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Communication Breakdown

Observatory on Corporate Reputation LLC

Communication Breakdown is a postgame show for PR pros. In each episode, hosts Craig Carroll (Founder of the Observatory on Corporate Reputation, Editor of the SAGE Encyclopedia of Corporate Reputation, Lecturer at Rice University’s Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business) and Steve Dowling (former head of communications at OpenAI and Apple) discuss the strategies and tactics companies are using in high-visibility crises and PR initiatives, giving listeners unique insight into how key decisions are made.

The podcast offers two unique perspectives on communications theory and practice, drawing on Craig’s research and teaching on reputation at USC Annenberg, UNC Chapel Hill, and universities worldwide, and Steve’s two decades of experience as a comms leader at some of the world’s most influential companies.

Whether you’re a PR professional, marketing executive, or just curious about how companies make key communications decisions, you’ll find these discussions insightful and valuable.

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30 episodes
weekly
Avg 30 min
English

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#86
June 4 · 22 min
bp’s Big Problem
In this episode of Communication Breakdown, hosts Steve Dowling and Craig Carroll return to BP’s boardroom battle with former chairman Albert Manifold. After being dismissed over governance, oversight, and conduct concerns, Manifold fires back with a...
#85
May 28 · 30 min
“Lower-Value Human Capital”
In this episode of Communication Breakdown, Steve Dowling and Craig Carroll unpack two corporate reputation problems where leadership, governance, and messaging collided under pressure. First, they examine Standard Chartered CEO Bill Winters’ “lower...
#84
May 21 · 29 min
The AI Commencement
In this episode of Communication Breakdown, Steve Dowling and Craig Carroll examine a string of AI-related commencement speech misfires and what they reveal about executive communication, audience awareness, and the limits of pushing a message into...
#83
May 14 · 30 min
Of Maersk and Men
In this episode of Communication Breakdown, Steve Dowling and Craig Carroll examine two high-stakes corporate communication moments with direct lessons for CEOs, communications executives, public affairs leaders, and reputation advisors. First, they...
#82
May 7 · 30 min
GameStop’s faceplant, Wells Fargo’s comeback
In this episode of Communication Breakdown, Steve Dowling and Craig Carroll examine two very different corporate reputation moments: GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen’s awkward CNBC interview after announcing an unsolicited $56 billion bid for eBay, and Wells...
#81
May 1 · 32 min
United plants a flag, IBM waves one
In this episode of Communication Breakdown, Steve Dowling and Craig Carroll unpack two corporate reputation stories where the real action sits beneath the headline. First, they analyze United CEO Scott Kirby’s reported pitch to merge with American...
#80
April 24 · 29 min
Chief Exposure Officer
In this episode of Communication Breakdown, Steve Dowling and Craig Carroll examine two very different versions of executive exposure: Palantir CEO Alex Karp’s 22-point manifesto and the renewed push to put CEOs directly in front of customers. They...
#79
April 16 · 31 min
Special Deliveries
Steve Dowling and Craig Carroll examine two very different communication moments with the same core question underneath them: what happens when credibility gets tested in public. First, they analyze Pope Leo XIV’s unusually direct responses to...
#78
April 9 · 23 min
Context is King
In this episode of Communication Breakdown, Steve Dowling and Craig Carroll examine two very different communications tests: Nestlé’s playful response to the theft of 400,000 KitKat bars, and Air Canada’s damaging leadership misstep after a fatal...
#77
April 2 · 26 min
Spring Break Bonanza
In this episode of Communication Breakdown, Steve Dowling and Craig Carroll revisit key moments from the first quarter, focusing on how companies responded to politically charged events and public pressure. They examine the contrast between vague,...

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