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This week's show opens with an announcement on the podcast's future, so give it a listen and see what's coming! We can't wait. For our last show prior to the summer break, we sped through several issues including the White House stepping in to block non-compete clauses, Amazon's backtracking on its dispute resolution process after customers found an innovative way to make the e-commerce giant squirm, and speaking of 'giant', a massive inflatable rat has landed in court in the United States! Tech companies have been experimenting with changes to their working styles, with some opting for more flexibility and others demanding employees return to the office. Twitter is focusing, instead, on the vernacular around remote work. In fact, the social network doesn't even like the term 'remote work' because it's not inclusive enough (which left us scratching our heads). You might be surprised what they prefer instead. In Check This Out, Ewan looks at a documentary that looks back on the disaster that was Woodstock '99, while Cam looks back as well (much further) on the life of Joan Rivers and how she's viewed today in light of the #MeToo movement. Don't miss any future episodes and get updates about the podcast by signing up to the PR & Law Podcast newsletter. We promise: no spam. Ever. If you enjoy the show, please tell a friend or family member. It's the best way to get the word out and we are very grateful! We also frequently post updates to the stories we discuss on social media. You can find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. You can also subscribe to our channels on YouTube and Soundcloud. If you have a question we would be happy to answer it on the show! Just post it to social media with the hashtag #PRLawPod. Links and Show Notes Takeaways from President Biden's Executive Order on Non-Competes - The National Law Review Amazon Ends Use of Arbitration for Customer Disputes - The New York Times Scabby the Rat Survives NLRB Blowup Over Inflatables at Union Protests - Chicago Sun Times Twitter Chief HR Officer Jennifer Christie Tweetstorm on New Office Culture - Twitter Logan Mailleux Taken by Montreal Canadiens in NHL Draft Despite Teen's 2020 Troubles in Sweden - ESPN Logan...

With everything going digital in workplaces, it's getting harder and harder to keep secrets or speak with others in confidence. Three leaders in Netflix's marketing team found this out the hard way after they were fired for making disparaging remarks about the executive team at Netflix. Ewan walks us through what happened with advice on avoiding a similar fate. Cam mentions that several parts of the story haven't yet been made public, leading to damaging speculation. In the PR segment, Cam walks listeners through creating a media brief or issues scan for executives. These are documents that companies, governments, NGOs and other organizations prepare for any executives about to do a media interview. Then he shares a list of terms of all professionals should avoid in their work. There's bound to be something in the list that you've used before! In Check This Out, Ewan talks about the disruption facing the film industry while Cam goes hip-hop with a Canadian rapper talking about the birth of the music genre in the United States. Don't miss any future episodes and get updates about the podcast by signing up to the PR & Law Podcast newsletter. We promise: no spam. Ever. If you enjoy the show, please tell a friend or family member. It's the best way to get the word out and we are very grateful! We also frequently post updates to the stories we discuss on social media. You can find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. You can also subscribe to our channels on YouTube and Soundcloud. If you have a question we would be happy to answer it on the show! Just post it to social media with the hashtag #PRLawPod. Links and Show Notes Netflix Fires Marketing Execs for Criticizing Bosses Over Slack - The Hollywood Reporter Recode Media with Peter Kafka - Vox Digiday Podcast - Digiday Check This Out Why Disney's 'Black Widow' Premium VOD Reveal Rattled Hollywood - The Hollywood Reporter The Hip-Hop Evolution - Netflix Hosts Ewan Christie is an employment lawyer in Toronto, Canada. Cam MacMurchy is a corporate communications executive with a multinational technology company listed in Hong Kong and curator of the Digital Bits PR and Communications newsletter....

Companies have more tools than ever to broadcast their own messages, whether it's via a website, podcasts, newsletters, social media, or all of the above. Breene Murphy from Carbon Collective and the Forbes Communications Council joins the show this week to share his own experience with content marketing, as well as examine Andreessen Horowitz's decision to launch its own publication called Future (which we discussed at length in Episode #61). Content can help give a company a louder voice in a noisy marketplace, but Murphy talks about some other benefits that comms people and marketers might overlook. We talk a lot about the future of work these days, particularly as we emerge from the global pandemic. Ewan shares a new study done in Iceland about a four-day work week, something that was obviously popular with workers. The thing is, the experiment also proved to be useful for employers. Ewan explains why. In Check This Out we return to Britney Spears and her controversial conservatorship, while Cam brings up cancel culture and the case of a brave musician from the band Mumford and Sons. Don't miss any future episodes and get updates about the podcast by signing up to the PR & Law Podcast newsletter. We promise: no spam. Ever. If you enjoy the show, please tell a friend or family member. It's the best way to get the word out and we are very grateful! We also frequently post updates to the stories we discuss on social media. You can find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. You can also subscribe to our channels on YouTube and Soundcloud. If you have a question we would be happy to answer it on the show! Just post it to social media with the hashtag #PRLawPod. Links and Show Notes Episode #61: Andreessen Horowitz Launches Future - PR & Law Podcast Iceland's Four-Day Work Week Trial was a Triumph for All - Quartz Check This Out Britney Spears's Conservatorship Nightmare - The New Yorker Substack: Winston Marshall was 'Bloody Terrified' to Quit Mumford & Sons. He Tells Me Why. - Common Sense with Bari Weiss Guest Breene Murphy is the vice president of strategy and marketing for Carbon Collective, an...

We ran through more topics on Episode 63 than we have in any other previous episode! (And somehow managed to keep it under an hour...) We kicked off the show by mentioning the major anniversaries that are clustered in early July: Canada Day falls on July 1, as does the anniversary of Hong Kong's return to Chinese sovereignty. There's Independence Day in the US on July 4, of course -- and one more: the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party of China. It might not get the same attention in western media, but it might be the most important anniversary among the group. Cam talks about why. Ewan dives right back into the future of work this week with new questions over the value of meeting in person or via chat and video conferencing apps. Is innovation more likely to happen in person? Do we even know? Cam touches on LinkedIn's decision to roll out new pronoun options, and also looks at Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba's decision to call out a reporter in public on its website. It's a power move that we're starting to see done more often. We also get into the fall of Teneo CEO Declan Kelly and how the #MeToo movement has upped the ante on misbehaving executives. In Check This Out, Ewan talks Tarantino (as in Quentin) while Cam carefully wades into the hottest debate happening in the US these days: critical race theory. Don't miss any future episodes and get updates about the podcast by signing up to the PR & Law Podcast newsletter. We promise: no spam. Ever. If you enjoy the show, please tell a friend or family member. It's the best way to get the word out and we are very grateful! We also frequently post updates to the stories we discuss on social media. You can find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. You can also subscribe to our channels on YouTube and Soundcloud. If you have a question we would be happy to answer it on the show! Just post it to social media with the hashtag #PRLawPod. Links and Show Notes Meetings. Why? - The New York Times Do Chance Meetings at the Office Boost Innovation? There's No Evidence of It. - The New York Times LinkedIn Adds Pronouns - Coywolf Teneo CEO Allegedly Carried on an Affair with Senior Executive - Page Six

Episode #62 marks our last show in June, so what better way to welcome in the summer months than by examining two high profile and embarrassing scandals. Cam and Ewan return to the awkward Jeffrey Toobin apology and explanation live on CNN, but this time look at it from CNN's perspective. Unlike the New Yorker, where Toobin worked for 27 years, CNN didn't fire Toobin and found a way to bring him back onto the channel's airwaves. They didn't try and bury Toobin's return, either -- they went head-first into the scandal and asked Toobin very direct and personal questions to try and clear the air. It seems to have worked. The same can't be said for Chrissy Teigen, who is also mired in scandal after trolling people on Twitter for years. She hasn't found the same acceptance despite her apology, and the hosts discuss why. We also look at the changing workplace and how COVID continues to change expectations and preferences for both companies and their employees. One trend on the rise - and was even gaining steam before the pandemic - is contract or freelance workers. Ewan walks us through what's happening, why this might be a good choice for employees, and what the pitfalls might be. In Check This Out, Ewan shares an in-depth look at Amazon and its employee relations in light of the failed union drive in Bessemer, Alabama, while Cam shares this crazy thing. Yeah, we're not sure what it means either. Don't miss any future episodes and get updates about the podcast by signing up to the PR & Law Podcast newsletter. We promise: no spam. Ever. If you enjoy the show, please tell a friend or family member. It's the best way to get the word out and we are very grateful! We also frequently post updates to the stories we discuss on social media. You can find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. You can also subscribe to our channels on YouTube and Soundcloud. If you have a question we would be happy to answer it on the show! Just post it to social media with the hashtag #PRLawPod. Links and Show Notes Workforce 2025: The Future of the World of Work - Randstad Jeffrey Toobin's CNN Comeback is a Crisis PR Primer for Scandal-Ridden Washington - MediaPost Episode #32: Jeffrey Toobin's Embarrassing Zoom Call - PR & Law Podcast Hi Again - Chrissy...

It was a busy show this week, with Ewan and Cam discussing everything from Covid vaccinations to Netscape; Christiano Rinaldo to Alexander Hamilton. So let's get started. Paternity leave is a subject people love to debate. Policies on fathers taking leave to help out at home when a newborn comes along vary widely by jurisdiction -- but it could be just another fact of work life that is changing in a post-pandemic world. Millennials and Gen Zers are pushing for more progressive paternity leave policies and seeing some early victories. Ewan looks at the issue in detail, talks about what works and what doesn't, and why it's suddenly getting so much attention. Cam talked about a big step taken by one of the most famous venture capital firms in the world, which decided to forego traditional media coverage and simply build their own tech news website. Tensions have been rising between Silicon Valley and the journalists who cover it, so the decision by Andreessen Horowitz to launch their own site, Future, could be a harbinger of things to come for other firms, too. Cam looks at why a16z felt compelled to build the site, and what it means for both in-house PR teams and journalists. In Check This Out, Ewan debunks the crazy rumor that soccer star Christiano Rinaldo removing a Coke from a table led to a share plunge, while Cam recommends the new movie/musical In The Heights despite its creator, Lin-Manuel Miranda, coming under fire for "colorism" in casing the film. In the Heights was Miranda's first Broadway hit before he wrote Hamilton. Don't miss any future episodes and get updates about the podcast by signing up to the PR & Law Podcast newsletter. We promise: no spam. Ever. If you enjoy the show, please tell a friend or family member. It's the best way to get the word out and we are very grateful! We also frequently post updates to the stories we discuss on social media. You can find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. You can also subscribe to our channels on YouTube and Soundcloud. If you have a question we would be happy to answer it on the show! Just post it to social media with the hashtag #PRLawPod. Links and Show Notes A Fresh Look at Paternity Leave: Why the Benefits Extend Beyond the Personal -McKinsey & Company Andreessen Horowitz Looks to Launch Opinion Publication as its Media Ambitions Grow - The Information (Paywall) The Unauthorized Story of Andreessen Horowitz - Newcomer Tech and Crypto Funder Andreessen...

We've talked a lot about legal cases on the show, but this week Ewan brings our attention to other effective ways to handle disputes. Mediation can be a useful part of any dispute resolution process and help lower the temperature, especially in particularly charged cases. Ewan argues it's also a great way for companies to manage bad press as the mediation process is usually kept confidential. He shares why mediation is often a better choice and why it's not used as much as it should be. Then Cam dives into the ugly saga of BrewDog, a popular beer brewer that hails from Scotland. Hundreds of former and current employees published an open letter blasting the company and its CEO, James Watt, for creating a toxic work environment driven by fear. The allegations are serious and could damage the brand, but maybe not as much as Watt's reply. The CEO published a hasty response to Twitter around the same time staff leaked an internal memo, exposing the contradiction in the beer brand's messages. As the old PR adage goes, when you're in a hole, stop digging! Unfortunately, Watt appears to only have a shovel. We look at each sordid twist and turn in the dispute, which is likely to give the company's leaders and investors the ultimate hangover. In Check This Out, Ewan talks about the race to space while Cam looks at internet culture and how Gen Zers are ridiculing millennials. Don't miss any future episodes and get updates about the podcast by signing up to the PR & Law Podcast newsletter. We promise: no spam. Ever. If you enjoy the show, please tell a friend or family member. It's the best way to get the word out and we are very grateful! We also frequently post updates to the stories we discuss on social media. You can find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. You can also subscribe to our channels on YouTube and Soundcloud. If you have a question we would be happy to answer it on the show! Just post it to social media with the hashtag #PRLawPod. Links and Show Notes Episode #59: Apple Employees Reject Work from Home Plan in Public Letter - PR & Law Podcast A Popular Podcast Dug Into Bon Appetit's Racism Scandal. Then its Own Host was Accused of Creating a 'Toxic' Workplace - Washington Post An Open Letter to BrewDog - Punks with Purpose Our Response from James Watt's Apology - Punks with Purpose Check This Out What Space Billionaires Cost Us - What Next: TBD Podcast (Slate)

We have dedicated a whole show to a subject that will affect hundreds of millions of people worldwide: flexible working hours and "work from home". While staff in many Asian countries have been back to the office for a while now, companies in the United States and Canada are now rolling out announcements for an imminent return to the office. The problem? Not everyone wants to go back. Aside from the pandemic, Ewan looks at some of the demographic changes that are giving the WFH movement an extra push, and shares his ideas on how employers and employees can prepare. Then Cam gets specific -- with Apple. The company's CEO Tim Cook told staff last week they can return to the office on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday each week, while granting remote work on Wednesdays and Fridays -- a step widely seen as very accommodating for a company with an old school outlook when it comes to work. But that change wasn't good enough for thousands of employees who penned a lengthy letter taking the company to task for not doing more. We look at this issue from every possible angle and hopefully stumble on some solutions. In Check This Out, Ewan recommends an editorial on a horrific mass grave found in Canada, while Cam has bookmarked a New Yorker piece on the strange radio waves targeting US officials worldwide. Don't miss any future episodes and get updates about the podcast by signing up to the PR & Law Podcast newsletter. We promise: no spam. Ever. If you enjoy the show, please tell a friend or family member. It's the best way to get the word out and we are very grateful! We also frequently post updates to the stories we discuss on social media. You can find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. You can also subscribe to our channels on YouTube and Soundcloud. If you have a question we would be happy to answer it on the show! Just post it to social media with the hashtag #PRLawPod. Links and Show Notes Workers are Gaining Leverage Over Employers Right Before our Eyes - The New York Times New Report Says 'Demographic Drought' will Worsen Labor Shortage - Forbes The Decline of Young People in America - Emsi Real Estate Newsletter: Home Prices Hit an All-Time High - LA Times Apple Asks Staff to Return to Office Three Days per Week Starting in Early August - The Verge

We faced some outright silliness this week. Ewan brought up Amy Cooper, who we discussed way back in Episode #8 after she phoned 911 because a black man in Central Park - who was bird watching - asked her to put her dog on a leash in a section of the park that requires dogs be on leashes. The video left no ambiguity about what happened, but it seems Cooper wants to try her luck anyway: she's suing her former employer, Franklin Templeton, for how the firm handled the case and her dismissal. Does she have a chance of winning? Ewan fills us in. Then Cam looks at how Ryanair, the discount European carrier, handled its communications in the immediate aftermath of its commercial flight being forced to land in Minsk, Belarus so the government could detain a political dissident. Ryanair didn't just mess up, it kicked off an entire new hashtag at #RyanAirSummaries. If you need a laugh, go check it out. Cam talks about what might have happened, and how Ryanair could have done better. Then we touch on the Friends Reunion, a second major embarrassment for a Canadian politician, and how the media is now taking a second look at the lab-leak origin theory for COVID-19. Don't miss any future episodes and get updates about the podcast by signing up to the PR & Law Podcast newsletter. We promise: no spam. Ever. If you enjoy the show, please tell a friend or family member. It's the best way to get the word out and we are very grateful! We also frequently post updates to the stories we discuss on social media. You can find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. You can also subscribe to our channels on YouTube and Soundcloud. If you have a question we would be happy to answer it on the show! Just post it to social media with the hashtag #PRLawPod. Links and Show Notes Amy Cooper Sues Former Employer for Racial Discrimination - New York Times Amy Cooper Sues Ex-Employer for Racial Discrimination after Viral Central Park Video - ABC News Episode #8: Amy Cooper's Racist Tirade in Central Park - PR & Law Podcast Belarus Ryanair Flight Diverted: Passengers Describe Panic on Board - BBC

What a show! We covered a lot of ground this week, including the issue of social media and its impact on people's job prospects. Somehow we didn't touch on this fundamental issue in the previous 56 episodes of the show but certainly made up for it this week. Ewan provides information on how companies use social when screening candidates and Cam provides real examples from the workplace on how social media can also be used to monitor existing staff -- with sometimes disastrous results. Then we dive deep into a lengthy investigative piece by the New York Times on Apple's business in China -- namely the compromises the company is making to protect its multi-billion dollar market. Cam peels back the curtain to shed some light on how Apple may have responded behind the scenes, and looks at three key accusations in the article and how Apple shrewdly addressed them in a statement. If you're a tech or PR nerd (or both), you'll not want to miss this. Then the hosts share a few laughs over the camp Eurovision contest. Don't miss any future episodes and get updates about the podcast by signing up for the PR & Law Podcast newsletter. We promise: no spam. Ever. If you enjoy the show, please tell a friend or family member. It's the best way to get the word out and we are very grateful! We also frequently post updates to the stories we discuss on social media. You can find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. You can also subscribe to our channels on YouTube and Soundcloud. If you have a question we would be happy to answer it on the show! Just post it to social media with the hashtag #PRLawPod. Links and Show Notes Censorship, Surveillance, and Profits: a Hard Bargain for Apple in China - New York Times Apple Statement - New York Times Check This Out Eurovision Song Contest Rotterdam 2021 - Eurovision TV Tech vs. Journalism - Intelligencer Hosts Ewan Christie is an employment lawyer and partner at Duntrune LLP in Toronto, Canada. Cam MacMurchy is a corporate communications executive with a multinational technology company listed in Hong Kong and curator of the Digital Bits PR and Communications newsletter. He also contributes to Apple news website 9to5Mac and shares his thoughts on PR, media, travel, and technology on his 

We've talked a lot on the show about how the workplace is changing, primarily due to demographic shifts as well as the pandemic. This week, Ewan goes into some detail about how confused managers or executives can navigate this new world and advance their workplace culture. The steps aren't easy -- though they aren't too hard, either -- and definitely worth considering. Then Cam dives into the wonderful world of news monitoring. Staying on top of news, social media, online sentiment, and industry news is critical for most companies, but what's the best way to do it? Cam walks through some examples and even offers up a few recommendations -- including some powerful searches that are entirely free. In Check This Out, Ewan talks death (in a good, inspiring way!) and Cam pays tribute to a man who clearly has the right PR skills: Jeff Bezos. He recommends a Bloomberg Businessweek story that looks at how the Amazon CEO beat the National Enquirer. Don't miss any future episodes and get updates about the podcast by signing up to the PR & Law Podcast newsletter. We promise: no spam. Ever. If you enjoy the show, please tell a friend or family member. It's the best way to get the word out and we are very grateful! We also frequently post updates to the stories we discuss on social media. You can find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. You can also subscribe to our channels on YouTube and Soundcloud. If you have a question we would be happy to answer it on the show! Just post it to social media with the hashtag #PRLawPod. Links and Show Notes How Men Can Be More Inclusive Leaders - Harvard Business Review Basecamp's Experiment - PR & Law Podcast Subscribe to RSS - CamMacMurchy.com Toxic Social Media Leading to Renaissance in RSS Readers - CamMacMurchy.com Inoreader - Free RSS Feed Reader Muck Rack - Online Journalist Database Mailbrew - Create Beautiful, Custom Newsletters Check This Out The Untold Story of how Jeff Bezos...

Peloton, that premium brand that makes pricey exercise equipment for wealthy urbanites, has a knack for finding itself in the news for the wrong reasons. You may recall a television commercial that featured a man buying his wife a Peloton for Christmas, which thrust the company into social media wars. Now the problem is much worse: a six-year old child died, and dozens of others were injured, from the Tread+ treadmill marketed by Peloton. The company denied any problems at first, which wasn't exactly smart. It got a lot worse after that, giving us an excellent "what not to do" case study. It's these ones that we love to get into! Ewan raises the issue of women in the workplace, and how they have suffered much more than other groups during the pandemic. He brings up some potential solutions to the problem, one of which could be opening the door to more remote work. The hosts also discuss Cam's second Pfizer shot, which was given about an hour before recording, Ewan's recommendation of a television commercial, and a darkly funny comedy called "Why Women Kill." Don't miss any future episodes and get updates about the podcast by signing up to the PR & Law Podcast newsletter. We promise: no spam. Ever. If you enjoy the show, please tell a friend or family member. It's the best way to get the word out and we are very grateful! We also frequently post updates to the stories we discuss on social media. You can find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. You can also subscribe to our channels on YouTube and Soundcloud. If you have a question we would be happy to answer it on the show! Just post it to social media with the hashtag #PRLawPod. Links and Show Notes Experts Fear the Pandemic May Have Devastating Effects on Working Moms - National Post Tracking Job Losses for Mothers of School-Age Children During a Health Crisis - United States Census Bureau Child Dies in Accident Involving Peloton Treadmill - New York Times A Note from Peloton CEO John Foley about Tread+ - Peloton CSPC Warns Consumers: Stop Using the Pelton Tread+ - United States Consumer Product Safety Commission Lessons from Peloton's Treadmill Recall Reminiscent of Other Crises - PR News Online

It's probably happened to you: a work or school meeting held virtually over Zoom when your boss or instructor asks you to turn on the webcam. Everybody seems to have a different take on whether this is okay, but Cam and Ewan stand firmly in the camp of not wanting to turn on their cameras -- but it might not matter. Can your boss ask you to turn it on? Are there any circumstances where you might be able to defy your boss? The answer to both questions is 'yes'. Ewan breaks it down. Then the hosts get into a topic that dominated the socials last week -- the case of productivity software maker Basecamp and its founders' decision to halt any discussion on politics or 'societal issues' from official workplace communications channels. The blowback was swift, but was it deserved? Ewan argues the founders are within their rights to run the company this way, but others also have the right to criticize them or resign (which many have). Cam looks at the PR side of things, dissecting the blog posts by each founder and what may have led to their decision to make such a public declaration. It's a fascinating case. In Check This Out, Ewan looks at a journalism scandal at the New York Times while Cam argues Pfizer is cool and Moderna is... not. Don't miss any future episodes and get updates about the podcast by signing up for the PR & Law Podcast newsletter. We promise: no spam. Ever. If you enjoy the show, please tell a friend or family member. It's the best way to get the word out and we are very grateful! We also frequently post updates to the stories we discuss on social media. You can find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. You can also subscribe to our channels on YouTube and Soundcloud. If you have a question we would be happy to answer it on the show! Just post it to social media with the hashtag #PRLawPod. Links and Show Notes When is it Necessary to Turn on Your Video in a Zoom Meeting? - Fast Company Behind the Controversy at Basecamp - The Verge (also syndicated on Platformer) Changes at Basecamp - Jason Fried, Hey Blog Basecamp's New Etiquette Regarding Societal Politics at Work - David Heinmeier Hansson, Hey Blog Trouble at Basecamp, Bezos Fights for the Moon, and a Listener Question about Dating Apps - Pivot

Last week Cam talked about preparing for his first Pfizer shot in Hong Kong, and this week we find out that both hosts got their first dose last week after Ewan secured an early appointment as well. Ewan had some side effects with the Astra-Zeneca vaccine while Cam had no trouble with the Pfizer-BioNTech one, but the second dose might not be as easy. The pandemic is still ravaging many countries around the world, but that hasn't stopped employers and employees from trying to influence the workplace in a post-pandemic environment -- namely how and whether remote work should be a part of this new era. Ewan shares a survey on the question and some interesting anomalies in the results. Then Cam checks in with an article looking at five key things to consider to improve public relations in 2021, tips that he thinks have merit and encourages PR practitioners to consider. They range from commissioning white papers to paying more attention to Google Maps. If you want an edge on your competitors, don't miss this segment. In Check This Out, Ewan recommends an unabashedly 90s group's new album, while Cam looks at the mysteries of typing -- yes, typing. Don't miss any future episodes and get updates about the podcast by signing up for the PR & Law Podcast newsletter. We promise: no spam. Ever. If you enjoy the show, please tell a friend or family member. It's the best way to get the word out and we are very grateful! We also frequently post updates to the stories we discuss on social media. You can find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. You can also subscribe to our channels on YouTube and Soundcloud. If you have a question we would be happy to answer it on the show! Just post it to social media with the hashtag #PRLawPod. Links and Show Notes How to Navigate the Post-pandemic Office - The New York Times Remote, Inc: How to Thrive at Work... Wherever You Are - Robert C. Polson and Alexandra Samuel (Amazon) Trust Crisis: Five Changes You Must Embrace for 2021 - PR Daily Invitation-only Communities for Successful Executives and Entrepreneurs - Forbes Councils Check This Out Dinosaur Jr. Balance Noise with Nuance on Sweep It Into Space - Paste Why Am I Sp Bad At Typign? - Buzzfeed Hosts Ewan Christie is an employment lawyer and partner at 

We made a full year! What better way to mark the first anniversary of the PR & Law Podcast than with another humiliating story of a bumbling, high-profile individual and his lack of computer skills. No, it's not Jeffrey Toobin redux -- it's a federal politician in Canada who went out for a jog, returned to his office, launched Zoom for a high-level government Q/A session, shed his clothes, popped into the shower, and then got dressed. It's all pretty routine except for the fact his camera was on the entire time. It's embarrassing, of course, but what should be done? Should anything be done? How does this compare to the infamous Jeffrey Toobin case we discussed in Episode 32? Ewan gives us some answers. Then Cam, primed and ready for his first dose of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine, discusses the mess Johnson & Johnson has found itself in. The drugmaker had its vaccines suspended in the United States after six women developed blood clots after receiving the jab. It's not the first time a vaccine has run into PR problems (see: AstraZeneca in Episode 48), but the issues facing these companies might be larger and more complex than companies in other sectors. Cam explains some of the psychology behind resistance to the vaccines and how the drugmakers can try and extricate themselves from the powerful news currents that have put their brands at risk. Don't miss any future episodes and get updates about the podcast by signing up for the PR & Law Podcast newsletter. We promise: no spam. Ever. If you enjoy the show, please tell a friend or family member. It's the best way to get the word out and we are very grateful! We also frequently post updates to the stories we discuss on social media. You can find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. You can also subscribe to our channels on YouTube and Soundcloud. If you have a question we would be happy to answer it on the show! Just post it to social media with the hashtag #PRLawPod. Links and Show Notes MP William Amos Speaks Out: Leaked Naked Photo Sends Message 'Anything Goes' in Politics - CBC Episode #32: New Yorker's Jeffrey Toobin is Fired - PR & Law Podcast Decision to...

This week we learned that the strongest push yet for a union inside e-commerce juggernaut Amazon fell short. Ewan sifts through the wreckage to try and find the way forward for both the company and its staff. We also discuss how labor unions have fallen out of favor and might need an image overhaul. "Cancel culture" seems to be on everyone's lips these days. When you combine it with severe political and cultural polarization, the result is companies being squeezed in the middle, often forced to take sides. The most recent example was Major League Baseball's decision to pull its all-star game from the US state of Georgia in opposition to new voting laws that could make casting ballots more difficult. Cam looks at the tough choice companies have to face, and provides a few examples from China, where local brands have faced similar pressure for many years already. Plus: a dive into the world of Biggie and Tupac and the rap war of the 1990s that left both talented artists dead. You'll also be surprised to learn where the term 'cancel culture' came from. Don't miss any future episodes and get updates about the podcast by signing up to the PR & Law Podcast newsletter. We promise: no spam. Ever. If you enjoy the show, please tell a friend or family member. It's the best way to get the word out and we are very grateful! We also frequently post updates to the stories we discuss on social media. You can find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. You can also subscribe to our channels on YouTube and Soundcloud. If you have a question we would be happy to answer it on the show! Just post it to social media with the hashtag #PRLawPod. Links and Show Notes NLRB Announces Results in Amazon Election - National Labor Relations Board Amazon Workers Vote Down Union Drive at Alabama Warehouse - New York Times Blowout in Bessemer: A Postmortem on the Amazon Campaign - The Nation A Boot Camp for All Things Content and Communications - Marketing Influence 360 The New Cancel Culture Capitalism - New York Times Check This Out The Strange Journey of 'Cancel', from a Black-Culture

The ballots have been cast and the counting has begun on a vote that could bring foundational change to Amazon.com, the "everything store" that has only grown during the pandemic. Amazon has fought hard against unions in the past, and some are fearful of what Amazon might do once the ballots are counted and the result is known. Ewan looks into what's happening at the Amazon fulfillment warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama, and why he thinks unions might be on the rebound after decades of decline. Then we touch on an issue that often divides communications and marketing people: the April Fool's Day joke. "Voltswagen" had egg on its face for its screw-up this year, but it wasn't the first April Fool's Day joke to backfire on a company and likely won't be the last. Cam looks at some other examples of what has worked and what hasn't, with some advice on how to approach April Fool's Day if your company is considering getting in on it next year. Plus: a thorough ranking of the Muppets from NPR, professional bowler and trash talker Pete Weber hangs 'em up, and thoughts on two incredible films nominated for Best Picture at the upcoming Academy Awards. Don't miss any future episodes and get updates about the podcast by signing up for the PR & Law Podcast newsletter. We promise: no spam. Ever. If you enjoy the show, please tell a friend or family member. It's the best way to get the word out and we are very grateful! We also frequently post updates to the stories we discuss on social media. You can find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. You can also subscribe to our channels on YouTube and Soundcloud. If you have a question we would be happy to answer it on the show! Just post it to social media with the hashtag #PRLawPod. Links and Show Notes Amazon's Union Vote: What's at stake in the Alabama Warehouse Election - Cnet Documents Show Amazon Is Aware Drivers Pee In Bottles - The Intercept Is April Fool's Day Worth the Risk for Brands? - Content Marketing Institute Forget Voltswagen, it's Volkswagen that is the Real April Fool - Fast Company Episode #47: Burger King's Controversial (or Just Misunderstood?) Tweet - PR & Law Podcast Check This Out The Father - Sony Pictures

While vaccinations are happening and people are itching to get out from under the year-long COVID-19 pandemic, some parts of life may never go back to normal -- such as remote work. Ewan and Cam have a spirited debate on the merits of remote work, why some people thrive and others have problems adjusting. The discussion is against a backdrop of a Goldman Sachs deck in which analysts complain of a poor work-life balance. We try and get to the bottom of it. Then we take aim (again) at Facebook. The MIT Technology Review published a lengthy article on Facebook's failures around AI and combatting disinformation -- particularly around the January 6 insurrection in Washington -- which triggered a multi-pronged response from Facebook PR. We talk about Facebook's tactics and debate what might work, and what just seems sleazy. You'll want to stay right to the end for a hilarious story about 90s muscle man and "I can't believe it's not butter!" spokesperson Fabio, who had a rather unfortunate and bloody incident involving a goose and a rollercoaster. Yeah, you'll want to hear it. Don't miss any future episodes and get updates about the podcast by signing up for the PR & Law Podcast newsletter. We promise: no spam. Ever. If you enjoy the show, please tell a friend or family member. It's the best way to get the word out and we are very grateful! We also frequently post updates to the stories we discuss on social media. You can find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. You can also subscribe to our channels on YouTube and Soundcloud. If you have a question we would be happy to answer it on the show! Just post it to social media with the hashtag #PRLawPod. Links and Show Notes The Big, Stuck Boat is Glorious - The Atlantic 'I'm in a Really Dark Place': Complaints at Goldman Sachs Set Off a Workplace Debate - New York Times Goldman Sachs Working Conditions Survey - Google Drive The Great Vampire Squid Keeps on Sucking - Forbes How Facebook Got Addicted to Spreading Misinformation - MIT Technology Review Facebook Created an Employee 'Playbook' to Respond to Accusations of...

Workers often suspect their bosses may be spying on them, either via security cameras or software that can track their internet use. But as Ewan explains this week, it's gotten much, much worse than that. New, more invasive technology is driving a boom in companies surveilling their staff with tools like real-time monitoring of staff computer screens, keystroke logging, and more. Ewan details what's going on and how workers can try and protect themselves. COVID-19 remains a dark cloud over most of the world, but there's genuine excitement about the ramping up of vaccinations -- with the possible exception of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. There is so much public skepticism about the British vaccine that even several European governments suspended its use last week. It's an excellent example of how trust can be lost, and how providing facts and reassurance usually aren't enough to rebuild it. Cam also talks about his experience taking COVID tests in Hong Kong and shares news that he's already got an appointment to get the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in the next 10 days. In Check This Out, Ewan recommends a particular artist and song, despite his description on the show (you'll have to hear it!). Then Cam talks about the controversial four-part docuseries Allen v. Farrow on HBO which looks at accusations that famous film director Woody Allen sexually abused his adopted daughter, Dylan. Don't miss any future episodes and get updates about the podcast by signing up for the PR & Law Podcast newsletter. We promise: no spam. Ever. If you enjoy the show, please tell a friend or family member. It's the best way to get the word out and we are very grateful! We also frequently post updates to the stories we discuss on social media. You can find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. You can also subscribe to our channels on YouTube and Soundcloud. If you have a question we would be happy to answer it on the show! Just post it to social media with the hashtag #PRLawPod. Links and Show Notes How Your Boss Can Use Your Remote Work Tools to Spy on You - Wirecutter Bosses Started Spying on Remote Workers. Now They're Fighting Back - Wired AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot was the Hottest CEO in Pharma. Now He's on the Hot Seat - Forbes AstraZeneca Vaccine Suspended in More Countries over Low Number of Blood Clots - CBS Germans' Rejection of...

Sometimes companies inadvertently draw media attention for a mistake -- or gaffe -- in their communications. Amazon is a great example, which just had to change its new phone icon because people felt it resembled Hitler's mustache. Burger King has a different story, though -- it walked itself right into a crisis. Five controversial words landed the company in a boiling vat of vegetable oil. Cam and Ewan debate how the ominous Tweet should have been considered, and Cam explains why ultimately it doesn't matter when planning communications campaigns. The workplace has already changed since COVID-19 hit a year ago, but more changes are coming. Ewan mentions a clause that companies are beginning to put into employment contracts that could leave the employee high and dry. He explains what to look for and why it's a problem. We also discuss late-night HBO host Bill Maher, Professor Scott Galloway, and the beautiful film Nomadland. Don't miss any future episodes and get updates about the podcast by signing up for the PR & Law Podcast newsletter. We promise: no spam. Ever. If you enjoy the show, please tell a friend or family member. It's the best way to get the word out and we are very grateful! We also frequently post updates to the stories we discuss on social media. You can find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. You can also subscribe to our channels on YouTube and Soundcloud. If you have a question we would be happy to answer it on the show! Just post it to social media with the hashtag #PRLawPod. Links and Show Notes Amazon Fixes App After Design Furor - TMZ Burger King's Sexist Tweet Spectacularly Backfires - Yahoo News Check This Out Scott Galloway on Recasting American Individualism and Institutions - The Economist Nomadland - Hulu Hosts Ewan Christie is an employment lawyer and partner at Duntrune LLP in Toronto, Canada. Cam MacMurchy is a corporate communications executive with a multinational technology company listed in Hong Kong and curator of the Digital Bits PR and Communications newsletter. He also contributes to Apple news website 9to5Mac and shares his thoughts on PR, media, travel, and technology on his