Stories and Strategies with Curzon Public Relations

Stories and Strategies
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Stories and Strategies is the podcast for public relations and communications professionals who want substance, not slogans. The show drops every Tuesday and unpacks what is really shaping modern PR: the changing media landscape, measurement beyond dashboards, leadership, behavioral science, and the ethical principles that keep persuasion honest. Reaching nearly 10,000 downloads each month, Stories and Strategies has earned its place among the most listened-to PR podcasts in the world. If you are responsible for the story people believe about your organization, you cannot afford to guess. Follow Stories and Strategies wherever you listen.

  1. The Confidence Gap Is a Room Problem, Not a YOU Problem

    18H AGO

    The Confidence Gap Is a Room Problem, Not a YOU Problem

    Send us a note about this episode. We'll reply and thank you on a future episode You’ve been in that room. Maybe you are in it right now. The table is full, the voices are loud, and somewhere between the agenda and the first agenda item, you go quiet. Not because you don't know what to say. Because something in the room tells you it isn't your turn. You leave and you call it imposter syndrome. You make it about yourself. You wonder what's wrong with you. Nothing is wrong with you. The room did that. Confidence is not something you’re both with. It’s not the absence of nerves. And it’s not volume. It’s not the ability to dominate. It’s trust. Trust in yourself that no matter what gets put in front of you, you will handle it. And the confidence gap that so many communicators feel is not a personal failing. It is an environmental one.  Listen For: 3:26 Is imposter syndrome really a personal problem, or is the room the problem? 6:40 What kinds of rooms make professionals feel safe or excluded? 9:14 How can you speak up when someone dominates the conversation? 11:17 How did Advita Patel build confidence after years of self-doubt? 15:09 What is an energy audit, and how can it protect your wellbeing? Guest: Advita Patel, Founder Comms Rebel, former President CIPR Website | Confidence Coaching site | LinkedIn Book Decoding Confidence     Doug Substack | Website | LinkedIn Farzana Substack | Website | LinkedIn   Are you a brand with a podcast that needs support? Book a meeting with Doug Downs to talk about it. Apply to be a guest on the podcast Connect with us LinkedIn | X | Instagram | You Tube | Facebook | Threads | Bluesky | Pinterest Stories and Strategies is the Official Podcast Sponsor of IABC World Conference in Toronto June 14-16, 2026 Click here to check it out https://wc.iabc.com  Support the show

    24 min
  2. How Behavioral Science Can help PR Pros Understand Motivation and Decision-Making

    MAY 12

    How Behavioral Science Can help PR Pros Understand Motivation and Decision-Making

    Send us a note about this episode. We'll reply and thank you on a future episode Your client is wrong. You know it. They know it, somewhere underneath the certainty.  And you have two choices. You can tell them they're wrong, which will end the conversation and cost you the relationship. Or you can find the thing they want more than being right and take them there instead. This is something most communications professionals learn the hard way and never quite put into words. Every difficult client, every resistant leader, every person digging into a position that will hurt them, they are not just wrong. They are running two competing motivations at the same time.  The need to be right. And the need to succeed.  And those two things are almost never the same thing. The PR professional who understands that distinction doesn't argue. They redirect. And the client ends up exactly where you needed them to go, convinced it was their idea all along. Listen For 4:40 Can communicators actually motivate people to act? 7:17 Is PR returning to behavioral science, or losing its way? 8:55 What are system one, system two, and system three thinking? 11:17 How do you challenge a client without losing trust? 14:08 Will AI replace PR professionals or reveal who thinks strategically?   Guest: Roger Hurni, Founder & Chief Brand Strategist, Off Madison Ave Website | Agency | LinkedIn  Outthink. Outperform. Transform Your Organization Through Behavioral Marketing   Doug Substack | Website | LinkedIn Farzana Substack | Website | LinkedIn   Are you a brand with a podcast that needs support? Book a meeting with Doug Downs to talk about it. Apply to be a guest on the podcast Connect with us LinkedIn | X | Instagram | You Tube | Facebook | Threads | Bluesky | Pinterest Stories and Strategies is the Official Podcast Sponsor of IABC World Conference in Toronto June 14-16, 2026 Click here to check it out https://wc.iabc.com  Support the show

    21 min
  3. AI vs Social Media. Which do we Trust More?

    MAY 5

    AI vs Social Media. Which do we Trust More?

    Send us a note about this episode. We'll reply and thank you on a future episode 50 percent. That's how much of the global population now trusts generative AI when searching for information about companies and brands.  More than Instagram. More than Facebook. More than social media in general.  And that number climbed 7 points in a single year.  The data comes from the Page Society's annual Harris Poll study. 14 countries, more than 15,000 people surveyed in December 2025. Consumers aren't just using AI more. They're believing it more. And most of them aren't clicking through to the source. They're reading the AI answer and moving on.  For communicators, this changes the job. It's no longer enough to optimize for search engines, you now need to optimize for the AI that sits on top of them. What does generative AI say when someone types in your brand name? Is it accurate? Is it current? Or is it surfacing something you said or did 20 years ago that no longer represents who you are?  Listen For 3:26 How is declining consumer trust reshaping the role of communication leaders? 4:52 Why do consumers now trust generative AI more than social media for brand information? 12:28 What are the biggest risks of disinformation and AI hallucinations for brands? 15:45 Why can’t AI replace human experience and critical thinking in communications? 20:22 How should brands optimize for AI search while maintaining trust and accuracy? Guest: Rochelle Ford, Ph.D., APR, CEO The Page Society LinkedIn | Website  Page-Harris Poll: Confidence in Business Index 2026 Doug Substack | Website | LinkedIn Farzana Substack | Website | LinkedIn   Are you a brand with a podcast that needs support? Book a meeting with Doug Downs to talk about it. Apply to be a guest on the podcast Connect with us LinkedIn | X | Instagram | You Tube | Facebook | Threads | Bluesky | Pinterest Stories and Strategies is the Official Podcast Sponsor of IABC World Conference in Toronto June 14-16, 2026 Click here to check it out https://wc.iabc.com  Support the show

    23 min
  4. Why Misalignment from Senior Leadership Rolls Downhill

    APR 28

    Why Misalignment from Senior Leadership Rolls Downhill

    Send us a note about this episode. We'll reply and thank you on a future episode Your Organisation says it's aligned. It probably isn't. And the problem starts at the top. Zora Artis and Wayne Aspland have spent 7 years studying the gap between what leadership teams say they're doing and what's actually happening inside organizations. And their findings are uncomfortable.  In their latest global study, drawing on interviews with 55 CEOs and senior executives across five continents, they found that leaders routinely leave strategy meetings carrying completely different understandings of the direction they just agreed on.  Nobody admits it. And communications professionals get handed the impossible job of aligning everyone else around a strategy the leadership team hasn't genuinely aligned on themselves.  In this episode, we break down why the gap has barely moved in seven years, what's actually driving it, and what communications professionals are uniquely positioned to do about it.    The full findings are being presented IABC World Conference 2026 in Toronto this June. Register  https://wc.iabc.com/    Download the full Report and Infographic Summary here.   Listen For 4:11 What does true organizational alignment actually mean beyond agreement? 7:44 Why do leaders think they’re aligned but act differently after meetings? 9:09 How do fear and ego silently destroy alignment in executive teams? 12:18 What is “glass head syndrome” and why does it derail strategy execution? 17:18 Is AI making organizational alignment better or worse? Guests: Zora Artis Website Artis Advisory | Website Clear Leaders | Email | LinkedIn Wayne Aspland Website Clear Leaders | Email | LinkedIn  Doug Substack | Website | LinkedIn   Are you a brand with a podcast that needs support? Book a meeting with Doug Downs to talk about it. Apply to be a guest on the podcast Connect with us LinkedIn | X | Instagram | You Tube | Facebook | Threads | Bluesky | Pinterest Stories and Strategies is the Official Podcast Sponsor of IABC World Conference in Toronto June 14-16, 2026 Click here to check it out https://wc.iabc.com  Support the show

    23 min
  5. Crisis Communication Gaps: What CEOs Aren't Saying

    APR 21

    Crisis Communication Gaps: What CEOs Aren't Saying

    Send us a note about this episode. We'll reply and thank you on a future episode Every comms professional knows the playbook. A crisis hits, you move fast. Holding statement, talking points, media plan, stakeholder map. You do it well because you've trained for it. You bring the plan to the CEO expecting alignment and instead you get a polite nod and silence. Not pushback. Not disagreement. Just silence.  And that silence is worse than any argument because it means the CEO has already stopped listening. Not because your plan was bad, but because it was solving a problem they weren't thinking about. This is the gap that quietly erodes the comms function's credibility in organizations everywhere. Communicators are passionate people. That passion is their greatest asset, until it becomes a bias that pulls them toward issues that feel urgent but aren't connected to the core business.  And when that happens enough times, the CEO doesn't fire you. They just stop inviting you into the room.  Listen For 3:09 How Do CEOs vs. Comms Leaders Actually Respond to Global Crises? 4:26 When Should You Speak—and When Are You Giving an Issue Oxygen? 6:28 Do PR Professionals Need Financial and Data Literacy to Be Strategic? 11:44 Why Is Reporting Not Enough? And What Does Real Analysis Look Like? 15:13 Can AI Truly Make Your Communications Strategy More Effective? Guest: Johna Burke, CEO and Global Managing Director, AMEC (International Association for the Measurement and Evaluation of Communication) Email | Website | LinkedIn   Doug Substack | Website | LinkedIn Farzana Substack | Website | LinkedIn   Are you a brand with a podcast that needs support? Book a meeting with Doug Downs to talk about it. Apply to be a guest on the podcast Connect with us LinkedIn | X | Instagram | You Tube | Facebook | Threads | Bluesky | Pinterest Stories and Strategies is the Official Podcast Sponsor of IABC World Conference in Toronto June 14-16, 2026 Click here to check it out https://wc.iabc.com  Support the show

    23 min
  6. Why Selling Time Is Killing Your Public Relations Agency

    APR 14

    Why Selling Time Is Killing Your Public Relations Agency

    Send us a note about this episode. We'll reply and thank you on a future episode Every PR firm knows the drill. Client says here's my budget. Firm divides by twelve. Monthly retainer, same amount, January through December, whether the work demands it or not.  Need a press release? Flat rate. Need ten? Multiply.  Need an editor or a videographer? That's by the hour, and one minute is one hour.  The pricing isn't creative. It isn't strategic. It's arithmetic dressed up as a business model. And it worked fine, until AI started doing the arithmetic faster. Suddenly teams are twice as productive in half the time, and if you're still selling hours, you're punishing yourself for getting better. Meanwhile, the client's procurement department is happy to keep paying by the hour, because now those hours cost less. So, who's really winning?  The firms who don't rethink how they price will be replaced. Not by AI, but by hungrier competitors who already have. Listen For 3:42 Why Are PR Firms the Least Creative in Pricing? 6:34 Are You Losing Money by Defaulting to Retainers? 9:08 How Should Agencies Identify Where They Create the Most Value? 12:19 How Do You Avoid the “Bait and Switch” With Senior Talent? 15:27 Is AI Killing Hourly Pricing Models for Good? Guest: Blair Enns, Win Without Pitching Website | LinkedIn | Podcast 2Bobs David’s books including Pricing Creativity   Doug Substack | Website | LinkedIn Farzana Substack | Website | LinkedIn   Are you a brand with a podcast that needs support? Book a meeting with Doug Downs to talk about it. Apply to be a guest on the podcast Connect with us LinkedIn | X | Instagram | You Tube | Facebook | Threads | Bluesky | Pinterest Stories and Strategies is the Official Podcast Sponsor of IABC World Conference in Toronto June 14-16, 2026 Click here to check it out https://wc.iabc.com  Support the show

    23 min
  7. People Don’t Resist Change, They Resist Being Changed

    APR 7

    People Don’t Resist Change, They Resist Being Changed

    Send us a note about this episode. We'll reply and thank you on a future episode Most communicators assume that if people reject a message, they must not understand it. Lord David Evans argues the opposite. Backlash often isn’t confusion. It’s threat. When people feel insecure, unheard, or looked down on, they don’t lean in. They shut down. And in that moment, facts don’t persuade, values don’t inspire, and “better messaging” can make things worse. In this episode Lord David Evans breaks down what political campaigning can teach PR professionals about trust, psychological safety, and why populist narratives spread so quickly. This isn’t about copying tactics. It’s about understanding what your audience needs before they will even give you permission to listen.  Listen For 2:22 Who is Lord David Evans and why does his perspective matter right now? 3:54 Why is behaviour change almost never an information problem? 6:36 Why do people get drawn to extreme political movements? 10:36 Are politicians themselves fueling fear and insecurity? 12:48 Is social media pushing people into fight-or-flight mode? Guest: Lord David Evans LinkedIn | Email    Doug Substack | Website | LinkedIn Farzana Substack | Website | LinkedIn   Are you a brand with a podcast that needs support? Book a meeting with Doug Downs to talk about it. Apply to be a guest on the podcast Connect with us LinkedIn | X | Instagram | You Tube | Facebook | Threads | Bluesky | Pinterest Request a transcript of this episode Stories and Strategies is the Official Podcast Sponsor of IABC World Conference in Toronto June 14-16, 2026 Click here to check it out https://wc.iabc.com  Support the show

    20 min
  8. The New Role of Public Relations | Ipsos

    MAR 31

    The New Role of Public Relations | Ipsos

    Send us a note about this episode. We'll reply and thank you on a future episode Public relations used to be seen as the function that shaped the message after the decisions were made. That is not enough anymore. In a world shaped by geopolitical shocks, cultural division, AI disruption, and rising reputational risk, communications leaders are being pulled closer to the centre of power. They are no longer just storytellers or spokespersons. They are becoming strategic sensemakers: the people expected to read the moment, interpret the pressure, and help leadership decide what to say, what to do, and sometimes whether to say anything at all.  Our job is evolving to help brands survive the storm. If you work in PR, corporate affairs, or communications leadership, this episode will feel familiar fast, because it names the job as it is now, not as it used to be. And if you have not yet felt that shift in your own role, you will soon.   Listen For 3:00 How Has the PR Professional Evolved into a Strategic Sense-Making Role? 5:58 When Should CEOs Speak Out. And When Should They Stay Silent? 10:23 What Is Strategic Ambiguity, and Why Are Companies Using It Now? 13:09 What Skills Do Future PR Professionals Need to Succeed? 15:01 How Do Communication Leaders Really Feel About AI? Guest: Tom Fife-Schaw, Uk Managing Director of Corporate Reputation, Ipsos Email | LinkedIn | Navigating Through Turbulence Report  Doug Substack | Website | LinkedIn Farzana Substack | Website | LinkedIn   Are you a brand with a podcast that needs support? Book a meeting with Doug Downs to talk about it. Apply to be a guest on the podcast Connect with us LinkedIn | X | Instagram | You Tube | Facebook | Threads | Bluesky | Pinterest Request a transcript of this episode Stories and Strategies is the Official Podcast Sponsor of IABC World Conference in Toronto June 14-16, 2026 Click here to check it out https://wc.iabc.com  Support the show

    24 min
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About

Stories and Strategies is the podcast for public relations and communications professionals who want substance, not slogans. The show drops every Tuesday and unpacks what is really shaping modern PR: the changing media landscape, measurement beyond dashboards, leadership, behavioral science, and the ethical principles that keep persuasion honest. Reaching nearly 10,000 downloads each month, Stories and Strategies has earned its place among the most listened-to PR podcasts in the world. If you are responsible for the story people believe about your organization, you cannot afford to guess. Follow Stories and Strategies wherever you listen.

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