Lead Balloon - Marketing, Public Rela...

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 Webby award and nominated twice for "Best Business Podcast" in the Podcast Academy awards.

Tune in monthly for new episodes. Visit podcampmedia.com/leadballoon to learn more.

Marketing
Business News
Documentary
26
43. Brands Don't Have the Rizz: Appropriating G...
We prove conclusively, WITH SCIENCE, that brands are only hurting themselves when they co-opt youth slang.
39 min
27
BONUS: Covid is—Air Quotes—Over. What That Mean...
The Coronavirus public health emergency is over in the U.S. But that doesn't mean we're done talking about Covid.
28 min
28
42. OkCupid Stays On Target During the Covid Pa...
Social distancing could have been cataclysmic to the world of online dating, but OkCupid chose to embrace it anyway.
48 min
29
41. Deepfakes: How Communicators Must Prepare N...
In recent weeks, deepfake disinformation attacks have exploded, and experts say a new era of strategic communication tactics must arise.
46 min
30
40. In Event of Moon Disaster: The Greatest Spe...
Lost for 30 years in the Nixon archives, today it is hailed as a work of rhetorical and poetic genius.
46 min
31
39. Pernicious Copyright Robots Are Targeting Y...
This growing trend is a threat to anyone who's ever shared an image on the internet that they didn't take themselves.
44 min
32
38. The Bud Light CoRntroversy, Revisited: Mill...
A classic episode re-mastered, with new insights from the CCO of Molson Coors.
47 min
33
BONUS: Celebrating 20 Years Behind a Mic With D...
When Dusty was 17, Scott offered him a life-changing job at a radio station. 20 years later, they parse lessons about storytelling, mentorship and connecting with listeners.
24 min
34
37. Blue Angels Ride Along: Lead Balloon Become...
Dusty gets strapped into an F/A-18 Super Hornet to learn how the US Navy does media relations.
46 min
35
36. The US Navy Blue Angels: Public Affairs and...
Lead Balloon embeds with the world's most elite, "high-tempo, ready-to-rock-and-roll" public affairs and marketing team.
49 min
36
35. Post-Cold War PR Trip to Uzbekistan Boosts ...
Fundraising was a challenge in the wake of the iconic Rabin-Arafat handshake at the White House in 1993.
34 min
37
Trailer—The Lead Balloon Podcast—PR, Marketing ...
Re-creating old "war stories" with the biggest brands and the most compelling strategic communicators.
1 min
38
34. Murder in Boston Blamed on Sega's Virtua Co...
Did a shooter train for his revenge rampage by playing a hands-on arcade game? A public relations true crime investigation.
56 min
39
33. National Airlines' Saucy "Fly Me" Ad Campai...
The ads may have been cringe-y, but they led to heated protests that actually helped improve working conditions for stewardesses.
38 min
40
32. Tesla’s Elon Musk Fires the Entire Public R...
How and why Tesla's approach to communication went from unconventional to nonexistent.
50 min
41
31. Snapple: Pitching the Best Catchphrase On E...
A world-class slogan crashes and burns, and then an iconic brand burns all its bridges.
50 min
42
30. Inside the PBR "Eating Ass" Tweetstorm, wit...
In our first NSFW episode, we try to decide whether social media manager Corey Smale deserved to get fired over the faux pas.
45 min
43
29. Ukrainian Creatives Waging an Information W...
Ad agencies and freelancers across Ukraine have banded together to pierce the veil of Russian propaganda--and they need your help.
40 min
44
28. Wendy's Twitter Account Manager Recounts Ba...
How Can Social Media Managers "Take a Break From Social Media?"
50 min
45
27. Sherwin-Williams Paints Itself Into a Corne...
A Plucky TikTok Superstar Gets Fired for Finding Unexpected Brand Success on Social Media
45 min
46
BONUS: Milwaukee Bucks Senior VP Alex Lasry on ...
Alex had so much to say, it didn't all make it into Episode 26 of Lead Balloon.
16 min
47
26. Bigger Than Basketball: The Milwaukee Bucks...
With a title within reach, players refusing to take the court is a sports marketing nightmare... unless it's for a good cause.
55 min
48
24. The Dreaded Grand Jury Subpoena, with Duct ...
Host of one of the web's longest-running marketing podcasts, John Jantsch shares a cautionary tale from early in his career.
32 min
49
23. Bridgegate: Behind the Scenes at the Port A...
Known as the scandal that ended Governor Chris Christie's presidential ambitions, we look back at Bridgegate from a PR perspective.
43 min
50
BONUS: Bulletins From an NBA Title-Winning Terr...
Milwaukee's NBA title victory is about so much more than basketball. Come celebrate with us.
9 min