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In today’s crowded digital landscape and with marketing budgets tighter than ever, brands are looking for fresh, innovative ways to connect with younger audiences. One emerging frontier? K-12 schools. These classrooms are no longer just hubs of learning—they’re evolving into powerful spaces where brands can make a meaningful impact while building long-term affinity.

Whoa… you mean vending machines for soft drinks and chips?

No.

From sponsoring STEM programs to supporting arts initiatives and even helping address teacher burnout, brands are finding creative, value-driven ways to engage.

But how can marketers navigate this opportunity ethically, ensuring their efforts genuinely support students and educators? Let’s explore how to strike the right balance in this delicate but promising space.

Listen For
6:45 Kleenex’s “Heroes of the Classroom” Campaign
9:12 Key Metrics and Emotional Engagement
12:16 Core Principles: Jersey Mike’s Community Engagement
19:16 Recognition Programs: Kroger’s High School Initiative
21.42 Answer to Last Episode’s Question from Guest Frank Strong

Guest: Karl Mawhinney

Website | X | LinkedIn | Instagram

Campaigns Karl mentioned

• Costco/Kleenex
• Big 5 Sporting Goods
• CM Facebook

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Wikipedia is one of the top the most-visited websites in the world. Additionally, it has influence. The information on Wikipedia is also disseminated across the web on Google’s Knowledge Graph and associated search page components, quick summaries of topics on Siri and Alexa, and even into news articles, podcast discussions, and government websites.

Wikipedia is also of interest for SEO practitioners, heavily influencing Google search results and now impacting outputs from generative AI software like Chat-GPT.

Everyone from journalists, investors, and your customers are using Wikipedia to understand your company. Do you understand how it works and what you can do about it?

Guest: Rhiannon Ruff
Email | LinkedIn | Lumino Digital’s website | Rhiannon’s book Managing a Crisis on Wikipedia

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Time to explore predictions for the coming year in public relations, marketing, and the evolving role of AI. There are conflicting views on AI's future, its role in content generation, and whether the hype has peaked or we're still climbing the AI rollercoaster.

But there’s no arguing with the importance of transparency and authenticity rising to the challenges of disinformation. Frank Strong of Sword and Script conducted an industry survey and shares the results with us.

Listen For
6:43 Is the Future of AI Utopian or Dystopian?
9:31 Tough of Disillusionment: Are we There Yet?
10:06 Transparency as a Competitive Advantage
12:12 Why Differentiation Matters in an AI World
17:21 Trust in Influencers: Hollywood vs Niche Experts
21:22 Answer to Last Episode’s Question From Guest Brian Porter

Guest: Frank Strong, Sword and the Script Media LLC
Website | X | LinkedIn | Instagram
Read the survey results
Subscribe to Frank’s blog

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We think we can tell when bots take the pen,
When AI spins words again and again.
"Deep dives" and "delves" in their usual tone,
The cadence, the phrasing, they’re not quite our own.

But the line’s getting blurred, it’s harder to see,
Is this human or machine-crafted poetry?
The last bastion, they said, where humans excel,
Was poetry’s heart, its unbreakable shell.

Yet now a new study has shattered the view,
At Pittsburgh, they’ve found something striking and new:
When placed side by side, the verdict is clear,
AI’s verses are what we hold dear.

From Chaucer to Whitman, and Dickinson’s art,
AI poems are stealing the heart.
So the boundary fades, as the data suggests,
The machine's taken hold in humanity’s text.

Listen For
3:42 Why AI Poems are Preferred
4:48 Straightforward Nature of AI Poetry
8:06 Impact of Cognitive Bias
18:42 Potential of AI in Broader Art Forms
19:39 Answer to Last Episode’s Question from Guest Jess Jensen

Guest: Brian Porter, University of Pittsburgh
Website | LinkedIn
Read the Abstract by Brian and his team

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Executives are finally beginning to understand the power of participating in digital channels.

“What if I mess up?”

“Why would anyone want to hear from ME?”

Those WERE the common excuses until about five years ago when the trend lines changes and it was more common for executive leaders to BE on social media than not.

Still, most sound like cheerleaders for their company don’t they? We aren’t REALLY getting to know them, just where they work and a less-than-subtle message about why we should support or even patronize their organization.

How to help them sound more authentic? More real? Maybe there is a way.

Listen For
08:12 Playing it Safe: Executives “Dipping Toes” in Social Media
09:11 Frank Cooper’s LinkedIn Masterclass
10:30 Sarah Blakely’s Authentic Instagram Approach
14:05 Injecting Personality Into Executive Communication
15:42 Connecting Through Emotion, Humor, and Value
22:20 The Professional-Authentic Balance for Executives
23:18 Crafting a Narrative Framework for Digital Success
24:35 Answer to Last Episode’s Question From Guest Dr Karen Hills Pruden

Guest: Jess Jensen
Website | email| LinkedIn | X

Stories and Strategies Website

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There’s a striking imbalance in the PR industry: while women make up two-thirds of the workforce, they hold only a third of executive positions.

For Dr. Karen Hills Pruden the strategy to help women close this leadership gap is to focus strongly on provable analytics. She shares how to amplify your value through metrics, finding your unique selling proposition, and why silence is NOT a superpower when it comes to self-advocacy.

Listen For
4:34 Amplifying Your Value at the Table
6:21 Immediate vs Delayed ROI in PR
10:55 Analytics Every Aspiring Leader Needs
12:42 The Three Pillars of Leadership Metrics
14:05 Barriers Women Face in Leadership
17:31 The Value of a Unique Selling Proposition
20:18 Silence is NOT a Superpower
22:16 Advocating for Yourself at the Leadership Table
23:29 Answer to Last Episode’s Question from Guest Matt Krayton

Guest: Dr Karen Hills Pruden
Website | Email | LinkedIn

Stories and Strategies Website

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What can political campaigns teach us about the art of public relations? Political strategist Matt Krayton explores how modern political campaigns have become masterclasses in PR strategy. From messaging and media to influencers and voter vibes, Matt breaks down what worked in the recent US election, what didn’t, and why.

Listen For
8:09 The Role of Social Media in Shaping Voter Perceptions
9:10 Were Democrat Messages on Target?
11:29 Celebrity Endorsements. Do They Work Anymore?
13:10 Podcasts and Niche Media: The New Political Battleground
14:19 Why Influencers Resonate More than Celebrities
16:44 The Double Edged Sword of Traditional Media
17:48 How “Horse Race” Reporting Impacts Political Narratives
20:11 Answer to Last Episode’s Question From Guest Adrian Cropley

Guest: Matt Krayton, Publitics
Website | Email

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Jaguar is one of the most iconic luxury car brands in the world, known for its sleek designs and powerful engines. But has the company made a fatal mistake that could impact its future?

It’s rebranding, launched last week, has drawn widespread and almost universal criticism. One writer even called it “Imminent Brand Immolation.”

Is this the end of Jaguar? Or does a cat always land on its feet?

Listen For
4:59 The Cat is Dead: First Reactions to the Jaguar Rebrand
6:38 Blue Steel, But Make it Jaguar
7:46 Did Jaguar Set its Identity on Fire?
14:26 Pissing Off Your Loyal Audience: Bold or Brain Dead?
17:27 Living Your Values vs Alienating Your Base?
19:30 Save the Cat: Imagine a Jaguar Brand Turnaround

Guest: Tyler Chisholm
Website | Email | X | LinkedIn | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook

Listen to Tyler’s podcast Collisions YYC

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Stories and Strategies Website
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