Explore every episode of the podcast Wag The Dog Newsletter Podcast

Is the "Golden Rule" of public relations actually making us worse at our jobs?

In this episode of The Wag The Dog Podcast, we deconstruct the industry’s obsession with "building trust" and explore why it is often the wrong goal for modern crisis management. Based on the viral newsletter issue by Philippe Borremans, we dive deep into the science of why trust is not a mechanical switch you can flip with a press release.

In this episode, we cover:

• The Flawed Logic of Trust: Why research by Engdahl & Lidskog proves you can’t "logic" stakeholders into trusting you.
• The Sandman Formula: A breakdown of Peter Sandman’s Risk = Hazard + Outrage and why Trust is only 1/12th of the solution.
• The Knife Metaphor: A powerful visualization of why Control matters more than trust in a crisis.
• The "Dark Side" of Trust: Why excessive institutional trust led to disasters like Enron and the 2008 financial crash.
• Cultural Blind Spots: How Western "transparency" strategies can backfire in collectivist cultures (featuring research on Japan by Katharina Barkley).
• The New 2025 Framework: What to build instead—focusing on Credibility, Legitimacy, and Procedural Fairness.

If you are a communication professional, PR strategist, or emergency manager, this episode will challenge your assumptions and provide a more effective roadmap for navigating outrage.

Key Resources Mentioned:

• Peter Sandman’s "Outrage Factors"
• The "Information Deficit Model"
• Research by Neal, Shockley, and Schilke on Institutional Trust

Subscribe to the Newsletter: Get the full article, citations, and weekly insights on the future of risk and crisis communication at www.wagthedog.io.

In this episode, we unpack the key insights from the World Economic Forum's 2025 Global Risks Report, focusing on the rapidly shifting landscape of crisis communication.

From geopolitical instability and environmental degradation to technological vulnerabilities and deepening social divides, the discussion explores how these interconnected risks demand more adaptable and culturally aware communication strategies.

We then cover cross-sector collaboration to foster trust and resilience, as well as practical steps like improving digital literacy and tailoring messages for diverse audiences.

Plus, we examine the potential of the Universal Adaptive Crisis Communication (UACC) framework to provide a cohesive approach to navigating today’s most pressing challenges.

Join us as we explore what it takes to communicate effectively in an increasingly complex and uncertain world.

In this episode of the Wag The Dog Newsletter Podcast, your virtual hosts explore how low-code and no-code platforms like Replit are transforming the field of crisis, risk, and emergency communication.

We dive into the challenges communicators faced in the past when developing custom tools—long timelines, high costs, and reliance on technical experts—and discuss how platforms like Replit are breaking down these barriers.

By empowering professionals to create tools quickly and independently, these platforms are fostering innovation, agility, and customization in the profession.

We also highlight the Universal Adaptive Crisis Communication (UACC) framework, developed by Wag The Dog newsletter creator Philippe Borremans.

This tool helps organizations assess their crisis communication readiness, offering tailored recommendations and real-world case studies—all built using a no-code platform.

Discover how tools like Replit and projects like UACC are not only making communicators more effective but also opening up a world of new possibilities for smaller teams and organizations.

Whether you’re looking to prepare, respond, or innovate, this episode will inspire you to take the next step.

Check out the UACC tool mentioned in the episode at www.wagthedog.io and join us to explore how technology is reshaping our profession.

In this episode, we explore the growing role of Artificial Intelligence in crisis communication.

From real-time sentiment analysis to multilingual support, AI offers incredible potential to enhance response strategies. But where does technology end and human connection begin?

We discuss the Universal Adaptive Crisis Communication (UACC) framework and the AI Integration Matrix—tools designed to help communicators strike the perfect balance between efficiency and empathy.

Learn when to lean on AI, when to rely on human-led approaches, and how to navigate this evolving landscape without losing trust or compassion.

A must-listen for crisis communication professionals looking to harness the best of both worlds.

In this episode, we explore why relying solely on demographic data—like generational heat maps—can lead to critical missteps in crisis communication.

While these tools are helpful in marketing, they often fall short when precision and immediacy are required.

Learn how generational stereotypes and oversimplified messaging can alienate your audience during emergencies, and discover five practical strategies for audience-centered crisis communication.

From psychographic insights to feedback loops, this episode equips you with the tools to craft messages that resonate when it matters most.  

Perfect for communication professionals looking to enhance their crisis strategies with real-world insights.

Are you still thinking about crises as one-off events? Think again.

In this eye-opening episode, we explore the emergence of "polycrises" and "permacrises" - the new challenges reshaping how organizations handle emergencies.

Learn why traditional crisis management approaches are becoming obsolete and discover practical strategies for navigating these complex, interconnected challenges.

Whether you're dealing with multiple overlapping crises or managing long-term, persistent challenges, this episode provides essential insights for modern crisis communication professionals.

We break down the key differences between polycrises and permacrises, share actionable frameworks for each, and explore how to keep your stakeholders engaged without burning them out.

Keywords: Crisis Management, Corporate Communication, Risk Management, Organizational Resilience

The Universal Adaptive Crisis Communication (UACC) Framework is designed to manage complex, overlapping crises.

It focuses on five key areas: engaging all stakeholders, recognizing interconnected crises, balancing proactive and reactive communication, ensuring cultural sensitivity, and using emotional intelligence.

It’s applied through a four-phase process—preparation, training, crisis response, and post-crisis evaluation.

It’s flexible enough to handle everything from natural disasters to corporate crises.

In this episode, we explore the evolving landscape of crisis communication, diving into key insights from recent global reports.

From the rise of compound crises to the challenges posed by climate change, cyber threats, and psychosocial impacts, we discuss how communicators must adapt their strategies to meet these growing complexities.

Join us for an engaging discussion on the power of data, localisation, and the critical need for integrated, adaptive crisis response.

Plus, hear the latest insights from our survey on the future of crisis communication preparedness—your feedback is shaping an exciting new project!

Welcome to *The Wag The Dog Newsletter Podcast*, where hosts Emily Thompson and James Rodriguez dive into crucial topics that matter to crisis, risk, and emergency communicators.

In this insightful episode, they break down the often-confused terms of **crisis communication**, **risk communication**, and **emergency communication**. 

Listeners will gain a clear understanding of the key differences, objectives, and timing that define each type of communication, from protecting a company's reputation during a scandal to informing the public about potential health risks and providing life-saving instructions during emergencies. With real-world examples like the BP oil spill, vaccine education, and disaster management during Hurricane Katrina, this episode sheds light on the essential role of effective communication in challenging situations. 

Tune in to understand how proactive and strategic communication can make all the difference in handling information during crises and emergencies, and why building trust with stakeholders is paramount.

🚀 Stay informed, subscribe to *The Wag The Dog Newsletter* at www.wagthedog.io.

In this podcast, we argue that communications professionals must proactively prepare for potential crises by adopting a "strategic foresight" approach. We outline various techniques, including trend analysis, scenario planning, and message framing, to anticipate future challenges and opportunities. We emphasize the importance of organizations investing in foresight activities, fostering a culture of preparedness, and developing adaptive capabilities to navigate the complexities of the modern communication landscape.

This episode introduces a step-by-step guide for implementing scenario analysis in crisis communications.

It argues that scenario analysis is a more effective approach to risk management than traditional risk maps, as it provides a more in-depth and nuanced understanding of potential crises.

The conversation outlines the six-step process for conducting scenario analysis in the guide, covering steps like identifying key variables, developing scenarios, assessing impacts, planning responses, implementing continuous monitoring, and testing and refining plans.

The guide also includes appendices with templates for scenario development, impact assessment, response planning, monitoring, and exercise planning.

Available by subscribing to the Wag The dog Newsletter.

In this episode, we explore the danger of conspiracy theories during emergencies and how they can undermine public trust and safety.

Learn how AI is becoming an unexpected ally in the fight against misinformation, especially during crises like pandemics and natural disasters.

We'll dive into groundbreaking research on AI-driven conversations that reduce belief in conspiracy theories and discuss strategies to combat misinformation in a digital age.

This audio version generated by Notebook LM from my latest article explores the potential benefits of using AI avatars for personalized disaster relief.

It argues that AI avatars, powered by machine learning and natural language processing, can provide tailored support to individuals affected by disasters by analyzing real-time data and offering personalized instructions, guidance, and emotional support.

The article also acknowledges the potential biases in AI systems and emphasizes the importance of ethical development, human oversight, and user-centered design to ensure that these systems are used effectively and equitably.

It concludes that the ideal approach to disaster relief combines the efficiency of AI with the empathy and understanding of human responders.

In this episode of The Wag The Dog Podcast, Athena, Philippe Borremans's audio avatar, discusses the future of technology, particularly Artificial Intelligence (AI) and large language models (LLMs), in combating climate change, focusing on their application in emergency preparedness.

Through a case study, he investigates the potential time savings and efficiency gains of incorporating AI and LLMs into emergency preparedness campaigns. Philippe also highlights how these technologies can help in climate risk assessment, campaign strategizing, misinformation detection, and post-crisis evaluation.

While these technologies hold promise, Philippe emphasizes that they must undergo meticulous testing and have clear ethical guidelines before implementation.

He invites listeners to consider these possibilities and contribute to the conversation regarding the integration of AI into disaster management.

• Climate change transforms Pacific Islands
• World Meteorological Organization | LinkedIn
• Wag The Dog Newsletter: In-Depth Analysis for PR and Communication Professionals about Crisis Communication, Risk Communication and AI
• SmarterX | LinkedIn

In this episode, we talk about the transformation of crisis simulations from static, predictable scripts to dynamic, AI-driven scenarios.

Explore how these advancements are revolutionizing crisis preparedness by creating more realistic, adaptive training environments that mirror the complexities of real-world crises.

Discover the potential of AI in enhancing decision-making, introducing unexpected challenges, and providing real-time feedback.

This episode is essential listening for communication professionals looking to stay ahead in crisis management and effectively navigate the unpredictable nature of modern crises.

In this episode, we dive into the significance of ISO 22361-2022 for crisis management and communication professionals. The standard provides a structured approach to crisis management, emphasizing the need for strategic, flexible, and sustained communication efforts during crises. We discussed the key elements of ISO 22361-2022, such as the importance of a well-crafted Crisis Management Plan (CMP) that includes internal and external communication strategies, situation report templates, and decision records.

Over the past two years, the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in corporate communications and public relations has sparked intense debate and experimentation.

So I read Stephen Waddington's recent management briefing paper "Use of AI in Corporate Communications and Public Relations: The Story So Far" and explored the key learnings and insights that are particularly important for crisis communications professionals like us.

Professor Mihelj's research focused on Brazil, the USA, Poland, and Serbia—countries led by populist leaders at the onset of the pandemic. By using diverse methods like media policy analysis, interviews with officials, and news coverage examination, she analyzed how populist leadership and attitudes shaped the effectiveness of crisis communication.

As you might have heard, the European AI Act 🇪🇺, was officially adopted last week following a political agreement in December 2023.

It represents the world's first comprehensive legislation to regulate artificial intelligence (AI) systems within the European Union. This ground-breaking regulation aims to:

“Ensure that AI systems deployed in the EU are safe, transparent, traceable, non-discriminatory, and environmentally friendly, while promoting innovation and competitiveness.”

For crisis and risk communication professionals, the implications of this new legislation are significant and complex.

In this Wag The Dog edition, I’ll try to get my head around the implications for crisis communication.

This episode discusses the concept of "Disease X," a hypothetical pathogen that could cause a future pandemic. It emphasizes the importance of preparation in crisis communication and emergency management for businesses and organizations. Strategies include building flexible plans, engaging with communities, exchanging information effectively, prioritizing training in risk communication, and maintaining clear, consistent messaging. The episode underscores the significance of being proactive to mitigate the impacts of unforeseen health crises, drawing lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic to enhance global health security.

"Artificial Intelligence in Crisis Response: Perspectives from Communication Experts" is now available!

The report analyses how AI is changing risk, crisis, and emergency communication worldwide.🌍

Key insights include:

• Practical AI applications in crisis management
• The benefits and challenges of integrating AI into communication strategies
• Perspectives on AI across different experience levels and sectors
• Geographical insights into AI adoption and attitudes
• The critical need for education and understanding of AI in our field

The report is based on a survey of 84 professionals from around the world, offering diverse experiences and perspectives.

Welcome to another episode of Wag The Dog, where we dive into the intriguing world of AI chatbots and their potential role in espionage. It may sound like something straight out of a spy novel, but the reality is that our friendly chatbots could be acting as unwitting intelligence agents!

In this episode, I explore the STEEP framework (Social, Technological, Economic, Environmental, Political) for analyzing current scenarios in AI and crisis communication.

I present and dissect four distinct potential scenarios, focusing on how each STEEP dimension influences AI's role in crisis management and communication strategies.

My aim is to equip listeners with a deep understanding of both the challenges and opportunities at the intersection of AI, communication, and crisis response in the present context.

Join me for an insightful exploration into the current landscape of AI-enhanced crisis communication.

In today's episode, we'll cover the recent OpenAI announcement of GPT4's new features, like expanded and customizable models, and what this exactly means for crisis communicators.

Today, we'll be diving into the freshly published report by Dragonfly titled "Strategic Outlook 2024: The Resilience Gap." Dragonfly, a trusted geopolitical and security intelligence service, provides a comprehensive analysis of global security challenges and resilience strategies in this report.

Everybody talks about the importance of "resilience", but in crisis communication, it's still a woolly term. Being resilient means having the ability to recover from disasters and even grow from them.

For communication professionals, it's about planning ahead, reacting at the right moment, and learning from the experience afterwards.

Breaking down resilience helps professionals better manage crises, reduce risk, and protect their organisation's reputation when the going gets tough.

In this edition, I look at how the “4Rs of resilience”* can be applied to crisis communication.

In this edition of Wag The Dog, we're diving into the concept of 'Red Teaming' - an interesting simulation technique often overlooked in crisis communication.

In this edition of the Wag The Dog newsletter and podcast, we're diving into the fascinating topic of integrating AI into the entire crisis communication process. From the pre-crisis phase to the rapid response during a crisis, and even the learning and improvement after it, AI has the potential to offer practical solutions at every step. So, let's get right into it!

Today, we'll discuss the important role of Public Relations professionals in handling ethical issues related to generative AI. This includes addressing transparency, engaging with stakeholders, and managing crisis communication.

In this episode, we will learn about Dr. Peter Sandman's risk communication theory. We will also discuss the difference between hazard and outrage, the three main tasks of risk communication, and why it is important to separate outrage management from crisis communication in risk communication strategies.

In today's episode, we'll cover the recent release of ChatGPT with voice, image, and multimodal elements and see how they could be used for crisis communication.

In this episode, we'll summarize a report called "Artificial Intelligence in Public Relations and Communications: cases, reflections and predictions" edited by Ana Adi from Quadriga University of Applied Sciences in Berlin. We'll see how AI can revolutionize PR by increasing efficiency, providing insights, and automating tasks, as well as the importance of staff readiness and data security for successful implementation.

Covering the most importants points related to crisis communication and AI covered in the European Communication Monitor Report 2023 and "Humans needed, more than ever" from CIPR

An overview of crisis communication skills, knowledge, and attitudes in the absence of a capability framework.

In today's episode, we'll cover the use of podcasts during emergencies and the benefits of AI in creating professional-sounding podcasts.

An interview with the founder of Wondercraft AI, a podcast platform with a serious AI twist. This episode was completely generated via the text of the email interview we did. We also cover the potential use of podcasts for PR and crisis communication.

In health emergencies, clear and concise information is crucial. Social listening, both online and offline, helps health organisations capture the concerns and needs of communities.

Telephone surveys, an important method for offline social listening, provide direct feedback from individuals and shed light on their understanding, behaviour, and challenges related to health emergencies.

By actively listening through these channels, health organisations can better align their strategies, ensure effective communication, and build trust in the community.

While telephone surveys are undeniably effective in gaining rich first-hand insights, they also come with several challenges. The nature of these surveys often results in a wealth of unstructured information despite the interviewer's adherence to a script.

Respondents may recount detailed anecdotes, express emotions, or digress into related topics in their eagerness to share. This complexity can make the analysis phase daunting.

Sifting through the myriad responses to identify recurring themes, feelings, and actionable insights requires great attention and expertise.

It also requires ensuring that the essence of each respondent's perspective is captured and accurately represented. While telephone surveys are a treasure trove of information, they also underscore the importance of robust data processing and analysis mechanisms.

This is where artificial intelligence (AI) comes in, fundamentally changing the field of data analysis. In the complicated task of deciphering vast amounts of unstructured data from telephone surveys, AI can be a formidable ally.

This was my first official podcast, recorded in 2006. I had the incredible opportunity to cross paths with Professor Anne Gregory in Antwerp, Belgium.

We had an exciting conversation about important subjects like democracy, media, public relations, journalism, ethics, reporters, spin, and anti-spin. A whole agenda!

I am republishing here as the topics are still very important and so that these conversations do not get lost.

Hi everyone and welcome to what is, already, episode number 40 of the Wag The Dog FM Podcast! In this episode, I talk with Bart de Vries, President of the International Association of Public Relations (IPRA) about the Golden World Awards for Excellence in PR 2017. During our half-hour chat, we talk about; The importance of [...]

This week’s episode is all about my favourite topic; Crisis and Emergency Communications. What better guest to have on the show than Christine Townsend, founder of Musterpoint, who worked in law enforcement and public sector communications for fifteen years! During our half-hour chat, we talk about; Differences and similarities between the private sector and public [...]

Jo Detavernier launches a new website about Science for PR – to help communications professionals with insights from diverse scientific disciplines. In this episode, I have a chat with Jo on the why and how of a new website around this important topic. Let’s face it, we, as a profession, have concentrated more on the [...]

Smartphone apps designed for emergency & crisis situations (emergency mobile apps) don’t provide what people actually need in a disaster, according to University of Calgary researchers who studied the digital response to the Fort McMurray wildfire. The team used specialized software to analyze nearly 70,000 tweets sent by affected residents during the catastrophe to gauge “what people really want”. The [...]

According to Brand Finance, brands account for 18% of the top 500 global brands market-value (2017). Traditionally, brands have been created by agencies, and brand management has been undervalued. Fortunately, that mindset is now shifting… In this episode, I talk with Marc Cloosterman, CEO of the VIM Group on how to Future Proof Your Brand, [...]

Wag The Dog’s guest this week is Heather Yaxley and we’re talking about career strategies in public relations. In the context of her Phd research Heather wanted to understand how mid-career PR practitioners make sense of their careers, the career strategies they use and how they are responding to the changing working environment. This involved [...]

#FuturePRoof, a crowdsourced book and community with the bold ambition of asserting the value of public relations launched earlier last month. The book includes advice from a stellar line up of Communications academics and Public Relations practitioners who have all given their time free of charge to share their expertise. Chapters describe emerging areas of [...]

Monsanto… It seems almost impossible to mention the company without entering in a heated discussion about GMO’s. And for a very long time the management and employees of this 16 billion $ in revenue corporation didn’t get it. What was the fuss all about ? Science would and will always speak for itself they thought… But it doesn’t [...]

Episode number 32 of Wag The Dog is dedicated to the “Mother Of All Crisis”– Dieselgate. Estimates from Credit Suisse peg the costs of #Dieselgate at a worst-case scenarios of $87 billion. This would make the VW scandal almost 60 percent more costly than the BP Deepwater Horizon spill. – from Oilprice.com I know a [...]

This week I am talking to Maxim Behar, the brand new President of ICCO – The International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO). Maxim and I met for the first time a couple of years ago in Davos at the World Communications Forum – one of the most international PR conferences I have ever had the pleasure to [...]

Thirty days is the length of time it takes to form a habit or shed an old one… In this week’s edition of Wag The Dog FM I am talking with Stephen Waddington, Chief Engagement Officer at Ketchum who – with his #PRBullets – is documenting exactly that. Stephen uses doodles and drawings on Post-it notes [...]

This week I am talking with András Baneth, the Managing Director of the European office of the Public Affairs Council. We’re covering the state of online advocacy in Europe and how email, social media, blogs etc.. are used (or not) by corporate and trade association public affairs professionals. Our discussion is based on the results of [...]