When It Hits the Fan

This episode will change your life. Seriously. It's a big claim and carries an enormous risk of over-promising. Welcome to the latest episode in our mini-series on the Golden Rules of PR. This week, David Yelland and Simon Lewis look at the risks of rolling the pitch - of laying the PR groundwork - for a forthcoming announcement. As the Chancellor Rachel Reeves found out in the run up to the Budge...

It may be the season to be jolly but there's not a lot of good cheer going around at the moment. With so much unrelentingly bleak news, how do you persuade anyone that not everything's as bad as it seems? This week, David Yelland and Simon Lewis look at the power of optimism. It's not just a useful PR tool, it's vital. When optimism is authentic, it can inspire and be incredibly infectious. The tr...

It's panto season and panto villains don't come much bigger than Simon Cowell. The music mogul's made a career and fortune playing the Bad Guy on TV talent shows. But is there more to him - and crucially, is it good PR for him to show a different side? This week, David Yelland and Simon Lewis wade through the blizzard of publicity created ahead of Simon Cowell's latest show - to piece together a P...

It's not easy winning a PR fight when you're up against three octogenarian nuns whose story has become a global smash. This week, David Yelland and Simon Lewis look at the case of Sister Bernadette, Sister Regina and Sister Rita. They ran away from the care home they'd been sent to and broke back into the Austrian convent where they'd lived for more than 60 years. In the process, they've gained hu...

Imagine being able to read the private emails sent between some of the most powerful people on the planet. This week, David Yelland and Simon Lewis do exactly that. The release of thousands of pages from the so-called Epstein files shows the ways in which the elite communicate with each other. The exchanges reveal what one New York Times columnist describes as the 'nomadic bat signals' the rich se...

When a top job becomes available, there very soon follows a list of potential 'runners and riders'. But how do you get your name on it? And how do you get your name off it? This week, David Yelland and Simon Lewis reveal the PR secrets of The List. Whether it's the BBC, HSBC or Apple, there are suddenly lots of big names being touted around for some very serious jobs. But there are PR traps along...

"They make really stupid basic mistakes and they are hopeless at PR." If you're a podcast about PR, then that quote - made about the BBC this week - is a good place to start when assessing the reputation of the Corporation. This week, David Yelland and Simon Lewis examine the crisis engulfing the BBC. One which began with a leaked memo, resulted in two huge resignations and now has President Trump...

It was barely a fortnight - but in that time everything seemed to change. This week, David Yelland and Simon Lewis look at the dramatic way Buckingham Palace responded to the growing crisis over the then-Prince Andrew. Going from an initial statement that seemed - to many - to get almost everything wrong to a second statement that went further than almost anyone was expecting. Behind-the-scenes, j...

As PR moves go, it would surely have earned a '10 from Len'. But what about the BBC's own communications team, who were seemingly as surprised as everyone else when Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman announced they were leaving Strictly Come Dancing? This week, David Yelland and Simon Lewis look at what happens when a PR team is left blindsided by events. And while not strictly a double act, Tess and...

No more Duke of York, no more Order of the Garter. But he is still Prince Andrew. And he is still the King's brother. This week, David Yelland and Simon Lewis look at how Buckingham Palace is trying to distance the Royal Family from the constant slew of damaging headlines. But many questions remain about the way it's being handled. Why was Prince Andrew allowed to sound like he was giving up his t...

Victoria Beckham is no stranger to headlines. And now she's revealed that intense media scrutiny led to her developing an eating disorder. Cue more headlines. One particular article stood out, which asked why those around Victoria - including her PR team - didn't seem to address the problem at the time. This week, David Yelland and Simon Lewis look at what this tells us, not just about Victoria Be...

This week, David and Simon look at Michelle Mone's meteoric rise and spectacular fall - and examine the PR decisions that have come back to haunt her. The Baroness has come out swinging after a judge ruled a company linked to her and her husband Doug Barrowman must pay £122m in damages for breaching a government contract for the supply of personal protective equipment during the Covid pandemic. Sh...

It was all going so well. Just a couple of weeks ago, it looked like a genuine reconciliation was on the cards between Prince Harry and his father, the King. But in the past few days, there's been a blizzard of headlines, anger and yet another breakdown of trust. At the heart of it, a leak about a private meeting between Harry and his father. Harry's side have blamed 'the men in grey suits' for tr...

We are living in troubling times when Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, feel they have to go to court to prove she is a woman. The couple's lawyer says 'a line has been crossed' by an online influencer who has repeatedly claimed Mrs Macron is a man. This week, David Yelland and Simon Lewis look at the 'fight for truth'. Famous people and businesses used to be able to ignore or not comment on...

It was only a few months ago that Prince Harry was being roundly criticised pretty much everywhere. An ill-judged and hot-headed BBC interview where he discussed the King's health did him few favours. And yet, this week, there has been a shift. In this week's episode, David Yelland and Simon Lewis discuss whether this is a genuine turning point for Harry's PR. Also, in the extended edition on BBC...

Rebrands, name changes, financial black holes. Just what is going on with WH Smith? This week, David Yelland and Simon Lewis look at the reputation of a high street institution. With stores up and down the country now being called TG Jones, what sort of messaging - if any - has taken place between the new owners and Smith's existing customers? And with most of us looking for a cheap online deal, t...

'PRs hold up the mirror and sometimes people don't like what they see.' So say David Yelland and Simon Lewis in their final episode on golden rules. This week, it's all about self-awareness and the ability to ask, 'Are we the bad guys?'. David and Simon look at why it's vital to understand how other people really see you or your business, because it changes how you behave. And why it can lead to m...

If you say you're going to hit a target, make sure you hit it. Managing expectations is one of the most important golden rules of PR, according to David Yelland and Simon Lewis. In this episode, they look at the pitfalls of over promising - both to shareholders and the public. It's far better for people to be pleasantly surprised at what you've achieved rather than wildly disappointed. David and S...

Non attributable, authorised leaks, Chatham House rules. Briefing the media can be a baffling minefield. In this episode on golden rules, David Yelland and Simon Lewis look at the art of going on and off the record. They explain how it's possible to reveal and conceal vital or sensitive information, while protecting yourself and your clients in the process. Just make sure you've made it very clear...

'Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.' An excellent nugget of wisdom from boxing legend Mike Tyson. But you don't need to be heavyweight champion to understand where he's coming from. In this episode on the golden rules of PR, David Yelland and Simon Lewis look at the importance of crisis planning - and why it's very common for those plans to go out the window the moment the c...

It's not quite two tribes going to war but it can feel like that. In this episode, David Yelland and Simon Lewis look at the complicated relationship between PR and the media. You know what story you want to tell but a journalist might have another idea entirely. David and Simon examine the mistakes that even the top CEOs make when talking to reporters. And they explain the conflicting nature of t...

Just the word 'networking' can conjure up images of high-powered people in suits who all seem to be part of the same club - and you have no idea how to get in. But it doesn't have to be like that. In this episode on golden rules, David Yelland and Simon Lewis explain why growing your network is vital to success - and the best time to start is right now. Whatever your background, they look at how y...

Loads of money, success and power - great. But what do people actually think of you? In this new, short series, David Yelland and Simon Lewis look at some of the golden rules that they come back to time and again on When it Hits the Fan. First up, they explain why reputation really is everything. You might be flying high now but if you fall, you might find it very hard to climb back to the top wit...

The idea of a secret meeting is just that - it stays secret. So what happens when that meeting becomes front page news? It's time to call in the PR detectives. This week, David Yelland and Simon Lewis examine the curious case of a clandestine meeting between the senior staff of both Prince Harry and the King. Someone tipped off the press. But who - and why? David and Simon sift through the evidenc...

We tend to like leaders to appear calm and in control. But we also want them to be human. The problem is, when they show genuine emotion, they often get slated for it - branded as 'weak' or an 'embarrassment'. This week, David Yelland and Simon Lewis look at how people in public life are judged for letting the mask slip - and reveal how much effort goes in to preparing people to show more or less...