← All Episodes
The Brand Newsroom: Where Content & PR Come Together. The Building A Legacy Series

S4 · E24

The Brand Newsroom: Where Content & PR Come Together. The Building A Legacy Series

7 Oct 2025 · 38 min

About this episode

PR isn't dead—it's evolved. And most brands are still playing by the old rulebook.

In this episode we sit down with three communications leaders to dissect how modern PR actually works: Pippa Doyle (Global PR at Whoop), Shireen McDonagh (Brand & Content at Legacy Communications), and Niamh Hopkins (Head of Consumer PR at Legacy).

This isn't theory. You'll hear the real story of how an agency changed a client's mind with a single email. Why Whoop runs exclusive events instead of chasing scale. How Krispy Kreme owned the news cycle in 24 hours when Leo Varadkar resigned. And why "freedom through structure" unlocks better creative than open-ended briefs.

If you're a marketer, brand leader, or agency professional wondering why your PR feels stuck in 2010, this conversation will rewire how you think about communications, content, and building brand fame in a cluttered market.

What You'll Learn:

Why PR should be renamed "communications" (and what that shift actually means)

The briefing framework that gets agencies to do their best work

How to turn one event into months of content across every channel

The truth about influencer numbers vs. engagement (and when each matters)

Why budget constraints unlock creativity instead of killing it

The "brand newsroom" model and who should be your editor-in-chief

How smaller brands can win with agility against bigger competitors

CHAPTERS:

with Legacy Communications

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chapters

  1. 00:00Introduction: The Evolution of PR
  2. 02:15Why "PR" Needs to Become "Communications"
  3. 04:25Case Study: How One Email Changed a Client's Mind
  4. 07:00What PR Actually Drives: Fame, Awareness & Word of Mouth
  5. 10:04Why Great Campaigns Start With Great Briefs
  6. 11:16The "Freedom Through Structure" Briefing Framework
  7. 13:14Why Budget Can Be a Beautiful Constraint
  8. 14:27Events as Content Machines, Not One-Day Moments
  9. 18:27Measuring Event Success: Beyond Who Showed Up
  10. 19:45Working With Influencers & Creators: Authenticity First
  11. 23:06Does Follower Count Actually Matter?
  12. 26:45Reactive Content Done Right: Aldi's Oasis & Krispy Kreme's Leo Moment
  13. 28:00The Brand Newsroom Model: Operating Like a Publisher
  14. 29:14Speed, Approvals & Team Alignment
  15. 32:05Practical Advice: Setting Up Your Comms Function for Success
  16. 37:52The Editor-in-Chief Role: Who Defends the Idea?

Enjoyed this episode?

Get every new episode in your inbox — free.

Subscribe on Substack