Episodes

  • New Year, New Challenges

    New Year, New Challenges
    Jan 8 2026
    In this episode of Communication Breakdown, hosts Steve Dowling and Craig Carroll examine two stories where companies get assigned roles before they choose them. First, they look at U.S. oil companies caught in the wake of the Trump administration’s Venezuela operation, with the White House publicly narrating “ready and willing” corporate intent while executives stay largely non-committal. Then they break down Hilton’s rapid termination of a franchisee after an alleged DHS booking cancellation became a viral storyline, and why one loaded word in Hilton’s response escalated the situation. Across both cases, the core lesson is the same: in high-pressure environments, silence and precision can protect you, but only if you actively manage the boundary between what government says you want and what you have actually committed to.

    Takeaways
    • When political leaders publicly “assign” corporate intent, the company’s main job becomes boundary-setting, not brand-building.
    • Neutral holding statements buy time, but extended silence can still harden attribution, especially when anonymous background quotes drift more critical than on-record language.
    • Industry voice matters, either via a credible operator like Chevron or a trade body like the American Petroleum Institute, to correct errors and reduce narrative hijack risk without picking a fight.
    Topics Mentioned
    Corporate intent attribution, narrative capture, boundary management, regime-change optics, stakeholder trust, holding statements, trade associations, operational control in franchise models, platform-driven escalation, asymmetrical information warfare, crisis word choice, civil-rights framing, internal escalation protocols

    Companies Mentioned
    Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Conoco, Saudi Aramco, American Petroleum Institute, Hilton, EverSpeak Hospitality, Hampton Inn, Fortune

    Episode Hashtags
    #Chevron #ConocoPhillips #Conoco #SaudiAramco #AmericanPetroleumInstitute #Hilton #EverSpeakHospitality #HamptonInn #Fortune #CrisisCommunications #CorporateReputation #PublicRelations #CorporateAffairs #NarrativeControl #StakeholderTrust #Geopolitics #BoundaryManagement #FranchiseRisk #IssuesManagement #StrategicCommunications #ShawnPNeal #AdvoCast #OCRNetwork


    Communication Breakdown is a production of the Observatory on Corporate Reputation.
    Hosted by Craig Carroll and Steve Dowling.
    Produced by Shawn P Neal and the team at AdvoCast.

    For questions, feedback, or episode suggestions, reach out at podcast@ocrnetwork.com
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    28 mins
  • Resisting Without Escalating: 2025 in Review

    Resisting Without Escalating: 2025 in Review
    Dec 30 2025
    In this episode of Communication Breakdown, Steve Dowling and Craig Carroll unpack how companies navigated a volatile year under Trump’s return to power — chasing access, dodging landmines, and managing the optics. From tech’s full-throated alignment to Coke’s non-denial denial, to Harvard’s quiet defiance, it’s a masterclass in when to perform, when to retreat, and when to just shut up. The big theme? Holding ground without lighting fires. This is your postgame on narrative control in a year where even silence spoke volumes.

    Takeaways
    • Alignment without hedging creates exposure, not just opportunity.
    • Proximity to power can produce policy wins but risks reputational erosion if not translated across stakeholders.
    • Performative signaling amplifies reputational risk — especially when it grants authorship to a polarizing figure.
    Topics Mentioned
    alignment signaling, narrative control, stakeholder management, reputational exposure, crisis containment, performative support, political proximity, institutional resilience, communications strategy, narrative authorship, role clarity, reputation vs. access, strategic restraint, media framing

    Companies Mentioned
    Trump Administration, New York Times, Coca-Cola, Harvard University, Costco, NFL

    Episode Hashtags
    #TrumpAdministration #CocaCola #Harvard #Costco #NFL #CorporateCommunications #ReputationManagement #CrisisPR #NarrativeControl #StakeholderTrust #PoliticalComms #BrandRisk #StrategicSilence #LeadershipMessaging #StudiouslyBland #ShawnPNeal #AdvoCast #OCRNetwork

    Communication Breakdown is a production of the Observatory on Corporate Reputation.
    Hosted by Craig Carroll and Steve Dowling.
    Produced by Shawn P Neal and the team at AdvoCast.

    For questions, feedback, or episode suggestions, reach out at podcast@ocrnetwork.com
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    28 mins
  • Susie Wiles’ star turn

    Susie Wiles’ star turn
    Dec 19 2025
    In this episode of Communication Breakdown, hosts Steve Dowling and Craig Carroll examine the fallout from a rare, high-access Vanity Fair profile of White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. What looked like unprecedented transparency quickly turned into a reputational stress test, raising questions about intent, narrative control, and internal alignment. Steve and Craig move past the headline-grabbing quotes to analyze what they call “wedge warfare,” how third-party storytelling can disrupt relationships even without factual errors. The conversation offers practical lessons for communications leaders operating in high-salience, high-risk environments where perception often matters more than explanation.

    Takeaways
    • High-access profiles create cumulative risk, every quote, image, and anecdote compounds meaning.
    • Defending intent or tone can worsen a wedge by reinforcing doubt rather than stabilizing trust.
    • Images function as narrative events and must be managed with the same rigor as interviews.

    Topics Mentioned
    White House communications, corporate reputation, wedge warfare, narrative control, media access, high-risk interviews, photojournalism, alignment signaling, claims-perceptions-reality framework, crisis communications, leadership visibility

    Companies Mentioned
    Vanity Fair, CNN, The Atlantic, New York Post, Axios


    Episode Hashtags
    #VanityFair #CNN #TheAtlantic #NewYorkPost #Axios #WhiteHouse #CorporateReputation #StrategicCommunications #PublicRelations #MediaStrategy #NarrativeControl #CrisisCommunications #LeadershipMessaging #StakeholderTrust #ReputationRisk #ShawnPNeal #AdvoCast #OCRNetwork

    Communication Breakdown is a production of the Observatory on Corporate Reputation.
    Hosted by Craig Carroll and Steve Dowling.
    Produced by Shawn P Neal and the team at AdvoCast.

    For questions, feedback, or episode suggestions, reach out at podcast@ocrnetwork.com
    Show More Show Less
    34 mins
  • He’s Back...

    He’s Back...
    Dec 12 2025
    In this episode of Communication Breakdown, hosts Steve Dowling and Craig Carroll examine Elon Musk’s return to the podcast circuit amid reports of a possible SpaceX IPO. They question whether Musk’s more restrained media appearance signals a real reputational reset or simply another tactical pause without governance discipline. The conversation then turns to McDonald’s AI-generated holiday ad backlash in the Netherlands, using it as a case study in creative judgment, brand standards, and accountability when AI enters the production pipeline. The episode closes with insights from Craig’s 10th annual Senior Corporate Affairs Summit, where executives focused on AI as real headcount, narrative drift as enterprise risk, and the fragmentation of influence beyond traditional media.

    Takeaways
    • Media moderation without behavioral change does not equal a reputation reset.
    • Pre-IPO signaling requires cadence, discipline, and visible.
    • AI failures in advertising are often judgment failures, not technology failures..
    • Narrative drift is an early warning signal of enterprise risk, not a messaging problem..
    Topics Mentioned
    Elon Musk, reputation management, IPO signaling, CEO behavior, governance discipline, AI advertising, brand judgment, holiday advertising standards, narrative drift, enterprise risk, AI agents, communications workflows, influence fragmentation, Substack, corporate affairs leadership

    Companies Mentioned
    Tesla, SpaceX, Twitter, Reuters, McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, Disney


    Episode Hashtags
    #ElonMusk #Tesla #SpaceX #Twitter #McDonalds #CocaCola #Disney #CorporateReputation #PublicRelations #CrisisCommunications #AIinMarketing #BrandGovernance #NarrativeRisk #Leadership #StrategicCommunications #ShawnPNeal #AdvoCast #OCRNetwork

    Communication Breakdown is a production of the Observatory on Corporate Reputation.
    Hosted by Craig Carroll and Steve Dowling.
    Produced by Shawn P Neal and the team at AdvoCast.

    For questions, feedback, or episode suggestions, reach out at podcast@ocrnetwork.com
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    24 mins
  • Costco targets tariffs, tech throws tantrum

    Costco targets tariffs, tech throws tantrum
    Dec 4 2025
    In this episode of Communication Breakdown, Steve Dowling and Craig Carroll examine two distinct communication strategies playing out in the same political environment. First, they look at Costco’s decision to sue the Trump administration to recover tariff payments, a move that positions the retailer as a disciplined, process-driven actor defending its business model and its promise of predictable low prices. Then they break down the tech-sector backlash to a New York Times profile of David Sacks, highlighting how Silicon Valley elites turned a contained story into a governance and credibility problem through overreaction. For PR and corporate affairs professionals, the contrast delivers a clear lesson in how organizations either reinforce or erode trust depending on their posture toward scrutiny, institutions, and accountability.

    Takeaways
    • Costco’s lawsuit is a model of restraint, clarity, and institutional trust, aligning with its reputation for predictability and customer value.
    • High-trust brands gain influence when they work within established processes and let filings speak for themselves.
    • The Sacks backlash shows how tech elites can escalate a story by treating scrutiny as a personal attack rather than a governance issue.
    Topics Mentioned
    tariffs, emergency powers, corporate reputation, institutional trust, narrative defense, political risk, media strategy, backlash dynamics, governance, conflicts of interest, influencer amplification, tech industry communications, legal timing, crisis response, stakeholder expectations

    Companies Mentioned
    CableSoup, Airbus, Amazon, Target, Southwest Airlines, Costco, Trump Organization, Nvidia, New York Times, SpaceX, Salesforce, Andreessen Horowitz, OpenAI, Coinbase


    Episode Hashtags
    #CableSoup #Airbus #Amazon #Target #SouthwestAirlines #Costco #TrumpOrganization #Nvidia #NewYorkTimes #SpaceX #Salesforce #AndreessenHorowitz #OpenAI #Coinbase #CorporateCommunications #PublicRelations #CrisisManagement #ReputationManagement #MediaStrategy #TariffPolicy #TechIndustry #Governance #ShawnPNeal #AdvoCast #OCRNetwork





    Communication Breakdown is a production of the Observatory on Corporate Reputation.
    Hosted by Craig Carroll and Steve Dowling.
    Produced by Shawn P Neal and the team at AdvoCast.

    For questions, feedback, or episode suggestions, reach out at podcast@ocrnetwork.com
    Show More Show Less
    26 mins
  • Thanks for (saying) nothing

    Thanks for (saying) nothing
    Nov 25 2025
    In this episode of Communication Breakdown, Steve Dowling and Craig Carroll serve up their second annual Thanksgiving roundup of the year’s biggest corporate comms stories. They revisit three defining moments: the tariff turmoil that forced CEOs into strategic silence, Mark Benioff’s abrupt and confusing political pivot, and the astronomer CEO’s viral kiss-cam crisis. Across each case, they examine why timing, intent, and internal preparedness shape whether silence protects or exposes a company. For PR and corporate reputation professionals, this episode highlights how leaders can manage vacuum moments, avoid improvisation disasters, and maintain credibility when stakes are high.

    Takeaways
    • Silence only works when it is managed, signaled, and backed by a clear internal stance.
    • Trade groups can offer insulation, but individual CEO voices still carry more narrative impact.
    • CEO improvisation creates reputational risk when personal commentary blurs with corporate messaging.
    Topics Mentioned
    strategic silence, tariff communications, political alignment, CEO freelancing, corporate values, crisis governance, resignation sequencing, reputational recovery, timing strategy, stakeholder expectations, brand signaling

    Companies Mentioned
    S&P, American Eagle, Salesforce, Tesla, ICE, Astronomer

    Episode Hashtags
    #SP500 #AmericanEagle #Salesforce #Tesla #ICE #Astronomer #CorporateCommunications #CrisisManagement #ReputationStrategy #LeadershipCommunication #StakeholderEngagement #PublicAffairs #CrisisPlaybook #StrategicSilence #NarrativeControl #PRStrategy #ShawnPNeal #AdvoCast #OCRNetwork


    Communication Breakdown is a production of the Observatory on Corporate Reputation.
    Hosted by Craig Carroll and Steve Dowling.
    Produced by Shawn P Neal and the team at AdvoCast.

    For questions, feedback, or episode suggestions, reach out at podcast@ocrnetwork.com
    Show More Show Less
    34 mins
  • 50 Ways to Botch Your Layoffs

    50 Ways to Botch Your Layoffs
    Nov 20 2025
    In this episode of Communication Breakdown, Steve Dowling and Craig Carroll break down two corporate communication failures shaping headlines this week. First, they explore the Wall Street Journal’s catalog of mass-layoff missteps, analyzing why companies keep choosing speed over dignity and how media coverage is normalizing inhumane practices. Then they turn to Marriott’s collapsed partnership with Sonder, where guests were evicted mid-stay with little warning. Steve and Craig examine how a breakdown in partner communication became a direct reputational hit to Marriott and what it reveals about the CPR triangle of claims, perceptions, and reality. For PR and communications pros, the episode offers a clear look at how operational failures become communication crises when empathy and continuity disappear.

    Takeaways
    • Mass emails and glitchy digital notifications turn layoffs into dignity failures, eroding internal trust long after the cuts.
    • Companies misread cautionary tales as permission structures.
    • Telegraphing layoffs creates prolonged fear, productivity collapse, and early attrition of top performers.
    Topics Mentioned
    layoff communications, digital notifications, employee dignity, internal trust, media normalization, trend reporting, telegraphing layoffs, employee anxiety, rumor dynamics, partnership risk, customer continuity, CPR triangle, hospitality communications, brand liability, crisis amplification, operational incompatibility, integration risks, narrative control

    Companies Mentioned
    Amazon, Target, Southwest Airlines, Marriott, Sonder, Bloomberg


    Episode Hashtags
    #Amazon #Target #SouthwestAirlines #Marriott #Sonder #Bloomberg #CorporateCommunications #CrisisComms #InternalComms #ReputationManagement #Layoffs #Leadership #BrandTrust #HospitalityIndustry #StrategicComms #PublicRelations #ShawnPNeal #AdvoCast #OCRNetwork








    Communication Breakdown is a production of the Observatory on Corporate Reputation.
    Hosted by Craig Carroll and Steve Dowling.
    Produced by Shawn P Neal and the team at AdvoCast.

    For questions, feedback, or episode suggestions, reach out at podcast@ocrnetwork.com
    Show More Show Less
    27 mins
  • Make Palantir Make Sense

    Make Palantir Make Sense
    Nov 13 2025
    In this episode of Communication Breakdown, Steve Dowling and Craig Carroll examine Alex Karp’s high-volume media tour and the communications strategy behind Palantir’s recent spotlight moment. They break down Karp’s contradictory messaging, his embrace of grievance politics, and the reputational risks of keeping a company’s core narrative intentionally opaque.

    The hosts also turn to Walmart’s downsized Thanksgiving basket, the political firestorm that followed, and how transparency and timing collided in today’s hyper-charged information environment. This episode maps two very different cases that reveal the tension between controlling attention and maintaining trust, a dynamic every communications leader faces.

    Takeaways
    • Karp’s communication approach relies on narrative contradiction, which can generate attention but undermines clarity and credibility.
    • Palantir’s CEO is framing skepticism as moral persecution, which reshapes market pressure into identity politics.
    • Walmart’s Thanksgiving basket shows how operational decisions can become political signals in a low-friction information environment.
    • High visibility forces companies to anticipate how even neutral actions get pulled into political debate.
    Topics Mentioned
    Narrative contradiction, CEO communication, AI valuations, grievance messaging, media strategy, retail inflation, symbolic pricing, political perception, transparency, reputation management


    Companies Mentioned
    Palantir, Nvidia, Walmart

    Episode Hashtags
    #Palantir #Nvidia #Walmart #CorporateCommunications #PublicRelations #ReputationManagement #CrisisComms #CEOComms #MediaStrategy #PoliticalCommunication #StakeholderTrust #BrandPerception #NarrativeStrategy #ShawnPNeal #AdvoCast #OCRNetwork

    Communication Breakdown is a production of the Observatory on Corporate Reputation.
    Hosted by Craig Carroll and Steve Dowling.
    Produced by Shawn P Neal and the team at AdvoCast.

    For questions, feedback, or episode suggestions, reach out at podcast@ocrnetwork.com
    Show More Show Less
    29 mins