Compelling tales from the world of public relations, marketing and branding, told by the well-meaning communications professionals who lived them. Lead Balloon is like Freakonomics for communicators and media consumers. It's a show where we tell stories from communications industry leaders, brands that everyone knows and loves (or hates), and spectacular PR disasters. With immersive storytelling and a wry sense of humor, host Dusty Weis (nominated for "Best Indie Podcast Host" at the 2026 Podcast Academy awards) revisits epic PR disasters, intense communications scenarios, professional inflection points and notable campaigns we all remember, and usually finds a reason to chuckle. Because sometimes, there are important lessons to be learned from someone else's worst day. And sometimes, it's just more convenient than group therapy. Lead Balloon is an award-winning program, named by Adweek as "Marketing Podcast of the Year," nominated for a W
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What is Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications Stories?
Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications Stories is a business podcast hosted by Dusty Weis, with 76 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 82. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.
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Dusty Weis hosts Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Relations and Strategic Communications Stories, a business show with 76 episodes published.
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Episode #71
71. America's Brand: Reclaiming Patriotism for Regular Americans, with Joe Trahan (APR Fellow PRSA)
Jul 29, 202637 minS1
Every nation on the planet is its own brand. And love of country plays a part in each one. But here in the U.S., the very notion of patriotism has been polarized. Culture warriors have attempted to unilaterally define what it means to be American, and they paint anyone who disagrees as unpatriotic. So how did one extremist ideology corner the market on branding American patriotism? Why is it imperative for regular Americans to reclaim the American brand? And why is the so-called “opposition” SO BAD at branding and messaging? A respected public relations leader, government PR trainer and service member Dr. Joe Trahan joins us to discuss. Dr. Joe is the founder of Trahan and Associates, a recognized leader in media relations and crisis communications for more than 23 years. He's a former member of the PRSA national board. Earlier in his career, he achieved the rank of Lt. Colonel in the US Army Reserve, and commanded the 314th Public Affairs Operations Center. And as an instructor, he has taught media relations to thousands of pupils in 46 U.S. states, 5 NATO allies, Mexico and Paraguay, in addition to teaching PIO courses at FEMA for more than 20 years. Together, we'll honor 250 years of American exceptionalism by doubling down on the principles that actually made this country great: service, civil discourse, and compromise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
70. How to Go Viral and Not Screw Up Your Kid's Life, with the Original "Hysterical Bubbles" Laughing Baby (All Grown Up)
Jun 30, 202639 minS1
The annals of internet history are littered with cautionary tales from young people who became internet famous. From “Star Wars Kid” (Ghyslain Raza) to “Overly Attached Girlfriend” (Laina Morris), many viral stars of the early internet did not intend to become memes. And the unintended attention and even bullying that accompany online celebrity can have a profound—even damaging—impact on a kid’s life. Yet surveys indicate that many young people still aspire to become internet famous. So is there a way to achieve viral notoriety without screwing up your kid’s life? We’ll talk to the internet’s favorite laughing baby, whose infectious giggle owned the world wide web in 2011 after her mom posted a video of the family dog popping bubbles. The video ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnagemulucw ) was seen by tens of millions of people, featured on national television, and yielded significant ad and licensing revenue. 15 years later, little Molly is almost all grown up, and living the happy, normal life of an average teenager, thanks to parents who set the virtual boundaries that allowed that to happen. And Molly (and her parents) have lessons to share from which we all can learn—whether or not we aspire to be the internet’s next viral star. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
How the Snapple Brand Won Our Hearts in the 90s, Then Lost Them
May 28, 202647 minS1
<p>The strategy at the heart of the Snapple brand's precipitous rise... and its cataclysmic fall... is simple.</p>
<p>"Embrace your roots. Celebrate authenticity."</p>
<p>It's a lesson that's been served up again and again in the brands and marketing ecosystem. But it never seems to sink in.</p>
<p>So in this episode, we'll pop the top on a Snapple double feature.</p>
<p>First, Jane Cavalier tells us about pitching Snapple's iconic slogan, "Made From the Best Stuff on Earth," and watching it flop with the company's original owners.</p>
<p>And then, Richard Kirshenbaum outlines...
Seth Rogen's Film, The Interview, Sparks a North Korean Hack Attack and a Hollywood PR Debacle for Sony Pictures' CEO
Apr 29, 202644 minS1
<p>In 2014, Sony Pictures Entertainment sparked an international diplomatic crisis when it announced its latest comedy, which they called “The Interview.” </p>
<p>Starring Seth Rogen, James Franco, and Randall Park as a parodied version of North Korea’s Supreme Leader, Kim Jong-Un, the film features a slapstick plotline where a couple of bumbling journalists are recruited by the CIA to assassinate the reclusive dictator. </p>
<p>But when the teaser for the flick hit the internet, the real life hostile foreign power was not amused. </p>
<p>North Korea spent the ensuing months issuing threats of violence and terrorist attack...
Coca-Cola's Master's Tournament Sponsorship Triggers Boycott Talks, with Ben Deutsch and Dr. Martha Burk
Mar 31, 202634 minS1
<p>Home to the Masters Tournament, the Augusta National Golf Club typically serves as a backdrop for sports drama.</p>
<p>But in 2002, the club itself became the story, as its men-only membership policy came under the microscope in an unexpected and sensational showdown between women's rights activists and the club's defiant adherence to "tradition."</p>
<p>The tale of how the conflict came to a head is an unlikely Public Relations parable in its own right, driven by two iconoclasts of their era: Augusta National chair Hootie Johnson and Dr. Martha Burk, the chair of the National Council of...
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