In this episode of The Wag The Dog Podcast, we deconstruct the industry’s obsession with "building trust" and explore why it is often the wrong goal for modern crisis management. Based on the viral newsletter issue by Philippe Borremans, we dive deep into the science of why trust is not a mechanical switch you can flip with a press release.

In this episode, we cover:

• The Flawed Logic of Trust: Why research by Engdahl & Lidskog proves you can’t "logic" stakeholders into trusting you.
• The Sandman Formula: A breakdown of Peter Sandman’s Risk = Hazard + Outrage and why Trust is only 1/12th of the solution.
• The Knife Metaphor: A powerful visualization of why Control matters more than trust in a crisis.
• The "Dark Side" of Trust: Why excessive institutional trust led to disasters like Enron and the 2008 financial crash.
• Cultural Blind Spots: How Western "transparency" strategies can backfire in collectivist cultures (featuring research on Japan by Katharina Barkley).
• The New 2025 Framework: What to build instead—focusing on Credibility, Legitimacy, and Procedural Fairness.

If you are a communication professional, PR strategist, or emergency manager, this episode will challenge your assumptions and provide a more effective roadmap for navigating outrage.

Key Resources Mentioned:

• Peter Sandman’s "Outrage Factors"
• The "Information Deficit Model"
• Research by Neal, Shockley, and Schilke on Institutional Trust

Subscribe to the Newsletter: Get the full article, citations, and weekly insights on the future of risk and crisis communication at www.wagthedog.io.

From geopolitical instability and environmental degradation to technological vulnerabilities and deepening social divides, the discussion explores how these interconnected risks demand more adaptable and culturally aware communication strategies.

We then cover cross-sector collaboration to foster trust and resilience, as well as practical steps like improving digital literacy and tailoring messages for diverse audiences.

Plus, we examine the potential of the Universal Adaptive Crisis Communication (UACC) framework to provide a cohesive approach to navigating today’s most pressing challenges.

Join us as we explore what it takes to communicate effectively in an increasingly complex and uncertain world.

We dive into the challenges communicators faced in the past when developing custom tools—long timelines, high costs, and reliance on technical experts—and discuss how platforms like Replit are breaking down these barriers.

By empowering professionals to create tools quickly and independently, these platforms are fostering innovation, agility, and customization in the profession.

We also highlight the Universal Adaptive Crisis Communication (UACC) framework, developed by Wag The Dog newsletter creator Philippe Borremans.

This tool helps organizations assess their crisis communication readiness, offering tailored recommendations and real-world case studies—all built using a no-code platform.

Discover how tools like Replit and projects like UACC are not only making communicators more effective but also opening up a world of new possibilities for smaller teams and organizations.

Whether you’re looking to prepare, respond, or innovate, this episode will inspire you to take the next step.

Check out the UACC tool mentioned in the episode at www.wagthedog.io and join us to explore how technology is reshaping our profession.

From real-time sentiment analysis to multilingual support, AI offers incredible potential to enhance response strategies. But where does technology end and human connection begin?

We discuss the Universal Adaptive Crisis Communication (UACC) framework and the AI Integration Matrix—tools designed to help communicators strike the perfect balance between efficiency and empathy.

Learn when to lean on AI, when to rely on human-led approaches, and how to navigate this evolving landscape without losing trust or compassion.

A must-listen for crisis communication professionals looking to harness the best of both worlds.

While these tools are helpful in marketing, they often fall short when precision and immediacy are required.

Learn how generational stereotypes and oversimplified messaging can alienate your audience during emergencies, and discover five practical strategies for audience-centered crisis communication.

From psychographic insights to feedback loops, this episode equips you with the tools to craft messages that resonate when it matters most.  

Perfect for communication professionals looking to enhance their crisis strategies with real-world insights.

In this eye-opening episode, we explore the emergence of "polycrises" and "permacrises" - the new challenges reshaping how organizations handle emergencies.

Learn why traditional crisis management approaches are becoming obsolete and discover practical strategies for navigating these complex, interconnected challenges.

Whether you're dealing with multiple overlapping crises or managing long-term, persistent challenges, this episode provides essential insights for modern crisis communication professionals.

We break down the key differences between polycrises and permacrises, share actionable frameworks for each, and explore how to keep your stakeholders engaged without burning them out.

Keywords: Crisis Management, Corporate Communication, Risk Management, Organizational Resilience

It focuses on five key areas: engaging all stakeholders, recognizing interconnected crises, balancing proactive and reactive communication, ensuring cultural sensitivity, and using emotional intelligence.

It’s applied through a four-phase process—preparation, training, crisis response, and post-crisis evaluation.

It’s flexible enough to handle everything from natural disasters to corporate crises.

From the rise of compound crises to the challenges posed by climate change, cyber threats, and psychosocial impacts, we discuss how communicators must adapt their strategies to meet these growing complexities.

Join us for an engaging discussion on the power of data, localisation, and the critical need for integrated, adaptive crisis response.

Plus, hear the latest insights from our survey on the future of crisis communication preparedness—your feedback is shaping an exciting new project!

It argues that scenario analysis is a more effective approach to risk management than traditional risk maps, as it provides a more in-depth and nuanced understanding of potential crises.

The conversation outlines the six-step process for conducting scenario analysis in the guide, covering steps like identifying key variables, developing scenarios, assessing impacts, planning responses, implementing continuous monitoring, and testing and refining plans.

The guide also includes appendices with templates for scenario development, impact assessment, response planning, monitoring, and exercise planning.

Available by subscribing to the Wag The dog Newsletter.

Learn how AI is becoming an unexpected ally in the fight against misinformation, especially during crises like pandemics and natural disasters.

We'll dive into groundbreaking research on AI-driven conversations that reduce belief in conspiracy theories and discuss strategies to combat misinformation in a digital age.

It argues that AI avatars, powered by machine learning and natural language processing, can provide tailored support to individuals affected by disasters by analyzing real-time data and offering personalized instructions, guidance, and emotional support.

The article also acknowledges the potential biases in AI systems and emphasizes the importance of ethical development, human oversight, and user-centered design to ensure that these systems are used effectively and equitably.

It concludes that the ideal approach to disaster relief combines the efficiency of AI with the empathy and understanding of human responders.

Through a case study, he investigates the potential time savings and efficiency gains of incorporating AI and LLMs into emergency preparedness campaigns. Philippe also highlights how these technologies can help in climate risk assessment, campaign strategizing, misinformation detection, and post-crisis evaluation.

While these technologies hold promise, Philippe emphasizes that they must undergo meticulous testing and have clear ethical guidelines before implementation.

He invites listeners to consider these possibilities and contribute to the conversation regarding the integration of AI into disaster management.

• Climate change transforms Pacific Islands
• World Meteorological Organization | LinkedIn
• Wag The Dog Newsletter: In-Depth Analysis for PR and Communication Professionals about Crisis Communication, Risk Communication and AI
• SmarterX | LinkedIn

Explore how these advancements are revolutionizing crisis preparedness by creating more realistic, adaptive training environments that mirror the complexities of real-world crises.

Discover the potential of AI in enhancing decision-making, introducing unexpected challenges, and providing real-time feedback.

This episode is essential listening for communication professionals looking to stay ahead in crisis management and effectively navigate the unpredictable nature of modern crises.

So I read Stephen Waddington's recent management briefing paper "Use of AI in Corporate Communications and Public Relations: The Story So Far" and explored the key learnings and insights that are particularly important for crisis communications professionals like us.

It represents the world's first comprehensive legislation to regulate artificial intelligence (AI) systems within the European Union. This ground-breaking regulation aims to:

“Ensure that AI systems deployed in the EU are safe, transparent, traceable, non-discriminatory, and environmentally friendly, while promoting innovation and competitiveness.”

For crisis and risk communication professionals, the implications of this new legislation are significant and complex.

In this Wag The Dog edition, I’ll try to get my head around the implications for crisis communication.

The report analyses how AI is changing risk, crisis, and emergency communication worldwide.🌍

Key insights include:

• Practical AI applications in crisis management
• The benefits and challenges of integrating AI into communication strategies
• Perspectives on AI across different experience levels and sectors
• Geographical insights into AI adoption and attitudes
• The critical need for education and understanding of AI in our field

The report is based on a survey of 84 professionals from around the world, offering diverse experiences and perspectives.

I present and dissect four distinct potential scenarios, focusing on how each STEEP dimension influences AI's role in crisis management and communication strategies.

My aim is to equip listeners with a deep understanding of both the challenges and opportunities at the intersection of AI, communication, and crisis response in the present context.

Join me for an insightful exploration into the current landscape of AI-enhanced crisis communication.

For communication professionals, it's about planning ahead, reacting at the right moment, and learning from the experience afterwards.

Breaking down resilience helps professionals better manage crises, reduce risk, and protect their organisation's reputation when the going gets tough.

In this edition, I look at how the “4Rs of resilience”* can be applied to crisis communication.

Telephone surveys, an important method for offline social listening, provide direct feedback from individuals and shed light on their understanding, behaviour, and challenges related to health emergencies.

By actively listening through these channels, health organisations can better align their strategies, ensure effective communication, and build trust in the community.

While telephone surveys are undeniably effective in gaining rich first-hand insights, they also come with several challenges. The nature of these surveys often results in a wealth of unstructured information despite the interviewer's adherence to a script.

Respondents may recount detailed anecdotes, express emotions, or digress into related topics in their eagerness to share. This complexity can make the analysis phase daunting.

Sifting through the myriad responses to identify recurring themes, feelings, and actionable insights requires great attention and expertise.

It also requires ensuring that the essence of each respondent's perspective is captured and accurately represented. While telephone surveys are a treasure trove of information, they also underscore the importance of robust data processing and analysis mechanisms.

This is where artificial intelligence (AI) comes in, fundamentally changing the field of data analysis. In the complicated task of deciphering vast amounts of unstructured data from telephone surveys, AI can be a formidable ally.

We had an exciting conversation about important subjects like democracy, media, public relations, journalism, ethics, reporters, spin, and anti-spin. A whole agenda!

I am republishing here as the topics are still very important and so that these conversations do not get lost.

In this insightful episode, they break down the often-confused terms of **crisis communication**, **risk communication**, and **emergency communication**. 

Listeners will gain a clear understanding of the key differences, objectives, and timing that define each type of communication, from protecting a company's reputation during a scandal to informing the public about potential health risks and providing life-saving instructions during emergencies. With real-world examples like the BP oil spill, vaccine education, and disaster management during Hurricane Katrina, this episode sheds light on the essential role of effective communication in challenging situations. 

Tune in to understand how proactive and strategic communication can make all the difference in handling information during crises and emergencies, and why building trust with stakeholders is paramount.

🚀 Stay informed, subscribe to *The Wag The Dog Newsletter* at www.wagthedog.io.

While Frederik and his colleague are known in Belgium and beyond for their newsroom and Social Media Press Release service, they recently launched two other great initiatives. 

In this episode of Wag The Dog I interview Liam FitzPatrick, co-author of Internal Communications, A Manual for Practitioners – a book I reviewed on my blog last year.

We talk about internal communications KPI’s, the “cultural difference” between Europe and the US, the talent shortage and why we’re still struggling with social collaboration. 

Our two guests – our first double interview – on this episode of Wag The Dog are both specialists in what I would call CSC or “complex science communications”…

We’ll be talking about the importance of storytelling, demystifying versus simplifying and stakeholder relations.

For the very first show of Wag The Dog I wanted something special… Coincidence (is there such a thing) made it so that I could meet up with Robert Phillips at an EACD conference in Copenhagen. I asked if I could interview him for Wag The Dog and he kindly accepted.