With social justice, the cost of living crisis, war in Ukraine, COVID, the environment and the US Senate dominating the news agenda, there’s an awful for consumers to take in. So when it comes to the brands they love, what do they really want to see? Action or escapism? This week Paul is joined by Marketing Manager Jack Richards to discuss Talkwalker and Hootsuite’s latest Brand Love report, which determines the 50 most loved brands in the world. What to do Next Subscribe to receive new episodes automatically, and if you enjoy today’s show, please email it to a friend or share it on your favou ..read more

What brands say and how they say it has come increasingly into focus in the last couple of years. So why do so many companies suck so badly when it comes to having a distinct personality of their own? This week Paul is joined by brand voice strategist Bethany Joy to discuss why tone of voice is important, what it can achieve, and how to define a brand voice that isn’t just copying Innocent Drinks! What to do Next Subscribe to receive new episodes automatically, and if you enjoy today’s show, please email it to a friend or share it on your favourite social media channels. And finally, it would ..read more

Do your Facebook Page posts regularly get next to no engagement? Do the same posts on other networks perform considerably better? Do you sometimes question whether your audience is even seeing your posts? If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these, you should consider deleting your Facebook Page altogether. This week Paul is joined by CEO of Lumino Digital Jenny Karn to discuss whether the performance of Facebook is now so poor that there’s little point in most brands even having a Page. What to do Next Subscribe to receive new episodes automatically, and if you enjoy today’s show, please email it ..read more

Influencers have changed the nature of celebrity and the power dynamic of the media for good. Individuals now have the ability to impact the narrative around stories, and brands have to fully understand how to ensure they work in harmony with the press. This week Paul is joined by celebrity PR specialist Max Dundas to chat about A Listers, influencers, brand partnerships and THAT Will Smith Oscars moment. What to do Next Subscribe to receive new episodes automatically, and if you enjoy today’s show, please email it to a friend or share it on your favourite social media channels. And finally, i ..read more

Wikipedia is an anomaly for marketing professionals; a fiercely moderated bastion to neutrality on the internet that public relations and marketing professionals have failed to crack. And yet, especially for large companies and high profile individuals, it can be extremely important when it comes to corporate reputation. So what can be done to either secure a beneficial presence on Wikipedia or to help defend and control online reputation? In this episode of the Digital Download podcast, I talk to Josh Greene from the Mather Group, a specialist in Wikipedia and online reputation management, ab ..read more

2021 has been a struggle for many in the communications industry, with the ongoing pandemic coupled with evolving working processes and increasing demand on new knowledge and skills. Coasting is no longer an option for a successful career in marketing and public relations. In the final episode of the Digital Download podcast of the year, we look ahead to 2022 and discuss how to futureproof your career as the industry continues to evolve. The special guest in this show is Rachel Miller, internal communications consultant, founder of All Things IC and host of the Candid Comms podcast. Please Che ..read more

The public relations industry has rebounded from the COVID-19 pandemic far quicker and stronger than many predicted it would. It is arguably in better shape now than it was two years ago. But the impact of the pandemic on the business world means that challenges have been created that the industry must address during 2022. The special guest in this episode of the Digital Download podcast is Koray Camgoz, Director of Communications at the PRCA. As a result of research conducted by the PRCA, together with anecdotal evidence from its members, Koray discusses three key challenges that all communic ..read more

COP26 has thrust climate change and sustainability into the boardrooms of every single marginally responsible company around the world. While Governments have a critical role to play, the spotlight is increasingly on business to step up to the plate. The job of the communications sector is going to come under increasing scrutiny over the next 12 months, with organisations regularly fighting accusations of greenwashing for under-researched environmental claims. And with strong ESG principles generating greater returns for investors, the pressure really is starting to ramp up. The special guest ..read more

Personal branding is a big thing in 2021, with much written on the significant business value of having a strong online presence and reputation. But among all the hype, no-one ever talks about the drawbacks of becoming ‘known’.  In this episode of the Digital Download podcast I talk to Jeri Williams, who runs Smooth Accounting. Since establishing a profile on LinkedIn in 2018, Jeri has grown a huge following of 48,000 people. But while that has brought with it many opportunities and lots of leads and business, it has also attracted the less savoury elements of the network. From rudeness a ..read more

The Wall Street Journal’s coverage of whistleblower Francis Haughen’s leaked documents from inside Facebook make for fascinating and at times very disturbing reading. Among the core findings are the way the Facebook algorithm promotes division, how Facebook has a ‘white list’ of elite users who can do and say what they like, and how Instagram exacerbates body image issues among teenage girls. But most damning is that Facebook knows all of this and has done little to nothing to address it. At a time when not only users but governments want answers, the timing of Facebook’s big corporate rebrand ..read more