The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson

In this episode, discussing how celebrities can turn scandal into opportunity and leverage their time in the spotlight to create positive change. We will explore different ways in which celebrities have used their platform to redeem themselves and make a positive impact on society. Key Points From This Episode: The Anatomy of a Scandal What are the different types of scandals that celebrities may...

Sweeping layoffs were big news in 2022, and this shows no sign of slowing down in 2023. From Amazon to Salesforce, Twitter, Google, and more, major tech companies are making large numbers of employees redundant. Recently, Meta announced that it would be cutting 10,000 jobs (or roughly 10% of its workforce) in response to what CEO Mark Zuckerberg describes as “challenging market conditions.”  While...

 The Academy Award-winning actress and Goop founder Gwyneth Paltrow recently made headlines for a comment she made on a podcast about her daily wellness routine. This episode explains how information taken out of context is often the biggest obstacle faced by PR professionals and how this controversy seems to be an example of this. It then uncovers the potential reason why Gwyneth may have made th...

As AI continues to advance and become more accessible, the question of using it to write press releases is becoming more relevant. After a tweet posted by Molly on the topic of using AI for this purpose received almost 19,000 views, this episode breaks down the pros and cons of doing this. You’ll learn about how these tools can be helpful to you and what safeguards you can use to limit the damage...

Social media has revolutionized the way we communicate, connect, and consume information, and will continue to do so. The world of social media is ever-changing and, as we enter the next generation of social media, we need to adapt and learn new ways to respond to social media crises. In this episode, you’ll learn about the ways in which social media is changing, with the predicted proliferation o...

Context is everything.  February 22nd, 2023, cartoonist Scott Adams aired an episode of his nightly podcast that would turn his career on its head. The creator of the beloved character, Dilbert Done, surprised us all with the heavily racist remarks he made in the video entitled, “It’s Okay to Be White,” which very quickly went viral.  As a result, Scott Adams has been canceled, not only figurative...

Recently, Don Lemon, co-anchor of CNN This Morning, went off script and made news by stating that presidential candidate Nikki Haley was past her prime at the age of 51. This episode covers the things you should do immediately when an employee causes a PR crisis of this nature. Hear the full exchange of exactly what was said by Don Lemon and how he doubled down on his mistake, before learning how...

The rise of social media influencers means it is easier than ever to form parasocial relationships with celebrities or online influencers. Although parasocial relationships are one-sided and don’t involve any contact in the real world, the death of someone whose life you have been closely following online can cause a visceral reaction. In the case of Dave Hollis, his sudden death at the age of 47...

No matter the scale of your business, you need to have a strategy in place in case of a PR crisis. If someone takes it upon themselves to attack you on social media, or you experience an actual operations meltdown, you need to be prepared.  This episode tackles the ins and outs of creating an effective and comprehensive crisis communication plan to keep your business afloat if ever you find yourse...

When Boston-based staff executive, Whitney Sharpe, outlined the actions she took to address her disturbing experience of sexual harassment on TikTok, she had no idea that it would become viral overnight and be viewed by over 14 million people. The original incident had taken place while on a work call with potential vendors, during which, Whitney captured a profoundly unprofessional incident. Than...

Gwen Stefani recently made headlines after an interview with Allure magazine in which she claimed to be Japanese. The pop star received a lot of backlash for these comments and has been accused of cultural appropriation. The controversy raised a lot of questions about what it means to be respectful when engaging with other cultures.  This week’s episode unpacks the difference between cultural appr...

A powerful public relations strategy can help you recover from a crisis and build an indestructible reputation. Restoring your reputation after a serious allegation is a circumstance that everyone should be prepared for.  This week's episode uses the recent sexual misconduct allegations surrounding Andrew Callaghan as a real-world example of dealing with a crisis and analyzes his response fro...

Today, the Golden Globes 2023 edition of the Indestructible PR® Podcast takes a look at the people and the brands that haven’t successfully overcome their PR crises of the past and examines what the ceremony reveals about their failings. Tune in to find out why these brands still haven’t recovered a year later and discover some helpful tips to avoid becoming a PR loser.  Key Points From This Episo...

Today’s podcast sheds light on a new dirty trick used by special interest groups and people who are activist-minded. It takes a look at an article by NPR, “She Was an ABC News Producer. She Also Was a Corporate Operative,” and reveals how Kristen Hentschel used her previous work experience as a journalist to challenge Toby Overdorf, a candidate for the Florida House of Representatives, while worki...

In this episode, discussing some of the worst PR crises that happened in 2022 based on an informal poll on Twitter.  It's no secret that 2022 was a year full of PR disasters. From celebrities getting caught up in scandals to brands making massive mistakes, here are some of the worst PR crises that happened last year. Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: What are some of the worst PR crises tha...

ChatGPT is here and is making waves globally for its ability to generate human-like written text. This episode of the Indestructible PR® Podcast delves into some of the risks and benefits of using this new platform. It provides a bit of background into what ChatGPT is, how it works, and how it’s different from other IA programs. It also explains how it can be especially useful to those in communic...

Everyone has been in a situation where they’re asked a question and don’t know how to answer it. Whether it be during an interview, a meeting, or a media interview, being able to provide clear, concise answers can make all the difference. Here are some tips to help you give good answers to any question:  Mastering the art of giving good answers takes time and practice; however following these tips...

After body cam footage emerged showing Mary O’Connor, the Police Chief of Tampa, Florida, trying to get out of a traffic violation by showing her badge and the internal affairs investigation that followed, she was ultimately forced to resign.  This episode takes a look at this incident to see what can be learned from a PR perspective, and breaks down three easy choices in ethical leadership that c...

These days news happens in milliseconds and with the social media algorithms functioning the way they do, a negative comment can result in a disruption that can damage your public image in a very short space of time.  This episode takes a look at the public relations strategy that effectively got two of Molly’s clients out of crises. It breaks down the three elements of the 'Social Media Chec...

If you say the wrong thing in front of the press, it could live online for years to come and greatly damage your reputation. This episode takes a look back at a previous podcast episode and webinar with media trainer extraordinaire Warren Weeks, where he broke down the three mistakes that most spokespeople make in media interviews, why these faux pas can be so damaging, and how to avoid them. From...

How a leader handles layoffs can have a major impact on the future success and reputation of their company. This episode takes a look at some of the recent layoffs that have made the news before breaking down five tips on how to handle layoffs during this time of year. It unpacks how Mark Zuckerberg handled the Meta layoffs differently from how Elon Musk handled the Twitter layoffs and what we can...

This week’s podcast discusses the anger algorithm and why social media platforms favor aggression, enraged behavior, and the shaming of people. It looks at the 60 Minutes episode “Angry in America,” what it reveals about the combative ecosystem of social media, and why you should watch it if you are a business leader or someone involved in communication.  Our Indestructible PR Tip discusses how yo...

While you may think it’s unlikely that you will end up on a live television interview, with webinars, streaming, short-form videos, and other channels, there are so many opportunities for you to find yourself on screen.  This episode breaks down five tested prep tips for appearing on camera for a live interview on very short notice, from the perspective of someone who understands this experience w...

Kanye West (better known simply as Ye) has always been a contentious figure, but after his latest string of racist and anti-Semitic remarks, major brands like Adidas are dropping their endorsements with the rapper.  This episode delves into this controversy to explain what happened, how Ye redefined the term 'cancel culture' and how the use of it can actually damage your brand. You’ll he...

Please note this episode carries a trigger warning for sexual assault. After a long series of other troubling accusations, including one by a woman sexually assaulted by eight hockey players, and cover-ups, secrecy, and poor leadership, the reputation of Hockey Canada is severely tarnished.  This week’s podcast breaks down the three reasons why the crisis has been so deadly for the brand and so de...