Stories and Strategies with Curzon Public Relations

Stories and Strategies
  • 5.0 (14)
  • MARKETING
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Welcome to Stories and Strategies, the world’s most listened to Public Relations podcast according to Podchaser, Goodpods, and data from Rephonic. Hosted by award-winning PR professionals Doug Downs in Canada and Farzana Baduel in the UK, this weekly podcast offers you bold ideas, sharp insights, and honest conversations about the future of public relations, strategic communications, and marketing. Every Tuesday, we release a new 20-minute episode packed with practical takeaways for PR professionals, communication strategists, and marketing leaders around the world. Whether it’s earned media, brand storytelling, digital communications, or navigating AI and behavioral science, we go beyond the surface and ask the questions that matter. Stories and Strategies doesn’t do puff pieces or profiles,  we dive into the real issues facing the global PR, marketing and comms industry with guests who are actively shaping it. Our episodes are trusted by listeners in over 100 countries. Follow now and join a worldwide community of public relations, marketing, and communications professionals driving the industry forward — one story at a time, every Tuesday.

  1. Rebranding Climate: Alarmism vs. Optimism in PR

    1D AGO

    Rebranding Climate: Alarmism vs. Optimism in PR

    What do a billionaire climate pivot, AI-fueled layoffs, and a scandalous Italian election have in common? They all got the PR treatment in this episode.   Farzana Baduel, David Gallagher, and Doug Downs peel back the media layers behind some of the week’s most buzzworthy stories, from Bill Gates’ controversial “climate realism” memo and its impact on corporate sustainability narratives, to Amazon’s AI-framed mass layoffs and what that messaging means for employer branding.   They also take a wildly entertaining detour into Italian politics where ex-lovers are facing off at the polls, with leaked documents and social media drama in full swing.   Add in royal baseball cap faux-pas and you’ve got a sharp, witty, and deeply PR-savvy breakdown of the week’s biggest headlines.  Listen For :58 Is Bill Gates backtracking? Or just reframing climate change? 7:54 How is Amazon using AI to spin layoffs as progress? 13:43 How does branding tie into an Italian political scandal? 16:05 What if your opponent knows all your political secrets? 19:26 Did Prince Harry’s hat choice betray Canada? The Week Unspun is a weekly livestream every Friday at 10am ET/3pm BT. Check it out on our YouTube Channel or via this LinkedIn channel We publish the audio from these livestreams to the Stories and Strategies podcast feed every Friday until Sunday evening when it’s no longer available. Folgate Advisors Curzon Public Relations Website Stories and Strategies Website Request a transcript of this livestream Support the show

    21 min
  2. Flattered to Death: The AI Sycophant in the Room

    5D AGO

    Flattered to Death: The AI Sycophant in the Room

    We live in a moment where artificial intelligence can write our emails, plan our meetings, even give us life advice. But here’s the problem: these systems are often too agreeable for our own good. They’re less like truth tellers and more like digital echo chambers. They nod along, validate our choices, and tell us exactly what we want to hear.  To use an outdated term… GenAI is too often like a Yes Man. In this episode we’re looking at the rise of sycophancy in generative AI, the tendency of machines to flatter us instead of challenging us. What does this mean for employees, for leaders, and especially for communicators who rely on AI as a tool? And how do we make sure our AI mirrors are giving us clarity, not just compliments?   Listen For 3:49 Is ChatGPT too nice for our own good? 6:55 Can AI flattery mislead leaders? 8:52 Do AIs just tell you what you want to hear? 14:36 Is generative AI breaking social unity? 20:45 Answer to Last Episode’s Question from Mark Lowe   Guest: Tina McCorkindale, PhD Website | LinkedIn | Google Scholar Profile Link to Tina’s LinkedIn article on The Danger of Sycophancy in GenAI Check out the IPR Video Series In a Car with IPR   Rate this podcast with just one click  Stories and Strategies Website Curzon Public Relations Website 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 Don't forget to leave us a rating and review on Apple or Spotify. These help tell new listeners this is a podcast worth checking out. Support the show

    25 min
  3. The Mamdani Effect: Can TikTok Win a Mayoral Race?

    OCT 24

    The Mamdani Effect: Can TikTok Win a Mayoral Race?

    Can a cyclist-turned (accused) communist New York mayoral candidate teach the PR world a thing or two about emotional storytelling?   This week we unpack the “Mamdani effect” how Zohran Mamdani is rewriting the rules of political communications with cultural fluency, TikTok charm, and unforgettable soundbites.   Other topics, what are the comms implications of the Omnicom-IPG mega-merger, and what is the likely impact on agency identities, client retention, and the war for talent?  From Alberta, Canada… a Teacher’s Stike and the Government is paying parents. Is that to help them manage or is it a PR bribe? Are there ethical implications here?  Listen For :34 What makes Mamdani a standout communicator? 3:10 Can Mamdani’s social strategy work outside NYC? 10:00 What’s the real impact of the Omnicom-IPG merger? 14:55 Is Alberta’s $30/day tactic good PR or spin? 18:49 Are PR communities key in turbulent times?  The Week Unspun is a weekly livestream every Friday at 10am ET/3pm BT. Check it out on our YouTube Channel or via this LinkedIn channel We publish the audio from these livestreams to the Stories and Strategies podcast feed every Friday until Sunday evening when it’s no longer available. Folgate Advisors Curzon Public Relations Website Stories and Strategies Website Request a transcript of this livestream   Support the show

    23 min
  4. Is Attention the New Currency in Public Relations?

    OCT 21

    Is Attention the New Currency in Public Relations?

    Is attention the new currency? Politicians, brands, influencers, even your neighbor’s viral TikTok are all competing for the same scarce resource: your focus.  But attention is slippery. It can make you a household name overnight and it can vanish just as quickly.  In an age where algorithms decide what we see and artificial intelligence rewrites how we discover information, the fight for attention has never been more intense. What happens when public relations and communications agencies find themselves at the same crossroads media once faced? How do you win attention when the competition is everything else in the feed? How do you turn fleeting visibility into lasting credibility? And how do you build narratives that not only go viral but endure? Listen For 5:14 What is attention as a commodity in PR? 8:48 How has the attention economy changed branding? 11:22 What can PR learn from politics? 14:05 Are we paying too much for lost attention? 17:51 Are attention spans shorter or content louder? 18:53 Answer to Last Episode’s Question from Richard Bagnall Guest: Mark Lowe, Third City Website | Email | X | Instagram | YouTube Rate this podcast with just one click  Stories and Strategies Website Curzon Public Relations Website 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 Don't forget to leave us a rating and review on Apple or Spotify. These help tell new listeners this is a podcast worth checking out. Support the show

    25 min
  5. What’s the Point of Public Relations if You Can’t Prove it Worked?

    OCT 14

    What’s the Point of Public Relations if You Can’t Prove it Worked?

    The call for better measurement in public relations is not new. For decades, leaders in the field have warned that counting impressions, likes, and advertising value equivalents is not enough. Yet here we are, still leaning on the same empty numbers while the C-suite is asking for proof of outcomes that matter.   The urgency has been with us for years, but too often the industry has not listened to its own advice.   We aren’t listening to ourselves!  Now, as budgets are cut and communications teams risk being sidelined, the pressure to finally get measurement right has never been greater.  Richard Bagnall is recognized as one of the world’s foremost experts in PR measurement, past chair of AMEC, and co-creator of the Integrated Evaluation Framework. He has worked with global organizations from NATO to the World Bank and continues to remind practitioners that vanity metrics will not protect their budgets or their jobs.   Listen For 4:48 Why does PR measurement matter now? 7:27 What are outputs, outtakes, and outcomes? 11:41 How do you measure with no budget? 14:05 What is “crawl, walk, run”? 18:40 Jonathan Mast’s answer to last episode’s question? Guest: Richard Bagnall X | LinkedIn     Rate this podcast with just one click  Stories and Strategies Website Curzon Public Relations Website 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 Don't forget to leave us a rating and review on Apple or Spotify. These help tell new listeners this is a podcast worth checking out. Support the show

    23 min
  6. Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is here… is Public Relations Ready?

    OCT 7

    Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is here… is Public Relations Ready?

    Search is changing faster than most PR professionals realize. For years, SEO was about keywords and backlinks. Now, with AI-driven tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity shaping how people find information, the game is shifting to AEO (Answer Engine Optimization). Instead of tricking algorithms, brands need to prove expertise, authority, and trustworthiness at every turn. To stay discoverable, we need to craft smarter prompts, produce content that actually engages, and choose the right AI tools for visibility.  AI is rewriting the rules of credibility and your PR efforts might get left behind.  Listen For 5:32 What’s the difference between SEO, AEO, and GEO? 8:32 Is Google losing its dominance in the search space to tools like ChatGPT? 11:24 Can AI-generated thought leadership be trusted? 13:28How should PR professionals train AI tools to deliver better content results? 18:19 Answer to Last Episode’s Question from Susana Mendoza Guest: Jonathan Mast Website | Email | X | Facebook   Rate this podcast with just one click  Stories and Strategies Website Curzon Public Relations Website 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 Don't forget to leave us a rating and review on Apple or Spotify. These help tell new listeners this is a podcast worth checking out. Support the show

    25 min
  7. Public Relations for Hispanic Audiences

    SEP 30

    Public Relations for Hispanic Audiences

    Getting Hispanic communications wrong is not just a slip. It can cost brands credibility, trust, and millions in wasted campaigns. Too often, companies think a simple translation is enough, only to find their carefully crafted message falls flat or even offends the very audience they are trying to reach. With more than 65 million Hispanics in the United States, representing one of the fastest growing and most influential communities, PR professionals cannot afford cultural blind spots. In this episode Susana Mendoza, who helps brands authentically connect with Hispanic audiences, shares where campaigns most often go wrong, how to segment messaging without stereotypes, and why understanding generational and cultural nuances is critical to success.  From Univision and Telemundo to influencers and radio, Susana lays out the media landscape and offers practical insights for PR teams navigating sensitive issues such as immigration, healthcare, and public safety. Ask us for the Spanish version of this transcript Listen For 4:38 Translation Traps & Cultural Missteps  8:27 The Power of Spanish-Language Radio  11:17 Can ChatGPT Really Translate Culture?  15:38 Build Trust Before the Campaign Starts  17:21 Answer to Last Episode’s Question from Jackson Wightman   Guest: Susana Mendoza LinkedIn  Rate this podcast with just one click  Stories and Strategies Website Curzon Public Relations Website 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 Ask us for the Spanish version of this transcript. Support the show

    24 min
  8. The Dangerous Echo of Polarized Voices

    SEP 23

    The Dangerous Echo of Polarized Voices

    What happens when your newsfeed becomes a battlefield? In the US and UK, political leaders trade accusations, social media thrives on outrage, and communities are left simmering in distrust. What used to be disagreements over policy now look more like open hostility, with violence creeping closer to the center of public life.  Attacks on lawmakers, threats to schools, and the killing of high-profile figures are no longer shocking outliers but part of a troubling pattern. This episode asks a difficult but urgent question: how much of this violence is rooted in the way we communicate? Words frame identities, assign blame, and sometimes push people toward radical action.  Sticks and stones may break bones… but in today’s world, it’s the words that are drawing blood.  Listen For 3:17 Identity-Based Polarization 6:22 How Algorithms Divide Us 10:20 The Rush to Blame 14:49 Messaging That Can Prevent Violence 19:33 Teaching Kids to Resist Radicalization and Disinformation Guest: Amy Pate Email | Website | X  Rate this podcast with just one click  Stories and Strategies Website Curzon Public Relations Website 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 Support the show

    24 min
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About

Welcome to Stories and Strategies, the world’s most listened to Public Relations podcast according to Podchaser, Goodpods, and data from Rephonic. Hosted by award-winning PR professionals Doug Downs in Canada and Farzana Baduel in the UK, this weekly podcast offers you bold ideas, sharp insights, and honest conversations about the future of public relations, strategic communications, and marketing. Every Tuesday, we release a new 20-minute episode packed with practical takeaways for PR professionals, communication strategists, and marketing leaders around the world. Whether it’s earned media, brand storytelling, digital communications, or navigating AI and behavioral science, we go beyond the surface and ask the questions that matter. Stories and Strategies doesn’t do puff pieces or profiles,  we dive into the real issues facing the global PR, marketing and comms industry with guests who are actively shaping it. Our episodes are trusted by listeners in over 100 countries. Follow now and join a worldwide community of public relations, marketing, and communications professionals driving the industry forward — one story at a time, every Tuesday.

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