Crisis

7:01 The “Rush Hour” of Women’s Lives

10:01 Emotions, Gender, and Professionalism

13:37 Finding Balance in Psychological Safety

18:53 Answer to Last Episode’s Question from Fred Cook

Guest: Heather Blundell, CEO Grayling

Website | X | LinkedIn | Email

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Bio of Stories and Strategies for Public Relations and Marketing

"Stories and Strategies for Public Relations and Marketing," hosted by Doug Downs, is a podcast that explores the world of communication and its role in shaping our daily lives. In today's interconnected world, effective communication is essential for success, and this podcast delves into the various facets of public relations and marketing that contribute to effective communication strategies.

Through insightful conversations and interviews, the podcast delves into topics such as marketing, public relations, government relations, media relations, crisis management, stakeholder engagement, advertising, and strategic communications. The host, Doug Downs, provides valuable insights and practical advice for professionals working in these fields, as well as for individuals who hire communication experts.

From crafting compelling press releases to leveraging social media campaigns, from managing crises to engaging stakeholders, the podcast covers a wide range of communication-related topics.

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