Trust Relations: The Podcast

Today, April is joined by special guest host Austin Sandmeyer! Austin is the Customer Lifecycle Marketing Manager at Sendoso, the leading sending platform that helps companies stand out with new ways to engage customers. His expertise is in the tech startup space, and he is also a current friend and former colleague of the Trust Relations team. He’s here to discuss how marketers can adapt to today's shifting economic landscape, with customer-focused strategies to boost your brand’s outreach strategy. In the Campaign Essentials segment, Austin and April chat through some recent brand collaborations and offer insights about what makes or breaks a successful brand partnership.

Today, April is joined by special guest host, Renée T. Walker! Renée is the president of RENEE WALKER & ASSOCIATES, a strategy, brand and marketing communications agency. She’s here to share her top five questions to help business leaders reframe their understanding of brand identity and optimize their marketing efforts. April and Renée also discuss tips to help brands overcome budget challenges without sacrificing vital marketing and PR functionalities. In the PR news segment, they cover a series of recent examples of AI errors in editorial reporting, including a potential defamation lawsuit to be levied against OpenAI in Australia. Tune in as they cover the implications of AI writing for news and communications industries.

On the show today, April and Hamish dissect the reported increase in false advertising lawsuits, with a look at high-profile examples including allegations against Olaplex, Anheuser-Busch, Sazerac Company, and Barilla. Together, they share advice for brands to avoid misrepresenting their products and initiatives online and in the press. Today’s campaign analysis features a deep dive into Nike’s collaboration with Tiffany & Co. earlier this year, with an assessment of the campaign's successes and missed opportunities.

CAMPAIGN ANALYSIS:

Today in industry news, April and Hamish sit down in the virtual recording booth to review Meta’s “Widely Viewed Content Report” with a discussion about the impacts of social media algorithms on digital marketing and trending topics. Later, your favorite podcast hosts discuss Hard Mtn Dew’s one-year anniversary campaign. Tune in for a chat about whether the brand’s spring-break-themed retirement community sweepstakes stayed true to the brand or missed the mark.

CAMPAIGN ANALYSIS:

Read more about Hard Mtn Dew’s campaign here:

We’re closing out our agency anniversary festivities with a conversation about company culture. Guest host and Chief Operations Officer Lana Marshall chats with CEO & Founder April White about best practices for developing a considerate company culture. Together they share tips for delivering kind and constructive feedback to foster mentorship in any agency and discuss Lana’s recent article on the topic for Authority Magazine. Next, in the Marketing Conundrum segment, April and Lana cover advice for agency leadership in integrated marketing communications roles to manage expectations and have frank and productive conversations with clients. 

AGENCY NEWS: 

In this special episode, Trust Relations is celebrating four years in business!

Join us as we kick off year five with an in-depth discussion about brand values, featuring a guest host appearance from our Chief Operations Officer, Lana Marshall! As CEO & Founder of TR, April White shares some agency news with a look at our newly-revised core company values. April and Lana also discuss what a “values-based approach” means for brands today, with advice to help any business owner uncover the right core tenants to guide their brand toward long-term success. They’re sharing actionable advice, team member memories and tips for brand leaders and agency owners to navigate business ownership in the era of transparency, corporate responsibility and workplace culture revolution.

Thank you for being along for the ride as we build TR into the agency of the future – and beyond!

AGENCY NEWS: 

This week on Trust Relations: The Podcast, April and Hamish are sharing advice for brands navigating an uncertain global economy. First, they chat about a recent survey from Advertiser Perceptions which reported that 38% of marketers are shifting focus this year from customer acquisition to loyalty programs. Together, April and Hamish weigh in on this marketing conundrum, with the pros and cons for brands seeking to remain profitable. The Campaign Analysis segment features a creative activation from Behr Paint, with an in-depth analysis of the company’s successful “To DIY For” campaign on TikTok.

MARKETING CONUNDRUM:

Should your brand be emphasizing acquisition in the current economy, or shift focus to loyalty?

Today, April and Hamish shed some light on a recent social media trend that runs counter to mainstream influencer culture: deinfluencing. In this segment, our hosts unpack the implications of this trend for digital marketing and consumer culture. Today’s Campaign Essentials segment features tips and best practices about how to select the right promotional imagery and stock photography for your brand — without falling into the trap of false advertising or misleading content. 

COMMUNICATIONS BUZZWORDS:

Hamish: superannuated (adj.)

April: magniloquent (adj.)

NEWS:

Read more about Deinfluencing here:

This week on Trust Relations: The Podcast, April and Hamish share an in-depth discussion about creative brand activations, including notable examples from major brands including Frito Lay’s Potadomes at the Coachella festival in 2022 and the failed influencer event at last year’s Revolve Festival. They also discuss the reputational damage sustained by Southwest Airlines, in light of a recent report indicating that the airline’s recent holiday cancellations negatively impacted consumer trust of the air travel industry at large. As a bonus, the dynamic marketing duo also discuss Hamish’s experience at a Red Hot Chili Peppers concert earlier this month — and the brand backlash that ensued following the Sydney show.

COMMUNICATIONS BUZZWORDS:

Hamish: promulgate (v.)

April: communique (n.)

CAMPAIGN ESSENTIALS:

Here are 3 things to consider when developing a brand activation or event.

Today on the show, April and Hamish offer an analysis of one viral ad from Super Bowl LIV, with an in-depth look at Workday’s creative take on corporate overuse of the “rock star” moniker. Together, they discuss the strategic components that made the ad a success. For this week’s industry news update, our hosts cover a rise in international scrutiny of TikTok’s data security; the discussion arises in light of the recent media dominance of the Chinese balloon which was neutralized by U.S. military forces earlier this month. Tune in as they assess the risks and rewards associated with leveraging social media juggernauts like TikTok and Twitter in your brand strategy.

CAMPAIGN ANALYSIS:

This week on Trust Relations: The Podcast, April and Hamish discuss a hot topic for today’s brands — celebrity and influencer engagements. They’re covering tips to consider before engaging a celebrity spokesperson, including how to avoid the most common mistakes and risks associated with influencer relations. Later, our hosts dive into the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) in content development and PR writing, with a look at CNET’s apology for errors made in the outlet’s recent AI-written articles. Stay tuned as April and Hamish test out the viral Chat GPT tool firsthand and share their thoughts on the future of AI writing for the communications profession.

CAMPAIGN ESSENTIALS:

Here are three tips to consider when your brand engages celebrities or influencers.

LOST IN TRANSLATION:

This week on Trust Relations: The Podcast, April and Hamish discuss the rising influence of junior staff and Gen Z employees in social media management. They analyze the implications of these rising stars for brands and cover the long-term career impacts of early promotions to high-paying positions. Today’s Marketing Conundrum includes a look at Lake Superior State University’s annual list of “banished” words, including tips and best practices for avoiding lingo overuse in your marketing and PR writing process. Also in this episode, our hosts re-introduce a fan-favorite segment: Communications Buzzwords!

NEWS:

Welcome to our first-ever crossover episode! In this podcast special, the hosts from The PR Wine Down and Trust Relations: The Podcast team up to deliver advice, insights and hot takes for brands and integrated marketing professionals. Today’s episode also features a celebrity guest, with a name anyone in PR or marketing is sure to recognize. We’re pleased to welcome April’s personal friend, mentor and former colleague: Doug Spong! Together, they discuss the latest trends impacting PR, media relations and agency culture in 2023. They also share a few favorite campaigns from Doug’s storied career, including his work with Ty Pennington, Paris Hilton, Will Smith, American Standard, Hasbro’s Rubik’s Cube, Silk Soymilk, and more.

Later, April, Laura and Hamish read an anonymous listener’s PR Horror Story about one manager’s explosive reaction to a junior employee’s PTO request. In the Campaign Analysis segment, they discuss IKEA’s “Swedish Seedballs” campaign.

About the Guest:

Doug has an Accreditation in Public Relations and is a PRSA Fellow. He is also the founder and CEO of The Doug Spong Co. Previously, Doug was the founder, president and managing partner of Minneapolis-based Carmichael Lynch and Spong, which is owned by Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG).

This week on Trust Relations: The Podcast, April and Hamish chat through what PR practitioners and marketers can do when a client needs to tighten their budget — but expects the same amount of results a higher retainer would accomplish. They discuss managing expectations, strategies for maximizing impact with a limited marketing budget and more. Your favorite podcasting duo also discusses one of the most surprising brand mash-ups from the end of the year, with an analysis of Juicy Couture’s collaboration with Kraft Real Mayo.

CAMPAIGN ESSENTIALS:

Here’s what to do when a brand needs to tighten their marketing budget without wanting to sacrifice work or results.

CAMPAIGN ANALYSIS:

This week on Trust Relations: The Podcast, April and Hamish share advice on how to strengthen your PR and marketing efforts with updated tactics for 2023. They’re covering how to leverage your media hits to strengthen any marketing campaign with the added credibility of earned media. They also share hot takes on Tropicana’s recent toothpaste campaign, which aimed to solve the problem of how a fresh glass of orange juice can taste bitter after consumer’s have brushed their teeth.

CAMPAIGN ESSENTIALS:

Here’s how to use your PR media hits to strengthen any marketing campaign.

CAMPAIGN ANALYSIS:

On the show this week, April and Hamish discuss a challenging topic for marketers: knowing when to take a creative risk. First, they discuss advice for managing clients who take an overly-cautious approach, and how to encourage strategic risk-taking to improve marketing success. Next, they share hot takes about a recent, ill-advised creative campaign from Mentos that missed the mark on brand authenticity.

MARKETING CONUNDRUMS:

Here’s what to do when a client is extremely risk-averse — and it's hampering your campaign.

CAMPAIGN ANALYSIS:

Reach about Mentos’ Recycling Raccoons campaign here: https://www.marketingdive.com/news/mentos-sustainability-ads-recycling-raccoons/633876/

CONNECT WITH TRUST RELATIONS:

This week on Trust Relations: The Podcast, April and Hamish welcome special guest Trena Blair, founder and CEO of FD Global Connections. Trena was recently named the winner of two awards at the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, alongside TR President April White, who won a gold award herself. Trena won Gold for Best Female Entrepreneur in Asia, Australia or New Zealand Business Services (10 or Less Employees), and Silver for Best Female Entrepreneur (Global), Business Services (10 or Less Employees). April won the gold award for Most Innovative Woman of the Year - Advertising, Marketing and Public Relation’ in 2022. Together, they discuss how to craft a winning award submission or speaker nomination for any brand or thought leader. April and Hamish also share their thoughts on how third-party honors like these can boost brand credibility for your company or organization.

CAMPAIGN ESSENTIALS:

Here’s how to create a strong award or speaking submission.

GUEST INFORMATION:

In this episode, hosts April and Hamish share an in-person discussion about creative content marketing. They discuss best practices for developing innovative content marketing and brand messaging, with advice for brands seeking to stand out from their competitors online. For today’s Lost in Translation segment, our hosts discuss an ad from the 2010s that stood the test of time and made an international impact.

CAMPAIGN ESSENTIALS:

Here’s how to create innovative content marketing campaigns.

On today's episode of Trust Relations: The Podcast, hosts April and Hamish are sitting down for an in-person chat in sunny Sydney Australia! They’re here to share their advice for successfully launching a sub-brand — and how to navigate constructive criticism branding clients as a part of that process. They also discuss April's plans for her working vacation in Sydney, and analyze a recent report on how global ad spend is impacting the marketing sector as we approach the new year.

MARKETING CONUNDRUM:

What to do when a parent company launches a sub-brand, but the messaging is too similar to their existing offering.

NEWS:

This week on Trust Relations: The Podcast, April and Hamish discuss best practices for brand positioning. They’re sharing some insight into the characteristics, expertise and skills that can help you to select the right spokesperson for your company’s next PR opportunity or marketing feature. They also analyze a new campaign from Champion, with an in-depth look at the company’s attempt to reach younger audiences by staking claim to the origin story of the hoodie.

CAMPAIGN ESSENTIALS:

Here’s how to choose the right spokesperson for your brand.

CAMPAIGN ANALYSIS:

April and Hamish are kicking off season 2 with a new, fresh and fast-paced format. Tune in as they tackle a common issue agency teams face when working on long-term creative campaigns: excessive revisions. Our hosts also discuss another Australia-based advertising campaign from Google, and chat through the reasons why this video ad went viral.

MARKETING CONUNDRUM:

What to do when your client has excessive revisions that delay the success of your campaign.

CAMPAIGN ANALYSIS:

In the last episode of Season 1, April and Hamish are tackling a common issue for integrated marketing professionals at every stage of their careers—burnout. Special guest Rachael Stockton, founder and leadership coach at Inner Compass Leadership, joins the show to share her advice for female professionals and others in the marketing industry. She’s covering actionable tools and strategies to combat imposter syndrome, manage burnout and improve work-life balance. Next, Hamish offers insight into how selecting the right content management system can benefit your company’s SEO efforts. This week’s Campaign Analysis features an alarming PSA from the city of New York, which featured safety tips to prevent death in the event of a nuclear incident. Our hosts also close out the Communications Buzzword competition, officially crowning Hamish as the winner.

This week, April and Hamish discuss long-term marketing strategies, from crisis preparedness to business-building goals. They’re sharing advice for brands to avoid a Shein-style public reckoning by developing preemptive crisis preparedness plans. They also discuss how the impending economic downturn can be an opportunity for brands to reevaluate marketing tactics. Our hosts also cover tips on what to do when your client has no internal marketing plan in place and share the basics of building an executive thought leadership profile. Today’s Campaign Analysis segment features Birkenstocks “Ugly for a Reason” campaign.

Communications Buzzwords:

April: draconian (adj.)

Hamish: convivial (adj.)

NEWS:

In today’s show, hosts April and Hamish are covering long-term strategies for success — and how to manage expectations when a client wants to see immediate results. They also share their thoughts on the public criticism over Daily Harvest’s influencer relations strategy amid a recent product recall. In “Campaign Essentials,” Hamish shares his best advice for brands that are new to SEO strategy and how to implement the fundamental components of a strong content program. For “Campaign Analysis,” they share their hot takes and strategic insights into this summer’s Gucci X Adidas collaboration and explore Kraft’s branding shift to embrace the mac & cheese title.

On the show today, our hosts offer a sneak peek into Trust Relations’ proprietary branding assessment tool, the Trust Analysis! Bilal Qzilbash, founder of EasyKale, joins us in the virtual recording booth for a brand assessment to identify his company’s key strengths and brainstorm next steps to boost his ongoing marketing efforts. April and Hamish also chat through some recent industry news, with a close look at the recent crackdown on Elvis look-alikes in Las Vegas and the implications of marketing agencies that have begun to target OnlyFans content creators as clients. For this episode’s “Campaign Essentials” segment, they discuss the dos and don’ts of a successful brand collaboration.

COMMUNICATIONS BUZZWORDS:

Hamish: hokum (adj.)

April: stravage (v.)

GUEST:

On the show today, hosts April and Hamish analyze the rise of “shadow banning” on social media, with a deep dive into the PR and media implications of censorship online. They also chat through some advice for marketers on what to do when your client wants to DIY their new website, including the pitfalls of failing to seek help from SEO and design professionals. For this week’s Campaign Essentials, Hamish is taking the reins and sharing the top mistakes brands tend to make at the start of a new marketing campaign. For the Campaign Analysis segment, your favorite integrated marketing duo covers the “Sneaker Wars,” with a critique of the decades-old marketing rivalry between Nike and Adidas.

COMMUNICATIONS BUZZWORDS:

Hamish: bilous (n.)

April: aegis (v.)

NEWS:

This week, April and Hamish are covering the top mistakes brands tend to make at the start of a new PR campaign. They also break down some tips to help marketers make an impact with their audiences online, despite users’ shrinking attention spans. Today’s news segment covers some recent, ongoing issues at Netflix as the company introduces new advertising options and reckons with increasing market competition. For our Campaign Analysis, April and Hamish get lost in translation, as they chat through some of the best Aussie and Kiwi ads from the past year, and discuss whether those ads are effective for an international audience.

COMMUNICATIONS BUZZWORDS:

April: aver (v.)

Hamish: yakka (n.)

NEWS:

This week, April and Hamish are discussing a tricky topic in agency operations, with advice for navigating client relationships. Our hosts offer their tried-and-true advice for dealing with nepotism, family business dynamics and toxic company cultures on the client side. They also share tips to help marketers manage expectations and set their working relationships up for success. Next, they discuss recent news from the streaming sector, with a look back at some major changes happening at Netflix, including how the company has responded to increasing competition. Also in the news segment, they cover a recent study from the Harris Poll and Google Cloud on corporate “greenwashing” and its impacts on brand authenticity. Today’s Campaign Analysis segment features key learnings from the failure of the Revolve Festival, the now-notorious exclusive party held during Coachella 2022.

Communications Buzzwords:

A: predilection (n.)

H: specious (adj.)

NEWS:

This week on the show, hosts April and Hamish confront a foundational component of strategic positioning: brand archetypes. Together, they share advice for founders, marketers and brand managers to identify their brand archetypes to drive more inefficient communications. They also analyze two Aussie ad campaigns, from agencies The Works and DDB Melbourne. This week’s industry news features the closure of e-commerce startup Fast, the departure of Dunkin’s new CMO and Skittles brand’s recent apology conference stunt.

COMMUNICATIONS BUZZWORDS:

Hamish: ballyhoo

April: misnomer

This week on the show, hosts April and Hamish discuss a critical metric for any integrated marketing campaign — share of voice! Together, they’re diving into the best ways for smaller companies to move the needle on their SOV in a crowded market. They also share their thoughts on the Today Show’s rebrand, amid a cultural shift away from TV news and toward independent content creators. For this week’s Campaign Analysis segment, April and Hamish dish about Burger King’s poop emoji ice cream campaign to promote good-for-you ingredients, and evaluate the impact of star power in the recent collaboration between Pusha T and Arby’s.

COMMUNICATIONS BUZZWORDS:

Hamish: demodé (adj.)

April: elucidate (n.)

NEWS:

This week on the show, hosts April and Hamish discuss the role of strategic messaging in building brand reputation, guiding business decisions and impacting public perception of important issues. They’re covering best practices for walking a client through the challenging process of reevaluating their strategic messaging and website copy. They also discuss the issues at play with The New York Times’ handling a mislabeled photo of tennis star Venus Williams, and the censorship challenges women’s health brands are facing on social media. For this week’s Campaign Analysis, the duo delivers their hot takes on a recent Old Spice ad campaign.

COMMUNICATIONS BUZZWORDS:

Hamish: slapdash (adj.)

April: compendious (adj.)

NEWS:

On today's episode of Trust Relations: The Podcast, hosts April and Hamish are getting to that critical element at the heart of a cohesive campaign: brand values. They’re discussing how today's biggest brands and savviest startups can stay true to their values, back up their claims and make headlines that really move the needle. They also share advice on what to do when a client’s value propositions can't be backed up with facts, and analyze creative campaigns from Truly and Zaxby’s. In this week’s news, our hosts chat through the recent scandal at 5WPR, IBM’s age handling of age discrimination accusations and the rising importance of owned media.

COMMUNICATIONS BUZZWORDS:

Hamish: avouch (v.)

April: prodigious (adj.)

NEWS:

This week, hosts April and Hamish are tackling one of the core questions in PR and marketing: How can you get to know your audience? Whether you’re a household name or a burgeoning startup, it’s critical to reach the right eyes and ears with the content that’s best for them. Tune in as the dynamic marketing duo chats through why it’s important to know your audience, do your research and deliver valuable content. They also discuss a few high-profile examples of brand wins and losses from the news, including an analysis of Peloton’s recent brand crisis saga and the latest rebrand at The New York Times. They also discuss a recent industry report from Technavio about the rise of content marketing and chat through the best ways to reach millennials in the era of digital saturation.

The team at Trust Relations is celebrating three years since our founding with a new podcast that gets to the heart of our mission: helping clients build trust with their target audiences. Meet Trust Relations’ founder April White and resident marketing expert Hamish Anderson as they chat through the news, media and marketing trends that matter most to today’s brands and entrepreneurs. This week, you can get to know your new favorite podcast hosts with a mutual interview session on brand trust and media credibility. Hamish shares his expertise on the power of perspective, the importance of asking "why," and the proper role of data in modern marketing. Then, April dives into an analysis of the future of media and PR, how brands can build trust and, of course, the inspiration that led her to found Trust Relations–and coin the term “trust relations” to replace PR.

COMMUNICATIONS BUZZWORDS:

Hamish: skookum

April: obdurate

NEWS: