The PRovoke Media Podcast

In this edition of the PRovoke Media podcast, two senior leaders from one of Europe’s fastest-growing agency groups join Maja Pawinska Sims to talk about the evolving landscape for strategic communications in complex times. Team Farner executive chairman Roman Geiser and Lansons CEO Gordon Tempest-Hay discuss the rapid growth of the consultancy across Europe, its acquisition of Lansons last year, and their ambitions and plans for the future. The duo also look at how creative work and AI are impacting on the remit and impact of reputation management firms, and how clients’ needs from their comms advisors are changing, including during a pivotal election year.

KPMG corporate affairs chief Jane Lawrie joins the PRovoke Media podcast to discuss the intersection of artificial intelligence and ESG, across such areas as performance evaluation, identifying future trends, and defining the roadmap for ESG reporting. In conversation with PRovoke Media editor-in-chief Arun Sudhaman, Lawrie also discusses the future of AI as it relates to corporate affairs professionals, in terms of potential opportunities and threats, along with the reputation risks entailed for business. The role of ESG in the context of ongoing political debates is also examined, alongside the emergence of 'green hushing' and its impact on transparent sustainability reporting.

While some Asia-Pacific countries, such as Japan, have witnessed a strong rise in ESG coverage, investing, and consumer adoption of sustainable products, others have progressed at a slower pace. In partnership with Weber Shandwick, Asia-Pacific corporate affairs head Carolyn Devanayagam joins the PRovoke Media podcast to examine the latest trends in this area, and how corporate communicators can drive progress amid the twin threats of greenwashing and green-hushing.

Finn Partners’ Gil Bashe joins the PRovoke Media podcast to discuss the perilous spread of false information — and communicators duty to curb it.

In this episode of the PRovoke Media podcast, editors Arun Sudhaman and Maja Pawinska Sims have a lively discussion about the merger of BCW and Hill & Knowlton to create the world's biggest PR firm, Burson. The conversation covers bringing the legacy name back to the industry, the talent implications of the merger, whether we'll see more consolidation across other networks, and the potential impact of AI on business decisions within big agencies. The duo also catch up on the recent World Economic Forum in Davos, and the apparent retreat of corporate activism in the wake of geopolitical and social tensions.

The Guyer Group’s Kevin Whalen joins the PRovoke Media podcast to discuss the evolving practice of analyst relations.

In this edition of the PRovoke Media podcast, Paul Holmes is joined by GCI Health global CEO Kristin Cahill and Europe and Middle East president Kath Harrison, along with Aimee Christian, VP and global head of corporate communications and engagement at Jazz Pharmaceuticals, to talk about the success factors for modern global healthcare campaigns. The discussion includes how to translate campaigns from one country to another, drawing a thread through global strategy to local implementation while taking cultural and language differences into account and maintaining consistency of the corporate brand. The guests also talk about engaging internal stakeholders, patients, advocacy groups and healthcare providers across markets, and the importance of finding ‘universal human truths’ that resonate beyond local nuance.

In October, Unlock Health joined me to discuss the PRovokeGlobal Summit. This month they sat down again to discuss the main lessons learned from a diverse and provocative event. In a wide-ranging discussion that took in major industry challenges from the growing use of artificial intelligence to the spread of disinformation, from the “pink economy” post-Barbie to the need to address social inequality in all its forms at future events, I sat down with Unlock Health chief executive Brandon Edwards and the agency’s managing director of innovation Kathleen Perley to discuss the main takeaways from the PRovokeGlobal Summit in November. Among the topics of discussion: Unlock Health is a single-source growth partner for healthcare providers, offering a range of marketing communications services, consulting, and technology. It emphasizes the importance of convergence in the industry, bringing together technology solutions and traditional marketing services, brand and performance marketing, and do it all through the lens of their industry-specific healthcare expertise.

Over the last decade or so, influencer marketing has matured to the point where today being a creator is considered a bona fide career built on rich relationships with agencies, brands and consumers (to say nothing of talent agents). In this episode of the PRovoke Media podcast, Red Havas’ Kerry Anderson in the UK and Audrey Arbogast in the US discuss the evolution of influencer marketing and how the agency’s new global practice devoted to the craft, Sway, helps clients drive authentic and engaging brand communications through influencers — and the important role best practices, data, social tools and measurement have in accomplishing that.

Global suicide prevention and crisis support organisation Lifeline International has launched a new campaign, Decriminalise Suicide Worldwide: the first initiative of its kind to call for legal change in 25 countries around the world where suicide and attempted suicide are still a criminal offence. The charity’s communications and campaign director Nick Stravs, a former leader at BCW and Weber Shandwick, joins the PRovoke Media podcast to talk about the critical role of communications in the campaign’s strategy and potential success, along with Billee Howard, founder and CEO of AI-powered emotional insights software platform Brandthrō, who is working alongside Stravs on the campaign.

Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Commissioner Sonja Stills joins the PRovoke Media podcast to discuss raising the visibility of HBCU sports.

In this episode sponsored by Racepoint Global, we discuss how the themes of curiosity and cross-generational collaboration apply to the world of communications. Guests include Marci Alboher of CoGenerate and Scott Shigeoka, author of "SEEK: How Curiosity Can Transform Your Life and Change the World."

Kate Cronin joins the PRovoke Media podcast to discuss Moderna showing up at large events not typically associated with pharmaceutical companies.

PRovokeGlobal Podcast Sponsor, Unlock Health joins Paul Holmes ahead of this year's Global Summit to talk disruption in the PR space and making impact. Unlock Health is a single source growth partner for healthcare providers with services that span the full range of marketing solutions from audience engagement and consulting, to technology solutions that connect the full eco-system for their partners. Join us 6-7 November for this year's PRovokeGlobal in Washington, D.C.

Codeword founding partner Kyle Monsoon discusses the value in brands acting like creators — and what that looks like.

Bob Pickard joins the PRovoke Media podcast to discuss his dramatic exit from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, whom he accused of being overly influenced by the Chinese Communist Party. In conversation with Arun Sudhaman, Pickard responds to a subsequent AIIB report that dismissed his allegations, and instead claimed his tenure was marked by "managerial shortcomings". He also discusses the geopolitical environment for Western companies in China, and explains why he took on the role in the first place.

In an era when it is reported that more than half of Americans believe national news organizations intend to mislead, misinform or persuade the public, what does this mean for brand communicators? James Wright, CEO of Havas Red, joins this episode of the PRovoke Media Podcast to discuss a new era of brand purpose and the shift from brand storytelling to fact-telling.

Tier One Partners’ Marian Hughes and Celina Fine discuss the art and science of trendspotting and how the firm leverages trends to boost brands.

In this episode of the PRovoke Media podcast, Cirkle’s consumer managing director Kate Gibson and her client Jim Shearer, marketing director of frozen food giant Birds Eye, discuss how brands can continue to build consumer love and loyalty in a cost-of-living crisis – and why new research shows earned media is more powerful than ever.

BCW joins the podcast to discuss their recently announced partnership with Limbik, a top information defense technology company rooted in cognitive artificial intelligence (AI), which will provide clients with advanced identification and mitigation solutions in today's post-factual environment. Paul Holmes hosts guests BCW Chief Innovation Officer Chad Latz, and Limbik's Co-Founder and CEO Zach Schwitzky, along with Chief Revenue Officer Caroline Tarpey in this episode.