Shows
Point Taken with Steve Scaffidi & Kristin BreyCalling BS on Tom Tiffany's ICE Video CommentsSteve Scaffidi and Kristin Brey are joined in-studio by former U.S. Attorney James Santelle to examine the legal fallout from ICE’s violent actions in Minneapolis, including the killing of Alex Pretti and what accountability for federal agents actually looks like under the law. The conversation expands to major court challenges to President Trump’s executive orders, the legality of masked ICE officers, and warning signs of a broader constitutional crisis.
Later, Steve and Kristin revisit developments in Minnesota, react to comments from Wisconsin Congressman Tom Tiffany, and urge calm amid ongoing protests. The show wraps with Podcamp Media foun...
2026-01-271h 03
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesDelicious Redemption: Getting Fired for an Infamous PBR Tweet Made Corey Smale the CCO at Garage BeerIt was four years ago that the Twitter account for legendary beer brand Pabst Blue Ribbon tweeted out:
"Not drinking this January? Try eating ass!"
And we're FINALLY talking to the guy who did it.
Because Corey Smale—who was promptly fired for the Tweet and owned it publicly—isn't just PBR's ex-social media manager.
He's now been named Ad Age's "Marketer of the Year" for his current work as Chief Creative Officer at Garage Beer, one of the fastest-growing beer brands in the world.
Look, we already covered the...
2026-01-2743 min
Provide: The Path to Owning ItBuilding Podcamp Media with Dusty WeisFor some entrepreneurs, starting a business isn't a lifelong dream. It’s a moment of clarity, a calculated leap, and a willingness to build before they feel ready.
In this episode, we’re speaking with Dusty Weis, founder and president of Podcamp Media, a boutique podcast production agency that helps brands tell better stories and build long-term trust with their audiences. Dusty shares how his corporate career in journalism and strategic communications led to a lightbulb moment, some quick back-of-the-napkin math, and the bold ask that helped launch his business — turning his employer into his first client.
...
2026-01-2134 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesThe Wikipedia Prank: Why the Internet Mistakenly Thought the Movie Good Luck Chuck was Based on Ben Kollenbroich15 years ago, if you had googled Ben Kollenbroich’s name, you would have discovered that his life story was the inspiration for “Good Luck Chuck,” a mid-budget, critically-panned romantic comedy starring Dane Cook and Jessica Alba.
That’s not REMOTELY true, however.
In fact, Ben Kollenbroich was just a regular 25-year-old guy in 2010. There certainly weren't any movies based on his life.
And it wasn't an accident, a mix up or a mistaken identity that caused dozens of websites… and even his own grandmother… to believe otherwise
It was an intentional and painstak...
2025-10-2235 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesA.I. Podcast Host Invasion: Inception Point's Business Model & the Podcast Industry's ReactionEarlier this month, a new startup announced that they would be using artificial intelligence to churn out thousands of podcast episodes voiced by A.I. podcast hosts.
Inception Point A.I. claims to be able to fashion 3,000 podcast episodes a week at a paltry cost of $1 per episode, and plans to flood the market with massive amounts of content in the hopes of generating revenue through programmatic advertising.
But the reaction to their market entrance was anything but warm and welcoming. Podcast industry stalwarts and professional communicators expressed shock and outrage that the startup would resort to such a...
2025-09-2450 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesModernizing the Way We Communicate About Road Closures (Especially During Emergencies), with Scott Oppman from ArcGISMost people get travel information about road closures from Google Maps, Apple Maps or a similar smartphone-based application.
But when a road is closed, most transportation agencies put out a press release.
And this disconnect is not only annoying—it can be a public safety hazard.
So after the recent catastrophic flooding in his Southeast Wisconsin community, Dusty wants to start a conversation about how public officials can modernize the way they communicate about road closures in 2025.
Because, in order to maximize the impact of potentially life-saving information, municipalities and departments of...
2025-08-2028 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesWill Wikipedia survive Artificial Intelligence? (And Can A.I. Survive Without Wikipedia?)Wikipedia readers consume nearly one billion articles per day from the online encyclopedia.
In its 25 years of operation, this compendium of human knowledge has become an integral tool for understanding the world in which we live.
But artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT could threaten Wikipedia's viability over the next 25 years.
And in fact, by diverting fundraising traffic, undermining traditional journalism, and thinning the ranks of Wikipedia editors, large language models (LLMs) could even imperil their own usefulness.
So in this episode, we're talking to a Wikipedia expert about the implications—both fo...
2025-07-3046 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesRecession Lessons from Content Marketing Institute Founder Joe Pulizzi: Double Down, Dig InIn the world of business, yet again, things looks grim.
A brewing trade war, the uncharted fallout of artificial intelligence, and political upheaval around the world...
All these factors have created an atmosphere of business uncertainty. Marketing jobs and budgets face the specter of the chopping block once again, and many are taking a "batten down the hatches" approach.
But at a time like this, it's important to remember: when everyone else goes quiet, your voice carries that much further.
And so in this episode, we're revisiting a pivotal conversation with...
2025-06-2535 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesBot Farms Have Made Social Media Engagement Metrics Meaningless, with Eric SchwartzmanWhat you see online is not real.
This has long been a reliable axiom for information consumption on the internet.
But social media and SEO marketers have long relied on their engagement metrics as an exception to that rule—critical quantitative data that can't be faked and can be leveraged to demonstrate the value of a campaign or piece of content.
Except in 2025, it's just not reliable any more.
That is because sophisticated operations called "bot farms" have built swarms of networked smart phones designed to mimic the organic engagement that dr...
2025-05-2833 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesThe Mystery of the I-94 Sales & Marketing Tip of the Week BillboardThere is a weird, enigmatic old billboard along the interstate in Wisconsin promoting a "Sales & Marketing Tip of the Week."
Without any branding or context, this weathered sign invites thousands of motorists daily to call a mysterious phone number.
And that has been driving Dusty CRAZY because, frankly, nothing about this billboard makes any sense in 2025.
So we're going to SOLVE A MARKETING MYSTERY, folks!
Together with our old pal Kyle Brown, we're going to speculate about WHY this sign exists, how it got there, and what its purpose is.
2025-04-2933 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesWhy Have Streaming Services Put So Many Ads In Our Shows? with Film Critic Matt Zoller SeitzAfter more than a decade of living in an entertainment golden age... Filled with more and better options, with less advertising, than ever before in human history... Are the good times over? Almost every major streaming service has recently begun inserting advertising into its programming. And it's NOT your imagination... the ads really are more disruptive and obnoxious than traditional television commercials. So what's driving the sudden advertising stampede in the streaming services that...
2025-03-2634 min
Milwaukee UncutRichie & Rayshawn: An Eventful First Year of Big Brothers Big SistersWhat's it like to go from no kids to mentoring a high energy 6 year old through BBBS? It's been an adventurous and very rewarding last year. Over a year ago I was looking at volunteer opportunities in the Milwaukee area and wanted to make a difference. I looked into Big Brothers Big Sisters, since I had some friends Glenny Crawford and Dusty Weis that are part of the program and had great things to say about it and the impact that you can have. I also remembered my Dad mentoring through a different program while I was g...
2025-03-0520 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesWhat Happens at American Airlines After a Plane Crash: Behind the Scenes with Former Spokeswoman Jennifer R. HudsonThree weeks after accepting a new role as an American Airlines spokeswoman in 1995, Jennifer R. Hudson was paged out of bed in the middle of the night.The worst had happened.Flight 965 had disappeared in the mountains of Colombia, and Jennifer needed to report to the scene of the crash to coordinate the company's public relations response. Unnerved and uncertain, she had to push aside her doubts and power through what would become one of the most harrowing experiences of her career.Jennifer would go on to serve as a Vice President of...
2025-02-1937 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesLiquid Death Spoofs the Pepsi Harrier Jet Giveaway, with Andy Pearson & Jeff BeerAt the height of the Cola Wars in the mid-90's, Pepsi committed one of the most notorious PR and marketing fiascos of all-time.An eye-catching spot promised brand fans that, if they saved up 7 million Pepsi Points, they could win a Harrier fighter jet.However, no one at Pepsi or their ad agency ever expected anyone to try to claim that prize. And when Washington business school student John Leonard did, they faced a multi-year legal battle and a storm of negative publicity.Now, almost three decades later, another beverage company has...
2025-01-2240 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesThe Election of the Podcast? 2024 Presidential Campaign PR Focuses on Podcasts & Social MediaEarned media has long been the holy grail of public relations.For decades, getting your client's message in the New York Times or the Wall Street Journal has been the gold standard by which PR agencies are judged.But as we march further into this age of new media, those public opinion gatekeepers in the traditional media are losing their dominance of the American attention span.And as evidenced by this year's presidential campaign strategy, that means that PR tactics are shifting as well.Donald Trump's interview on the Joe Rogan...
2024-12-1834 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesAlex Jones’s Infowars Being Purchased by the Onion and Sandy Hook Families, with Onion CMO Leila BrillsonAlex Jones, founder of the extremist conspiracy-theory-peddling digital brand Infowars, has proved again and again that there is no lie he will not embrace and no moral line he will not cross.For his own, personal benefit, he has victimized the grieving parents of children who were killed in school shootings. He has deliberately stoked fear among his followers in order to sell them snake oil. He has promoted insane conspiracy theories about everything from 9-11 to the moon landing. And this month, karma FINALLY came around for him in the most epic way possible....
2024-11-2629 min
Podcast PerspectivesPredictions and Retrospectives with 19 Podcast Industry LeadersAs we look towards the New Year, we’ve gathered some of the brightest minds in podcasting to reflect on a transformative year. From indie creators to network executives, our guests share their most humbling lessons, unexpected wins, and the moments that made them rethink everything. Plus, they reveal what’s keeping them up at night – and what’s getting them excited – as we head into 2025.Guests include:
Chris Peterson of DWNLOAD Media
Fatima Zaidi of Quill Inc and CoHost
Sharon Taylor of Triton Digital
Bradley Davis of Podchaser
Amber Smith of iHeartMedia
Eric Barne...
2024-11-2037 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesFEMA Public Affairs Team Still Carries Scars from Hurricane Ike Assignment, with Molly McPherson & Mike MooreThe videos and stories we’ve seen and heard from Hurricanes Helene and Milton over the last month have been truly horrific.They're an important reminder that the rescue and recovery crews who rush into these disaster zones are invaluable......as is the work of public affairs crews and reporters who document the aftermath of these storms.They’re giving the outside world a window in to the carnage, making clear the need for aid, and bearing witness to what we’ve lost.So in this episode, we're going to explore the sa...
2024-11-0144 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesThe Legend of Dukakis in a Tank: White House Comms Pros Talk Presidential Optics, with Josh King and Kevin SullivanThe image of 1988 Democratic presidential candidate Michael Dukakis riding in a tank has become synonymous with abject public relations failure.For marketers and PR practitioners, it serves as an enduring reminder of the power that our mistakes have to burn down powerful people and institutions in one moment of lapsed judgment.And in the spirit of the upcoming election, in this episode we'll explore what led up to the catastrophe, and its lasting impact on the world of public relations and marketing, with one Democrat and one Republican, both of whom worked in the White...
2024-10-0247 min
ConnectedPodcastConnected Podcast Episode 147: Creating a Crisis Communications PlanOn this episode of Connected, Greg is joined by Dusty Weis, president of Podcamp Media and host of the award-winning Lead Balloon podcast. Dusty has quite the background in media and public relations, and he shared great insight into how dealers can be communicative and transparent with their customers when faced with a PR crisis.
Dusty and Greg discuss:
-Creating a proactive crisis communication response plan.
-Rebuilding customer trust after a crisis like a cyberattack.
-Distributing your message through a clear, compelling story.
Listen to the Lead Balloon Podcast!
https://www.podcampmedia.com/leadballoon
2024-07-1043 min
Public Relations Review PodcastBlue Angel's Storytelling w/Dusty Weis's Broadcast; and The Benefits Branded Podcasts.
From the humble beginnings behind a small-town radio microphone to the thrilling heights of CBS News Network and an unforgettable flight with the Navy's Blue Angels, Dusty Weis's career is nothing short of a roller-coaster adventure. As the president and founder of PodCamp Media, he joins Host Peter Woolfolk to unpack the narrative of his ascent in the broadcasting sphere, touching on the strategic moves and the serendipitous 'yeses' that shaped his path. Dusty's tale is an ode to seizing the moment, with insights on how even late-night shifts can forge unexpected, lifelong connections, and how a piece of...
2024-03-0431 min
Public Relations Review PodcastBlue Angel's Storytelling w/Dusty Weis's Broadcast; and The Benefits Branded Podcasts. I would very like to get a review from you. Please send a note to me. Thanks, Peter! like to much appreciate a review from you!! Thank you!From the humble beginnings behind a small-town radio microphone to the thrilling heights of CBS News Network and an unforgettable flight with the Navy's Blue Angels, Dusty Weis's career is nothing short of a roller-coaster adventure. As the president and founder of PodCamp Media, he joins Host Peter Woolfolk to unpack the narrative of his ascent in the broadcasting sphere, touching on the strategic moves and the serendipitous 'yeses...
2024-03-0432 min
Podcast PerspectivesRunning a Small but Mighty Podcast Operation with Podcamp Media’s Dusty WeisToday I’m chatting with Dusty Weis, Founder and President of the B2B podcast production company Podcamp Media. Podcamp is a small but mighty firm based in Wisconsin. They largely works with companies, brands, and trade associations also based in the Midwest. Dusty does for brands what typically takes a whole team – from conceptualizing to producing shows for his clients.Dusty's background is in radio, where he began his career as a journalist and producer. He saw firsthand how the industry weathered the enormous contraction caused by the 2008 crash. Dusty walks me th...
2024-02-0732 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesBONUS: Literally, the Grammar-Nerdiest Conversation You'll Ever Hear, with Dr. Valerie FridlandSociolinguist Dr. Valerie Fridland says we need to relax about the changing nature of language.In her book, "Like, Literally Dude: Arguing for the Good in Bad English," she notes that language has always evolved. Every generation adds its own spin, and the English language is almost unrecognizable from what was spoken centuries ago.And for the most part, we agree.But Dusty thinks there's a *figurative* line in the sand that should never be crossed: the corruption of the word "literally" in modern English.We talked to Dr. Fridland for e...
2024-01-1715 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesGrumpy Cat, the Sound of Freedom, Watergate and More: A Look Back and a Look at What's NextWhen you're working with high-profile people in fields like PR, marketing and branding, things are always changing.History gets uncovered. New information comes to light that changes everything. And sometimes an opportunity comes along to learn just a little bit more about a topic of interest.So in this episode, we're revisiting three separate tales from Lead Balloon’s four-year run to dig deeper, uncovering some new "holy crap" moments that we never saw coming.From episode one, we find out how the manager for world-famous-Internet-meme-Grumpy-Cat feels about being cast as the villain on...
2023-12-2751 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesHow I Almost Got Fired in My 1st Week in PR, and the Important Life Lessons I LearnedAt the end of his first week working in public relations, Lead Balloon host Dusty Weis did something so dumb, he could have been fired on the spot.During a meeting with one of his new bosses, prominent Milwaukee politician Jim Bohl, Dusty made a bad assumption and recklessly insulted Jim to his face.Dusty wasn't fired, and the pair went on to work well together at City Hall for five years.But they never again spoke about what was said on that fateful day in 2012.That is, until the launch...
2023-11-2946 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesA UAP PR Campaign: Mainstreaming the Conversation About Unexplained Anomalous Phenomena, with Lt. Ryan GravesUFOs have traditionally been more of a pop culture phenomenon than an actual science.But with the recent declassification of Navy gun camera footage that shows unexplained craft seeming to defy the laws of flight and physics, there's a growing movement among the aviation, military and science communities.They insist it's vital to destigmatize the conversation around Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena, or UAPs, which is the preferred nomenclature for the inexplicable occurrences.Because the craft seem to do things that are impossible for our current level of aeronautical technology, and have interfered with the...
2023-11-0145 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesSliding into DMs on the Dating App Hinge, with NextGen America's Kristi JohnstonLet's be honest: political groups don't have a great success rate when it comes to their strategic communication tactics.Every election cycle, American voters are bombarded with mailers, emails and text messages that mostly just get trashed or deleted.And when a Political Action Committee like NextGen America is charged with reaching out to younger voters, they face an even more substantial task in motivating the perennially under-performing youth vote to make their voices heard.But this year, NextGen America made headlines nationwide when it leveraged a new, unconventional tactic in its get-out-the-vote...
2023-10-0330 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesWhy Are Wireless Emergency Alerts on Your Phone So Terrible? A Strategic Communication ConundrumOn January 18, 2018, the entire State of Hawaii received an ear piercing alert on their cell phones."BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL."Those with a keen memory will recall that the Aloha State was NOT, in fact, wiped off the map by a missile strike.It was a false alarm.But what it revealed about the Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system should concern every strategic communicator.Because while the WEA system has the potential to be a powerful lifesaving tool, it...
2023-09-0641 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesReplaced by Chat GPT: Are Creative and Copywriting Jobs Threatened by Artificial Intelligence?The robot revolution has arrived.And they're coming for your marketing or content creation job.The advent of generative artificial intelligence chatbots—most notably tools like Chat GPT and Midjourney—is poised to revolutionize creative industries. These tools use deep learning technology to generate new content based on prompts from human users.But will this be the end of creativity as we know it, or a new implement to help creative people be even more creative?In this episode, we hear from "Jess," a copywriter who was laid off from her job...
2023-08-0135 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesHow a Real Life Ad Agency Inspired the Robin Williams CBS Sitcom, "The Crazy Ones"Every professional communicator has had a day that seems like it came straight out of a TV sitcom.For Rob Davis and John R. Montgomery, working at the Chicago ad firm Leo Burnett in the early 2000’s, it was a regular occurrence.In fact, the stories from their time there were so singular, that when they shot a pilot and pitched it to Hollywood, it was picked up and run as a CBS sitcom starring Robin Williams and Sarah Michelle Gellar.From wacky hijinks to high-stakes drama, unbelievable coincidences to larger-than-life personalities, "The Cr...
2023-07-0548 min
Camp ContentPioneering Branded Podcasting and Award-Winning StorytellingHey, campers! Join us for this exciting episode as we introduce Dusty Weis, the President and Founder of Podcamp Media. Hailing from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Dusty's extensive background in media production and unwavering passion for storytelling have cemented his status as a true trailblazer in the industry.Dusty's love for captivating narratives propelled him to establish his own podcast production agency. Get ready to be inspired as he unveils his strategies for producing top-tier branded podcasts and the remarkable advantages of maintaining a studio, even in remote work environments.Together, let's uncover the vital role of collaboration and the art of...
2023-06-1532 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesBrands Don't Have the Rizz: Appropriating Gen Z Slang Is Falling Flat in Social Media Marketing"How do you do, fellow marketers? We think it would be pretty 'on fleek' if you would stop trying to use slang terms to make yourself more relatable to young people."Certainly, brands swooping in and trying to leverage youth culture to drive sales is nothing new.But as bad as it was in the 80’s, 90’s, and early 2000’s, the advent of social media marketing made it 1000 times worse.The internet never forgets, and whether it's the "Silence, Brand!" meme or the "How Do You Do, Fellow Kids" Reddit group, the web is lit...
2023-06-0140 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesBONUS: Covid is—Air Quotes—Over. What That Means for Strategic Communicators, with former HHS Spokesman Bill PierceCommunicating during and about the Covid-19 pandemic is a topic we've discussed several times on this show, including in our most recent episode.And, as of today, May 11, 2023, the Department of Health and Human Services coronavirus Public Health Emergency is expiring.But just because Covid is "over" doesn’t mean we won’t still have to discuss it as strategic communicators.And so in this bonus episode, we bring back someone who has been a voice of reassurance and reason throughout this horrible, three-year ordeal.Bill Pierce was a spokesman for the...
2023-05-1128 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesOkCupid Stays On Target During the Covid Pandemic: PR Messaging and Online Dating AppsWhen the unstoppable force of online dating met the immovable object of global pandemic social distancing, there was no road map for what would come next. Michael Kaye is the director of brand and communications for the online dating app OkCupid. And, in the early days of the Covid lockdown, he and his team faced decisions that weighed on no less than the continued existence of the company.After all, what is a stay-at-home order if not an existential threat to a company whose customers want to get matched up with new people to meet a...
2023-05-0249 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesDeepfakes: How Communicators Must Prepare Now for this Imminent Reputation ThreatIt is now only a matter of time until someone attacks your reputation with a deepfake, according to the experts.So-called deepfake technology, which can synthesize audio and video of things that never happened, has arrived en masse.And, while these tools for generating potential disinformation were previously only available to trained experts and big institutions, recent advances in artificial intelligence technology mean that ANYONE can create fake videos... nearly instantly, with little to no training, for FREE.Accordingly, experts like Dr. Hany Farid from UC-Berkeley say deepfakes are suddenly being used the...
2023-04-0447 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesIn Event of Moon Disaster: The Greatest Speech Never GivenIt has been called “The Greatest Speech Never Given.” Drafted as a contingency plan for President Richard Nixon on the occasion of the Apollo 11 moon landing, the memo entitled "In Event of Moon Disaster" is inarguably a better piece of writing than any of the presidential remarks actually delivered on that day. Penned by White House speechwriter William Safire, today it is hailed as a work of rhetorical and poetic genius. It has inspired major Hollywood features, played a central role in moon landing anniversary observances, and even been used as a tool to educate inform...
2023-03-0147 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesPernicious Copyright Robots Are Targeting Your Website: PicRights and the Practice of "Copyright Trolling"There’s a disturbing new trend making waves in the world of online content creation. Corporate blogs, mom-and-pop business websites, podcasts…Even stuff that you posted years ago to your personal website or social media.It’s now being examined, sifted through and screened by artificial intelligence bots, which are programmed to search for copyright violations.The practice has become known as “copyright trolling,” and when the bots find copyrighted images, they send a letter or email demanding payment of hundreds or even thousands of dollars to settle the claim, threatening costly liti...
2023-02-0146 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesThe Bud Light CoRntroversy, Revisited: Miller Lite Strikes BackNow with 50% new footage!During Super Bowl LIII in 2019, Bud Light launched a new advertising strategy that was... unconventional, even for them.Instead of frogs or "wazzap" guys or silly superstitions, this campaign focused on attacking Bud Light's rivals for using corn syrup to brew their beers. Stranger still, outside observers noted that the beer giant borrowed other conventions from the world of political mudslinging, twisting facts, doubling down on vague talking points and attempting to build a consensus against Miller Lite and Coors Light.But the brewing barons at Anheuser-Busch didn't count...
2022-12-2148 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesBONUS: Celebrating 20 Years Behind a Mic With Dusty's First Audio Boss, Scott ThompsonIt's been a busy year here at Podcamp Media.So busy, in fact, that we almost forgot to recognize a pretty significant milestone in Dusty's career.20 years ago, Dusty got his first job behind a microphone. He was 17-years-old, working an after school gig at his local radio station in Monroe, Wisconsin, when he was afforded the opportunity to voice the overnight shift and eventually ride the news desk.It ignited a passion for storytelling and audio that has guided his career ever since—during his 10 years in the radio business, then his ca...
2022-12-1524 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesBlue Angels Ride Along: Lead Balloon Becomes the First Podcast to Fly with the US Navy Blue AngelsFor the U.S. Navy Blue Angels flight demonstration squadron, media relations is not a job that just happens on the ground. Each year, dozens of media reps, influencers and VIPs are invited to take a ride in the back seat of one of the squadron's F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jets.And, in order to help tell the story of the Blue Angels public affairs team, Lead Balloon was invited to be the first podcast to take one of those rides.CLICK HERE if you prefer to watch a video podcast documentary v...
2022-11-0147 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesThe US Navy Blue Angels: Public Affairs and Marketing at 500 Miles Per HourThe U.S. Navy Blue Angels flight demonstration squadron is not only the world’s most well-known group of elite performing aviators. It’s also—and people forget this—a group of elite public affairs and marketing practitioners. From the pilots to the technicians turning wrenches on the planes, every Blue Angels team member is trained to uphold the unit's 76 years of tradition and legacy. As a brand management exercise, there is perhaps no other initiative in the world as rigorous and disciplined.And at the heart of this publicity apparatus is a small but...
2022-10-0451 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesPost-Cold War PR Trip to Uzbekistan Boosts Fundraising for United Jewish Appeal's Operation Exodus, with Dick GroveIn 1993, the world watched as two bitter rivals shook hands on the South Lawn of the White House, presenting the best hope for peace in the Middle East seen in centuries of bloodshed.Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestine Liberation Organization Chair Yasser Arafat’s signing of the Oslo Accords—and the handshake that followed, cajoled by U.S. President Bill Clinton—comprised an iconic snapshot in history.In the moment, the world was awash in optimism, and Jewish Americans in particular were riveted by what was happening in the Middle East.But in...
2022-09-0135 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesTrailer—The Lead Balloon Podcast—PR, Marketing and Strategic Communications StoriesAdweek's 2020 "Marketing Podcast of the Year."Webby Award-nominated.Profiled on Forbes.com.On Lead Balloon, professional communicators share tales of the do-or-die situations that defined public relations and marketing careers--what went wrong, how unexpected obstacles were overcome, and what was learned in the process.With immersive storytelling and a wry sense of humor, host Dusty Weis revisits epic PR disasters, intense communications scenarios, professional crises and half-baked marketing campaigns gone awry, and usually finds a reason to chuckle.Because sometimes, there are important lessons to be learned from someone...
2022-08-0801 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesMurder in Boston Blamed on Sega's Virtua Cop Video Game, with Lee CaraherOn a busy evening in Boston's financial district in 1995, gunshots ring out. When the smoke clears, a prominent divorce attorney is dead and a police officer is wounded.And Lee Caraher, then the Vice President of Corporate and Consumer Communications for the Sega Corporation, doesn't know it yet......but she's about to have a public relations crisis on her hands.Police would eventually uncover evidence that shooter John T. Lin "trained" for his revenge rampage by spending hours playing Virtua Cop, an arcade-style video game that puts a plastic replica pistol directly in t...
2022-08-0257 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesNational Airlines' Saucy "Fly Me" Ad Campaign, and the Great Stewardess Rebellion of the 1970sSexist advertising that objectifies women reached its heyday in the late 1960s and early 1970s.But, in that era, it was very seldom that any company actually faced backlash or consequences for its ad practices.That began to change, however, when National Airlines deployed a racy new ad campaign in which alluring young stewardesses invited travelers to "Fly Me" on their next business trip.National Airlines may have sold more tickets as a result of the ads.But, for a workforce of stewardesses who were fed up with sexist standards and...
2022-07-0639 min
The Content Experiment Podcast188. Let's Talk About Failing and Evolving with Dusty WeisWe've all made mistakes in business (and…shoot…life!). The goal should be to do the thing, potentially fail at it, then learn from your mistakes and evolve into a better version of yourself. That's certainly been my goal and I've definitely applied this process to my podcasting. This week on the podcast, Dusty Weis of Podcamp Media is sharing some of the mistakes he's made in his journey from corporate employee to podcast producer and how he's used what he's learned to support others on the same journey. Everything in the po...
2022-07-0651 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesTesla’s Elon Musk Fires the Entire Public Relations Team—What Could Go Wrong?As the world’s most valuable automotive manufacturer, electric car giant Tesla is the largest company in the world that operates without any kind of public relations personnel.That means no media relations arm. No crisis comms plan. No PIO. In fact, the entire PR team was purged just a couple years ago in 2020, and CEO Elon Musk has defended the move, saying the company doesn't believe in "manipulating public opinion."Not only does this reflect a very unsophisticated understanding of what public relations practitioners do, but it also makes Elon Musk the sol...
2022-06-0251 min
The Content Queen Podcast125: Why storytelling and podcasting are great strategies to connect with your customers | Dusty WeisHave you ever thought about how a podcast based on the stories you tell could be a HUGE benefit to your business?
Well, Dusty (our guest) is PROOF that a storytelling based podcast can create HUGE success and connection. So he joins us today to share his own journey (and the journey of his clients), on how they have created podcasts all around telling power stories.
You can do the same. Let us show you how!
If you LOVED the episode, make sure you share this on your Instagram stories and tag us @con...
2022-05-1752 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesSnapple: Pitching the Best Catchphrase On Earth, with Jane Cavalier and Richard KirshenbaumThe strategy at the heart of the Snapple brand's precipitous rise... and its cataclysmic fall... is simple:Embrace your roots. Celebrate authenticity.It's a lesson that's been served up again and again in the brands and marketing ecosystem. But it never seems to sink in.So in this episode, we'll pop the top on a Snapple double feature.First, Jane Cavalier tells us about pitching Snapple's iconic slogan, "Made From the Best Stuff on Earth," and watching it flop with the company's original owners.And then, Richard Kirshenbaum outlines...
2022-05-0352 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesBONUS: We're a Nominee! Help Us Win At The Webby AwardsWell folks, Lead Balloon has been nominated for The Webby Awards, "the Internet's highest honor."And we need your help to bring home the hardware. Click here to Vote for Lead Balloon as Best Creativity and Marketing Podcast.And if you want to learn more or tell your friends about the show, Check Out This News Release. As always, thanks for listening. It means everything. -dw- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2022-04-0703 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesInside the PBR "Eating Ass" Tweetstorm, with Adweek Editor David Griner and Kyle BrownOn January 3, Pabst Blue Ribbon lit the internet on fire with one obscene tweet:“Not drinking this January? Try eating ass.”The uproar was swift and loud. And PBR deleted the tweets and apologized publicly, even as some writers blamed a “rogue employee” for the tweets.That was NOT the case. The offending Tweeter was actually an established social media manager by the name of Corey Smale, a creative enigma whose free-wheeling, hands-on approach had really resonated with the brand’s fans.So what went wrong for PBR? What safeguards did they have...
2022-04-0547 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesUkrainian Creatives Waging an Information War Against Russian InvasionFor Ukrainian ad agencies and freelance creatives, "business-as-usual" stopped on the day that Russian forces launched their unprovoked war three weeks ago.Now, they need your help to pierce the veil of Russian propaganda and fight for their homeland in their own way--by waging a global information war to win the hearts and minds of the world.In this episode, we talk to three Kyiv-based creatives who are organizing this loose coalition of Ukraine's creative community:
Viktor Shkurba, Founder and Creative Director of [isdgroup]
Oksana Gonchar, Creative Group Head at [isdgroup]
Andrii Mishchenko, Kyiv-based fre...
2022-03-1940 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesWendy's Twitter Account Manager Recounts Battle with Social Media Burnout, with Amy Brown and Sallie PoggiWendy’s, the burger chain, is infamous for its punchy, no-holds-barred Twitter account. And social media manager Amy Brown was the creative instigator of that success. Many internet historians even point to her epic 2017 tweet-roast as the viral moment that launched an entire genre of Snarky Brand Twitter.It certainly made her a hero to social media managers the world over.So why, within just a couple of months, did Amy Brown feel like she needed to leave that high-profile dream job at Wendy’s? Because social media burnout is real. And fo...
2022-03-0151 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesSherwin-Williams Paints Itself Into a Corner on TikTok, with Tony PilosenoTony Piloseno really likes paint.And as a junior studying marketing at Ohio University, he channeled his passion for a part-time job at a Sherwin-Williams paint store into a wildly successful TikTok channel. His weirdly entertaining videos of mixing paint colors amassed hundreds of thousands of social media followers and tens of millions of views.Inspired by his meteoric success, Tony pitched the concept of a branded TikTok channel to Sherwin-Williams marketing brass, hoping the company would recognize a ripe opportunity to build brand awareness and loyalty with a new generation of future homeowners.
2022-02-0246 min
Wisco LegacyTales of Monroe, The Miami Zombie, & More with Award Winning Storyteller Dusty Weis - Ep. 15Dusty Weis is the Founder and President of Podcamp Media and the host of the Lead Balloon Podcast, a show based on public relations disaster stories. Dusty joins Wisco Legacy to talk about the journey that led him to Podcamp Media.
To read more about Dusty, read the article here: https://www.wiscolegacy.com/post/tales-of-monroe-the-miami-zombie-more-with-award-winning-storyteller-dusty-weis-ep-15
SUBSCRIBE AND FOLLOW: https://youtu.be/ciDEi7WxYfU
WEBSITE: www.wiscolegacy.com
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LINKEDIN: www.l...
2022-01-111h 22
The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson169: Is it Safe for your Brand to Have a Snarky Twitter Account? with Dusty WeisTwitter can be a great way to connect with customers and show off your brand’s personality. But is it safe to be sarcastic? There’s a thin line between being clever and sounding mean, and you don’t want your brand to cross it. My guest, Dusty Weis from Podcamp Media - a branded podcast production company - joins me to discuss tips for having a snarky Twitter account without damaging your brand.Mentioned in this episode: Pabst Blue Ribbon Is Facing Backlash Over This Now-Deleted Tweet, Mashed, January. 5, 2022 Lead Balloon Episode 25...
2022-01-1139 minThe PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson169: Is it Safe for your Brand to Have a Snarky Twitter Account? with Dusty WeisTwitter can be a great way to connect with customers and show off your brand’s personality. But is it safe to be sarcastic? There’s a thin line between being clever and sounding mean, and you don’t want your brand to cross it. My guest, Dusty Weis from Podcamp Media - a branded podcast production company - joins me to discuss tips for having a snarky Twitter account without damaging your brand.Mentioned in this episode: Pabst Blue Ribbon Is Facing Backlash Over This Now-Deleted Tweet, Mashed, January. 5, 2022 Lead Balloon Episode 25...
2022-01-1139 minWisco LegacyBest of Wisco Legacy 2021 - Preview of 2022The Best of Wisco Legacy 2021 chronicles clips from each episode of our inaugural season of the podcast. There are also clips from the first two episodes of 2022 with Jonathan Orr and Dusty Weis.
Website: www.wiscolegacy.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnKsKdSZiifRN5_W0NOREtQ
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/68T1GpoT7sBWGPYIDGZbyZ?si=nJ4UhrpOTW21KnOxzoiryA&dl_branch=1&nd=1
Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wisco-legacy/id1581603931
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2021-12-2842 min
Broken BulbsThe Worst Thing Ever (140)Leave a review for Broken Bulbs!Today, Dusty Weis, of Podcamp Media and Lead Balloon, joins us again!BROKEN BULBS:Leave a ReviewWebsiteInstagramTwitterPatreonDUSTY WEIS (GUEST):Podcamp MediaLead BalloonALEX WILLIAMNS (HOST):WebsiteTwitterInstagramYouTubePatreonCREDITS:Host: Alex WilliamnsGuest: Dusty WeisMusic: Brian Claxton & Wesly ThomasCover Art: Bethany...
2021-11-2412 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesMilwaukee Bucks Senior VP Alex Lasry on the City's "Quiet Swagger," His U.S. Senate Campaign, and the Team's Prospects for 2022This month on the show, we talked to Alex Lasry, the Senior Vice President of the Milwaukee Bucks, about the team’s dramatic stand for social justice last year during the NBA Playoffs. It’s a really important story and a great case study for how organizations can and should navigate some of these situations we face as a nation.But Alex has a lot of other irons in the fire, too.And so in this bonus episode, Dusty can't help fanboying a little bit over the really incredible Bucks team. Alex explains why he thin...
2021-11-1016 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesBigger Than Basketball: The Milwaukee Bucks and the NBA Social Justice Walkout of 2020With a shot at an NBA title on the line, an entire basketball team refuses to take the court. They won’t even come out of the locker room.It’s a sports marketing nightmare. And just last year, it came true for the management of the Milwaukee Bucks basketball team.Alex Lasry is the Senior Vice President of the Bucks. And even though he was shocked just like the rest of us when the 2020 walk-out happened, he supported the team’s decision whole-heartedly.Because there was an entire summer of reasons why the Mi...
2021-11-0356 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesBONUS: What "Cancel Culture" Really Means for Reputation Management, with Molly McPhersonReputation management and social media consultant Molly McPherson showed us in Ep. 25 of Lead Balloon how she herself was "Indestructible" following an on-assignment near-death experience.But these days, her consulting practice, her book, her podcast and her online courses all center on helping brands achieve an indestructible reputation.And, at this moment in time, there's no bigger buzz word in that field than "Cancel Culture."So, in this B-side clip from our Lead Balloon interview, Molly shares some thoughts about "Cancel Culture:" its roots, its real impact, and the key takeaways for organizations...
2021-10-1206 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesFEMA Rep Has Near-Death Experience After Hurricane Ike, with Molly McPherson & Mike MooreEstablished by President Jimmy Carter in the late 70’s, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has responded to every major American disaster over the last 40 years.But for all its many successes, FEMA is also an agency that has struggled with its image in the public eye. Its high-profile failures have dominated the conversation in the media and among the public.So when Molly McPherson went to work for FEMA in 2007 as a public affairs specialist, she pitched a bold new approach the put the agency front and center in telling its own story. But it wo...
2021-10-0550 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesThe Dreaded Grand Jury Subpoena, with Duct Tape Marketing Founder John JantschThere's nothing easy about striking out on your own as an independent marketing consultant.Work can be scarce and hard to come by, and when an opportunity does come along, there can be a lot of pressure to accept it no matter what.John Jantsch knows from experience. Before he was the founder, host and author of Duct Tape Marketing the agency, podcast and book, he was a go-getter looking to make his way as a consultant in Kansas City.But an association with one early client--a client that he wouldn't touch now...
2021-09-0834 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesBridgegate: Behind the Scenes at the Port Authority During the 2013 Scandal, with Anthony HayesThe George Washington Bridge between Manhattan and New Jersey is the world’s busiest motor vehicle crossing, carrying more than 103 million vehicles a year over the Hudson River. And so in 2013, when accusations came out that hand-picked members of former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s staff deliberately caused massive traffic backups on and around the bridge, the story made national headlines... and that was before revelations that the shenanigans were likely tied to political motivations.But for Anthony Hayes, the Bridgegate scandal was more than a flashy cable news headline. As the Assistant Director of Co...
2021-08-0444 min
Das UniversumDU030 - Die Entdeckung der undunklen GalaxieDie Staubmenschen sind verärgert
DU030 - Die Entdeckung der undunklen Galaxie
Die Staubmenschen sind verärgert
Nach einer kurzen Einleitung, die niemanden außer Ruth und mich interessieren wird, erzählt Ruth die Geschichte einer Galaxie ohne dunkle Materie. Was äußerst seltsam ist, weil dunkle Materie eigentlich überall sein sollte. Seltsam hat sich auch Beteigeuze verhalten, aber mittlerweile weiß man, warum der Stern so komisch dunkel geworden ist, wie Ruth erklärt. Evi erzählt, warum Weltwetter cool ist und wir beantworten die Frage, ob und wie man die Sonne löschen kann. Viel Spaß d...
2021-08-031h 03
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesBONUS: Bulletins From an NBA Title-Winning Terrible CityAt Podcamp Media, we are *proudly* based in Milwaukee and Wisconsin.Founder Dusty Weis explains why in this column he wrote for our friends at OnMilwaukee.com.(Music by Ghost Beatz) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2021-07-2209 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesScandal at Foresters Financial, with former VP of PR Henry DeVriesHenry DeVries had to choose: a big fat raise and a promotion, or maintain his integrity.The year was 1996, and Henry was the Vice President of Public Relations at Foresters Financial. He had just found out about an ongoing affair between two high-ranking executives, and they had made their intentions clear. They wanted him to aid in the cover-up, for which he would be richly rewarded.But sticking to his principles was just the first lesson in what would become a crash course in scandal, marital infidelity, prostitution and executive embezzlement. And those principles of h...
2021-07-0142 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesHip-Hop Mogul Russell Simmons Hijacks the Mainstage at LinkedIn's Sales Summit, with Justin ShriberWhen Justin Shriber was the Vice President of Marketing for LinkedIn Sales and Marketing Solutions, he was charged with emceeing the social media juggernaut's Sales Leaders Summit mainstage.And with hip-hop legend and business magnate Russell Simmons lined up to serve as headliner, the hall was packed with people eager to hear Simmons's stories from the early days of hip-hop and his entrepreneurial awakening.Instead, what they got was a strange tirade from an uncooperative guest in front of an increasingly uncomfortable live audience, made even stranger by the fact that, within a few months...
2021-06-0144 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesPlane Crash in Colombia: American Airlines Flight 965, with Jennifer R. HudsonThree weeks after accepting a new role as an American Airlines spokeswoman in 1995, Jennifer R. Hudson was paged out of bed in the middle of the night.The worst had happened.Flight 965 had disappeared in the mountains of Colombia, and Jennifer needed to report to the scene of the crash to coordinate the company's public relations response. Unnerved and uncertain, she had to push aside her doubts and power through what would become one of the most harrowing experiences of her career.Jennifer would go on to serve as a Vice President of...
2021-05-0448 min
Broken BulbsFluoride in the Water (044)Leave a review for Broken Bulbs!Today, Dusty Weis, of Podcamp Media and Lead Balloon, joins us again!BROKEN BULBS:Leave a ReviewWebsiteInstagramTwitterPatreonDUSTY WEIS (GUEST):Podcamp MediaLead BalloonALEX WILLIAMNS (HOST):WebsiteTwitterInstagramYouTubePatreonCREDITS:Host: Alex WilliamnsGuest: Dusty WeisMusic: Brian Claxton & Wesly ThomasCover Art: Bethany...
2021-04-1412 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesCoca-Cola and the Masters Tournament, with retired Coke Comms VP Ben Deutsch and Dr. Martha BurkHome to the Masters Tournament, the Augusta National Golf Club typically serves as a backdrop for sports drama.But in 2002, the club itself became the story, as its men-only membership policy came under the microscope in an unexpected and sensational showdown between women's rights activists and the club's defiant adherence to "tradition."The tale of how the conflict came to a head is an unlikely Public Relations parable in its own right, driven by two iconoclasts of their era: Augusta National chair Hootie Johnson and Dr. Martha Burk, the chair of the National Council of...
2021-04-0158 min
Back of the Napkin Explores the Big Journeys of Small Business OwnersSeason 2 Launches on March 31!Start getting hyped! Season Two of Back of the Napkin arrives on March 31, with more tales from entrepreneurs across America whose creative ideas are changing the world.In each episode, Stephanie Davis and Dusty Weis learn why entrepreneurs got into business, how their ideas have developed, and what twists and turns they’ve faced along the way. You won’t believe some of the wild ideas that have taken root, and you’ll be able to learn valuable lessons from the mistakes that other entrepreneurs have already made.At SurePayroll, small business is our business, and we...
2021-03-2402 minLead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesCheck Out Rocketship.fm's eBay Collapse StoryCheck out Rocketship.fm!
From our friends at the Podglomerate, Rocketship.fm is a podcast for entrepreneurs, product managers and anyone working in tech today. They break down the concepts you need to know, from Product Management to Growth, Sales to Funding. They'll bring you stories that will inspire and insights that will change the way you think about products and business.
In the early 2000's, eBay was in direct competition with Amazon, but they had very different methodologies when approaching the market. This episode dives into some of the mistakes eBay made in this time where they caught themselves fo...
2021-03-1617 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesCoca-Cola's Retired Comms VP Ben Deutsch on the 1998 World Cup, Coke's Belgium Health Scare and MoreBefore he went on to become Coca-Cola's global vice president of corporate communication, Ben Deutsch was plucked from his dream job in Coke's Sports PR section and dropped into a global media relations director role that he could only assume would be a snooze fest.As it turned out, he'd wind up as the media point person while the iconic brand navigated one of the most tumultuous periods in its 135-year history. From a near-disaster at the 1998 World Cup to a soda-fueled health scare in Belgium, from a whistleblower suit that attracted the SEC's attention t...
2021-03-0246 min
Raising Unicorns: A Harmon Brothers PodcastDusty Weis: Success Is Made Of Second ChancesThis week Benton Crane talks with Dusty Weis, the President and Founder of Podcamp Media, the branded podcast production agency for businesses. Together they discuss how quality podcasts can generate good leads, the importance of taking accountability for your mistakes, and how giving second chances to the right people can completely change their trajectory. 03:42 Dusty’s Typical Client Relationship 10:30 Dusty’s Poop To Gold Moment 15:13 The Power Of Self-Acceptance17:58 How To Pivet During A Crisis You can find links for Dusty’s website and all the other places to reach him below. I...
2021-02-2322 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesThe Lincoln Project’s Rick Wilson: Insurrection, Business Comms & PoliticsWhat constitutes "politics" in America has crept into new, ugly territory. And with the deadly Capitol insurrection on January 6, it finally became impossible for businesses to ignore the danger that rising nationalism poses to democracy.In minutes, that realization changed everything about the way businesses and organizations communicate about politics, and the Lincoln Project is a major force driving that shift.Lincoln Project co-founder Rick Wilson is a political strategist, a former member of the Republican party, and a media consultant with a rich, broad background in the world of political ad strategy....
2021-02-0245 min
Broken BulbsTicking Off the TSA (011)Leave a review for Broken Bulbs!Today, Dusty Weis, of Podcamp Media and Lead Balloon, joins us for a story - and boy, is it a good one! Dusty is a great story teller, so listen close as he brings you in to his experience ticking off the TSA. How'd he manage that? Enthusiasm for his job? Lack of discretion? Mix of both...?BROKEN BULBS:Leave a ReviewWebsiteInstagramTwitterPatreonDUSTY WEIS (GUEST):Podcamp MediaLead Balloon
2021-01-2714 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesVaccine Messaging: How Comms Professionals Can Help Save the World from CovidWith Covid-19 vaccination efforts finally getting underway, communicating properly about this process is critical to saving lives and re-opening the economy.That responsibility extends beyond the traditional bounds of public health communication, according to public health experts, and touches nearly every strategic communicator in the country--and indeed every American citizen.In this episode, we welcome back two past guests to the show.Bill Pierce was formerly a spokesman for the Department of Health and Human Services in the George W. Bush Administration. Today he’s a crisis communications consultant at APCO Worldwide and an...
2021-01-211h 07
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesGoing Rogue, Battling Bears, Government Shutdowns and National Parks PR, with Julie WrightIn public relations, "going rogue" is a notion that sets teeth on edge for most PR practitioners.But sometimes, when the conventional approach fails, the only way forward is to throw carefully-laid plans out the window and wing it.In 2013, when a government shutdown closed the National Parks to visitors on the eve of her long-planned PR junket, (W)right On Communications founder Julie Wright faced a choice. She could either abandon months of planning and waste an opportunity to showcase some of California's most epic scenery to a hand-picked group of influential travel writers...
2021-01-0543 minBack of the Napkin Explores the Big Journeys of Small Business OwnersComing Jan. 27: SurePayroll's Back of the Napkin Podcast!Every small business is powered by a bolt of inspiration and the dedicated people who bring it to life.And the Back of the Napkin podcast is where small business owners can tune in to explore the unique ideas that have launched successful enterprises, and meet entrepreneurs who aren’t afraid to think differently.In each episode, we’ll sit down with entrepreneurs from all kinds of different industries to learn why they got into business, how their ideas have developed, and what twists and turns they’ve faced along the way. You won’t believe...
2020-12-0901 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesBONUS: Onboarding Your First Employee During a Global PandemicLead Balloon Season 2 launches on January 5! But in the meantime, we wanted to share some exciting behind-the-scenes updates about our small--but growing--company.Larry Kilgore III starts today as Podcamp Media's Production Services Manager. And with a pandemic raging and all work being conducted virtually for the foreseeable future, Dusty had to meet him at the Wisconsin-Illinois border to hand off the equipment he needs to work from home.So, in the spirit of Lead Balloon, enjoy this quick onboarding interview, conducted in a SOCIALLY DISTANT, pandemic-friendly and unconventional manner--with Dusty and Larry sitting...
2020-12-0734 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesDukakis in a Tank: White House Comms Pros Talk Presidential Optics, with Josh King and Kevin Sullivan1988 Democratic presidential candidate Michael Dukakis in a tank is an image that has become synonymous with abject public relations failure. And for marketers and PR practitioners, it serves as an enduring reminder of the power that our mistakes have to burn down powerful people and institutions in one moment of lapsed judgment.Josh King was a junior campaign staffer for the Dukakis campaign, and went on to serve as White House director of production for presidential events under President Bill Clinton. Kevin Sullivan served as White House communications director under President George W. Bush.And...
2020-11-0257 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesBONUS: Adweek's "Marketing Podcast of the Year" Is... Lead Balloon!We've just received some incredible news here at Podcamp Media world headquarters in Milwaukee.Lead Balloon is Adweek's 2020 "Marketing Podcast of the Year," and Dusty is "just gobsmacked."This is like pulling down an "Emmy" or an "Oscar" in podcasting. And since it's 2020 and, well, Covid, there won't be an opportunity to accept some hardware on a podium.So in this quick special update, Dusty attempts to parse his thoughts on what it means for the show and the future of Podcamp Media.Please do sign up for the Podcamp newsletter...
2020-10-2707 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesThe Squatty Potty Saga and the Science of Going Viral, with Harmon Brothers CEO Benton CraneRight or wrong, there are some products that most PR and marketing professionals want nothing to do with.The Squatty Potty, a plastic platform that purports to alleviate constipation, is certainly not any conventional marketer's dream client.But under the guidance of the Harmon Brothers agency, this ignoble brand launched the most successful viral marketing video of all-time, landing hundreds of millions of video views and millions of dollars in sales. And they owe it all to an animatronic unicorn who poops rainbow ice cream.Harmon Brothers' social media success was even recognized...
2020-10-0151 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesA Creative in the Corporate World, with David Allen MossNot everyone in marketing set out from Day One to become a marketer.And for outside creatives transitioning into the corporate world, there are tough lessons to master, dangerous pitfalls to avoid and unwritten rules to learn.Before he was brand strategist, David Allen Moss was an industrial designer, an artist and a musician. His impressive and meandering career as a marketer has touched brands like Best Buy, Wynn Las Vegas, Gateway Computers, Costco and Red Lobster. And the time he spent working for American Greetings and EDR Media in Ohio is littered with war...
2020-09-0247 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesThe Emotional Unsubscribe, and other Marketing Automation Pitfalls to Avoid, with Misty Dykema and Abby Bell from SimantelWith great marketing tools comes great responsibility--and marketing automation, email marketing and customer relationship management are no exception.Use them correctly, and you can tap into the efficiencies inherent in automation, with a demonstrable return on investment. Use them incorrectly, and you can crater your customer relationships with the touch of a button.Misty Dykema and Abby Bell from Simantel Group have watched these dramas play out, over and over, as they try to coach different businesses through the marketing automation learning curve. They've seen the worst-case scenarios, and often been called in to clean...
2020-08-0548 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesGetting Uncomfortable About Race in America, with Randy Crump, Dr. Monique Liston and Kennita HickmanIn the corporate world, unspoken rules about what constitutes appropriate workplace conversation provide white employees with a safe, comfortable space free from discussion about controversial topics like race and police brutality.But for people of color, there's no escaping these conversations--they shape the reality that Black people live every day in America. They can't turn it off or "take a break from it," and that's a form of white privilege right there.Everyone has a part to play in building a better society, and it starts with knowing how to have uncomfortable conversations. So in...
2020-07-011h 15
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesThe Ritz-Carlton Hail Mary, with Trusted Media Brands CCO Beth TomkiwThe Hail Mary: a last-chance, desperation plan with a high risk of failure, turned to as a last resort when all other options have failed.It's not just a football play; it's a mindset that professional communicators must adopt from time-to-time.Beth Tomkiw is the Chief Content Officer at Trusted Media Brands, the publisher of Taste of Home, Reader's Digest and many other recognizable publications. Previously an editor at Playboy, she also worked in custom publishing and content marketing for more than a decade.In this episode, Beth Tomkiw tells the tale of...
2020-06-0229 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesThe COVID Pivot? Content Marketing Institute Founder Joe Pulizzi on Promoting Your Brand During a RecessionThere's no need to sugarcoat it: things looks grim. The COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic has exacted a brutal price in lives, public health and global economic activity, and there's little respite in sight.But with a likely recession setting in, those of us fortunate enough to still have jobs in marketing and communications are looking for ways to do more with less.Enter Joe Pulizzi. In the midst of the last recession, his fledgling company changed marketing forever, rebranding the notion of "Content Marketing" and forging a media empire. From the ashes of the Great Recession...
2020-05-0150 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesCOVID-19: Critiquing the Federal Response with former HHS Spokesman Bill Pierce, and Busting Coronavirus Myths with Epidemiologist Dr. Maria SundaramCommunicating with the public during a crisis is as critical as it is difficult. And if it's seemed to you like President Donald Trump has been hitting many of the wrong notes during his daily media briefings, you're not alone."They threw the plan out, and started to make up a new one, and they didn't need to," says Bill Pierce, who served as a spokesman for the Department of Health and Human Services during the George W. Bush Administration. "There are some basic fundamentals that they should have adhered to and didn't, unfortunately."In...
2020-04-061h 20
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesHBO's McMillion$: The PR Crises Behind the Hit DocuSeries, with Directors James Lee Hernandez & Brian LazarteEverybody remembers the McDonald's Monopoly sweepstakes.But until HBO's McMillion$ came out, most folks didn't realize that the reason it suddenly vanished in 2001 was because it was rigged from the start.In the hit series, directors James Lee Hernandez and Brian Lazarte tell the fantastic story with panache and aplomb of how McDonald's was scammed for $24 million.And in this episode of Lead Balloon, they examine the story through a PR and marketing lens, explaining how McDonald's and the FBI tried to save face in the midst of disastrous circumstances. And, PR agency...
2020-03-2544 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesThe Seinfeld Press Conference, with Tim O'BrienIt might be tough to imagine these days, but public relations work still got done in the era before cell phones and broadband.Somehow.But like the show Seinfeld, one of the most popular sitcoms from the '90s, the slow speed of information back then could cause challenges and miscommunications during high-stakes PR events--which might otherwise have been solved with a quick phone call.In this episode of Lead Balloon, Pittsburgh-based PR consultant Tim O'Brien shares a tale from his days at the Ketchum agency, where insane pressure, bad luck, poor timing...
2020-03-0239 min
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications StoriesWe Don't Do Ribbon Cuttings, with Patrick McSweeney, Katrine Strickland and Jason MadduxPatrick McSweeney is a cliché warrior. If it's a hackneyed, over-worn marketing and PR trope, he’s gone to battle against it.But when you choose creativity and innovation over familiarity and stagnation, there can be hidden dangers. They might result in a sticky mess and hundreds of dollars in damage, but ultimately, isn't that a lesser risk than failing as a storyteller?In this episode, Patrick re-lives a couple of embarrassing moments from his career, along with his former colleague Katrine Strickland. News editor Jason Maddux explains why he never runs ribbon cutting photos in...
2020-02-0339 min