The Narrative

Frontlines.io

Welcome to The Narrative, brought to you by Frontlines.io, Silicon Valley's leading B2B podcast production studio. 

  1. Jul 15

    How Bradley Tusk turned 50,000 Uber riders into a lobbying force in one week | Bradley Tusk ($300M AUM)

    Bradley Tusk has spent his career building the argument that wins, not just the argument that's true. Before founding Tusk Holdings, which now spans Tusk Strategies, Tusk Ventures, Tusk Venture Partners, and Tusk Philanthropies, he ran political strategy for Uber starting in 2011, and the company's fight against New York City's 2015 driver cap became one of the most studied narrative battles in tech. In this episode of The Narrative, Bradley breaks down how his team reframed a business dispute as a story about immigrant drivers and Black communities, why he refused to negotiate unless meetings were live streamed, and how he reads the very different public narratives Anthropic and OpenAI are building around AI regulation right now. Topics Discussed: How Bradley's team reframed Uber's driver cap fight as an anti-immigrant, racial equity issue rather than a business dispute Why a single email to riders generated more pressure on city council than any paid lobbyist could His refusal to negotiate privately, and why he demanded that meetings with city officials be live streamed How Anthropic has built a public narrative as "the good guys in AI" while OpenAI has taken on what Bradley calls the industry's "Darth Vader role" Why OpenAI's ad campaign against a New York state legislator became a case study in narrative backfire What triggers a startup to bring political and communications strategy in-house versus keeping it outsourced Comms Lessons for Founders & Leaders: Reframe the fight in language your opponent can't publicly oppose: Bradley's team argued the driver cap wasn't about ride-hailing, it was about punishing immigrant drivers and Black riders in the outer boroughs. "It's people in a Toyota Corolla driving their own car in Queens or Brooklyn," he says. Once framed that way, the opposing side couldn't defend its position without sounding like it was arguing against those communities. Demand transparency when you know you're right: Bradley refused private negotiations with the city, saying, "I refuse to otherwise meet with you" unless the meetings were live streamed. Forcing a public record removed the other side's ability to quietly change its story. Study your opponent's reputation before you attack it: OpenAI ran a multi-million dollar ad campaign against a state legislator behind an AI regulation bill, and it backfired because voters already distrusted OpenAI more than they trusted the bill's author. Bradley's read: "OpenAI is so unpopular that all it did was remind people that they hate AI." Before you go on offense, know whether your own brand can survive being the messenger. Your company's public narrative is a regulatory asset, not just a marketing one: Bradley argues Anthropic's positioning as the responsible actor in AI isn't incidental, it's a deliberate hedge that gives the company more influence as regulation arrives, while a more combative posture becomes a liability the moment the political mood turns. // Sponsors: Front Lines — We help B2B tech companies launch, manage, and grow podcasts that drive demand, awareness, and thought leadership.⁠⁠⁠ www.FrontLines.io⁠⁠⁠ The Global Talent Co. — We help tech startups find, vet, hire, pay, and retain amazing marketing talent that costs 50-70% less than the US & Europe.⁠⁠⁠ www.GlobalTalent.co⁠⁠⁠ // Don't Miss: New Podcast Series — How I Hire Senior GTM leaders share the tactical hiring frameworks they use to build winning revenue teams. Hosted by Andy Mowat, who scaled 4 unicorns from $10M to $100M+ ARR and launched Whispered to help executives find their next role. Subscribe here:⁠⁠⁠ https://open.spotify.com/show/53yCHlPfLSMFimtv0riPyM⁠⁠

    How Bradley Tusk turned 50,000 Uber riders into a lobbying force in one week | Bradley Tusk ($300M AUM)

  2. Jul 10

    How Transcarent turned a congressional testimony into a brand-defining moment | Leslie Krigstein, VP of Communications & Government Affairs at Transcarent

    Leslie Krigstein didn't come up through a traditional PR path. She started in a mayor's office, spent years on Capitol Hill, and built her chops as a lobbyist before landing at Transcarent — a health tech company sitting squarely at the intersection of AI, data privacy, and an increasingly aggressive regulatory environment. When Transcarent's head of communications left, the CEO didn't look far: Leslie, who'd been running government affairs, was handed both programs. That hybrid seat — owning communications and government affairs simultaneously — is the lens through which this entire conversation runs. In a moment when AI legislation is churning out faster than most founders can track, when a single post on X can trigger a regulatory inquiry, and when a congressional hearing can either legitimize or crater a young company's brand, Leslie makes the case that comms leaders who treat policy as someone else's problem are operating with a blind spot that could be fatal. Topics Discussed How a Transcarent clinician's testimony before the House Energy and Commerce Committee on healthcare AI — alongside Fortune 500 companies — became one of the company's most powerful brand moments at an early stage The preparation framework Leslie uses for congressional testimony: pre-meetings with committee staff, murder board sessions tailored to specific members' personal agendas, and managing the difference between an educational hearing and a hostile one Why a congressional hearing room is one of the most underrated brand stages available to a startup — and how to get invited to one The tactical entry points for founders who want to build a government affairs function without a DC office: trade associations like CTA, public comment letters, and direct constituent outreach to local congressional offices How Leslie navigates the political chameleon problem — staying close to the center across administrations without becoming disingenuous or getting pulled into a partisan vortex Why regulation can be a competitive gift for early adopters who invest in compliance infrastructure — and a slow-motion death sentence for those who don't Comms Lessons for Founders & Leaders A hearing room is a brand stage — use it. Leslie's framing is direct: "A hearing room can be one of the most important or impactful brand stages." When a Transcarent clinician testified before Congress on healthcare AI, investors immediately pointed to it as a defining moment of credibility. For a young company sitting next to Fortune 500 giants on the same panel, the brand halo is enormous and essentially unearnable through paid channels. If you're not at the table, you're on the menu. Leslie quotes a colleague's line that she's internalized as a governing principle. In fast-moving, heavily regulated industries — and at this point, if you're building with AI, that means you — waiting until regulation arrives to engage is a losing strategy. The companies that get favorable rules written are the ones that showed up before anyone was asking. Public comment letters are an underused comms asset. When federal agencies open comment periods, anyone can respond — and those comments must be read and addressed in the final rule. Leslie's point is that a two-page letter isn't just a policy play; it's a public signal that your company is engaged, expert, and serious. "That demonstrates that you are a leading company that's engaged and wants to be a voice at the table." Prep for the hostile questioner the same way you prep for the hostile journalist. Whether it's a senator going for a YouTube clip or a reporter convinced they have a scoop, the playbook is similar: know their likely underlying motive, prep your spokesperson for the specific angle, and stay calm. You can't control the question, but preparation determines how much damage it can do.

    How Transcarent turned a congressional testimony into a brand-defining moment | Leslie Krigstein, VP of Communications & Government Affairs at Transcarent

  3. Jul 8

    Why the "go direct" movement is a false binary — and how comms leaders should actually think about owned versus earned | Mitch Goulding

    Mitch Goulding has spent his career at the intersection of media and corporate communications — starting as a production assistant at Good Morning America, moving through local television news, and ultimately bringing that editorial instinct into the comms seats at Workrise, Cart.com, and now Attentive. That journey from newsroom to in-house isn't just a career pivot story. It's a case study in what it actually means to think like a journalist when you're sitting on the other side of the table. On this episode of The Narrative, Mitch breaks down how he approaches comms at a later-stage tech company with a lean team and a wide mandate — covering everything from the "player-coach" model reshaping in-house comms hiring, to how he built Attentive's Black Friday thought leadership program from the ground up, to the honest advice he gives founders who think hiring a PR person is going to solve their visibility problem. Topics Discussed: How a journalism background builds the editorial instinct that separates good comms from great comms — and why that skill set is increasingly valuable inside tech companies The "go direct plus" model: why owned channels and earned media aren't competing strategies, and how to think about activating across both without treating it as a zero-sum game How Mitch enters a new org — the listening tour, the 30-to-60-day proof-of-concept window, and how he used Attentive's platform data to build a Black Friday thought leadership program quickly The real risk of over-investing in original research before you've tested whether the media even wants that kind of data from you — and a cautionary tale about a $100K report that got zero pickup The player-coach comms model gaining traction across the industry: what it actually means, why companies are asking for it, and how embedded agency resources make it work at lean team size Comms Lessons for Founders & Leaders: The "go direct" debate is a false binary. Mitch is direct about this: going direct is a channel you own, not a replacement for earned media. The companies loudest about going direct still say yes to the New York Times feature. The job is figuring out how to make noise across as many channels as possible. As he put it, "It's not sort of a zero sum game here." Come in with a proof-of-concept window, not a 90-day strategy deck. When Mitch joined Attentive in late September, he identified Black Friday/Cyber Monday as the near-term window to prove value — and built a data-driven thought leadership program around it in weeks. The lesson: in a new comms role, the fastest way to earn trust is to pick one near-term moment and execute it well. Listening tour first, quick win second. Before you invest in original research, test whether the media actually wants it from you. The cautionary tale here is real: a CMO spent $100K on a research report, got zero media pickup, and was out of a job two months later. Mitch's framework is to start small — use third-party pulse surveys, keep the lift low, run a few reps, and see if journalists engage before you scale the investment. // Sponsors: Front Lines — We help B2B tech companies launch, manage, and grow podcasts that drive demand, awareness, and thought leadership.⁠⁠ www.FrontLines.io⁠⁠ The Global Talent Co. — We help tech startups find, vet, hire, pay, and retain amazing marketing talent that costs 50-70% less than the US & Europe.⁠⁠ www.GlobalTalent.co⁠⁠ // Don't Miss: New Podcast Series — How I Hire Senior GTM leaders share the tactical hiring frameworks they use to build winning revenue teams. Hosted by Andy Mowat, who scaled 4 unicorns from $10M to $100M+ ARR and launched Whispered to help executives find their next role. Subscribe here:⁠⁠ https://open.spotify.com/show/53yCHlPfLSMFimtv0riPyM⁠⁠

    Why the "go direct" movement is a false binary — and how comms leaders should actually think about owned versus earned | Mitch Goulding

  4. Jun 25

    How SurveyMonkey's return to its original name became a brand and media reset in the AI era | Katie Miserany, CCO & Global Head of Marketing at SurveyMonkey

    SurveyMonkey is one of the rare tech brands that's survived nearly three decades — a rebrand, a private equity buyout, and the AI era — and come out the other side with a sharper identity than it started with. Behind that survival is Katie Miserany, who has been at the company for eight years and now leads both communications and marketing as CCO and Global Head of Marketing. She's the rare comms leader who made it through every regime change, including the company's short-lived identity as "Momentive," and lived to tell the story. In this episode of The Narrative, Katie unpacks how SurveyMonkey uses original research to drive media narratives, how she thinks about the line between playful and credible in brand voice, and what it actually means for comms to operate at the C-suite level. She also shares a candid look at how the team is building owned media muscle — including a live-streamed "world's most uncurious meeting" featuring improv actors — and why, in the age of AI-generated sameness, being distinctly weird might be the sharpest competitive edge a brand can have. Topics Discussed: The Momentive rebrand and what the return to SurveyMonkey taught the team about brand equity, employee trust, and the commercial limits of going "corporate" How Katie survived every leadership transition at the company — and why earning a seat at the executive table (and learning to read a P&L) was the key SurveyMonkey's State of Curiosity report: the research insight that workplaces aren't killing curiosity — they're just suppressing it — and how that became the campaign platform Original research as a PR tactic: when it earns media coverage, when it doesn't (the week OpenAI launched its own AI report), and what "right to talk about it" really means The owned media experiment: a 90-minute live-streamed meeting with improv actors, built to dramatize what workplace curiosity-crushing actually looks like — and why it cost almost nothing Threading the needle on brand voice: how SurveyMonkey distinguishes between "delightfully cheeky" and the kind of playfulness that cost them enterprise credibility (banana peel 404 pages, anyone?) AI inside the marketing org: building a brand knowledge base before deploying Claude Enterprise, and why SurveyMonkey is moving deliberately rather than slapping "AI" on the name Comms Lessons for Founders & Leaders: The right to tell a story matters more than the story itself. SurveyMonkey ran an AI adoption report the same week OpenAI published its own. Guess who got covered. Katie's takeaway: "What you have a right to talk about" is the filter for original research. Your data can be excellent, but if the topic doesn't connect back to your core business narrative, you're fighting uphill for coverage that should go to someone else. Comms leaders who survive do so by becoming indispensable to the business, not just the message. When SurveyMonkey's CEO added Katie to the executive team during a crisis period, it changed her career trajectory entirely. She had to rapidly learn financial fluency — non-GAAP accounting, EBITDA, investor communication — on the job. Now she translates quarterly financial reviews into Slack briefs for the marketing team. The lesson: comms longevity comes from being the person who connects strategy to story at every level of the org, not just when a launch needs a press release. Fun is defensible — but only when it has a clear through line. SurveyMonkey's brand playfulness works because it maps directly to something serious: curiosity as a business driver, employee experience, the cost of not listening. Katie's framing: there's a difference between "we slipped on a banana peel" and naming your chatbot George — a knowing wink to Curious George that enterprise buyers can either get or ignore. The brand goes cheeky; it doesn't go gimmicky.

    How SurveyMonkey's return to its original name became a brand and media reset in the AI era | Katie Miserany, CCO & Global Head of Marketing at SurveyMonkey

  5. Jun 16

    How David Karle reframes AI disruption as a "check mark shaped future" to give comms leaders a narrative anchor in volatile markets | David Karle

    The AI moment isn't coming — it's already compressing organizations, collapsing the operational layer of comms teams, and forcing leaders to rethink what a communications professional actually is. David (Dave) Karle spent two decades in tech, including a long tenure at Microsoft and a role as VP of Strategic Communications at PAX 8, before turning his attention full-time to what AI means for the future of communications work. He's developed a framework he calls the "check mark shaped future" — a structured way to think through the short-term disruption of AI and robotics alongside the longer-term surge he believes is inevitable. In this episode of The Narrative, Dave and host Brett go deep on how comms leaders should be thinking, communicating, and positioning themselves right now, while everything is still in flux. This conversation isn't about adapting gracefully. It's about recognizing that the tools, the org structures, the specialist roles, and even the mission of a comms department are all being renegotiated at once — and that leaders who treat this moment as optional are already falling behind. Topics Discussed The check mark shaped future: why Dave believes AI will drive a near-term downturn followed by a massive upturn — and what that means for comms strategy right now The collapse of the operational layer: how companies like Microsoft and Coinbase are flattening mid-career and late-career roles, and why comms sits squarely in the crosshairs How to communicate a RIF with integrity: the internal and external playbook, from the moment you walk out of the CEO meeting to reassuring customers and partners The rise of the comms generalist: why the era of narrow specialization is ending and what it looks like to be a utility player in an AI-enabled org Building AI harnesses for comms: why prompt engineering and agent design are now among the most powerful skills a communicator can develop Holding two realities at once: the challenge of spinning the existing business flywheel through comms while simultaneously building toward an AI-enabled future Comms Lessons for Founders and Leaders Humanity in a RIF is a comms strategy, not an afterthought. Dave points to Starbucks and T-Mobile giving employees 90 days' notice as examples of layoffs that were better received precisely because they led with transparency. The lesson: "The sooner that you can disclose internally, I would always say better." Giving people time to prepare isn't just the right thing to do — it protects relationships with customers and partners who need reassurance that the business is stable. Specialists are becoming a liability; generalists are becoming the leverage point. For years, comms teams were organized around narrow lanes — writers who don't do slides, video editors who don't write scripts. Dave argues that AI has fundamentally changed this. Because AI raises the floor for every function, a generalist with a good AI workflow can now outperform a narrow specialist. Comms leaders who haven't started cross-training their teams — and themselves — are building toward an organizational model that's already obsolete. // Sponsors: Front Lines — We help B2B tech companies launch, manage, and grow podcasts that drive demand, awareness, and thought leadership.⁠⁠ www.FrontLines.io⁠⁠ The Global Talent Co. — We help tech startups find, vet, hire, pay, and retain amazing marketing talent that costs 50-70% less than the US & Europe.⁠⁠ www.GlobalTalent.co⁠⁠ // Don't Miss: New Podcast Series — How I Hire Senior GTM leaders share the tactical hiring frameworks they use to build winning revenue teams. Hosted by Andy Mowat, who scaled 4 unicorns from $10M to $100M+ ARR and launched Whispered to help executives find their next role. Subscribe here:⁠⁠ https://open.spotify.com/show/53yCHlPfLSMFimtv0riPyM⁠

    How David Karle reframes AI disruption as a "check mark shaped future" to give comms leaders a narrative anchor in volatile markets | David Karle

  6. Mar 30

    How Wiz's category dominance came from solving customer pain — not chasing an analyst acronym

    Wiz broke records on the way up — fastest to $100M ARR, one of the most talked-about companies in cybersecurity — and it did it with a communications team you could count on one hand. Rachel Ratchford, Senior Director of Communications at Wiz, runs that team. In this episode of The Narrative, she gets into what actually drives Wiz's narrative (hint: it's not press releases), why category creation is an outcome not a strategy, and how she rebuilt her own relationship with the comms function after a crisis of faith about whether PR was just noise. This is a conversation about doing more with less, cutting everything that doesn't move the needle, and building comms as a growth engine — not a support function. Topics Discussed: Category creation vs. customer obsession The 80/20 rule of comms Why Wiz largely ditched the press release What's actually resonating with media right now How to build (and use) an agency relationship that actually works The media landscape shift Team structure philosophy Comms Lessons for Founders & Leaders: 1. If you can't answer "why are we doing this?" — don't do it. Rachel's 80/20 filter is ruthless: "If somebody asks me, Rachel, why are we doing this? And my answer sucks, then we just don't do it." With a lean team, ruthless prioritization isn't optional — it's the strategy. 2. Category creation is an outcome, not a brief. "If you focus on the love, not the label, that's a better strategy." Wiz didn't set out to own CNAPP. They identified a real gap, built for it, and let the market catch up. Companies that lead with an acronym are building for the analyst spreadsheet, not the customer. 3. Ditch the press release. Own your own channel. Blog posts over wire distributions. No AP style restrictions, no wire fees, real SEO, trackable data, and a story instead of an announcement. When comms drives people to assets you own, it becomes a growth function — not a cost center. 4. Don't hire an agency before you hire a comms lead. "You can only be so successful if your client is enabling you." Agencies need a dedicated partner embedded in the business. Founders or CMOs don't have bandwidth to be that partner — and without it, even a great agency can't perform. 5. Research teams are an underused comms asset. The Wiz research team operates as a media partner — patient, technically fluent, and trusted by reporters directly. When researchers can pitch stories with credibility and comms can translate them for a general audience, you get coverage that neither could produce alone. // Sponsors: Front Lines — We help B2B tech companies launch, manage, and grow podcasts that drive demand, awareness, and thought leadership.⁠ www.FrontLines.io⁠ The Global Talent Co. — We help tech startups find, vet, hire, pay, and retain amazing marketing talent that costs 50-70% less than the US & Europe.⁠ www.GlobalTalent.co⁠ // Don't Miss: New Podcast Series — How I Hire Senior GTM leaders share the tactical hiring frameworks they use to build winning revenue teams. Hosted by Andy Mowat, who scaled 4 unicorns from $10M to $100M+ ARR and launched Whispered to help executives find their next role. Subscribe here:⁠ https://open.spotify.com/show/53yCHlPfLSMFimtv0riPyM⁠

    How Wiz's category dominance came from solving customer pain — not chasing an analyst acronym

  7. Mar 30

    How Virta Health knew the time was right to create a category | Judy Huang

    Virta Health is pioneering metabolic disease reversal through individualized nutrition. Founded nearly a decade ago to prove diabetes could be reversed through food rather than medication alone, the company spent years establishing clinical credibility before expanding their narrative. What started as diabetes reversal has evolved into a broader positioning around metabolic disease reversal—a category addressing the 93% of American adults with metabolic dysfunction. In this episode of The Narrative, we spoke with Judy Huang, VP of Communications at Virta Health, about the multi-year strategic process of determining when to claim a new category, assembling the cross-functional team to define it, and executing a launch that broke through to consumer media despite being a B2B benefits provider. Topics Discussed: Virta's strategic evolution from diabetes reversal to metabolic disease reversal positioning The deliberate timing decision: why Virta said "not yet" for years before claiming the category How GLP-1 drugs, health influencers, and the MAHA movement created market conditions for metabolic health narratives Choosing "metabolic disease reversal" over broader "metabolic health" to own a defensible position The cross-functional stakeholders required for category definition in healthcare Launch execution: the Metabolic Disease Reversal Report, consumer-focused microsite, and New York media event Breaking into consumer media as a B2B brand by elevating beyond weight loss to medical and scientific framing GTM Lessons For B2B Founders: Revisit category timing systematically, not opportunistically: Virta had internal discussions about claiming metabolic disease reversal at founding (11-12 years ago), again periodically over the years, and even when Judy joined two years ago—each time concluding the market wasn't ready. Last year, they identified three converging trends (GLP-1 awareness, mainstream health influencers, MAHA movement) and decided "the avalanche is coming." This wasn't about waiting for perfection—it was about systematic evaluation of market readiness. Set recurring checkpoints to reassess category timing rather than making one-time go/no-go decisions. Establish clinical credibility before commercial category claims: Virta spent its first several years publishing peer-reviewed research proving diabetes reversal through nutrition before aggressive commercialization. When they later claimed metabolic disease reversal, they had outcomes data showing 56% reduction in stroke and death risk, reduced kidney disease diagnoses, and 33% longer survival for stage 4 pancreatic cancer patients. In regulated markets, proof must precede positioning—you need ammunition when challenged by skeptical buyers, media, or competitors. Narrow categories to where you can credibly lead: Virta explicitly rejected "metabolic health" despite its relevance because 93% of Americans have metabolic dysfunction—any supplement or wellness company could claim that space. "Metabolic disease reversal" required clinical outcomes most competitors couldn't demonstrate. The narrower framing paradoxically expanded their addressable market by increasing credibility. Identify the specific claim where your evidence creates defensibility, not the broadest possible market description. // Sponsors: Front Lines — We help B2B tech companies launch, manage, and grow podcasts that drive demand, awareness, and thought leadership. www.FrontLines.io The Global Talent Co. — We help tech startups find, vet, hire, pay, and retain amazing marketing talent that costs 50-70% less than the US & Europe. www.GlobalTalent.co // Don't Miss: New Podcast Series — How I Hire Senior GTM leaders share the tactical hiring frameworks they use to build winning revenue teams. Hosted by Andy Mowat, who scaled 4 unicorns from $10M to $100M+ ARR and launched Whispered to help executives find their next role. Subscribe here: https://open.spotify.com/show/53yCHlPfLSMFimtv0riPyM

    How Virta Health knew the time was right to create a category | Judy Huang

  8. Mar 1

    How Honor generated a billion impressions in 30 days by bringing back Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McAllister | Kim Atkinson

    The home care industry has long been defined by depressing visuals, end-of-life messaging, and brands that all look the same. Kim Atkinson, Chief Brand and Communications Officer at Honor, is changing that. In this episode of The Narrative, Kim reveals how she led a complete rebrand of Honor and Home Instead in under a year—repositioning the category from "crisis care" to empowering older adults to live on their own terms. She also shares the behind-the-scenes story of how her team pulled off one of 2024's most talked-about campaigns: bringing back Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McAllister to reframe the conversation around aging. From securing Disney's IP to convincing franchise owners to take a big swing, Kim's approach proves that speed, data, and cultural relevance can transform even the most stagnant categories. Topics Discussed: The category repositioning challenge: How Honor moved from "nobody wants this but you need it" to "a better what's next" for aging adults—and why Baby Boomers demanded a fundamentally different narrative than previous generations Executing a rebrand in four months: The decision to move fast with consumer research, positioning, creative development, and launch rather than spending a year deliberating over logo colors and palette choices The Home Alone campaign: How Kim's team secured Macaulay Culkin, Disney's IP, director Jody Hill, and shot a holiday campaign in five weeks that generated over a billion impressions with zero negative social comments Selling bold ideas to franchise networks: The playbook for convincing franchise owners to fund a major creative risk using data on consideration metrics and competitive differentiation Wading into politically charged topics: How Honor entered the immigration conversation around caregiver visas—and why speaking truth backed by data can be worth the risk Crisis comms in real-time: Lessons from Hurricane Harvey and the pet policy controversy, plus why social-first responses beat press releases every time Elevating founder narratives: How Kim built a parallel workstream to amplify CEO Seth Sternberg's mission and expertise while executing the consumer rebrand Comms Lessons for Founders & Leaders: Speed beats perfection in rebrands. Kim completed Honor's entire rebrand—research, positioning, visual identity, and campaign—in seven to eight months total. Her reasoning: "The legacy companies that take one, two years to get a rebrand out, the speed of transition to something else has already happened. The category has changed, consumers have changed, the culture has changed, and you've been worrying about your colors and your logo for all of that time." Create modular, flexible brand systems that can evolve rather than locked-down assets that take years to change.Find the cultural intersection, not just the press hook. Kim's approach to thought leadership: "Instead of thinking about what you want to say, look for where does the thing that I'm working on actually have a meaningful impact to this big cultural conversation problem that people are trying to solve." Don't blast messages about yourself—find where your expertise genuinely adds value to conversations already happening.Line up your promoters before you launch controversial work. When selling the rebrand and Home Alone campaign to Honor's franchise network, Kim identified the owners who believed in the vision first. "If you don't have your promoters lined up before you go do the controversial rebrand or conversation or whatever it is, you're leaving yourself at the mercy of the detractors."In crisis, contain first, then think strategically. Kim's playbook: Get a social-first statement out immediately ("in normal human language"), which buys time to look at sentiment data, impressions, and channels. Then decide the next move. "It almost always is more transparent than the comms person thinks it should be." And never hide—transparency with a willing CEO beats corporate press releases.

    How Honor generated a billion impressions in 30 days by bringing back Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McAllister | Kim Atkinson
See All (21)

About

Welcome to The Narrative, brought to you by Frontlines.io, Silicon Valley's leading B2B podcast production studio. 

Information

  • Creator
    Frontlines.io
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    21
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Frontlines.io
  • Show Website
    The Narrative