Best of Q4 2024

Best of Q4 2024

Author: OCR December 27, 2024 Duration: 25:19
Communication Breakdown
Business NewsNewsBusinessManagementMarketing
In this special End of Year edition of Communication Breakdown, hosts Steve Dowling and Craig Carroll reflect on some of the most compelling stories and discussions from their first season.

From Episode 1, "Ford Quits the HRC Index", they examine the corporate retreat from diversity commitments, the influence of online provocateurs like Robbie Starbuck, and the broader implications for stakeholder engagement in the DEI space.

Episode 3, "You Deserve a (Price) Break Today", highlights McDonald’s bold transparency campaign to counteract misinformation about inflation and pricing. The hosts discuss how breaking traditional communication rules—paired with strategic pricing—helped restore trust and improve customer perception.

Finally, they revisit Episode 9, "Jaguar", unpacking the automotive brand's controversial rebranding strategy. Steve and Craig debate whether attention-grabbing campaigns without clear substance can effectively rebuild a brand's image and ponder the balance between marketing and product focus.
Tune in for this insightful recap as the hosts share key lessons learned in corporate communications and reputation management. Get ready for a fresh season of Communication Breakdown in 2025!

Takeaways
  • The influence of non-traditional stakeholders is growing.
  • Companies are facing backlash for rolling back diversity commitments.
  • Diversity is increasingly seen as a business asset.
  • Public opinion on diversity initiatives is shifting.
  • Companies must balance stakeholder interests with public perception.

Topics Mentioned
Corporate Reputation, Diversity, Crisis Communication, Activism, PR Strategies, McDonald's, Jaguar, Corporate Equality Index, Stakeholder Influence, Transparency

Companies Mentioned
Molson Coors, Caterpillar, Ford Motor Company, Walmart, McDonald's, Jaguar, Anheuser-Busch, Land Rover.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Communication Breakdown
00:59 Diversity Commitments and Corporate Backtracking
04:44 The Influence of Activism on Corporate Policies
10:17 Crisis Communication: McDonald's Transparency Strategy
16:22 Jaguar's Rebranding and PR Challenges

Communication Breakdown is a production of the Observatory on Corporate Reputation.
Hosted by Craig Carroll and Steve Dowling.
Produced by Shawn P Neal and the team at AdvoCast.

For questions, feedback, or episode suggestions, reach out at podcast@ocrnetwork.com

Communication Breakdown is a sharp, fast-moving podcast for PR and communications pros who want to understand what really happens when reputations are on the line. Hosted by OCRs Craig Carroll and Steve Dowling, each postgame-style episode breaks down how organizations navigate high-visibility crises, product launches, policy debates, and other make-or-break moments in the public eye. Drawing on experience from institutions like USC Annenberg, UNC Chapel Hill, OpenAI, and Apple, the hosts dissect real-world cases, exploring what worked, what failed, and why. Listeners can expect candid analysis of messaging, leadership, media strategy, stakeholder management, and internal alignment, all grounded in current events across news and business. Whether youre in marketing, management, or corporate communications, listen episodes of Communication Breakdown to sharpen your judgment, stress-test your own strategies, and better anticipate how communications decisions play out when it matters most.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 79

Official website RSS
linkedinspotify
Communication Breakdown
Podcast Episodes
Narrative Contradiction [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:42
In this episode of Communication Breakdown, Steve Dowling and Craig Carroll dig deep into the growing risk of narrative contradiction—when a company’s claims, perceptions, and reality stop aligning. Craig introduces the…
The Pepsi Challenge [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:02
In this episode of Communication Breakdown, Steve Dowling and Craig Carroll dissect activist investor Elliott Management’s $4 billion stake in PepsiCo — and the rival business plan they rolled out to reframe the company’…
Cracker Barrel’s Turn in the Barrel [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:29
In this episode of Communication Breakdown, hosts Steve Dowling and Craig Carroll examine Cracker Barrel’s ill-fated modernization campaign and the backlash that forced the company to abandon its new logo. What began as…
Risky Business: Apologies, Silence, and Spin [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:53
In this episode of Communication Breakdown, hosts Steve Dowling and Craig Carroll examine how companies are navigating the volatile communications landscape under Donald Trump’s renewed political influence. From Home Dep…
So I Wanted To Show You Something [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:29
In this episode of Communication Breakdown, hosts Steve Dowling and Craig Carroll break down Taylor Swift’s meticulously orchestrated rollout of her 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl. Far more than a standard pro…
What Harvard Teaches Us (about dealing with Trump) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:21
In this episode of Communication Breakdown, hosts Steve Dowling and Craig Carroll explore two high-stakes showdowns—one rooted in strategic restraint, the other in narrative failure. First, they unpack Harvard's quiet bu…
Thank You For Your Interest In Transparency [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:47
In this episode of Communication Breakdown, Steve Dowling and Craig Carroll return to the ongoing saga at Astronomer—the data pipeline company whose PR tailspin took a surprising detour into celebrity marketing. Just whe…
L’Affaire Astronomer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:05
In this episode of Communication Breakdown, Steve Dowling and Craig Carroll unpack the viral scandal that cost Astronomer CEO Andy Byron his job after a kiss cam moment at a Coldplay concert set the internet ablaze. What…
Elmo Hacked, Budgets Whacked, and Coke Sidetracked [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:21
In this episode of Communication Breakdown, Steve Dowling and Craig Carroll unpack one of the strangest PR weeks in recent memory—where Elmo becomes collateral damage in a public broadcasting funding fight, and Coca-Cola…
Paging “Some Comms Person” [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:19
In this episode of Communication Breakdown, Steve Dowling and Craig Carroll unpack three reputational firestorms that reveal deeper cracks in the comms industry. First up: Melinda French Gates’ jab at CEOs “pivoting to w…

«12345678»