Public Relations Stories and Strategies

Stories and Strategies https://storiesandstrategies.ca/

Public Relations

Artificial Intelligence

Social Media

Marketing

Misinformation

Generative AI

Storytelling

Communication

Tiktok

Crisis Management

Behavioral Science

Trust

Instagram

Reputation Management

Disinformation

Polarization

Authenticity

Personal Branding

Emotional Intelligence

Every organization has a story people believe about it. Most leaders didn't choose that story. They inherited it, stumbled into it, or lost control of it somewhere along the way.

Stories and Strategies is the Public Relations podcast that changes that.

Host Doug Downs talks with the communicators, executives, and strategists who understand that narrative isn't a marketing function. It's a leader... more

126 ratings

Publishes	Weekly	Episodes	282	Founded	6 years ago
Number of Listeners		Categories	MarketingBusinessSociety & Culture

Listen to this Podcast

Guests Hosts Reviews Charts Talking Points

Latest Episodes

The Knowing-Doing Gap: AI Ethics in Public Relations

There's a gap between knowing AI ethics and practicing them, and it's where reputations go to die. Research for PRSA's Board of Ethics and Professional Standards mapped it across 10 essential AI ethics competencies, from critical thinking and ethical... more

20 Oct 2026 • 16 min

YouTube

The Hidden Rules of Workplace Emojis: What Gen Z Wants You to Know

Three out of four office workers now feel like they need to use emojis at work, according to Statista's research on workplace communication. But almost nobody stops to ask what that emoji is actually doing once it lands in an inbox, a Slack thread, o... more

13 Oct 2026 • 20 min • Most popular

YouTube

A “Jolly” Rebranding Case Study

What do you do when the name that built your reputation suddenly makes you look stuck in the past?

Jolly SEO was a company founded on solid SEO strategies and infrastructure.

But “S E O?” Ugh that’s soooo 2021.

So cofounder Greg Heilers had a di... more

6 Oct 2026 • 20 min

YouTube

What it Takes to Sell Your Brand Across the Atlantic

Every brand that crosses the Atlantic faces the same unspoken question, and almost nobody asks it out loud before they've already spent the budget: should we act like ourselves, or should we act like we belong here?

Volkswagen bet on staying unmist... more

29 Sep 2026 • 22 min

YouTube

Key Facts

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Number of Listeners

Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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The Mel Robbins PodcastMel Robbins

Recent Guests

Greg Heilers

Co-founder, Jolly Search (formerly Jolly SEO)

Jolly Search

Episode: A “Jolly” Rebranding Case Study

Adrian Cropley

Director on the Board of the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management; co-founder of the Centre for Strategic Communication Excellence; Medal of the Order of Australia recipient

Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management; Centre for Strategic Communication Excellence

Episode: World PR Forum Wants Your Say on Public Relations Rules

Steven Shaw

Assistant Professor of Marketing at King's College London and visiting scholar at Wharton School

King's College London; Wharton School

Episode: Cognitive Surrender and What it Means to Public Relations

Shawn Spitaleri

Mixologist, voice actor, and host/producer of Distillate

Distillate

Episode: Turn Small Talk Over Drinks into Your Best Public Relations Tool

Lamia Kamel

Founder and managing director of CC Plus; founder of Narrative PR Summit; former assistant minister of tourism and antiquities for promotion

CC Plus; Narrative PR Summit

Episode: Public Relations in Egypt

Amy Thurlow

Professor of Communication Studies, Mount Saint Vincent University (Halifax)

Mount Saint Vincent University

Episode: The Mentorship Myths Holding PR Professionals Back

Colleen Killingsworth

Canadian Public Relations practitioner and former CPRS National President

Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS)

Episode: The Mentorship Myths Holding PR Professionals Back

Matt Collette

Founder and CEO of Sequencer AI; former global managing director of digital growth at Edelman

Sequencer AI; formerly Edelman

Episode: Can this AI Tool Spot Your Next PR Crisis Before You Do?

Priya Sudarsanam

Speech, language, pathologist and communication specialist

Gallup

Episode: Good Girls Are Quiet

Hosts

Doug Downs

Host of Stories and Strategies, guiding leadership-focused conversations in public relations and strategic communication.

Farzana Badual

Co-host/guest co-host in multiple episodes, contributing expertise from Curzon Public Relations and related PR leadership discussions.

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 126 ratings

Very Helpful
I appreciate the various guest on this podcast. Stories and Strategies has helped me greatly!
If you are thinking of starting a podcast reach out to them!
Apple Podcasts
5
clutzer12345
Canadaa month ago
Love to show
Farzana and Doug are a great team. Very insightful.
Apple Podcasts
5
JH at Strait
Canadaa year ago
Excellent
Great. I am a bbc fan.
Apple Podcasts
5
DICKWAY
Canadaa year ago
By far the most relevant PR podcast out there today. So many great episodes with insights and strategies for anyone in the industry. Love their consistency too, they never miss an episode weekly. 10 Stars!
Podchaser
5
Paroledapoet
a year ago
Stories
Doug is the ultimate host - he is always well prepared and engaged with his guests. You can tell he does his homework, which can be rare in the podcast world. I appreciate all he brings to these episodes. Anyone in PR, communications or marketing should be sure to listen!
Apple Podcasts
5
PRStrategist
United States2 years ago

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Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Guests are frequently high-caliber experts delivering practical, leadership-focused insights.

Audiences describe the show as insightful for PR, communications, and marketing pros.

Listeners praise the host and guests for preparation and engaging conversations.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts	#3	United States/Business/Marketing
Apple Podcasts	#51	United States/Business
Apple Podcasts	#60	United Kingdom/Business/Marketing
Apple Podcasts	#38	United Arab Emirates/Business/Marketing
Apple Podcasts	#109	South Africa/Business/Marketing
Apple Podcasts	#142	Ireland/Business/Marketing

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

A “Jolly” Rebranding Case Study

Q: How do you measure whether the rebrand is working?

KPIs are nuanced beyond vanity metrics; the focus is on whether the brand remains viable in the market over time and whether the new name helps attract the next generation of clients while maintaining service quality for existing ones.

A “Jolly” Rebranding Case Study

Q: What were the biggest pains in the rebrand and how did you overcome them?

The main pain was balancing continuity with the need to signal new capabilities; we faced domain availability issues and had to run multiple ideas before settling on a name that preserves recognizability while clearly communicating the expanded scope.

A “Jolly” Rebranding Case Study

Q: Walk me through the rebranding process and what you ultimately landed on.

We retained the core 'Jolly' identity but shifted away from the explicit SEO signaling by adopting 'Jolly Search' to reflect our broader capabilities in AI and human-centered search, and we executed a staged transition with domain acquisition (jollysearch.com) and parallel campaigns to raise awareness of the new name.

Sticky Stories Start with the Itch Your Audience is Already Scratching

Q: What are the five tips to create memorable, sticky stories?

Eduvie outlines five steps: find the frustration that motivates the audience, understand the audience's path and walk through their day, walk the path to align the story with their daily life, write for one specific person, and break the fourth wall to inject authenticity and surprise. These steps help ensure the message is both memorable and actionable.

World PR Forum Wants Your Say on Public Relations Rules

Q: What is the practical value of the World PR Forum process, beyond creating a declaration?

The process is intended to gather diverse input so the resulting declaration can guide regional implementation, organizational adoption, and practical action that reflects local cultures and needs.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Public Relations Stories and Strategies

What is Public Relations Stories and Strategies about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This program centers on understanding how reputation, trust, and public perception are shaped at leadership levels, drawing on behavioral science, media intelligence, and ethical persuasion. Episodes tend to explore frameworks for responsible storytelling, two-way engagement, and practical leadership communication, with real-world stories from PR executives, researchers, and practitioners. Notable strengths include a leadership-forward lens that treats narrative as a strategic discipline, a mix of historical context and contemporary tactics, and a track record of accessible, insight-driven conversations with high-caliber guests. Potential listeners who want to move beyond tactics to understand how stories influence organizational credibilit... more

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To see how many followers or subscribers Public Relations Stories and Strategies has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Public Relations Stories and Strategies?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Public Relations Stories and Strategies:

1. On Top of PR with Jason Mudd
2. When It Hits the Fan
3. A Bit of Optimism
4. Plain English with Derek Thompson
5. The Mel Robbins Podcast

How many episodes of Public Relations Stories and Strategies are there?

Public Relations Stories and Strategies launched 6 years ago and published 282 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Public Relations Stories and Strategies?

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What guests have appeared on Public Relations Stories and Strategies?

Recent guests on Public Relations Stories and Strategies include:

1. Greg Heilers
2. Adrian Cropley
3. Steven Shaw
4. Shawn Spitaleri
5. Lamia Kamel
6. Amy Thurlow
7. Colleen Killingsworth
8. Matt Collette

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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