In this episode, three seasoned communications leaders share hard-earned lessons on navigating internal communications when the stakes are high: J.B. Skelton – Director of Internal & Executive Communications, Microsoft Andrew Blotky – Founder & CEO, Azure Leadership Group, Author of Honestly Speaking Antonio Ortolani – VP of Global Insights, Meltwater  Together, they dig into the question: How do you prepare for the unexpected while keeping employees informed, aligned, and inspired? Key Insights Playbooks matter. Documented frameworks give communicators a head start when crises hit. They build trust with leadership and prevent scrambling. Listening is more than surveys. True listening means pulse checks, relationships, and understanding how representative “loud voices” really are. Authenticity wins. Employees and consumers see through opportunistic statements. Speak only when you have a clear purpose, and back words with meaningful action. Even-keeled leadership. Comm

In this episode of Expert Exchange, @DinoDelic sits down with Renee Connolly, Chief Belonging & Inclusion Officer at Merck KGaA, to talk about what it really takes to drive Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in a 354-year-old company. From setting aspirations instead of quotas to making space for uncomfortable but necessary conversations—Renee shares how she’s working to embed inclusion into one of the world’s oldest and most global organizations. This one’s for leaders navigating culture change in established companies, communicators shaping inclusive narratives, and anyone curious about how to make DEI work beyond surface-level numbers. 💥 What you'll take away: [06:45] Why aspirations work better than quotas—and how to set them with intention [18:20] How to measure what really matters: behavioral change, not just headcount [27:10] Practical tips for building diverse hiring panels without tokenism [39:30] Why uncomfortable conversations are essential for growth (and how to ha

In this episode of Expert Exchange, ​@DinoDelic  chats with [my fellow Canadian] Jason Miller, Associate Director of Digital Marketing at York University, about what it really takes to tell a great story with data. From guiding non-marketing stakeholders through campaign results to redefining which metrics matter—Jason shares how to move from reactive reporting to proactive storytelling. This one’s for marketers, communicators, and analysts who are swimming in data but still struggling to connect the dots. 💥 What you'll take away: Bounce rate isn’t always bad — and why context changes everything (00:06:52) Stop the data overload — how to focus your reporting on just a few metrics that matter (00:16:10) Map the journey first — why walking through the user experience before analyzing data leads to better insights (00:27:45) Be proactive, not reactive — how setting expectations upfront can make your reports clearer and more useful (00:12:35) Adapt for your audience — how Jason si

In this episode of Expert Exchange, ​@DinoDelic sits down with Ellen Gerstein, Senior Director of Content Strategy & Digital Communications at Pfizer, to explore what it takes to create content that builds real trust—and doesn’t get lost in the noise. Ellen shares how she scaled her team, launched an employee advocacy program with over 75 million social impressions, and keeps her strategy grounded in user experience—even at one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies. This one’s for content leaders, communicators, and brand strategists trying to show impact inside complex organizations.💥 What you’ll take away: [05:20] Why thinking like an outsider is Ellen’s superpower—and how she keeps that perspective after 8+ years at Pfizer [09:40] What metrics actually matter for content success (hint: it’s about depth, not just reach) [17:00] Why reading the comments is underrated—and how anecdotes can be more powerful than dashboards [25:45] What authentic employee advocacy re

🎙️ In this episode of Expert Exchange, ​@DinoDelic  sits down with Drew Neisser, CEO (and self-proclaimed Penguin in Chief) of CMO Huddles, for a candid conversation about what’s broken in B2B marketing—and how to rebuild it. Drew’s interviewed over 600 CMOs, authored two books, and built one of the most successful B2B marketing communities out there. He’s also a LinkedIn Top Voice who’s generated over 1 million organic impressions… by breaking every rule marketers are told to follow on the platform. This episode is packed with insights for marketing leaders tired of artificial, short-term tactics and ready to put brand and community back at the center. 💥 What you’ll take away: Stop separating brand and performance — why it’s a costly mistake to treat them like opposites (00:11:45) Artificial marketing is killing trust — how PE/VC ownership is shifting marketing priorities in the wrong direction (00:06:20) Reputation > reporting — why CMOs must educate CEOs on long-term brand

🎙️ In the final episode of this season of Expert Exchange, ​@DinoDelic  chats with Genevieve Brammall, National Head of PR & Talent Relations at News Corp Australia, about what it really means to lead with data—and how to use it to fuel both team culture and business results. Genevieve didn’t score at the top of our Comms Maturity Assessment. But how she uses data in practice? A masterclass. From aligning publicity to business outcomes, to creating measurement models with real influence—her approach is smart, human, and practical. 💥 What you’ll take away: Vision + metrics — Why great leaders link their strategy to measurable outcomes (00:06:20) Beyond AVE — How a napkin sketch became her team’s PR measurement framework (00:10:45) The win-win-win — A model for driving individual, team, and business success (00:17:50) Culture powered by data — How live measurement inspired weekend work (00:22:10) Advice for future leaders — What emerging comms pros often overlook (00:26:30)

We’re back with Episode 3 of Expert Exchange.  If you work in PR, communications, or marketing, you’ve probably seen it happen: a strategy looks great on paper… then disappears by Q2ish. In this episode of Expert Exchange, ​@DinoDelic  is joined by Nikki Little, CMO at Franco, and Emily Hebert, Integrated Communications Supervisor, about why that happens - and how to make a plan that actually sticks. 💡 Together they dig into: Why so many strategies end up in the “strategy graveyard” How to align plans with business goals (and avoid working in a silo) Why execution plans matter just as much as strategy How to use data—and customer input—to guide decision-making The difference between being data-driven and acting on it Tips for making your plan flexible enough to handle change  If you’re in planning mode for next year or leading campaigns right now, this one’s worth a listen. Nikki and Emily share stories from the field and practical advice that hits home for anyone trying to

PR and marketing teams don’t suffer from a lack of data—we’re drowning in it. The real challenge? Figuring out what actually matters and what to do about it. In this episode of Expert Exchange, ​@DinoDelic  sits down with Sherry Thomas, Chief Strategy Officer at D-TAG Analytics, to talk about how to turn information into action. With a background in military intelligence and years of experience leading social analytics for global brands like Nike, Sherry knows how to connect the dots and drive smart decisions. 💡 Here’s what you’ll take away: Why your reports might be falling flat—and how to fix that What execs really want from your analysis (hint: it’s not a dashboard) How to turn social noise into clear, confident recommendations Why the best analysts think more like anthropologists than data scientists What happens when comms and marketing teams actually connect the dots  Sherry also shares how to break silos, build trust, and bring social intel into the rooms where real dec

In this episode of Expert Exchange, ​@DinoDelic  chats with Rose Jia, Head of Growth Marketing at Amazon Grocery, about building powerful campaigns without a traditional playbook. From launching programs across dozens of teams to staying focused in the chaos—Rose shares how to lead with clarity when the path ahead is anything but clear. This one’s for the marketers, communicators, and brand leaders tasked with showing impact fast, often with limited time, budget, or buy-in. 💥 What you'll take away: How Rose aligns teams around a single North Star—even when everyone’s moving in different directions Why marketing "without a map" isn’t a weakness—it’s a superpower How to connect dots across data, teams, and timelines to drive real growth Ways to protect your energy and focus in high-speed, high-stakes environments What Amazon has taught her about scalable storytelling and experimentation  Whether you work in a startup, a global org, or somewhere in between—this episode will shift

We’re back! Season 2 of the Expert Exchange podcast has officially kicked off—and we’re doing things a little differently this year with an audio-only format that keeps the focus where it matters: real stories, expert perspectives, and practical advice you can actually use. To launch the season, we’re bringing you a powerful two-on-one conversation. Host ​@DinoDelic  is joined by returning favorite Aaron Strout, CMO at Real Chemistry, and Dr. Geeta Nayar, a nationally recognized leader in healthcare communications and author of Dead Wrong. This episode is a must-listen if you work in communications, healthcare, or care about the impact of misinformation.Here’s a snapshot of what we cover:Why misinformation spreads faster than facts – 6x faster, to be exact. Dr. G explains the systemic issues fueling this and the real-world consequences that hit the ER. Marketing’s new role in healthcare – More than brand awareness. Today’s campaigns must educate, build trust, and meet patients where th

When a crisis hits, every second counts—and “transparency” suddenly feels a lot harder than it sounds. In this episode of Expert Exchange by Meltwater, two pros who live for high-pressure moments explain how to keep your cool and protect trust: Lianne Acosta – Head of Global Crisis Comms, Cloudflare Eric Porterfield – Senior Director of Policy Comms, Roblox  Together they unpack the playbooks, soft skills, and hard lessons that separate brands who stumble from those who steer the narrative.5 Take-a-ways worth jotting down Authenticity beats slogans. Everyone claims to be “open and transparent.” The real test is how fast—and how honestly—you respond when the news is bad.   A checklist saves minutes that feel like hours. Pre-define levels (P0, P1, P2). Know exactly who’s in the war room: legal, policy, product, sales, comms. Socialize the plan before you ever need it.   Correct the record—relentlessly. One wrong headline can live on Wikipedia forever. Push back, supp

In this episode, experience the return of our first #Expert, Danny Gardner, Head of Social Media Insights & Analytics at Haleon. In this interview, Danny dives into the world of social listening and its power to transform social media data into actionable insights. In this conversation, Danny shares how social listening and traditional research methods complement each other and why analytics and data quality are essential in his work. His examples, from gut health to navigating misinformation, illustrate the many ways social listening helps decode consumer sentiment and shape strategies.Danny is an absolute superstar when it comes to social listening! Join us for his powerful insights on tackling misinformation, the influence of emotions on beliefs, the role of consumer feedback (and its limitations), and how values drive consumer behavior. As always, share your thoughts and questions in the comments!  Takeaways:Analytics and data quality are essential for making informed decisions

Today I’m excited to share my conversation with Marisa Lather, the Director of Marketing Communications at Bridge Partners.Earlier this year, Marisa was a part of the Meltwater virtual panel discussion 2024 MarComms Trends: Setting You Up for Success, where she shared insights that were so valuable that I simply had to invite her to join me for this full episode. She did not disappoint - Marisa’s experience, insights, and actionable advice around building brands (both personal and professional) and creating mutually beneficial relationships with other teams are not to be missed.Whether you’re new to marketing or a seasoned pro looking for a fresh perspective, have a watch and let Marisa inspire you!  Takeaways:(6:48) Speaking each others’ language can help Sales and Marketing teams align their goals. (10:32) “People want to do business with people they like, and that’s what a brand is.” (13:13) When working on a smaller team, it’s important to stay connected to the organization as a wh

Hello everyone. This week’s episode marks the Season 1 finale of the Expert Exchange podcast, a conversation with Casey Harrison about her story of resilience and the challenges of reaching understanding in uncomfortable situations and working respectfully and productively with those we might disagree with. Casey is the founder and CEO of Polished Strategic Communications, and in this conversation we discuss the journey that led her to found her own business and take on the work that truly aligns with her values and fulfills her creatively and professionally. We immediately jump right in to Casey’s experience at the Indy Chamber during the overturning of Roe v Wade and Indiana’s immediate passage of Senate Bill 1, and she shares the challenges and opportunities of representing the diverse groups represented by the Indy Chamber through this historic period - and that’s just to start! Casey has a lot to say and a truly inspiring story, and I hope you learn as much from her as I did.  Hig