Beyond the Noise - the PRWeek podcast

US PR professionals living in the UK share their take on the 2024 US election results, and the biggest implications for the comms industry, in a special edition episode of PRWeek UK’s Beyond the Noise podcast.For this discussion, we’re joined by David Gallagher, the former Ketchum Europe boss, who is now a partner at Folgate Advisors; and Whitney Simon, senior account director and head of DE&I consulting at Missive.Beyond the Noise looks at some of the biggest issues affecting communications and PR. Download the podcast via Apple, Spotify, or listen on your favourite platform.Speaking to PRWeek senior reporter Evie Barrett and UK editor John Harrington, our guests delve into the US presidential election, giving their initial reactions to Trump’s win and the comms lessons we can learn from both campaign trails.The pair share their views on the role of celebrity endorsements, and explore what the shift towards alternative media forms like podcasts could mean for the future.They also consider the wider implications for the PR industry on both sides of the pond, looking at whether we can expect ESG and purpose campaigns to now thrive or disappear.

The story behind John Lewis' 2024 Christmas campaign, and other trends in festive work for this year, are the focus of the latest PRWeek podcast.Our guest on Beyond the Noise this week is Ben Bailey, head of external comms at John Lewis Partnership.Beyond the Noise looks at some of the biggest communications and PR issues. Download the podcast via Apple, Spotify or on your favourite platform.Speaking to PRWeek UK editor John Harrington and senior reporter Evie Barrett, Bailey discusses the thinking behind John Lewis' festive activity, which takes places in three parts this year.He also discusses the Christmas campaign for Waitrose, which is part of the John Lewis Partnership.The trio look at broader trends in Christmas campaigns in 2024, including the 'series' approach, plus humour, purpose, nostalgia, pastiche, the value of recurring characters, and how earned media fits into the strategy.Christmas campaigns by Sainsbury's, Aldi, M&S, Asda, Morrisons, Lidl, Greggs and others are discussed.

Client pitching, Christmas campaigns and the recent performance of PR holding companies are all under the microscope in PRWeek UK’s latest podcast.This edition of the Beyond the Noise podcast features PRWeek journalists John Harrington (UK editor), Siobhan Holt (news editor) and Evie Barrett (senior reporter).Beyond the Noise looks at some of the biggest communications and PR issues. Download the podcast via Apple, Spotify, or on your favourite platform.This week the PRWeek UK team analyse the Q3 results from WPP, Omnicom and IPG and look at what they tell us about the current state of trading for PR firms.The trio delve into recent research on client pitching from the PRCA, which found that one in two agencies had experienced IP theft during the pitching process, while one in three had won pitches that never materialise in the form of actual projects.And with Christmas campaign season just around the corner, the journalists reveal what's on their ‘wish lists’ for festive work this year.

What are the biggest risks for corporate affairs pros? – PRWeek podcastTwo communications directors debate the biggest challenges and concerns in corporate affairs, in the latest edition of PRWeek’s Beyond the Noise podcast.Mark Hutcheon, a director in the Reputation, Crisis and Resilience practice at Deloitte, who leads their corporate affairs work with clients, and Carolyn Esser, chief corporate affairs director at British cyber security company Darktrace, join PRWeek UK’s news editor, Siobhan Holt, in the studio this week.Beyond the Noise looks at some of the biggest issues affecting communications and PR. Download the podcast via Apple, Spotify, or listen on your favourite platform.Following the launch of a new study from Deloitte, our guests talk about the top concerns and challenges faced by corporate affairs (CA) directors.The study, ‘Volatility and Value: A study of corporate affairs strategies, structures and operations in times of uncertainty’, draws on interviews with 58 CA directors at FTSE 100, Fortune 500 and Euronext 100 companies.Issues including geopolitics, the rise of AI, reputational risk, cybercrime, purpose and ESG are all discussed.Hutcheon and Esser end by revealing their priorities for the year ahead.

The big talking points from the PRWeek UK Awards are the focus of the latest edition of PRWeek's Beyond the noise podcast.More than 800 people from across the industry were at the JW Marriott Grosvenor House in London on Wednesday for UK PR's biggest event of the year - view the winners here.PRWeek's Danny Rogers (editor-in-chief), John Harrington (UK editor) and Siobhan Holt (news editor) are your commentators this week to examine the stories behind the 2024 PRWeek UK Awards.Beyond the Noise looks at some of the biggest communications and PR issues. Download the podcast via Apple, Spotify, or listen on your favourite platform.After talking about their own experiences of the evening, the PRWeek trio examine how the awards have evolved over the years, including the growing presence of in-house teams.They look at some of the main winners this year and discuss trends around purpose, humour, AI and the role of the classic PR stunt.The journalists also give a 'shout out' to the winners and highly commended entrants in some of the agency and in-house categories.

Why are the roles of ‘hack and flack’ so interchangeable? PRWeek UK’s latest podcast takes a close look.This week's Beyond the Noise episode features Ali Lyon, a comms professional formerly at FleishmanHillard who is now a reporter at CityAM, and Genelle Aldred, a broadcast journalist who has worked for the BBC, ITV, ITN, and Sky. Her comms career includes senior roles at Hill & Knowlton. She is now a comms trainer and strategic media advisor with her own firm, Genelle Aldred Communications. Beyond the Noise looks at some of the biggest communications and PR issues. Download the podcast via Apple, Spotify, or listen on your favourite platform.Speaking to PRWeek UK news editor Siobhan Holt, Lyon and Aldred discuss how they both started in their respective careers in journalism and PR, and why they switched into or out of the communications industry.The pair identify the biggest challenges in communications and journalism; and look at key issues including training, media relations and client management.Lyon and Aldred explain what makes comms and journalism compatible industries and whether it’s easier to move from a role in PR into journalism, or the other way round.  The pair also offer their top tips to PR professionals. 

Golin London president Ondine Whittington and chief creative officer Alex Wood join PRWeek editor-in-chief Danny Rogers in the studio this week.Beyond the Noise looks at some of the biggest issues affecting communications and PR. Download the podcast via Apple, Spotify, or listen on your favourite platform.Following the success of Golin London's multi-Cannes Lion-winning ‘Misheard Version’ campaign for Specsavers, our guests talk about the structure of the agency's creative function, how it has evolved, and how it works with teams around the world.Four months on, the Golin duo reflect on their experience of Cannes and what it means for them, and for comms more generally.  Other issues, including changing client demands, the rise of AI, how the consumer and corporate teams work together, and Golin London's new DEI plan, are also discussed.The guests talk about the recent spate of 'trend jacking' around viral trends, and give their take on the recent controversial campaign showing mothers enjoying Burger King food just after giving birth.Whittington and Wood end by revealing their priorities for the agency in the year ahead, and offer predictions for Golin and the industry as a whole.

Heather Blundell talks about her first year as Grayling’s UK chief executive in the latest PRWeek podcast.Heather Blundell, who has over 15 years of experience working for global agencies including Edelman, Weber Shandwick and Ketchum, and who joined Grayling in October last year - speaks to PRWeek UK news editor Siobhan Holt in the latest episode of Beyond the Noise.Beyond the Noise looks at some of the biggest issues affecting communications and PR. Download the podcast via Apple, Spotify, or listen on your favourite platform.In the episode, Blundell discusses her first year at the agency and her experiences during the first 12 months. She speaks about the challenges, including what changes she has made at the agency ranging from launching a media relations unit called Grayling Media to a new 'integrated' healthcare division.Blundell gives an update on what specialisms are faring the strongest for the agency and where Grayling UK has seen strong growth this year. New business is also examined, and the UK chief executive discusses agency/ client relationships and offers advice on how to avoid ghosting and poor pitching.In addition, Blundell gives her take on the current recruitment market in PR, and explains why she believes its important for agencies to take part in the annual Pay Gap Report.