On Top of PR with Jason Mudd

Jason Mudd, Axia Public Relations
  • 4.9 (50)
  • Marketing
  • Updated Monthly

On Top of PR is a podcast dedicated to helping corporate communications leaders leverage the power of PR to build a strong brand and great reputation. Each episode features guests to discuss PR and marketing topics, tips, and trends. We want to help every active and aspiring communication professional stay on top of PR.   It is one of the top 2.5% most popular podcast shows globally, according to Listen Notes' Listen Score, and among the top 100 marketing podcasts in the world on Apple Podcasts.   We've featured guests from Microsoft, Disney, Wells Fargo, Tyson Foods, Mall of America, Priceline, Southwest Airlines, and more. About Jason MuddJason Mudd is a professional public speaker, accredited public relations practitioner, published author, podcaster, and entrepreneur. The World Communication Forum named him North America’s top PR leader. He’s the CEO and managing partner of Axia Public Relations. Forbes Magazine named Axia as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. He is a trusted adviser and dynamic strategist to some of America’s most admired and fastest-growing companies. His past PR work includes American Airlines, Budweiser, Dave & Buster’s, H&R Block, Hilton, HP, Miller Lite, New York Life, Pizza Hut, Southern Comfort, and Verizon. 

  1. 18h ago

    Is your brand PR ready? 5 steps for the AI era

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Slava Balykov joins host Jason Mudd to discuss how you can assess your brand's public relations readiness before a crisis or AI tool exposes your gaps. Slava shares his five-step framework, explains how to respond when AI gets your brand wrong, and reveals what executives really want from PR reporting. Tune in to learn more! Five things you’ll learn from this episode: How to assess your brand's PR readiness in the AI eraFive steps to PR readinessWhy you should understand your information environment before investing in AI optimizationHow to check what AI says about your organization and what to do when it’s wrongWhat executives want from PR reporting and why coverage volume rarely delivers it Quotables "Before optimizing anything, organizations need to understand the information environment that already exists around them." — Slava Balykov"Critical doesn't mean incorrect." — Slava Balykov"Treat readiness as an ongoing diagnostic, not a one-off exercise." — Slava Balykov"Quality is much more important than quantity." — Slava Balykov"Measuring impressions or the number of appearances feels like what people call vanity metrics, as opposed to true business impact." — Jason MuddIf you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review. Guest’s contact info and resources: Slava Balykov on LinkedInSlava's five steps to PR readiness in the AI era:Establish your baseline.  Understand what information about your organization is currently discoverable and identify important gaps, contradictions, or outdated information.Review owned information.  Make sure your website, corporate pages, leadership profiles, and other controlled touchpoints clearly and accurately explain who you are and what you do.Look beyond owned channels.  Examine credible third-party sources, including media, industry publications, and other independent references, to understand the wider information environment around your organization.Diagnose the gaps.  Compare owned and external information. Investigate where they materially differ and determine whether the issue is outdated information, factual inconsistency, legitimate criticism, or a broader positioning gap.Monitor over time.  Information environments continually change. Regularly review important sources and AI-generated answers to identify new gaps and keep your communications foundation current.Additional Resources: Reputation management for AI search: Monitoring and response frameworkRethinking reputation management in public relations for the AI eraAI search is the new front pageHow do you measure PR? A guide to meaningful metricsListen to more episodes of the On Top of PR with Jason Mudd podcast.Find out more about Axia Public Relations. If you like this episode, you're going to love this: AI and PR with Microsoft's CCO Frank ShawThe PR playbook for getting recommended by AI with UnusualHow to prepare for any communication crisis with Tom CiubaCrisis lessons learned from Southwest Airlines Recorded: September 2026 Support the show On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

    Is your brand PR ready? 5 steps for the AI era

  2. Sep 29

    Why brands should lead with public relations

    Send us Fan Mail In this solocast, On Top of PR host Jason Mudd explains why brands should earn attention before they buy it and how generative AI makes leading with PR more important for marketing leaders. Tune in to learn more! Five things you’ll learn from this episode: 1. Why the order of PR and advertising matters when you launch something new 2. How Starbucks, Tesla, and Pepperidge Farm earned attention before they bought it 3. Why launching advertising first can spend your news value 4. How earned media shapes what generative AI platforms say about your brand 5. Which three questions to ask before your next launch   Quotables “They earned attention before they bought it.” — @jasonmudd9 “Lead with PR. Then use advertising to amplify what PR helped build.” — @jasonmudd9 “If you have something new, different, or disruptive, you have something advertising can’t buy. You have news value.” — @jasonmudd9 “PR helped other people do the talking.” — @jasonmudd9 “You don’t always have to buy attention first. Sometimes the better strategy is to earn it.” — @jasonmudd9 If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review. Guest’s contact info and resources: Jason Mudd on X Jason Mudd on LinkedIn Prioritizing PR over advertising with Laura Ries | On Top of PR podcast Muck Rack: What Is AI Reading? (May 2026) PR Success Stories: From Struggling Startup to More Than $130 Million in Revenues Additional Resources: The power of PR How do you measure PR? 7 ways to build credibility using public relations PR is now the front door to AI discovery Listen to more episodes of the On Top of PR with Jason Mudd podcast Find out more about Axia Public Relations If you like this episode, you're going to love this: The best argument for PR? Surprisingly, it’s AI How public relations changes business outcomes 95% of AI citations come from PR content Recorded: September, 2026 Support the show On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

    Why brands should lead with public relations

  3. Sep 1

    Why business acumen is critical for PR professionals today

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Ron Culp joins host Jason Mudd to discuss why business acumen now outweighs writing skills in PR hiring, the three stages of a corporate PR career, and five practical ways to build business acumen at any career stage. Tune in to learn more! Meet Our Guest: Our guest is Ron Culp, a professional-in-residence at DePaul University and a former corporate chief communications officer. He brings decades of experience across government, corporate communications, public relations agencies, and higher education, where he helps prepare the next generation of PR professionals. Five things you’ll learn from this episode:  1. Three stages of corporate public relations 2. Why business acumen has taken over writing skills as the top thing employers want 3. Five practical ways students and young professionals can build business acumen 4. Why understanding how your company makes money changes the decisions you make 5. Why business acumen matters   Quotables "When what you're doing isn't having any impact on the business, you really have to question it. If you don't, you're gonna start being questioned." – Ron Culp "You just make better decisions if you have a sense of what the business is all about." – Ron Culp "Good writers are good thinkers, always has been the case, and good writers can be trained." – Ron Culp "If we can't figure out how they make money, then I'm not sure we can be the trusted strategic partner that we need to be." – Jason Mudd If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review. Guest’s contact info and resources: Ron Culp on LinkedIn Ron Culp's blog: culpwrit.com Ageism in the workplace: Hiring bias, careers, and the future of work How trusted strategic advisors influence leaders Additional Resources: Marketing leaders are reframing reputation management as a revenue strategy Traditional PR doesn’t work anymore How to turn social and reputation management into a revenue operating system Listen to more episodes of the On Top of PR with Jason Mudd podcast Find out more about Axia Public Relations If you like this episode, you're going to love this: How public relations changes business outcomes How communications professionals shape business success Maximizing Agency Partnerships with Mark Riggs Recorded: August, 2026 Support the show On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

    Why business acumen is critical for PR professionals today

  4. Aug 24

    AI can synthesize your data. It can't tell you what matters.

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Jessica Barber Scott joins host Jason Mudd to discuss how public relations professionals can move beyond impressions and advertising value equivalency to measure outcomes and impact, build measurement frameworks around business objectives, and use AI without losing the human judgment a CFO relationship requires. Tune in to learn more!   Meet our guest: Our guest is Jessica Barber Scott, a senior communication professional with 15 years of experience across regulated financial services, state government, and higher education. She is a PRSA Silver Anvil Award winner for crisis communication and has advised C-suite leaders at organizations including TIAA, Corebridge Financial, and EverBank. Five things you’ll learn from this episode: 1. Why AVE still shows up in reporting and what it costs you 2. How to climb the three tiers of PR measurement (outputs, outcomes, and impact) 3. Why your measurement framework should start with the business objective, not the data 4. Four moves that change the dynamic of any CFO budget meeting 5. What AI can do for measurement and what it can’t replace   Quotables “The numbers are getting smaller as the work gets credible.” — Jessica Scott “Come in with the data. Not with an apology, with data.” — Jessica Scott “AI can pull faster. It can synthesize more broadly. It can find patterns across data at a scale that really no human team can match. But what it can't do is tell you whether you're measuring the right thing in the first place.” — Jessica Scott “Getting media coverage is not a result. It's an output of the work and the effort that you made.” — Jason Mudd If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review. Guest’s contact info and resources: Jessica Scott on LinkedIn AMEC Additional Resources: How do you measure PR? Yes, PR is measurable. How to measure and report public relations and strategic corporate communications The 3 biggest PR measurement mistakes 5 metrics you should measure in PR Listen to more episodes of the On Top of PR with Jason Mudd podcast. Find out more about Axia Public Relations. If you like this episode, you're going to love this: What you should be measuring in your PR campaigns with Johna Burke Barcelona Principles 4.0: How to measure PR effectively with AMEC CEO Johna Burke The power of PR measurement with Katie Delahaye Paine  Recorded: August, 2026 Support the show On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

    AI can synthesize your data. It can't tell you what matters.

  5. Aug 4

    Applying leadership frameworks to AI

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Ken Jacobs, principal of Jacobs Consulting & Executive Coaching, joins host Jason Mudd to discuss how communications leaders can apply proven leadership principles to AI adoption. Tune in to learn more! Meet our guest: Our guest is Ken Jacobs, principal of Jacobs Consulting & Executive Coaching. Ken helps public relations, communications, and marketing leaders become more effective and inspiring leaders through executive coaching and consulting. Before launching his consulting practice, he spent 25 years in leadership roles at leading PR agencies. He also hosts Taking the Lead, a leadership video podcast, and writes the quarterly Taking the Lead column for the Public Relations Society of America's Strategies & Tactics publication. Five things you’ll learn from this episode: 1. How courageous leaders embrace AI 2. Why every organization needs AI guardrails 3. How leaders can build AI confidence 4. Why listening leads to stronger teams 5. How AI and human judgment work together   Quotables "If you're not already deep in AI, you're behind, but it's also never too late." — Ken Jacobs “Walk the walk, not just talk the talk.” — Ken Jacobs “True leaders update their knowledge and fluency.” — Ken Jacobs “You as a leader have to be able to ask the right kind of questions.” — Ken Jacobs "Hire smart people and get out of their way." — Jason Mudd If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review. Guest’s contact info and resources: Ken Jacobs on LinkedIn Jacobs Consulting & Executive Coaching website Taking the Lead Podcast How to stay ahead of AI in communications and marketing Four leadership tips to guide you through uncertain times Additional resources: What sources feed generative AI answers? What Google AI Mode means for your PR and media strategy How are AI tools changing PR jobs? Axia’s AIVisibility service Listen to more episodes of the On Top of PR with Jason Mudd podcast. Find out more about Axia Public Relations. If you like this episode, you're going to love this: The best argument for PR? Surprisingly, it's AI 95% of AI citations come from PR content  Managing communications and PR in the AI era Embedded AI: The future of PR and communication workflows Recorded: July, 2026 Support the show On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

    Applying leadership frameworks to AI

  6. Jul 28

    Managing communications and PR in the AI era with Brenda Duran

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode, LA County communications leader Brenda Duran joins host Jason Mudd to discuss how to manage communications and public relations in the AI era through trust and authentic storytelling. Tune in to learn more! Meet Our Guest: Our guest is Brenda Duran, director of external affairs at the Los Angeles County Justice, Care and Opportunities Department. An award-winning public affairs and communications executive with more than 12 years of experience, Brenda specializes in crisis communications, community engagement, and building trust through authentic storytelling. A former journalist, she brings a unique perspective on how public institutions can communicate with transparency, empathy, and impact. Five things you’ll learn from this episode: 1. The rise of AI in public relations 2. Building trust in a digital-first world 3. Leading communications during high-stakes moments 4. The power of authentic storytelling 5. The future of communications leadership Quotables  “[AI] is not there to replace anything; it's more to enhance what we're already doing.”  — Brenda Duran “Trust isn't really built in with one campaign. It's earned through repeated reliable communication over time.” — Brenda Duran “AI definitely cannot replace some fundamental things like strategic thinking, relationship building, emotional intelligence, ethics and cultural understanding. Those are things that no machine will ever be able to take from us.” — Brenda Duran “We need to become AI literate, but you have to also remain human-centered.” — Brenda Duran “We still have to be trusted strategic advisors, lead with strategy, lead with empathy and humanity, and just make the right choices of what's good and what's ethical for the marketplace.” — Jason Mudd If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review. Guest’s contact info and resources: @bduran5 on Instagram Brenda Duran on LinkedIn Brenda Duran’s website From newsroom to PR: Journalists making the switch Transition from journalism to PR Additional Resources: AI in PR: Transforming communication strategies The emerging role of AI in public relations How to speak with clarity and authority during a crisis Axia’s AI visibility services Listen to more episodes of the On Top of PR with Jason Mudd podcast. Find out more about Axia Public Relations. If you like this episode, you're going to love this: The best argument for PR? Surprisingly, it's AI When a crisis hits, say this or stay silent Effective crisis communications Recorded: July, 2026 Support the show On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

    Managing communications and PR in the AI era with Brenda Duran

  7. Jul 14

    How public relations changes business outcomes

    Send us Fan Mail In this solocast, On Top of PR host Jason Mudd discusses how public relations drives awareness, credibility, trust, and demand to create measurable business outcomes beyond media coverage. Tune in to learn more! Five things you’ll learn from this episode: 1. Why organizations should measure PR by business outcomes instead of media outputs 2. How awareness can remove growth barriers for great products and services 3. Why earned media builds credibility that influences customer behavior 4. How visibility creates demand through real-world business examples 5. What marketing leaders should ask when evaluating PR performance   Quotables “Organizations invest in PR because they want business results.” — @jasonmudd9 “The game didn't change; awareness changed.” — @jasonmudd9 “Awareness gets attention, credibility earns trust, and trust influences behavior.” — @jasonmudd9 “Public relations isn't magic, but when it's aligned with business objectives, it can be a powerful driver of business outcomes.” — @jasonmudd9 “Awareness influenced credibility. Credibility influenced demand, and demand influenced business outcomes.” — @jasonmudd9 If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review. Contact info and resources: Jason Mudd on X Jason Mudd on LinkedIn How the power of PR saved Twister PR Success Stories: From Struggling Startup to More Than $130 Million in Revenues PR Success Stories: Media Coverage for HeadBlade Creates $25,000 in Website Sales Axia Case Study Foundation Financial Group Additional Resources: The power of PR How do you measure PR? 7 ways to build credibility using public relations 5 ways PR can generate buzz for your business Listen to more episodes of the On Top of PR with Jason Mudd podcast Find out more about Axia Public Relations If you like this episode, you're going to love this: 3 ways franchisors can use PR to grow their company with John Hewitt PR research with Mark Weiner Recorded: June 15, 2026 Support the show On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

    How public relations changes business outcomes

  8. Jul 7

    How trusted strategic advisors influence leaders

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode, James (Jim) Lukaszewski joins host Jason Mudd to discuss how to influence leaders through trust, candor, and strategic communication. Tune in to learn more! Meet our guest: Our guest is James (Jim) Lukaszewski, president and CEO of The Lukaszewski Group. Jim has advised business leaders through crises and high-stakes situations for more than five decades. He shares practical strategies for becoming the trusted strategic advisor leaders rely on when making important decisions. Five things you’ll learn from this episode: 1. Why trusted advisors begin by understanding leadership challenges before communication challenges  2. How candor helps build credibility with executives  3. The Three-Minute Drill for presenting strategic recommendations  4. Why offering options instead of conclusions leads to better leadership decisions 5. How studying leadership helps communicators become more influential advisors  Quotables “All problems are management and organizational problems before they are any other kind of problem.” — Jim Lukaszewski “You have to start where the person you're advising is, not where you think the solution is.” — Jim Lukaszewski “Management happens in real time.” — Jim Lukaszewski “Anybody who can offer three perspectives or useful concepts about any problem the boss is facing is a valuable person.” — Jim Lukaszewski “Your highest and best use … is being a trusted advisor to leadership.” — Jason Mudd If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review. Guest’s contact info and resources: James Lukaszewski on LinkedIn James E. Lukaszewski on YouTube E911 website Crisisguru.ai Pre-order the “Influencing Leaders” book Pre-order Jim’s new book. Email a copy of your receipt to jel@e911.com with the subject line "TOP."  Follow Jim on LinkedIn. Subscribe to Jim’s newsletter. When the book is released in August, you'll receive the handbook by email. Additional Resources: Does PR play an active role in your strategic planning? Learn how to make it easier to reach your goals Defining leadership in corporate communications Axia’s crisis PR service Listen to more episodes of the On Top of PR with Jason Mudd podcast. Find out more about Axia Public Relations. If you like this episode, you're going to love this: How to be a trusted adviser with Del Galloway When a crisis hits, say this or stay silent Recorded: July, 2026 Support the show On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

    How trusted strategic advisors influence leaders
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About

On Top of PR is a podcast dedicated to helping corporate communications leaders leverage the power of PR to build a strong brand and great reputation. Each episode features guests to discuss PR and marketing topics, tips, and trends. We want to help every active and aspiring communication professional stay on top of PR.   It is one of the top 2.5% most popular podcast shows globally, according to Listen Notes' Listen Score, and among the top 100 marketing podcasts in the world on Apple Podcasts.   We've featured guests from Microsoft, Disney, Wells Fargo, Tyson Foods, Mall of America, Priceline, Southwest Airlines, and more. About Jason MuddJason Mudd is a professional public speaker, accredited public relations practitioner, published author, podcaster, and entrepreneur. The World Communication Forum named him North America’s top PR leader. He’s the CEO and managing partner of Axia Public Relations. Forbes Magazine named Axia as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. He is a trusted adviser and dynamic strategist to some of America’s most admired and fastest-growing companies. His past PR work includes American Airlines, Budweiser, Dave & Buster’s, H&R Block, Hilton, HP, Miller Lite, New York Life, Pizza Hut, Southern Comfort, and Verizon. 

Information

  • Creator
    Jason Mudd, Axia Public Relations
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    190
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Axia Public Relations
  • Show Website
    On Top of PR with Jason Mudd

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