PRmoment Podcast
The PRmoment Podcast is a series of life story style interviews with some of the leading lights of UK PR.
The PR News Review: The Harry and Meghan show, 9/11 tribute, The RNLI and Anthropic's Whistleblower
This edition of the PRmoment News Review, hosted by Ben Smith with Angie Moxham and Mark Borkowski, worked through four stories that each turned on the same question: what communications can and cannot fix.
The Sussexes opened the show, and both guests pushed back hard on the week's dominant narrative. Borkowski said he felt "incredibly sorry" for the couple's comms team and rejected the theory that their PR is incompetent — the problem, he argued, is a client who defines the work and then cannot be advised.
Moxham agreed, calling the adviser role a poisoned chalice and...
The PR News Review: Farage and Reform's latest funding scandal, Burnham's 60 day comms appraisal
Nigel Farage’s latest scandal and Andy Burnham’s six-week report card dominate this PRmoment News Review, as Ben Smith quizzes Angie Moxham and Mark Borkowski on what the fallout means for UK politics and political communications.
Here are some quotes from this week's show:
"We woke up to the classic investigating journalist scam of trapping Nigel Farage and his two closest aides in a pub garden in Clacton-on-Sea." Mark Borkowski 0:01:10"It's an absolute blow to Farage and the Reform Party, isn't it? I thought it was a long time coming. His riding of the...
The PR News Review: The return of Harry and Meghan, Meta’s $18 billion settlement and Russia & NATO's comms spat
This PRmoment News Review opens with Ben Smith framing three big themes of the week: the return of Harry and Meghan to the UK, Meta’s eye‑watering $18 billion settlement with dozens of US states, and an uneasy communications environment around Russia, Ukraine and NATO.
Here are some highlights from this week's episode:
“Harry is built for purpose, he’s built for service, and being stuck out under an orange tree in Montecito is hardly fulfilling for someone who still has a lot to give to this country.” – Mark Borkowski [0:02:48]
“I think the day...
Why the UK’s recent wildfires expose not just a climate crisis, but a communications one
Mark Borkowski returns to the PRmoment Podcast’s news review with Ben Smith to unpack how the UK’s recent wildfires expose not just a climate crisis, but a communications one.
The pair start from a shared frustration: despite record temperatures and terrifying imagery of homes engulfed in flames, too much coverage still skirts around climate change and instead reaches for more comfortable or distracting narratives.
Borkowski argues that the migration of journalism online has created a dangerous incentive structure. News is increasingly treated as entertainment, driven by emotion and engineered for clicks rather than clari...
August 2026: PR Pitches, Mergers and Acquisitions
The August edition of the PRmoment podcast’s UK pitches, mergers and acquisitions round‑up is steeped in cautious‑no‑more optimism. Host Ben Smith is joined, as ever, by AAR lead consultant and PCB Partners deal‑maker Andrew Bloch, who declares that the market mood has decisively shifted.
Don't forget to get your tickets for the Creative Moment Awards, coming up in September.
Bloch reports that the usual summer slowdown never arrived. Instead, he describes “the busiest summer I’ve ever, ever seen, despite everyone being on holiday” [0:02:01], with frenetic activity on both the pitch an...
Matt Neale, CEO, Golin Ketchum on the PRmoment Podcast
Matt Neale’s return to the PRmoment Podcast is framed by one big question: what does scale, data and AI actually mean for the future of PR – and where does Golin Ketchum sit in that evolving landscape?
Beore we start the interview with Matt, one quick plug, The Creative Moment Awards always sell out, partly because it's an intimate venue, so if you want to come, best to get your ticket quick!
Here are a few quotes from Ben Smith's interview with Matt:
“Size doesn’t really matter when it comes to excellen...
The PR News Review: The Burnham Special. How will the "king of the north" communicate?
This episode of the PRmoment News Review frames Andy Burnham not just as a skilled communicator, but as a potential reset figure in UK political communications, operating in a structurally hostile environment.
Ben Smith positions the discussion around a pivotal political moment – Burnham’s ascent to national leadership – and asks whether he is “more than a better communicator than Keir Starmer.” Angie Moxham’s core argument is that Burnham’s strength is not superficial performance but value‑driven communication: his clarity and fluency are rooted in conviction and a sense that Labou...
PR Pitch Hacks, Red Flags and a New Way of Pitching
The episode of the PRmoment Podcast titled “PR Pitch Hacks” features host Ben Smith in conversation with agency Hannah Sharratt of Axe & Saw, exploring how PR pitching currently works and how it should evolve.
Ben opens by noting that pitching, alongside timesheets and AVE, is one of the most emotive issues in PR, with recent years marked by excessively long shortlists, reverse pitch auctions and widespread ghosting of agencies.
Here is the link to a previous PRmoment Podcast with Tui's Amy Dowling, where she outlined a recommended 12 stage PR pitch process.
He argues that i...
The PR News Review: The politics of farce, FIFA’s PR disaster and Mbappe the communicator
In this episode of the PRmoment Podcast’s weekly news review, Ben Smith is joined by Angie Moxon and Mark Borkowski for a wide‑ranging discussion spanning British politics, football, FIFA’s reputation, and Wimbledon.
The conversation opens with what Angie has dubbed “the politics of farce”, focusing on Nigel Farage, the Reform party, Count Binface, and the Clacton by‑election. Angie predicts Count Binface could “trash” Farage and laments that, despite the historic struggle to win the vote, British politics has descended into something comical and depressing. Public disillusionment, she argues, is under...
The PR News Review: From Starmer's melee of misery to Burnham's ball of hope
In this episode of the PRmoment Podcast News Review, Ben Smith steers a sharp conversation with Mark Borkowski and Angie Moxham about one big idea: expectation management as a core comms discipline, using England at the World Cup and Andy Burnham as parallel case studies.
"We've been in a melee of misery with Starmer… now in comes Burnham, coming up on the left wing, dribbling the ball of hope alongside Kane and his team." – Angie Moxham [0:03:44]
Mark opens by reframing “hope” as both asset and liability. For England, he argues, the data say...
PR pitch wins and the biggest M&A deals for June 2026
This episode of the PRmoment Podcast, hosted by Ben Smith with guest Andrew Bloch, reviews June 2026 UK PR pitch wins and M&A activity in the PR and wider marketing sector.
Market sentiment and pitch environment
Bloch describes the UK PR pitch market as buoyant and optimistic at the mid‑year point. Agencies are reporting record months, strong new‑business pipelines, and clients releasing healthy campaign budgets on top of retainers. Despite poli...
PR, AI and jobs: Is the PR jobs market in crisis?
The episode explores whether the PR jobs market is in crisis, how AI and economics are reshaping recruitment, and what candidates and employers should do next.
Ben Smith frames the discussion by noting a “complex scene” where firms are still recruiting but “lots of really good people” are looking for work, with visible redundancies, especially in holding companies.
Is the PR jobs market in crisis?
Recruiter Olivia Skone rejects the word “crisis” but calls the environment “challenging” across the creative industries. There are still “great roles for exceptional talent,” yet several press...
The most important financial KPIs for PR agencies in 2026
This episode distils the six most important financial KPIs PR agency leaders should track, with Rachael Marshall, founder of specialist accountancy firm Magic Digits.
Market context
Rachael describes the current PR agency landscape as highly competitive and uneven: some agencies are “absolutely flying” while others are under real strain from rising costs and longer times to land business.
“It’s been a rough year (for PR)… it’s a really mixed bag at the minute.” – Rachael [0:02:26]
1. Cost of Sales (~30% o...
The PR News Review: Musk the trillionaire, John Healey's resignation and Trump's World Cup
In the latest PRmoment Podcast news review, host Ben Smith sits down with PR heavyweights Mark Borkowski and Angie Moxham to dissect a packed agenda covering political downfalls, tech trillionaires, and sports geopolitics. Before diving in, Smith drops a crucial reminder to secure tickets for the upcoming PR in AI Masterclass, featuring an incredible lineup available both face-to-face and virtually.
The Politics of War and a Leadership Vacuum
The discussion kicks off with the unraveling of Keir Starmer’s leadership following high-profile exits like John Healy over defence budget shortfalls. Angie Mo...
The PR pitches and M&A highlights for May, with Andrew Bloch
In the May 2026 edition of the PRmoment Podcast, host Ben Smith sits down with new business maestro Andrew Bloch (AAR, PCB Partners) to dissect a shifting UK communications landscape. The overarching theme of the month highlights a widening divide between agencies riding massive waves of momentum and those experiencing localized, procurement-driven hesitation.
Before diving into the market data, Ben shares two critical industry diary dates for your radar:
AI in PR Masterclass (July 2nd, 2026): Titled The Age of Algorithms, Predictive Analytics, and Risk, this event is a comprehensive guide to navigating future-facing tech. Secure...The integration of artificial intelligence technologies into PR teams
In this episode of the PRmoment Podcast, Ben Smith and Will Hart, CEO of PRmoment Leaders, engage in a timely debate surrounding the structural integration of public relations and artificial intelligence.
Moving decisively past the initial "experimental" phase where practitioners simply played with basic prompts, the industry has rapidly arrived at a critical juncture. Today's leaders are forced to confront foundational organizational design questions, evolving agency structures, and entirely new talent profiles.
While Hart highlights the profound excitement of being able to fundamentally rethink traditional operational workflows, Smith offers a grounded counter-perspective: the core objective o...
The PR News Review: An analysis of Nicola Sturgeon’s interview with Laura Kuenssberg
In this week's edition of the News Review on the PRmoment podcast, host Ben Smith, is joined by industry heavyweights Mark Borkowski and Angie Moxham to dissect one of the most significant political crisis management events of the year:
Nicola Sturgeon’s high-stakes sit-down interview with Laura Kuenssberg on the BBC. Following her estranged husband Peter Murrell’s recent guilty plea to embezzling over £400,000 from the SNP, the former First Minister faced an intense 55-minute interrogation aimed at shifting the narrative from political complicity to personal betrayal.
Ben kicks off the discussion by questioning whether the in...
Hope&Glory co-founder James Gordon-Macintosh on Nils Leonardgate
On this PRmoment podcast today we're chatting about the Nils Leonardgate.
Is comparing earned media creativity and paid media creativity pointless?
I normally have this debate internally in my own head when I watch the annual PR/ad creative bun fight at Cannes but it's come a bit early this year following Uncommon founder Nils Leonard's latest activation of his "let's start a fight' strategy where he says: "The PR industry should be scared, not just of Uncommon but in general."
We’ll also discuss to what extent paid media creative and earned me...
The biggest leadership challenges in PR - right now!
In this episode of the PRmoment Podcast, host Ben Smith sits down with Will Hart, CEO of PRmoment Leaders, to unpack the four most pressing leadership challenges facing senior agency executives. As agencies navigate an era characterized by unprecedented disruption, Hart highlights how leaders are balancing day-to-day business survival with systemic shifts in technology and workforce culture.
Key Themes
AI Disruption & Governance: Artificial Intelligence is the most pervasive topic across agency masterclasses. The challenge has evolved from initial existential panic to practical governance—determining how to safely integrate AI into client services, ag...The News Review: Spygate - The PR approaches of Saints & 'Boro compared and Swatch CEO Nick Hayek Jr's less sanitised approach to comms
Stay Ahead of the Comms Curve! As discussed in this week's news review, modern public relations requires a bold, adaptive approach to narrative building and corporate communication. To ensure your skills remain razor-sharp in an evolving digital landscape, don't miss PRmoment's AI in PR Masterclass. Learn how to ethically and effectively leverage cutting-edge artificial intelligence tools to supercharge your campaigns, streamline insights, and manage modern brand reputations. 👉 Secure your spot today: PRmoment's AI in PR Masterclass
Authentic executive communication vs. corporate sanitisation The podcast opens with a fascinating critique of...
PR News Review: AI journalism, Back to the Future PR and the UK's political brand war
In this episode of the PRmoment Podcast, host Ben Smith sits down with the industry’s veteran commentators, Mark Borkowski and Angie Moxham, to dissect the shifting boundaries of media integrity, agency workflows, and national political communication. Together, the panel delivers a timely analysis of an industry facing an existential crisis of trust.
Here's the link to PRmoment's PR Masterclass AI in PR.
1. The threat AI "make-believe" journalists
The episode kicks off with a sobering discussion centered on tech journalist Rob Waugh's latest reporting in the Press Gazette. Waugh exposes an in...
AI integration in public relations
This latest PRmoment podcast with Grayling's Tom Symondson explores AI integration in public relations.
Tom simplifies the process into 3 themes:
AI Integration and Strategy
Agencies will implement AI by prioritizing internal efficiency and service innovation. Implementation success requires depth over breadth to maximize impact.
Human Augmentation and Risks
AI should serve as an augmentation tool to support experts rather than replacing critical thinking. Teams must guard against efficiency-focused work becoming low quality.
Operationalizing AI Implementation
Agencies should decentralize AI expertise by embedding...
April’s review of PR pitches and mergers & acquisitions in the UK, with Andrew Bloch
This PRmoment podcast looks at the PR pitch market in the UK and the PR M&A activity for April 2026.
PRmoment founder Ben Smith interviews Andrew Bloch.
Andrew also runs the advisory firm Andrew Bloch & Associates.
Pitch Market -
Trading has been generally positive and the market remains resilient, with many agencies out performing expectations. However, operational pressures are evident, including slower client response times and higher-than-expected inflation causing rising costs and impacting profitability. Transparent conversations around value, output, and outcomes are becoming increasingly critical as both sides navigate a more complex a...
The PR News Review: Starmer's local election troubles, while Nigel, predicably, loves it!
Welcome to the News Review on the PRmoment podcast. In this weekly show I’m joined by Mark Borkowski and Angie Moxham. Here's the agenda for PR Masterclass: AI in PR.
In the PR News Review we look at the biggest news stories of the week from a PR perspective and this week we're talking about the UK local elections results.
We discuss the predictably huge gains for Reform and the huge losses for Labour.
We also talk about the likely comms strategies now for Farage & Reform and Starmer & Labour.
The di...
The burgeoning consumer PR market of the last 20 years
We probably don’t talk about it enough but we’ve all benefited from the increased depth and breadth of public relations which has developed over the past 20 odd years.
This change has probably been most vividly illustrated in consumer public relations. Which is why it's going to be so interesting to talk to today's guests: Charlotte Brooks MD, Mischief and Dan Deeks-Osbourn, head of strategy, Mischief as we compare consumer PR now, to 20 years ago, when Mischief was born.
Mischief is one of a small band of consumer PR shops in London that have surfe...
The last rites of Starmer's premiership: The only question now, is when?
A PRmoment Podcast discussion analysing Sir Keir Starmer's failing leadership.
Starmer's leadership critique
Angie Moxham and Mark Borkowski identify poor messaging and lack of decisiveness as fundamental failures in Starmer's administration. Leadership weakness is exacerbated by Machiavellian advisors and poor personnel choices.
Political succession forecast
Analysts predicted brutal local election losses and a potential leadership contest between Miliband and Rayner. Burnham remains a viable alternative but lacks immediate procedural positioning.
Authenticity and system future
Success requires charisma and accountability, qualities deemed lacking in current...
Does public relations have the skills it needs for its future?
Today we’re chatting to Zeno’s Sarah Ogden and Thomas Bunn about its Clarity 2030 report. The report identifies a fundamental shift in the PR sector suggesting we are moving from the "Information Age" (where PR focused on distribution and volume) to the "Intelligence Age" (where PR must focus on strategic counsel and business outcomes).
The report suggests PR has a Readiness Gap - in essence it is saying that currently public relations does not possess the skills required for the future this report predicts.
This is a study across N America, Europe and Asia.
The potential sale of Burson is not a story about the future of PR but a simple story about the future of 1 company: WPP
Welcome to the PRmoment podcast and on the show today we’re chatting to Jim Donaldson about the news that WPP might sell Burson.
Previously Jim was CEO UK and Middle East at Fleishman and held senior roles at both Weber Shandwick and Hill & Knowlton. He is now a non-exec to a raft of independent PR firms including Woodrow, Schon&Co and Matlin PR.
Before we start, don't miss our new PR Masterclass: AI in PR.
Check out the full speaker line-up at https://www.prmasterclasses.com/masterclass/pr-masterclasses-ai-in-pr
At PRmoment we...
The PR News Review: Trump and his axis of chaos, NASA's PR masterclass and Melania
This week's PR News review covered Donald Trump's foreign policy, the resulting and global chaos before moving on to disucss NASA's Artemis mission for its public relations.
Trump's foreign policy rhetoric
Mark Borkowski and Ben Smith centered on whether Donald Trump's actions were aimed at selling war or peace?
Borkowski argued that Trump failed in the propaganda war with Iran by not achieving a clean exit.
Global vulnerability, the Axis of chaos and increased defense spending
Participants discussed the global chaos caused by single figures and the...
PR agency paralysis is sector wide problem, claims Spint Partners founder James Thomlinson
Summary
This PRmoment Podcast discussion with James Thomlinson centered on the theme of agency paralysis within the PR industry due to economic pressures and the increasing complexity - of both the PR market and the PR agency business model.
Agency paralysis discussed
James Thomlinson argues that agency paralysis is a trend within the Public Relations industry caused by increased simultaneous pressures and the extensive number of required leadership decisions. These decisions cover flexible working policies, AI platform adoption, strategic sector choices, and new offerings for the business.
...
The PRmoment Awards shortlists 2026
Welcome to this special podcast to celebrate the shortlists for the PRmoment Awards.
In this show we're going to be talking in detail about the shortlist for the PRmoment Awards in London and we'll be talking about the shortlist for the North next week.
On the show today we're going to be discussing the shortlist, talking about which firms were shortlisted the most and revealing some new data highlighting some of the extraordinarily high cumulative average category score for this year's PRmoment Awards.
Don't miss out on your charts to attend the PRmoment...
The PR News Review: Huw Edwards' publicist Barry Tomes, Meta and Google gets a big tobacco moment and the BBC appoints Matt Brittin as DG
Welcome to the News Review on the PRmoment podcast. In this weekly show I’m joined by Angie Moxham and Mark Borkowski.
In the PR News Review we look at the biggest news stories of the week from a PR perspective. This week, we're talking about Huw Edwards' publicist Barry Tomes leaving GMB hosts Susanna Reid and Ed Balls speechless, what to expect from Meta and Google as social media gets its Big Tobacco moment and whether new BBC director general Matt Brittin has the hardest job in media.
Tickets for The PRmoment Aw...
The PR pitch wins and M&A run down for March
Our March review highlighted a resilient M&A market and increased pitch activity with specialist agencies dominating wins.
Pitch and M&A Market Health
The PR pitch market is good with high agency confidence, but client decision-making timelines are lengthening, creating a sustained grind. The M&A market is robust, demonstrating strong resilience with high demand for specialist, technology-driven agencies, particularly from US buyers.
Major PR Wins Secured
Multiple high-profile pitch wins were announced, including Edelman securing Vista Global and Mischief winning Schweppes' global creative strategy. Hope&Glory's Wagamama...
What does great agency leadership look like?
Host: Will Hart, dean of school, PRmoment Leaders
Featuring:
Victoria Usher, CEO and founder, GingerMayDavid Phillips, co-founder and CEO, PangolinThis is a special one-off edition of the podcast, hosted by Will Hart who heads up the PRmoment Leaders programme. Joining Will are Victoria Usher and David Phillips, both founders of successful independent agencies operating for over 10 years and specialising in separate sectors (respectively, GingerMay in b2b and Pangolin in consumer). Both are also on PRmoment Leaders as it approaches the second anniversary in May.
The discussion began wi...
The PR News Review: Farage’s latest political stunt, Zendaya's married or not and Banksy sad reveal
This week the PR News Review panel of Angie Moxham, Mark Borkowski and Ben Smith explore Nigel Farage's data-driven political stunt, the gossip surrounding Zendaya and Tom Holland and finish with a discussion about Banksy's identity reveal.
Farage's political stunt
Nigel Farage's action of paying an entire street’s electricity bill was deemed a clever stunt to draw attention to the energy debate and, perhaps more importantly, collect valuable data for Reform UK campaigns.
Zendaya and Holland’s publicity power
Speculation regarding Zendaya and Tom Holland’s marriage was viewed...
The PR News Review: Starmer, Mandelson the Iran War Musk, Tesla and Ofgem, PR Ethics, Lobbying Rules
Welcome to the News Review on the PRmoment podcast. In this weekly show I’m joined by Angie Moxham and Mark Borkowski.
In the PR News Review we look at the biggest news stories of the week from a PR perspective and this week we're talking:
Starmer, Mandelson and the Iran WarMusk, Tesla and Ofgem PR Ethics, Lobbying Rules and why PR firms need to be increasing careful in choosing their clientsBefore we start do check out The PRmoment Awards shortlists, they are an incredible selection of the best work happening in UK...
Michael Kempner, founder of MikeWorldWide on the PRmoment podcast
In this week’s show Ben Smith and Michael Kempner discuss the current US political climate.
Michael Kempner talks us through the organic growth of MikeWorldwide from a garage in 1986 to a “$70 million turnover”, crediting early success to "intentional serendipity," a strong network, and a focus on problem-solving outside of traditional PR conventions.
The discussion also covered Michael Kempner's optimism about the future of PR and Michael’s advice on risk, failure, and the importance of hiring and retaining the right people.
Ben Smith also reminded listeners that the shortlists for the PRmoment Awards in...
The PR News Review: Zack Polanski’s winning style and the language of war
Ben Smith, Angie Moxham, and Mark Borkowski discuss the Greens' bi-election win in Gorton and Denton, attributing the success of the candidate, Hannah Spencer, and Zack Polanski's effective communication campaign that provided a message of hope, local authenticity, and leveraged identity politics against Labour.
On the show we also discuss the language of war in the Iran conflict, where Mark Borkowski noted the problematic trend of naming military operations like video games and the increased control of narrative through restricted journalist access.
Angie Moxham critiques the current political rhetoric as incendiary and thoughtless.
Det...
The February PR Pitch & MA Review
Ben Smith and Andrew Bloch reviewed the UK PR pitch and M&A market in February, noting that the pitch market was "steadier" with clients taking longer to decide, while agency M&A was "booming" with high demand and competition driving up prices for agencies around the £20 million enterprise value, especially those leveraging AI.
PR pitch wise we saw significant client wins for Edelman, Words and Pixels, Brazen, W, and Hope&Glory, and key acquisitions included Resident acquiring Okay Cool, Future Group acquiring Alfred's assets, Kink acquiring Lobby PR, Havas acquiring a 51% stake in Acento, and Source Co...
The effectiveness of virtual versus in-office PR teams
Ben Smith moderated a discussion between Howard Kosky and Lynsey Barry about the effectiveness of virtual versus in-office PR teams, with an emphasis on how both agency culture and leadership styles are impacted by physical location.
Howard founded and ran Markettiers for 30 years and built the group to a £38m + turnover. Like most businesses it was office based until Covid and then developed a hybrid in office, virtual set up.
Lynsey Barry is CEO and founder at Five not 10, a B2B PR firm with 9 employees founded in 2021.
Barry, a proponent of remote-first, ass...
