The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson

www.mollymcpherson.com

The PR Breakdown reveals the moves behind the mess. Crisis communication expert Molly McPherson dissects the viral scandals, celebrity meltdowns, and corporate disasters dominating headlines to show you the strategic mistakes and desperate moves that destroy reputations - so you never make them yourself.

  1. 5 DAYS AGO

    From Phillies Ball Snatch to US Open Hat Grab: Outrage, Backlash, and Blowback Explained

    Outrage isn’t new, but the way it plays out in 2025 feels like a full-time industry. This week, it’s Phillies fans brawling over a foul ball, a CEO swiping a signed hat at the US Open, Bruce Willis’ family facing judgment in a Diane Sawyer interview, and American Eagle cashing in on controversy with its headline-grabbing campaign. Here’s the problem: every headline slaps the same word on these stories—backlash. But backlash and blowback aren’t the same thing. If you don’t know the difference, you’re missing the real story. In this episode, I break down: The Phillies “Ball Snatch” dad who turned a viral mess into a lesson in staying calm.The US Open “Hat Grab” CEO who folded fast—and why it saved his business.Bruce Willis’ family’s media strategy, turning online judgment into strategic storytelling.American Eagle’s outrage marketing proves that some brands script backlash into their budget.Why the age of the public apology is over—and what leaders are doing instead.The September takeaway? Backlash reveals character. Blowback reveals strategy. And knowing which one you’re seeing could be the difference between chaos and control. Want More Behind the Breakdown? Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, exclusive member chats, weekly lives, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It's the insider’s hub for communicators who want strategy with spine—and a little side-eye where it counts. Follow Molly → @MollyMcPherson Subscribe to PR Breakdown on Substack → prbreakdown.media Click here to subscribe to Molly's live events. Need a Keynote Speaker? Drawing from real-world PR battles, Molly delivers the same engaging stories and hard-won crisis insights from the podcast to your live audience. Click here to book Molly for your next meeting. This podcast is supported by Muck Rack, the PR management platform I use to monitor media coverage, track journalist activity, and inform high-stakes strategy with real-time data. Click here to try Muck Rack for yourself. Follow & Connect with Molly: https://www.youtube.com/mollymcpherson ...

    17 min

  2. 3 SEPT

    What Was Said at the Mic: Press Conference Analysis After the Annunciation Catholic School Shooting

    A shooting inside a Minneapolis church during a back-to-school Mass left two children dead and several others injured. The Annunciation Catholic School community was shattered. The country watched. And almost immediately, public officials and school leaders stood in front of microphones, tasked with speaking into heartbreak. In this episode, examining what was said—and how it was said—during the press conferences that followed. Joining the conversation with Molly is Greg Floyd, evening anchor and investigative reporter at WRGB-TV in Albany. A six-time Emmy winner with multiple Edward R. Murrow Awards, Greg brings deep experience in live coverage, newsroom leadership, and the complexity of reporting local stories with national weight. Together, we break down the structure, tone, and delivery of each speaker—from elected officials to faith leaders—and explore what communicators can learn from how these moments were handled. What We Cover: The context behind the headlines: children, a church, and the first week of schoolMayor Jacob Frey’s restrained approach, and why one line (“These children were praying”) shaped the narrativePolice Chief Brian O’Hara’s directness, structure, and use of the repeated-question techniquePrincipal Matt DeBoer’s calm, clarity, and emotional authority—including a powerful reflection on older students protecting younger onesThe possible public misstep by Archbishop Bernard Hebda, and the risk of correcting others in a crisis momentHow local media elevated the story’s tone, and why Twin Cities press markets matter in national perceptionThe visual language of crisis: from rolled-up sleeves to school-branded t-shirtsWhy the absence of scripts—and the presence of emotion—can carry more weight than any prepared statementWant More Behind the Breakdown? Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, exclusive member chats, weekly lives, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It's the insider’s hub for communicators who want strategy with spine—and a little side-eye where it counts. Follow Molly → @MollyMcPherson Subscribe to PR Breakdown on Substack → prbreakdown.media Click here to subscribe to Molly's live events. Need a Keynote Speaker? Drawing from real-world PR battles, Molly delivers the same engaging stories and hard-won crisis insights from the podcast to your live audience. Click here to book Molly for your next meeting. This podcast is supported by Muck Rack, the PR management platform I use to monitor media coverage, track journalist activity, and inform high-stakes strategy with real-time data. Click here to try Muck Rack for yourself. Follow & Connect with Molly: https://www.youtube.com/mollymcpherson ...

    22 min

  3. 27 AUG

    The First Mistake That Will Sink You in a Crisis

    The Breakdown: The first move most people make in a crisis is often the one that causes the most damage. It happens when emotion outruns strategy, and the brain mistakes public pressure for personal danger. The result is impulsive action, usually in the form of a rushed post, a scrambled statement, or a desperate attempt to make the backlash go away. But the real problem isn’t public. It’s neurological. This episode explains why the body’s threat response takes over during high-stakes moments, and how that hijack shuts down the very part of the brain responsible for leadership, regulation, and long-term thinking. It’s not about judgment. It’s about biology. Want More Behind the Breakdown? Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, exclusive member chats, weekly lives, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It's the insider’s hub for communicators who want strategy with spine—and a little side-eye where it counts. Follow Molly → @MollyMcPherson Subscribe to PR Breakdown on Substack → prbreakdown.media Click here to subscribe to Molly's live events. Need a Keynote Speaker? Drawing from real-world PR battles, Molly delivers the same engaging stories and hard-won crisis insights from the podcast to your live audience. Click here to book Molly for your next meeting. This podcast is supported by Muck Rack, the PR management platform I use to monitor media coverage, track journalist activity, and inform high-stakes strategy with real-time data. Click here to try Muck Rack for yourself. Follow & Connect with Molly: https://www.youtube.com/mollymcpherson ...

    9 min

  4. 20 AUG

    How Taylor Swift Turned New Heights Into a Smart PR Play

    Taylor Swift didn’t just pop onto her boyfriend’s New Heights podcast for fun. She executed a masterclass in brand strategy. With over 16 million views and endless headlines, her first-ever appearance alongside Travis and Jason Kelce wasn’t casual. It was calculated. In this episode of The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson, a look at the strategy behind the appearance. Why it mattered, what Swift accomplished, and how it ties into her broader narrative of album rollouts, relationship optics, and reputation management.  What You’ll Hear About in This Episode The Optics: Why Swift’s on-camera presence, couple dynamics, and emotional stories humanized her brand at just the right time.Message Control: How choosing New Heights over legacy media gave her total control of the conversation.Redirection Strategy: How this appearance quietly shifted headlines away from Blake Lively’s legal mess and back onto Swift’s album.Cross-Brand Boost: Why this was just as beneficial for the Kelsey brand as it was for Swift.The Long Game: How this single appearance sets up Taylor’s reputation, her relationship, and her album narrative for the months ahead.Why This Episode Matters Swift’s appearance is a case study in modern communication—blending personal storytelling, platform control, reputation management, and viral timing. It’s the kind of move every communicator, marketer, and leader should pay attention to. The media tool I use to track stories, monitor coverage, and help clients get their message in the right hands. Click here to learn more.  Want More Behind the Breakdown? Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, exclusive member chats, weekly lives, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It's the insider’s hub for communicators who want strategy with spine—and a little side-eye where it counts. Follow Molly → @MollyMcPherson Subscribe to PR Breakdown on Substack → prbreakdown.media Click here to subscribe to Molly's live events. Need a Keynote Speaker? Drawing from real-world PR battles, Molly delivers the same engaging stories and hard-won crisis insights from the podcast to your live audience. Click here to book Molly for your next meeting. This podcast is supported by Muck Rack, the PR management platform I use to monitor media coverage, track journalist activity, and inform high-stakes strategy with real-time data. Click here to try Muck Rack for yourself. Follow & Connect with Molly: https://www.youtube.com/mollymcpherson ...

    27 min

  5. 13 AUG

    South Park's Savage Trump Administration Takedown

    This week’s PR Breakdown isn’t about a corporate crisis or a press release gone wrong. It’s about satire — and the way it forces a reaction. In the latest season of South Park, Matt Stone and Trey Parker have turned their aim on the Trump administration, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, and the culture of punditry. It’s not subtle. It’s not sanitized. And it’s definitely not for the thin-skinned. The second episode, “Got a Nut,” skewers both sides of the aisle while delivering a masterclass in what happens when satire hits a nerve. The White House called the show “irrelevant” — a statement that instantly proved the opposite. Noem leaned into the joke publicly, then undercut herself in interviews. And Charlie Kirk tried to be in on the humor while still nursing the sting. Here’s what I cover in this episode: Why this season of South Park is landing harder than most political commentaryThe specific targets in Episode 2, and the satirical tactics behind themHow public figures misplay their responses to being parodiedWhy defensiveness is the loudest admission of relevanceThe crisis takeaway: When satire calls you out, your response matters more than the jokeSatire works because it holds up a mirror. In PR, what you do next decides whether people see the reflection as truth or just a caricature. Want More Behind the Breakdown? Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, exclusive member chats, weekly lives, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It's the insider’s hub for communicators who want strategy with spine—and a little side-eye where it counts. Follow Molly → @MollyMcPherson Subscribe to PR Breakdown on Substack → prbreakdown.media Click here to subscribe to Molly's live events. Need a Keynote Speaker? Drawing from real-world PR battles, Molly delivers the same engaging stories and hard-won crisis insights from the podcast to your live audience. Click here to book Molly for your next meeting. This podcast is supported by Muck Rack, the PR management platform I use to monitor media coverage, track journalist activity, and inform high-stakes strategy with real-time data. Click here to try Muck Rack for yourself. Follow & Connect with Molly: https://www.youtube.com/mollymcpherson ...

    14 min

  6. 6 AUG

    The Strategic Timing of Justin Timberlake's Lyme Disease Revelation

    Justin Timberlake ended his tour and dropped a bombshell on Instagram—he’s been battling Lyme disease. The post was emotional, reflective, and full of gratitude. But was it also a PR move? In this episode of The PR Breakdown, examining the timing, language, and strategy behind Timberlake’s statement and why it dropped when it did. This isn’t about questioning the diagnosis. It’s about asking the right questions, like why fans were left disappointed for months and only got an explanation after the final show. In this episode: The fan backlash that built up across EuropeWhy the statement reads polished but not personalWhat it omits and why that mattersThe PR blueprint behind celebrity health revealsHow Justin Bieber ran the same play in 2020Timberlake’s pattern of silence and reinventionYou can believe the pain and still question the play. Especially when the timing is perfect and the message lands just right. Want More Behind the Breakdown? Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, exclusive member chats, weekly lives, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It's the insider’s hub for communicators who want strategy with spine—and a little side-eye where it counts. Follow Molly → @MollyMcPherson Subscribe to PR Breakdown on Substack → prbreakdown.media Click here to subscribe to Molly's live events. Need a Keynote Speaker? Drawing from real-world PR battles, Molly delivers the same engaging stories and hard-won crisis insights from the podcast to your live audience. Click here to book Molly for your next meeting. This podcast is supported by Muck Rack, the PR management platform I use to monitor media coverage, track journalist activity, and inform high-stakes strategy with real-time data. Click here to try Muck Rack for yourself. Follow & Connect with Molly: https://www.youtube.com/mollymcpherson ...

    16 min

  7. 30 JUL

    Why Gwyneth’s Viral Ad Won’t Save Astronomer

    After NPR called me to weigh in on the Coldplay concert scandal and Astronomer’s new viral ad starring Gwyneth Paltrow, a listener to the time to email to call me a “fussbucket.” You know what? I’ll take it. Because here’s the thing: clever marketing isn’t a substitute for accountability. In this epsiode ofThe PR Breakdown, I explain why Astronomer’s ad (produced by Ryan Reynolds’ Maximum Effort and fronted by Gwyneth Paltrow) is a classic case of PR deflection wrapped in celebrity glitter. This episode unpacks: Why the real problem was never the kiss—it was the CEO-HR power dynamicThe danger of turning ethical breaches into punchlinesHow Maximum Effort’s fastvertising campaign misread the assignmentWhat leadership accountability actually sounds like (hint: not “we’ve become a household name”)Want to learn what separates a temporary distraction from a lasting reputation hit? This episode is for you. Mentioned in the episode:  - "5 PR Lessons from the Coldplay Concert That Took Down a CEO" - Molly McPherson, Substack (July, 23, 2025) - "The Coldplay Concert Scandal That Took Down a CEO" - PR Breakdown podcast (July 23, 2025) Want More Behind the Breakdown? Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, exclusive member chats, weekly lives, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It's the insider’s hub for communicators who want strategy with spine—and a little side-eye where it counts. Follow Molly → @MollyMcPherson Subscribe to PR Breakdown on Substack → prbreakdown.media Click here to subscribe to Molly's live events. Need a Keynote Speaker? Drawing from real-world PR battles, Molly delivers the same engaging stories and hard-won crisis insights from the podcast to your live audience. Click here to book Molly for your next meeting. This podcast is supported by Muck Rack, the PR management platform I use to monitor media coverage, track journalist activity, and inform high-stakes strategy with real-time data. Click here to try Muck Rack for yourself. Follow & Connect with Molly: https://www.youtube.com/mollymcpherson ...

    21 min

  8. 23 JUL

    The Coldplay Concert Scandal That Took Down a CEO

    Seventy thousand five hundred twenty-one.  That’s how many news stories included Andy Byron’s name after one juicy Jumbotron moment at a Coldplay concert. In this episode of The PR Breakdown, dissecting how a viral moment spiraled into a corporate PR disaster that exposed a CEO, an HR chief, and a total breakdown in communication control. What made this story explode? Not just the video, but the silence that followed a hoax.  Molly breaks down the viral ingredients: A real-life HR entanglement caught on cameraFake apologies and fake wife statementsA tech company scrambling to fact-check a fake statementAnd a resignation that came too late to stop the damageIt’s a live case study in digital PR failure, and a warning for anyone who thinks “it will pass" is a good crisis response strategy in 2025. Mentioned in the episode:  "Astronomer finally releases a statement." - @MollyBMcPherson, TikTok, July 17, 2025"When national television outlets ask for comment before the Novocaine wears off." - @MollyBMcPherson, TikTok, July 16, 2025"TikTok-famous PR strategist accurately predicts outcome of Coldplay CEO fiasco." - @MollyBMcPherson, TikTok, July 16, 2025TikTok-famous PR strategist accurately predicts outcome of Coldplay CEO fiasco - Fox News, July 19, 2025"Tell-tale signs for spotting a fake press or media statement. PR lessons from the fake "Andy Byron" and "Megyn Byron" statements." - @MollyBMcPherson, TikTok, July 22, 2025Want More Behind the Breakdown? Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, exclusive member chats, weekly lives, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It's the insider’s hub for communicators who want strategy with spine—and a little side-eye where it counts. Follow Molly → @MollyMcPherson Subscribe to PR Breakdown on Substack → prbreakdown.media Click here to subscribe to Molly's live events. Need a Keynote Speaker? Drawing from real-world PR battles, Molly delivers the same engaging stories and hard-won crisis insights from the podcast to your live audience. Click here to book Molly for your next meeting. This podcast is supported by Muck Rack, the PR management platform I use to monitor media coverage, track journalist activity, and inform high-stakes strategy with real-time data. Click here to try Muck Rack for yourself. Follow & Connect with Molly: https://www.youtube.com/mollymcpherson ...

    17 min
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The PR Breakdown reveals the moves behind the mess. Crisis communication expert Molly McPherson dissects the viral scandals, celebrity meltdowns, and corporate disasters dominating headlines to show you the strategic mistakes and desperate moves that destroy reputations - so you never make them yourself.

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