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68. Why PR Has Never Managed Its Own PR Well with Victoria Tomlinson
33:02||Season 1, Ep. 68Victoria Tomlinson, founder of Next-Up and former founder of Northern Lights PR, joins Tony Garner on PR in the Real World to explain why PR has never managed its own PR, after thirty years running her own agency. They cover why "we want awareness" is the wrong brief, what owning a target really means for a boardroom seat, how AI is making credibility harder to prove, and the case for rethinking retirement in her new book, Expiry Date Never. Essential listening for PR and comms professionals.Expiry Date Never: Age is the New Superpower - https://expirydatenever.co.uk/ Next-Up - https://www.next-up.com/
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67. Why AI Should Be Treated as a Stakeholder with Stuart Bruce
50:02||Season 1, Ep. 67Stuart Bruce, self-styled PR futurist and joint CEO of Purposeful Relations, joins Tony Garner on PR in the Real World to explain why AI has become the world's biggest reputation management engine. They unpack generative engine optimisation, the three factors shaping AI answers – recency, relevance and reputation – why crisis plans must treat AI as a stakeholder, and the story of helping now-PM Andy Burnham find his social media voice. Essential listening for PR and comms professionals.
66. The Case for PR at the Top Table with CIPR President Farzana Baduel
27:35||Season 1, Ep. 66Why are organisations with talented PR teams still ending up in reputational crisis? Farzana Baduel has the answer, and she sees it play out every week on BBC Radio 4.Farzana - founder of Curzon PR, CIPR president, Oxford Saïd Business School resident PR expert, and co-host of BBC Radio 4's When It Hits the Fan - joins PR in the Real World to explore why this is the most consequential moment in PR's history.She unpacks AI's real impact on the profession, why PR professionals are 'diagonal thinkers' who belong in the boardroom, and why the crises organisations find themselves in are so often avoidable.
65. Why Judgement Beats Data in PR Measurement with Nik Pearson
39:42||Season 1, Ep. 65In this episode of PR in the Real World, Tony Garner talks to Nik Pearson, who leads corporate communications and external affairs across Europe for Honda, about earning a seat at the table in PR. They discuss sharing downside risk, using the AMEC framework and judgement over data in measurement, and building trust across multinational comms teams. Nik also reflects on his move from Toyota dealerships into leadership, and what makes an inclusive, high‑trust culture.
64. Methodology and Mindsets with Shayoni Lynn
45:16||Season 1, Ep. 64Behavioural science is one of the most talked-about, and least understood, areas in PR. Shayoni Lynn, founder of behavioural science consultancy Lynn, joins Tony Garner on PR in the Real World to separate evidence from hype. She explains why diagnosis must come before intervention, how her team's research and randomised control trials shaped Welsh Government's 20mph campaign, and why protecting behaviours matters as much as creating them. Practical advice for teams of any size on building behavioural capability.
63. What Makes a Story Worth Printing with Richard Slater
41:18||Season 1, Ep. 63Richard Slater, founder of Lancashire Business View and the Red Rose Awards, joins Tony Garner on PR in the Real World to reveal what makes journalists bin a PR pitch, why AI-written press releases are instantly spotted, and how to craft a story worth printing. From newsroom instincts to judging a 1,000-strong awards night, Richard shares practical tips on pitching, storytelling, media relations and award entries that PR and marketing professionals can use today.
62. Communicating Complex Ideas Clearly with Alison Ramsay
48:39||Season 1, Ep. 62How do you communicate complexity without losing clarity? In this episode of PR in the Real World, Alison Ramsay, Corporate Communications & Employee Experience Director at AWE, shares lessons from her career in defence communications. Discover why simplifying isn't "dumbing down", how data and employee experience are reshaping internal communications, and why great communicators treat employees like adults, not audiences.