The PR Wine Down

On the show today, April and Laura welcome Andrea Holland! She’s the CEO & Founder of Remote PR Jobs and Dialed PR, and she’s joining us to discuss: the state of remote work in the PR industry today, her unique founder story, how PR professionals can find the right remote position, managing client expectations, illustrating media relations ROI, and more! This is an information-packed episode you won’t want to miss. In the Anonymous PR Horror Story segment, April and Laura share advice for a listener whose first agency position seems shockingly disorganized — and lacks the mentorship required to help a rising PR pro learn the ropes. 

Today’s podcast guest comes to us from the fascinating world of radio reporting in New York City! Jody Fisher is the host of The PR Podcast and founder of Jody Fisher PR, where he leverages his background in radio news to enact effective client strategies. He’s here to chat with April and Laura about his transition from the news desk to a PR career, best practices for building lasting media relationships, hallmarks of good reporting, and the state of the media today. In the Anonymous PR Horror Story segment, April and Laura share advice for a listener who received backlash from their HR manager after handing in their two weeks’ notice.

Today on the show, April and Laura discuss two common issues for PR professionals: explaining the benefits of PR for established brands and navigating toxic workplace trends.

First, today’s Anonymous PR Horror Story comes from a listener whose boss bailed on a major industry conference — leaving her coworker to take the blame. April and Laura share advice for listeners to identify red flag behaviors in the workplace and discuss how PR professionals can either manage those tricky situations or know when to move on. Next, the PR News of the Week features an analysis of a recent opinion piece in Forbes, as April and Laura analyze why news-maker brands like Tesla can benefit from the strategic eye of a skilled PR team.

Today on the show, April and Laura welcome special guest Jennifer Cloer. Jennifer is the founder and CEO of Story Changes Culture — and she was recently a co-panelist alongside April at the 2023 Women|Future Conference! In today’s discussion, April and Jennifer chat with Laura about some key takeaways from their recent panel session, “Storytelling: Your Engine for Business Success.” They also discuss how brands can improve their messaging in today’s busy news cycle and crowded economic landscape. Later, April and Laura analyze an article from Fortune, detailing the decline of Millennial “Girl Boss” culture as Gen Z seeks to reimagine the role of work-life balance in their careers.

Today on the show, April and Laura are chatting with special guest, Allison Carter! She is the  executive editor at Ragan Communications and PR Daily. We’re thrilled to welcome Allison to discuss ethical use of AI for PR professionals, tips and tools for using AI responsibly, and the role of brands in an increasingly polarized social landscape. Later, in PR News of the Week, April and Laura dive into a recent opinion piece from Insider, to discuss the future of remote work for agency professionals and how it can positively impact PR industry culture.

Today on the show, April and Laura are chatting one-on-one about common issues many PR practitioners face. First, they discuss the pervasive issue of toxic office cultures in the PR and marketing industries — from agencies to in-house teams — and share advice and personal experiences to help listeners exit the negative workplace cycle. Today’s PR Horror Story comes from a listener who is facing difficulty in navigating media relations during a persistently tumultuous news cycle. Tune in as April and Laura share tips to help PR practitioners advise their clients, time their pitches and generate meaningful press coverage despite the unpredictability of breaking news events.

Our special guest on the show today is Kayley Hamilton. She’s the CEO and founder of KAYLEY Media and a 2X Emmy-Award-winning celebrity news reporter, journalist and producer.  She’s chattin with April and Laura about her career story, from a self-described “shy girl” to eventually breaking into the Hollywood media scene as a red carpet reporter. She also shares what it was like behind the scenes at A-list events, and why she shifted focus to found her own agency. She also shares tips for rising professionals to build their personal confidence and become adept at interviews, public speaking and more. In our PR News segment, April and Laura discuss The Wall Street Journal’s recent announcement that the global news outlet will be eliminating the routine use of honorifics, or courtesy titles, in its news pages.

We have a special guest on the podcast today! Meet Molly McPherson, host of the Indestructible PR® Podcast. After 20 years of working in the public relations and news industries, Molly developed her Indestructible PR® framework to help companies write effective responses to public relations crises, especially those occurring online. She has worked for FEMA and the Cruise Line International Association and is the author of the book, ‘Indestructible: Reclaim Control and Respond with Confidence in a Media Crisis.’ She also runs a popular TikTok account, where she analyzes the latest PR crisis news. 

With Molly, our hosts April and Laura are discussing the latest trends shaking up the PR industry, including: actionable advice for brands to confront (and avoid) a crisis; tips for rising PR industry professionals seeking to level up their skills; and the role of AI in PR. 

In today’s PR News segment, April and Laura dissect the ethical implications of using AI as a PR tool, with advice to leverage platforms like ChatGPT to improve efficiency and creativity without sacrificing quality.

Today’s podcast interview features two guests. Meet Megan Redzia and Patrick Brightman, the partners at 3E Public Relations! Tune in as they chat with our hosts, April and Laura, about the evolving landscape of PR, including how the business world has changed due to the forces of digital marketing and social media. They also discuss what young PR professionals should know as they enter their first internships and agency positions. Later, April and Laura cover the recent MillerKnoll scandal, with an analysis of CEO Andi Owen’s controversial statements, the public backlash that ensued, and how brands can avoid similar crisis situations during difficult economic times.

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.

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. 

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.

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: 

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:

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.

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.

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).

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:

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.

Welcome back for our annual PR Wine Down Halloween Special! Hosts April and Laura are getting into the spirit of the season this week, with a spooky twist on your favorite PR topics. They’re discussing some industry news that’s sure to send a shiver down any crisis publicist’s spine, with an analysis of the latest round of public backlash against Netflix. They also chat through some advice for overcoming the experiences that might scare you at work, from public speaking, to intimidating bosses, to media pitching and more. As always, they’re also delivering a full lineup of our ghastliest anonymous PR Horror Stories from this year so far — featuring a special guest appearance from Hamish Anderson, co-host of Trust Relations: The Podcast.

Hosts April and Laura welcome Andy Lutzky, an influencer marketer and professor at the University of Southern California. He joins the show this week to discuss his article, “Why Public Relations Professionals Feel Powerlessness, and What to Do About It.” April and Laura also analyze the factors at play in the recent stabbing death of Las Vegas journalist Jeff German and the indictment of a local politician in connection to the murder. They also share advice for PR professionals to stay focused on quality results, despite PR’s negative reputation in movies and media. Today’s Anonymous PR Horror Story comes from a listener who is struggling to convince a consumer client to share product samples with the press.

Learn more about Heather’s work:

Hosts April and Laura welcome Heather Willett to the show this week. Heather is the founder of Willet PR, here to analyze the state of the media landscape today and share her best tips for helping clients to navigate the murky waters of public opinion. April and Laura also chat through the evolution of PR as an industry, with a look into the New York Times’ recent feature story on special “Lower Manhattan’s most infamous publicist, Kaitlin Phillips.” Today’s Anonymous PR Horror Story comes from a listener whose new entry-level job came with more personal drama than she’d anticipated.

Learn more about Heather’s work:

This week on the show, hosts April and Laura welcome Brenden Kumarasamy, founder of MasterTalk. He’s here to share tips, tricks and strategies that any executive can adopt to become a better presenter, speaker and interviewee. They also analyze the recent social media controversy over Cracker Barrel’s new plant-based meat menu offering, with advice for companies seeking to expand their markets without alienating existing customers. Next, they share advice for keeping your inbox organized—even as a busy PR professional. Today’s Anonymous PR Horror Story comes from one unfortunate listener, who mistakenly said, “I love you,” on a client call.

Our guest on today’s episode comes from behind the scenes! April and Laura are pleased to welcome our very own podcast producer, Veronica Yip. She’s the integrated marketing and communications manager at Trust Relations, here to share a behind-the-scenes look at the concepts and development behind our three agency podcasts — including this one! April and Laura also share their favorite memories and lessons learned from co-hosting this show together. Today’s news segment covers the rise in pay-for-play podcast interviews, as some shows have begun to advertise prices upwards of $50,000. April and Laura also share advice to help PR practitioners develop effective follow-up messages for any media pitch. The Anonymous PR Horror Story of the day comes from a listener whose new agency boss has an affinity for extreme workplace pranks and antics.

On this show this week, April and Laura welcome crisis PR expert David Oates. He’s the founder of PR Security Service and has served as an officer in the US Navy, with over 25 years of experience in the field. He’s here to break down the most essential considerations for companies and executives to emphasize during a crisis situation, including immediate action and long-term reputation management. April and Laura also chat through their tried-and-true advice for managing remote working relationships. They also share an anonymous listener story from a PR person whose boss lashed out at the team due to burnout. Your favorite hosts also cover some top headlines from the PR industry this week, including Glassdoor’s lawsuit over freedom of speech and defamation issues and a breakdown of Cision’s top-ranking press releases of 2022. 

On this show this week, April and Laura are chatting one-on-one about the latest news and trends impacting PR. Tune in as they discuss the role of alcohol in agency culture as Americans reduce their alcohol consumption. They also analyze the latest public backlash against Victoria’s Secret as the brand faces accusations of performative tactics in their rebranding efforts. For this week’s “Thing I Should Have Been Trained On,” our hosts discuss some best practices on how to deliver bad news to a client. This week’s Anonymous PR Horror Story comes from a listener who faced an uncomfortable situation an an offsite client meeting—and decided to step back from the account as a result.

Read the PR News of the Week here:

Our special guest on the PR Wine Down today is Greg Galant. He's the CEO at everyone's favorite PR platform, Muck Rack! Tune in as Greg chats with our hosts about podcast pitching, subscription newsletters and the latest updates to the Muck Rack platform. They also cover some interesting data from Muck Rack's State of Podcasting report. Next, our hosts dive into some industry news discussing the challenges rookie PR pros are facing today, as they enter the post-pandemic workforce. They also chat about some broader issues in agency culture, with advice for professional mentorship and management skills. In this week's Anonymous PR Horror Story, a listener faces backlash from a client when their colleague's sick day conflicts with a regularly-scheduled PR call. 

On this show this week, hosts April and Laura welcome Rai Cornell, founder and CEO of Cornell Content Marketing, to discuss PR best practices for brands in the digital era. Together, they discuss why Rai believes it can be beneficial to be “polarizing” as a brand and how companies can determine whether to take a stand on social issues. Next, our hosts discuss Major League Baseball’s handling of the racism allegations against Josh Donaldson and analyze a recent announcement from The Guardian urging employees to delete old social media posts. April and Laura also share press release strategies, including the media benefits and SEO value that come with putting an announcement on the wire. For this week’s Anonymous PR Horror Story, they read a submission from one listener whose new freelance client has unrealistic expectations for his marketing webinar.

Read the PR News of the Week here:

This week on the PR Wine Down, hosts April and Laura take a close look at the expanding world of audio branding. With special guest David Ciccarelli, CEO of Voices, they're covering audio production best practices and discussing the brand archetypes that define voice over acting in today's era of podcast and video content. April and Laura also hash out the best ways to navigate the delicate art of pushing back on unreasonable client expectations and share advice for an anonymous listener whose new job has an unfortunate history with her past employer. For today's PR news, they offer some expert PR perspective on the recent scandal at Ulta over its poorly-worded email blast featuring Kate Spade and offer their hot takes on Amber Heard's decision to fire her PR firm before taking the stand in her legal battle with Johnny Depp.

Read the PR News of the Week here: 

This week on the show, we're joined by Jennifer Cronin, client services manager here at Trust Relations. She's here to talk through her best practices for client management and team leadership, including some useful tips for identifying problems in your professional relationships. And, as an added bonus, Jennifer also chimes in on this week's Anonymous PR Horror Story, from a client contact whose PR program isn't turning out to be as fruitful as anticipated. April and Laura also share their advice on how to develop friendly working relationships with reporters. They also discuss the PR implications for the New York Yankees and the Cleveland Guardians, after fan and player behavior got out of control during a game at Yankee Stadium last month.

This week on the PR Wine Down, we're taking you behind the scenes of the making of an official TEDx talk! April and Laura are sitting down in the virtual studio with special guest host Hamish Anderson, our executive VP and marketing group director here at TR. Together, they're taking an exclusive look at April's recent talk for TEDxAlmansorParkLive, "Is Living United Worth the Fight?" The dynamic trio also covers best practices for PR storytelling, how to incorporate narrative elements into your client's brand story, and how the power of self-reflection can unlock your potential in both your personal and professional lives. This week's Anonymous PR Horror Story features advice for a listener whose biggest freelance client stretched the truth about their product quality and corporate charity initiatives. 

This week, April and Laura welcome special guest Alex Sanfilippo, founder and podcast host at PodPros. He's here to chat with your favorite hosts about his "Know, Like and Trust" approach to branding, and how leveraging opportunities on both sides of the podcast mic can help entrepreneurs and thoughts leaders to establish brand credibility. April and Laura also discuss how PR practitioners at any stage of their careers can get better at taking constructive feedback and unpack why taking criticism can be challenging in an industry where perfectionism is a common trait. For this week's Anonymous PR Horror Story, they share advice for a listener who recently faced a dangerous mandatory team building exercise — and April even shares a team-building flashback of her own!

On this episode of the PR Wine Down podcast, your favorite hosts are the news topics du jour! April and Laura are sitting down for a one-on-one chat, to give you an exclusive look into their current passion projects and latest business ventures. Tune in to hear all about April's new store, Cowgirls & Fairies, featuring a virtual tour of this whimsical, experiential boutique located along Route 66 in downtown Williams, AZ. She also delves into her work as a musician, and dishes about how her ethereal pop band, Violet & the Sun, inspired the store's aesthetic. Then, Laura dishes about her foray into the world of vintage clothing resale, with a look at her own storefront vision board. Our hosts also deliver some PR advice about what to do when a pitch falls flat. For this week's Anonymous PR Horror Story, we have a confession from one listener who got swept up in a competitive workplace culture — and asked his teams to lie as a result.

On the show this week, hosts April and Laura welcome special guest, Steve Markman. As the founder of Markman Speaker Management, LLC., he's here to discuss the power of speaking engagement for executives and through leaders seeking to build their professional reputations, boost their brands and reach a wider audience for their businesses. Our hosts also chat through the pros and cons of the four-day workweek for PR agency operations, and share an Anonymous PR Horror Story about a food & beverage executive with some unorthodox content-editing standards. New this week, we also have a segment called "SPONSOR US!" Tune in to hear why April and Laura and raving about Fireflies.ai, the automated meeting assistant that makes note-taking a breeze for the whole team.

Hosts April and Laura are joined this week by Jay Jaye, founder of the Ace of Spades PR and social media agency. He's here to share his professional journey from world-class magician to accomplished agency owner, including advice for entrepreneurs, common branding blunders and an inside scoop on how to best position your application for Instagram verification. April and Laura also weigh in on the factors at play in Joe Rogan's recent clash with Spotify, and offer advice for business leaders seeking to build a healthy and vibrant workplace culture. This week's Anonymous PR Horror Story comes from a listener whose top-tier media placement fell flat — in the middle of a strategy dispute between client contacts. 

Welcome back to the Wine Down! This week on the show, co-hosts April and Laura are welcoming special guest Robert Hatcher, III to the recording booth. Robert is a self-described full-funnel marketer with a decade of marketing agency experience, and is currently the Global PPC Manager at LogicMonitor. Together they're breaking down the evolution of the modern marketing industry, from the Golden Age of advertising to today's data-driven approach to marketing and brand management. They also touch on Peloton's recent PR crises and share their thoughts on working with high-profile spokespeople. April and Laura then share some practical tips to master time-tracking at any level of your PR career, and read an Anonymous PR Horror Story from a listener who witnessed a company culture shift that went south fast. 

Today on the show, your favorite hosts are chatting with Angela Bonnici, Chief Publicity Officer at Super Connector Media. They're tackling the common pain points and challenges PR practitioners face — from client management to account profitability. They also take a deep dive into agency leadership, operational efficiency and lessons learned from their favorite PR roles over the years. April and Laura also assess the impact of news industry scandals on the overall credibility of the press, share their best tips to avoid over-servicing client accounts, and weigh in on the recent Vans x USPS brand collaboration. This week's Anonymous PR Horror Story features a listener who sent a heated email to their boss, only to regret hitting "send."

Read the PR News of the Week here: 

Ready to Wine Down? On the show this week, April and Laura are chatting with Ronjini Joshua. She's the CEO of the Silver Telegram PR agency and the podcast host and author behind "The PR Playbook." Ronjini is here to discuss her career journey and life an as agency owner, including lessons learned along the way about hiring, company culture and the tech scene. BONUS: She also shares a PR Horror Story of her own! April and Laura also dish one-on-one about the dos and don'ts of how to upsell a client, and share an anonymous story about how nepotism interfered with one listener's big promotion. Stick around to the end for a news update on all things Substack — including an insider tip from April about how to source media contacts from free newsletter subscriptions.

In the virtual recording booth this week, our hosts welcome Donna Loughlin, founder and president of Loughlin/Michaels Group PR (LMGPR). She's here to chat with April and Laura about the evolution of the Silicon Valley tech scene and how the pandemic has changed trade shows and supply chain issues for the tech sector. Together, they also discuss Donna's advice for female entrepreneurs and PR pros seeking to find a better work-life balance. April and Laura also share their best practices for crafting the perfect press release for rookie publicists and seasoned practitioners alike. They also cover the latest news on the rise of independent newsletters and freelance journalism, with a discussion on how Substack and Facebook Bulletin have attracted high-profile reporters and commentators to their ranks.

Happy Holidays from the PR Wine Down team! In this special episode, hosts April and Laura are closing out the year by unwrapping the best listener horror story submissions from the past year. Pour some nog, kick back and relax as we revisit some tales of holiday horror to keep your spirits bright and start off 2022 the right way. The lineup includes stories and advice about: a client who went off-script during a live interview, an account executive working with limited senior guidance, inappropriate behavior from an executive-level boss, tough reporter feedback and a PR pro who got sick during a major client meeting.

You can find the original episodes containing the stories from this year's roundup below:

This week on the PR Wine Down, our hosts welcome Kaila Przymus, CEO of KMO Consulting. Kaila specializes in generating high-revenue affiliate-based PR programs, and she's here to walk us through the key elements of a successful affiliate program, from setting up your links, to boosting your pitches, to landing placements that can generate revenue for years to come. April and Laura also discuss best practices for managing reporter relationships when a media contact goes dark — even after an interview. In this week's PR News segment, April and Laura take a critical look at the PR strategies business leaders should consider when navigating vaccine mandates for their employees and customers; they also touch on the recent Facebook whistleblower interview and discuss the role of data privacy in media today. As always, they also read the latest Anonymous PR Horror Story to land in their inboxes, this time from a listener whose client failed to pay for their PR services.

Read the PR News of the Week here: 

On the show this week, out hosts are sitting down in the virtual recording booth with special guest Mandy Menaker, the Global Head of PR at ClassPass! She's here to share her experience leading the health and wellness brand throughout each phase of the pandemic, and discuss how using metrics can help communicators to generate meaningful stories even in challenging times. April and Laura also chat about a recent NPR report uncovering one man's experience with false accusations reported in the Wall Street Journal, and discuss the impact of reporting revisions and SEO for negative press. Your favorite hosts also offer advice for navigating common questions during client media training sessions, and share an Anonymous PR Horror Story from the audience about a client with a tendency to stretch the truth during interviews.

Stop the presses — Season Two is here! Join us this week for The PR Wine Down Anniversary Special, as our hosts April and Laura grab a glass and reflect on their first year in the virtual recording booth together! With special guest Brandy Whalen, co-founder of Kitcaster and CEO of Whalen Media, they're discussing all things PR and podcasting. April and Laura also throw it back to re-read our first-ever Anonymous PR Horror Story submission — still as chilling as ever — and take a walk down memory lane to chat about the highs and lows of starting the show. Thank you for joining us, and cheers to another year!

The PR Wine Down Halloween Special is back from the grave! If you loved our Halloween episode last year, you're in for a treat. Our hosts April and Laura are getting into the spirit of the season with back-to-back PR Horror Stories, and a lineup of ghastly tales from the news this week. This year, our hosts are sharing the tricks of the trade for handling horrifying media feedback on a pitch gone wrong, and responding to one listeners' encounter with some frightfully inappropriate workplace antics. They're also diving into recent coverage of a branding nightmare at AT&T and assessing the fate of Instagram's kid-focused platform. 

On the podcast this week, we are welcoming Trust Relations' fabulous account director, Sofia Coon! Sofia is here to share about her experience in carving a unique path in the PR field, including her experiences working at agencies large and small, as well as some lessons learned from working on an in-house communications team and now as a full-time freelancer. April and Laura also chat about the dos and don'ts of staffing a client kickoff meeting, and take a deep look at Fortune's decision to postpone its CEOI conference over fears of disruptions from newsroom staffers who planned to picket the event. As always, our hosts share an anonymous PR Horror Story from the audience — this time, about a PR pro who found himself on the receiving end of a scathing Tweet from a reporter.

This week on the PR Wine Down, our hosts are joined by Lee Caraher. She's the CEO of Double Forte, a national independent PR and communications agency, and an acclaimed communications strategist. She's wining down this week on the show to discuss the work Double Forte is doing to close the gender "Say Gap" in PR, evaluate how PR has changed over recent decades and discuss what small brands can do to make a splash in the news media today. April and Laura also deliver a new Anonymous PR Horror story featuring an account coordinator who offered inappropriate advice, discuss gender dynamics in the workplace today and chat about the latest viral Tweet in journalism this week.

On the show this week, April and Laura welcome Rick Smith, Founder and CEO at NewsUSA and NewsCanada. He's here to discuss his experience in the content syndication business, including the differences between a press release and a mat release, how video syndication can complement a company's marketing strategy and where the future lies for independent content creators. Our hosts also discuss the latest Anonymous PR Horror Story to land in their inboxes, this time about an account lead learning to manage an overzealous new hire, and share tips on the questions clients always ask when they've been burned by PR in the past. They also deliver the latest PR industry news on The New York Times' subscription newsletter launch -- featuring a bonus baseball story from Laura! 

This week on the show, our hosts welcome Trust Relations' own Senior Vice President, Jenn McManus-Goode! Having worked with in-house teams and agency clients alike, Jenn is here to share her best advice for client management, including tips for a successful up-sell and advice for navigating major client transitions with grace. April and Laura also discuss what not to do when the company you work for gets acquired, and chat through the implications of the recent unionization efforts at Forbes. This week's Anonymous PR Horror Story comes from a listener seeking immediate advice about a premature promotion; April and Laura weigh in with their words of encouragement and some advice for finding the right mentor.

April and Laura are sitting down this week (virtually, of course!) with Trust Relations' own Lifestyle Group Director, Allie Ullo! Together, they dissect recent changes in the modern media landscape as Allie delivers an in-depth lesson on her favorite under-the-radar PR tricks and tactics. Together, they cover everything from affiliate programs, to effective subject lines, to landing the ultimate brand feature. April and Laura also discuss what every client needs to know before they sign on the dotted line with a new PR agency, how to handle a media interview that's taken a turn for the worse, and deliver an Anonymous PR Horror Story from a listener who mistakenly distributed a major celebrity news announcement — before the exclusive went live.

This week, hosts April and Laura welcome guest Susan Prekel, owner of Done & Done Branded Goods, to discuss her background in event production and planning, and her journey into the branded product industry. Together, they're chatting about the intersection of PR and product, the brand collaboration process, and why today's branded goods are a notch about the typical "swag" you might expect to see at company events. Out hosts also introduce a new segment called "Schooler School," wherein Laura gives us the scoop on the latest trends impacting PR practitioners; this week, it's all about the post-COVID hiring environment. April and Laura also analyze the controversy over the recently-announced Victoria's Secret rebrand, and share one listener's Anonymous PR Horror Story about a feature article gone awry.