Narrative Contradiction
In this episode of Communication Breakdown, Steve Dowling and Craig Carroll dig deep into the growing risk of narrative contradiction—when a company’s claims, perceptions, and reality stop aligning. C...
11 Sep 202528min
The Pepsi Challenge
In this episode of Communication Breakdown, Steve Dowling and Craig Carroll dissect activist investor Elliott Management’s $4 billion stake in PepsiCo — and the rival business plan they rolled out to ...
5 Sep 202535min
Cracker Barrel’s Turn in the Barrel
In this episode of Communication Breakdown, hosts Steve Dowling and Craig Carroll examine Cracker Barrel’s ill-fated modernization campaign and the backlash that forced the company to abandon its new ...
29 Aug 202531min
Risky Business: Apologies, Silence, and Spin
In this episode of Communication Breakdown, hosts Steve Dowling and Craig Carroll examine how companies are navigating the volatile communications landscape under Donald Trump’s renewed political infl...
22 Aug 202526min
So I Wanted To Show You Something
In this episode of Communication Breakdown, hosts Steve Dowling and Craig Carroll break down Taylor Swift’s meticulously orchestrated rollout of her 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl. Far more...
15 Aug 202527min
What Harvard Teaches Us (about dealing with Trump)
In this episode of Communication Breakdown, hosts Steve Dowling and Craig Carroll explore two high-stakes showdowns—one rooted in strategic restraint, the other in narrative failure. First, they unpac...
8 Aug 202527min
Thank You For Your Interest In Transparency
In this episode of Communication Breakdown, Steve Dowling and Craig Carroll return to the ongoing saga at Astronomer—the data pipeline company whose PR tailspin took a surprising detour into celebrity...
1 Aug 202531min
L’Affaire Astronomer
In this episode of Communication Breakdown, Steve Dowling and Craig Carroll unpack the viral scandal that cost Astronomer CEO Andy Byron his job after a kiss cam moment at a Coldplay concert set the i...
24 Jul 202529min
