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
1
67. Coca-Cola's Master's Tournament Sponsorship...
When women's rights activists take aim at a last-bastion boy's club, Coke has to navigate a Public Relations lose-lose.
32 min
2
66. Cracks in the ICE: Legal Observers in Minne...
How should regular citizens with smartphones stand up for the Constitution?
36 min
3
65. Delicious Redemption: Getting Fired for an ...
And now he's Ad Age's "Marketer of the Year"
42 min
4
64. The Wikipedia Prank: Why the Internet Mista...
In a world where people still believed what they read on the Internet...
34 min
5
63. A.I. Podcast Host Invasion: Inception Point...
Can you take the HUMAN out of "human communication?"
49 min
6
62. Modernizing the Way We Communicate About Ro...
Local municipalities and transportation agencies need to get with the times.
27 min
7
61. Will Wikipedia survive Artificial Intellige...
Is ChatGPT killing its own Golden Goose?
44 min
8
60. Recession Lessons from Content Marketing In...
When everyone else goes quiet, your voice carries that much further.
33 min
9
59. Bot Farms Have Made Social Media Engagement...
If anyone can spoof the algorithm, does that mean everyone has to?
31 min
10
58. The Mystery of the I-94 Sales & Marketing T...
We're going to SOLVE A MARKETING MYSTERY in this episode, folks!
32 min
11
57. Why Have Streaming Services Put So Many Ads...
It's not you imagination. They really are worse.
33 min
12
56. What Happens at American Airlines After a P...
A PR rep's on-site experience with the Flight 965 disaster in Colombia 30 years ago.
36 min
13
55. Liquid Death Spoofs the Pepsi Harrier Jet G...
Pepsi's blunder is an all-timer, but Liquid Death stuck the landing.
38 min
14
54. The Election of the Podcast? 2024 President...
With Colab founders Ashley Mann and Lizzy Harris
32 min
15
53. Alex Jones’s Infowars Being Purchased by th...
A corporate takeover, karmic justice, and comedy art—all at once.
28 min
16
52. FEMA Public Affairs Team Still Carries Scar...
A FEMA public affairs unit puts itself in harm's way after a deadly storm, and the experience leaves a lasting impact on both of our guests.
43 min
17
51. The Legend of Dukakis in a Tank: White Hous...
Exploring the most disastrous photo op in history with a staffer from Team Dukakis '88 and his Republican counterpart.
46 min
18
BONUS: Literally, the Grammar-Nerdiest Conversa...
Dusty is still *figuratively* fuming about this word's evolving definition.
15 min
19
50. Grumpy Cat, the Sound of Freedom, Watergate...
Some eye-opening updates on old episodes with two old pals who dropped in for our 50th episode.
49 min
20
49. How I Almost Got Fired in My 1st Week in PR...
As a young PR hot shot, Dusty stupidly insults his new boss. Seven years later, they revisit the faux pas.
45 min
21
48. A UAP PR Campaign: Mainstreaming the Conver...
He's not asking you to believe in little green men. But he is insisting we take this national security threat seriously.
44 min
22
47. Sliding into DMs on the Dating App Hinge, w...
Get-out-the-vote organizers mix dating with politics in an innovative, eyebrow-raising new tactic.
29 min
23
46. Why Are Wireless Emergency Alerts on Your P...
A ballistic missile false alarm in Hawaii prompts us to take a closer look at a perennially misused public safety tool.
40 min
24
45. Replaced by Chat GPT: Are Creative and Copy...
We meet one of the "first wave" of workers laid off in the A.I. revolution, and look ahead to the future of creative industries.
34 min
25
44. How a Real Life Ad Agency Inspired the Robi...
Life at Leo Burnett served as a constant source of comedic inspiration for John R. Montgomery and Rob Davis.
47 min