The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson

Latest Episodes:

224: Analyzing the Apology Statement: the Andrew Callaghan example Jan 24, 2023

Show notes

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 from a PR lens. Hear about the allegations made against Andrew from TikToker Caroline Elise, his response to the allegations, and the outcome. This episode unpacks how he said it, why he said it, and how it was accepted by the public. Hear about writing apologies to the public and not your critics, the framework to navigate a public relations crisis, what not to do in a video response, and what an appropriate apology is.
Tune in to find out if Andrew’s response was suitable and if he will recover his career and reputation.

Key Points From The Episode:

Introduction to today’s topic, the allegations made, and the response.
The impact of video and why it is more powerful than words.
Outline of Caroline Elise’s allegations and the video she made.
Find out why the allegations made were so believable.
The steps to take when faced with serious allegations made against you.
Analysis of Andrew’s video response and apology.
The definition of a genuine and appropriate apology.
Important legal considerations regarding apologies in a PR crisis.
The Indestructible PR® Tip

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Andrew Callaghan on Instagram

Channel 5 with Andrew Callaghan

All Gas No Brakes with Andrew Callaghan

Andrew Callaghan allegations made by TikToker Caroline Elise

Andrew Callaghan response

223: Who are the Biggest Golden Globe PR Losers of 2023? Jan 16, 2023

Show notes

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 Episode:

Today’s topic: How the Golden Globes sheds light on the brands that haven’t successfully overcome their PR crises.
Why Will Smith was still the biggest PR loser of the night.
The backstory of what happened between Will Smith and Chris Rock last year.
What Will Smith should have done immediately after last year’s incident.
The current state of Will Smith and his brand and what this indicates about his PR response.
Why Will Smith’s video apology wasn’t enough.
Why the Hollywood Foreign Press Association was also a PR loser.
Tom Cruise as a PR loser and the backstory behind this.
The Indestructible PR® tip for the day about managing PR crises.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Molly's TikTok about the Golden Globes

Molly McPherson

Indestructible: Reclaim Control and Respond with Confidence in a Media Crisis

Indestructible: Reclaim Control and Respond with Confidence in a Media Crisis - Audiobook Listen and Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

Molly McPherson on Patreon

222: To Catch a Corporate Operative: The "Network News" Hit Piece Jan 09, 2023

Show notes

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 working as an advocate for a political consulting firm.
This episode covers a brief overview of the story, why you need to be aware of this dirty trick if you work in communication, media, news, or a leadership-related position, and what you should bear in mind if facing an activist-minded foe. A second twist follows...

Key Points From This Episode:

Insight into the article “She Was an ABC News Producer. She Also Was a Corporate Operative,” and why it’s relevant to listeners of this podcast.
A brief overview of the story.
How this story reveals a new tactical strategy used by activists.
The statement released by ABC denying that Kristen Hentschel worked for them.
The twist of Kristen Hentschel working as a journalist while simultaneously working as an advocate.
How this relates to a situation faced by one of Molly’s clients with an activist-minded foe.
An interesting twist relating to Kristin’s previous career as a journalist under a different name.
The Indestructible PR® tip for the day for identifying or dealing with fake or former journalists.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

"She was an ABC News producer. She also was a corporate operative"

Kristen Hentschel on LinkedIn

Molly McPherson

Indestructible: Reclaim Control and Respond with Confidence in a Media Crisis

Indestructible: Reclaim Control and Respond with Confidence in a Media Crisis - Audio Book Listen and Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

Molly McPherson on Patreon

221: Top 10 Public Relations Crises of 2022 Jan 02, 2023

Show notes

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 that happened in 2022? - Twitter 12/27/22
The Top 10 PR Crises in 2022 - Tik Tok 1/2/2023
212: Why The Term Cancel Culture is Dangerous And How It Can Hurt Your Brand: Kanye West Explains

Indestructible: Reclaim Control and Respond with Confidence in a Media Crisis

Indestructible: Reclaim Control and Respond with Confidence in a Media Crisis - Audio Book Listen and Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

Molly McPherson on Patreon

220: What is ChatGPT and Why Is Everyone Obsessed With It? Dec 27, 2022

Show notes

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 communications and public relations before providing a list of some of the many things it can be used for, including content creation, language translation, copywriting, and others. You’ll learn what to consider if you are using ChatGPT for external communications and how to harness its benefits without jeopardizing your reputation.

Key Points From This Episode:

An introduction to what ChatGPT is and how it works.
What makes ChatGPT different from other IA programs.
The limitations of ChatGPT.
How it can be useful to you in terms of communications and public relations.
A list of the many things you can use it for including responding to customer inquiries, content creation, language translation, etc.
How this can be used by students to cheat and evade plagiarism.
What to consider if you are using Chat GPT for external communications.
The Indestructible PR® tip for the day regarding your reputation and ChatGPT.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

ChatGPT

Molly McPherson

Indestructible: Reclaim Control and Respond with Confidence in a Media Crisis

Indestructible: Reclaim Control and Respond with Confidence in a Media Crisis - Audio Book Listen and Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

Molly McPherson on Patreon

219: How to Give a Good Answer to Any Question Dec 19, 2022

Show notes

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 should help ensure that no matter what type of question is put forth, you can confidently provide an effective response.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Molly McPherson

Indestructible: Reclaim Control and Respond with Confidence in a Media Crisis

Indestructible: Reclaim Control and Respond with Confidence in a Media Crisis - Audio Book Listen and Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

Molly McPherson on Patreon

218: Unethical Leadership in Action: The Tampa Police Chief Who Flashed a Badge Dec 12, 2022

Show notes

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 can save your reputation. Hear the entire body cam clip and learn what guilt sounds like, how guilty people behave, and how this sheds light on unethical leadership. Also covered is the statement that was released when the truth came out and how Mary tried to protect the lie instead of taking responsibility for her actions. Hear more about what it means to be an ethical leader in any organization and how to build an indestructible reputation.

Key Points From This Episode:

The traffic stop incident that resulted in Mary O’Connor’s resignation as Police Chief of Tampa, Florida.
What guilt sounds like and how this relates to a media interview.
How this sheds light on unethical leadership.
Assessing the ethical ramifications of her actions
A sense of relief, and insight into how guilty people behave.
The statement that was released when the truth came out and how she tried to protect the lie.
How the first statement tells you the intent of the person.
A previous incident and speculation that she may be driving under the influence of alcohol.
What it means to be an ethical leader and how this relates to an organization’s core values.
The Indestructible PR® tip for the day about taking responsibility.\

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

YouTube: "#Tampa #Police Chief Resigns After Flashing Badge To Get Out Of Golf Cart Stop"

Official statement: "Incident involving chief of police"

"Tampa police Chief Mary O’Connor resigns amid traffic stop controversy"

Molly McPherson

Indestructible: Reclaim Control and Respond with Confidence in a Media Crisis

Indestructible: Reclaim Control and Respond with Confidence in a Media Crisis - Audio Book Listen and Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

217: My Public Relations Strategy That Got Two Clients Out of Crises Dec 05, 2022

Show notes

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 Checklist' and covers why you need to consider the intent of the person attacking you or your brand, the different intentions someone may have for attacking you, and whether you should delete a post or reply to it.
You’ll learn what to consider when responding to a post like this, why you want to reply early, and why you should build your statements around key messaging. It also explains exactly how the Indestructible PR® response framework can be implemented into your response to make for an indestructible reputation.

Key Points From This Episode:

Patreon and other platforms where Molly engages with her followers.
A question from one of Molly’s Patreon subscribers about what Molly does behind the scenes.
How what Molly talks about on TikTok translates into her work.
The definition of a social media disruption and how this is different from a crisis.
The social media disruption checklist that Molly created for one of her clients.
How she applied this same checklist to the disruption faced by another client.
The three elements of the Social Media Checklist.
Why you need to consider the intent of the person attacking you before replying.
The different types of people who may attack or challenge you on social media.
Why Molly’s belief that you should never delete anything on social media has changed.
What to delete and what to respond to.
Other things to consider when responding to a post like this.
Why you want to reply early and what to consider as you draft your response.
Why you should build your statements around key messaging.
How to implement the Indestructible PR response framework into your response.
The importance of monitoring all your social media channels when navigating a disruption.
The Indestructible PR® tip for the day about not taking things personally.

Indestructible: Reclaim Control and Respond with Confidence in a Media Crisis - Audio Book Listen and Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

216: The 3 Mistakes Most Spokespeople Make in their Media Interviews (and how to avoid them) Nov 29, 2022

Show notes

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 not treating an interview like it’s a conversation to identifying and avoiding the traps set by reporters, learn how to perfect the art of the media interview and protect your brand. Also covered are some helpful tips for the preparation of “quotable quotes” to ensure that you don’t just avoid saying the wrong thing, but also get the right message across.

Key Points From This Episode:

The challenges faced by spokespeople in media interviews and how they are based on fear.
The practice and patience required to craft the right messaging to protect yourself in a media interview.
Why you should never treat a media interview as a conversation and why people do this.
The awkward pause, what it is, and how journalists use this against spokespeople.
How to avoid falling into the trap of the awkward pause.
Why spokespeople often avoid repeating themselves and why they shouldn’t.
Why you shouldn’t repeat the reporter’s words in your answer and how to avoid this reflex.
The importance of discipline and control.
The Indestructible PR® Tip for the day regarding the preparation of “quotable quotes.”

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Warren Weeks

Media Training Toronto

Molly McPherson

Indestructible: Reclaim Control and Respond with Confidence in a Media Crisis

215: It's (Not) The Most Wonderful Time of the Year For Layoffs Nov 22, 2022

Show notes

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 learn from both these situations. From managing expectations to supporting your employees, and ongoing communication, this episode will help you to mitigate unnecessary distress and protect your reputation in the unfortunate event of corporate downsizing.

Key Points From This Episode:

Some of the companies that have been in the media for layoffs recently.
Why it’s so important to a company’s future success and reputation for its leader to handle a layoff well.
Today’s topic: How to handle layoffs during this time of year.
The difference between how Mark Zuckerberg handled the Meta layoffs and how Elon Musk handled the Twitter layoffs.
Why, as a leader, you should be clear about the situation upfront.
How to support both the employees who are being laid off and those who are staying.
Why this process should be followed whether you’re laying off many people or only a few.
The value of ongoing communication and updates.
How to manage expectations by answering questions.
The Indestructible PR® Tip for the day about framing the bad news.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Molly's TikTok video about the Meta Layoffs

"Mark Zuckerberg Said He Cut Meta Jobs Better Than Elon Musk"

Molly McPherson

Indestructible: Reclaim Control and Respond with Confidence in a Media Crisis

Indestructible: Reclaim Control and Respond with Confidence in a Media Crisis - Audio Book Listen and Subscribe on Apple Podcasts