CRUNCH

HMC
  • 5.0 (8)
  • MARKETING
  • UPDATED FORTNIGHTLY

Get ready to embark on a ‘PR learning adventure’ with CRUNCH! Three-time winner of the PR Institute of NZ’s ‘Small PR Agency of the Year,’ the HMC team provides practical wisdom to help business leaders turbocharge their reputation-building game. Tune in to these 'crucial chats over lunch' - CRUNCH - for entertaining insights that will empower you to forge connections and relationships with those who matter most in your industry. Whether you are steering the ship as a visionary CEO, orchestrating strategy from the boardroom, or driving a dynamic communications team, the HMC crew is your ultimate partner for PR success. Join us and our amazing line-up of experts as we dive deep into the trenches of reputational challenges. From building your brand, to encouraging staff loyalty, to handling issues and crises, the HMC team will equip you with proven PR strategies. And that’s not all – buckle up for episodes that unravel the mystique behind the latest digital PR trends. Wondering if you should seize the trend or let it slide? We’ve got your back with insights that slice through the noise and deliver crystal-clear information you can use to succeed in your leadership role. Ready to dive in even further? Visit the HMC at https://www.wearehmc.co.nz/crunch to learn more about our guests and download additional information on each episode topic. CRUNCH – it’s a bite-sized taster on the topic of public relations and strategic communications. Dive in now!

  1. 27 JAN

    Build Your Leadership Brand on LinkedIn

    LinkedIn has become one of the most influential platforms shaping professional reputation, trust, and visibility. Yet many leaders still feel unsure about how to show up in a way that feels authentic, strategic, and worth their time. In this episode, Emma and Natalie from HMC unpack what effective leadership presence on LinkedIn really looks like. Moving beyond vanity metrics and formulaic posting advice, the conversation focuses on how leaders can use LinkedIn as a long-term reputation and relationship-building tool rather than a content treadmill. The episode explores why consistency matters more than frequency, how credibility is built through perspective rather than promotion, and the role LinkedIn plays in influencing customers, staff, industry peers, and even AI-driven search results. The team also discusses common mistakes leaders make on the platform, why silence can be just as damaging as oversharing, and how to balance personal voice with organisational responsibility. This episode is particularly relevant for CEOs, founders, senior leaders, and subject-matter experts who want their LinkedIn presence to support trust, leadership visibility, and business outcomes without feeling forced or performative. Listeners will come away with practical guidance on how to approach LinkedIn with intention, clarity, and confidence, and how small, well-considered actions can compound into long-term brand equity. Takeaways: Authenticity matters. Leaders build trust on LinkedIn by sharing perspectives that reflect who they are and how they think, not by trying to sound like everyone else.Showing up counts. Thoughtful engagement and useful insights add far more value than posting for the sake of it or chasing trends that do not fit your role or reputation.Your profile is your foundation. A current, well-considered LinkedIn profile should accurately reflect where you are today, not where your career was several years ago.Consistency beats bursts. Regular, considered activity builds visibility and credibility over time, while long gaps make it harder to stay relevant.Leadership presence builds authority. Sharing informed viewpoints helps position leaders as credible voices in their field and supports trust in the wider organisation.Know your audience. Content that speaks to the right audience, their challenges, and their interests will always outperform generic posts. Companies mentioned in this episode: HMC LinkedIn ChatGPT Perplexity

    23 min

  2. 15 JAN

    Five Crucial Steps to Take in the First Hour of a Crisis

    This is a CRUNCH 'small bite' - a quick tip for our followers and fans. When a crisis hits, the first hour can make or break your reputation. In this episode, Heather Claycomb and Natalie Swart walk through what leaders and comms people must do in those first 60 minutes. They talk about how to pull your crisis team together fast, get clear on who is doing what, and stop people working at cross purposes. HMC director Heather Claycomb and HMC senior account manager Natalie Swart share practical tips for gathering solid facts, sorting truth from rumour, and deciding who needs to hear from you first. They explain why staff and key stakeholders should usually be at the front of the queue, and when you need to go public early versus when you can keep things contained. You will also hear how to shape simple, honest key messages that cover what you know, what you do not know yet, and what you are doing next. The goal is to keep control of the story before social media does it for you. Key takeaways In the first hour, get your crisis team together and give everyone clear roles.Collect only confirmed facts. Do not base your response on guesswork or gossip.Work out your key audiences, starting with your staff and closest stakeholders.Decide if you need to communicate publicly yet, based on the scale and visibility of the issue.Write short, clear key messages that state what has happened, what you are doing and what is still unknown.Move early to set the story. If you stay silent, others will fill the gap for you. Companies mentioned in this episode: HMC

    6 min

  3. 11 JAN

    Bad Review! What Should I Do?

    This is a CRUNCH 'small bite' - a quick tip for our followers and fans. Got a one star review and feel a bit sick? You are not alone. In this episode we talk about what to do when someone posts a bad review about your business, product or service. We get real about the first reaction most of us have - hurt, angry, defensive - and how hitting reply too fast can make things worse. HMC senior account managers, Emma Letessier and Vicki Jones, walk through how to pause, breathe and then respond in a way that shows you are listening and willing to put things right. They talk about when to say sorry, how to take the conversation offline, and how a calm, human reply can actually make you look more trustworthy to everyone reading the review. We also talk about the upside of reviews. Good ones are powerful social proof. Tough ones can highlight gaps in your service and give you a chance to improve. Key takeaways Do not fire back in the heat of the moment. Take a pause, then reply calmly and professionally.If you have made a mistake, say so and explain what you are doing to fix it.Write some simple response templates for common situations, then personalise them for each review.Reply to the good reviews too. A quick thank you shows you value your customers.Treat negative reviews as free feedback that can help you improve your systems and service.Keep your tone empathetic and human. People are watching how you handle criticism, not just what was said.

    8 min

  4. 8 JAN

    How to Ensure Your Brand Shows Up in AI Search

    This is a CRUNCH 'small bite' - a quick tip for our followers and fans. Is your brand showing up when people ask AI for information on a product or service? Many people are skipping Google and going straight to tools like ChatGPT, Gemini or Claude when they have a question about a product or service. If your brand is not being mentioned in those answers, you are missing warm leads. In this episode, HMC director Heather Claycomb and HMC senior account manager Vicki Jones unpack what AI search means for business leaders and comms people. They talk about how LLMs pick up information, why depth and clarity beat clickbait, and what you can do this week to improve your chances of being named in AI answers. You will hear practical ideas, not tech jargon. From checking your own visibility in incognito mode to tightening up your website, social channels and media coverage, this is about getting your house in order so AI cannot ignore you. Key takeaways SEO and AIO matter. Do not just optimise for Google. You need to show up in AI search results too.AI tools like clear, detailed, trustworthy content, not fluffy marketing speak.Consistent messages across your website, LinkedIn, media stories and other channels make it easier for AI to recognise and trust your brand.Use incognito mode and test AI searches for your key topics. See who appears. If it is not you, you have work to do.A simple communication plan that focuses on quality content in a few strong channels will put you ahead of many competitors. Companies mentioned in this episode: HMC ChatGPT Gemini Claude Google

    8 min

  5. 4 JAN

    Media Relations: Is the Media Release Dead?

    This is a CRUNCH 'small bite' - a quick tip for our followers and fans. Are media releases dead, or do they still earn their place in your PR toolkit? In this episode HMC director Heather Claycomb and senior account manager Natalie Swart talk honestly about how business leaders and comms people can work with New Zealand media without wasting anyone’s time. A client recently asked us if media releases are even relevant anymore, which sparked a good chat about when you should write a full release and when a short, sharp pitch email will do the job. Drawing nearly 25 years working with journalists, we share when a media release is the right move – especially when you need facts to be crystal clear, on the record and easy to lift into stories. We also look at when a tailored pitch wins, how to spot a real news angle, and why human stories still cut through crowded inboxes. If you're a business leader looking to get a story picked up by media or work in PR or comms, this episode gives you practical tips to choose the right tool for the job and build trust with media over time. Key takeaways Media releases still matter when you need accurate, factual information in front of journalists.Know when a media release is necessary and when a pitch is best.In a crisis, a media release helps keep everyone on message and protects your credibility.Strong relationships with journalists are built on being clear, reliable and easy to work with.Writing a media release first can make it much easier to pull out sharp, focused pitch key points.There is no single right way – use media releases and pitches differently depending on the story and the situation.

    6 min

  6. 18/12/2025

    5 PR Forces That Will Shape Business in 2026

    Businesses are facing a communications environment that is changing faster than at any point in recent memory. From AI-driven search and shrinking newsrooms to rising expectations on leadership visibility, the rules around reputation, influence, and trust are shifting. For leaders and communications teams, understanding what is coming next is no longer optional. In this episode of CRUNCH, HMC Director Heather Claycomb is joined by senior account managers Emma Letessier, Natalie Swart, and Vicki Jones to reflect briefly on four PR trends that shaped 2025, before turning their attention firmly to 2026. The heart of the conversation focuses on five PR forces the team believes will have the greatest impact on businesses this year. Drawing on hands-on experience working with organisations across New Zealand, the discussion explores why earned media is regaining strategic importance, how AI search is changing what visibility really means, and why human, credible storytelling is cutting through more than ever. The team also examines the growing role of thought leadership in steering narratives, and the emerging risks around misinformation and deep fakes in an election year. If you lead a business, manage a communications or marketing team, or advise organisations on reputation and influence, this episode will help you think more clearly about where to focus your effort in 2026, and how to build communications that stand up in a rapidly changing environment. Key Takeaways: Earned media is regaining strategic value as AI tools increasingly rely on credible news coverage to assess trust and authority.AI search is now a core audience in its own right, influencing how long-form content, messaging, and visibility need to be planned.Media scarcity is raising the bar on storytelling, with human insight, strong angles, and clear evidence more important than ever.Thought leadership, when done well and consistently, is becoming one of the most effective ways to steer narratives and build credibility.Misinformation and deep fakes present growing reputational risk, particularly as New Zealand heads into an election year. Companies mentioned in this episode: hmc ChatGPT Meta Andromeda New Zealand Herald Stuff Radio New Zealand TVNZ Sora Jeremy Carrasco

    23 min

  7. 07/08/2025

    PART 2: Unlocking AI Search: How Your Brand Can Rise to the Top

    The way people search for companies and products online is changing. This is part 2 in a two-part podcast series. In this episode our conversation explores communications tactics businesses can use to enhance their visibility within AI-driven searches. And the result will be greater engagement with your target audiences. The HMC team talks about the importance of having a robust communication plan, which is the starting point to ensuring you have consistent and authoritative content on a variety of online channels. And when you do, AI search engines will find you and recommend you. Takeaways: Brands must develop a robust communications strategy and online content plan to enhance visibility in AI searches. Understanding brand messaging and personality is crucial for differentiation in a competitive market. Engaging with online media with news stories and thought leadership can significantly improve AI optimization outcomes. Creating high-quality, human-centered content is essential for building trust with audiences and AI platforms. Leveraging partnerships to generate credible endorsements by third-parties can enhance a brand's online authority. Brands should actively seek out and respond to frequently asked questions to improve AIO and relevance. Links referenced in this episode: wearehmc.co.nz Companies mentioned in this episode: HMC ChatGPT Cloud Gemini TripAdvisor Instagram PR Institute of New Zealand

    21 min

  8. 01/08/2025

    Unlocking AI Search: How Your Brand Can Rise to the Top (part 1 of 2)

    The landscape of online search is undergoing a profound evolution, as consumers increasingly opt to bypass traditional search engines like Google in favor of advanced AI platforms such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude. This evolution means brands must reconsider their digital presence, as large language models (LLMs) prioritise credible, consistent and authoritative content found on multiple platforms when making recommendations. In this first episode of our two-part series, we delve into the nuances of these changes in consumer behavior, and talk about the criteria that AI employs to include brands in its search responses. Furthermore, we provide a glimpse into effective tactics that companies can adopt to enhance their visibility in AI searches. Join us as we lay the groundwork for a more detailed action plan in our second episode, where we will equip brands with helpful tactics to be found in AI search. Takeaways: The landscape of online search is evolving as consumers increasingly prefer AI search engines over traditional search engines like Google. Large language models, such as ChatGPT and Gemini, prioritise credible and authoritative content when generating recommendations for users. Brands must understand that their entire digital footprint, from media coverage to expert commentary and more, directly influences their visibility in AI search results. A strategic communications plan with relevant digital tactics is a crucial first step in ensuring that brands are effectively pulled through in AI recommendations. As the reliance on AI for product comparisons grows, brands must adapt their content strategies to enhance their discoverability in this new environment. Our next CRUNCH episode is part 2 of this discussion and will provide actionable insights for companies seeking to enhance their presence in AI-driven search results. Companies mentioned in this episode: HMC ChatGPT Gemini Perplexity Reddit Friends that Invest One NZ Briscoes

    21 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

Get ready to embark on a ‘PR learning adventure’ with CRUNCH! Three-time winner of the PR Institute of NZ’s ‘Small PR Agency of the Year,’ the HMC team provides practical wisdom to help business leaders turbocharge their reputation-building game. Tune in to these 'crucial chats over lunch' - CRUNCH - for entertaining insights that will empower you to forge connections and relationships with those who matter most in your industry. Whether you are steering the ship as a visionary CEO, orchestrating strategy from the boardroom, or driving a dynamic communications team, the HMC crew is your ultimate partner for PR success. Join us and our amazing line-up of experts as we dive deep into the trenches of reputational challenges. From building your brand, to encouraging staff loyalty, to handling issues and crises, the HMC team will equip you with proven PR strategies. And that’s not all – buckle up for episodes that unravel the mystique behind the latest digital PR trends. Wondering if you should seize the trend or let it slide? We’ve got your back with insights that slice through the noise and deliver crystal-clear information you can use to succeed in your leadership role. Ready to dive in even further? Visit the HMC at https://www.wearehmc.co.nz/crunch to learn more about our guests and download additional information on each episode topic. CRUNCH – it’s a bite-sized taster on the topic of public relations and strategic communications. Dive in now!

Information

  • Creator
    HMC
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    26
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 HMC
  • Show Website
    CRUNCH