How to Spin It

This episode is about communicating impact clearly, making sense of complex information, and finding ways to engage people without diluting the message.In this episode, I’m joined by Thea de Gallier, a communications consultant working in impact storytelling and digital content in the climate space, to talk about translating science, policy and sustainability reporting into communications people can actually understand.Thea shares their journey from journalism, including several years working at the BBC, into freelance communications, and how their experience across digital journalism and content formats shaped their approach to clarity, tone and storytelling.We discuss impact reporting, greenwashing, and the challenges of communicating sustainability in a landscape where regulation is shifting and scrutiny is increasing. Thea reflects on their work with organisations including the World Economic Forum, including time around Davos, and what that revealed about the gap between policy ambition and public understanding.About the guestThea de Gallier is a communications consultant specialising in impact storytelling and digital content in the climate space. After seven years as a journalist covering social affairs, including time at the BBC, they now work with NGOs, nonprofits and mission-led organisations to make scientific and policy information accessible, engaging and clear.Connect with TheaThea de Gallier on LinkedIn Connect with me:LinkedIn: Kayleigh-Anne SoryalWebsite: https://www.love-comms.com 

This episode is about knowing the value of your work, keeping sight of it, and being able to articulate it when it counts.In this episode, I’m joined by Marianne Morgan, Insights and Evaluation Lead at the Information Commissioner’s Office, to talk about embedding measurement into everyday ways of working and using it to confidently demonstrate the impact of PR.Marianne brings deep experience from PR agency environments into her specialist work in communications measurement. We discuss how insight can help you stay on track, strengthen decision-making, and show the worth of your work without everyone needing to become a “data person”.The conversation also explores Marianne’s current work at the ICO and how evaluation supports communications around complex and sensitive issues. Marianne also reflects on returning from maternity leave, moving into a specialist role, and how developing deep expertise can open new paths in a PR career.About the guestMarianne Morgan is Insights and Evaluation Lead at the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and a former board director of the Association for the Measurement and Evaluation of Communications. A trusted voice within the communications industry and an active contributor to Women in PR, Marianne's 20 years agency-side saw her develop a data and insights department from scratch, before moving into the public sector.Connect with Marianne on LinkedIn.Mentioned in the episode:The Ripple Effect - Communicating with empathy after a data breachBetter Records, Together - Connecting people with their care storyConnect with me:LinkedIn: Kayleigh-Anne SoryalWebsite: https://www.love-comms.com 

This episode is about relevance; who brands are really speaking to, who gets left out, and what happens when decisions are made without enough perspectives in the room.In this episode, I’m joined by Shilpa Saul, Partner at The Unmistakables, to talk about relevance, power, and how brands and organisations can create work that truly connects with people.Shilpa shares her journey from PR agency and in-house roles into building a consultancy focused on helping brands and businesses become relevant to more people, not just people like them.The conversation explores internal and external relevance, from workplace culture, pay, progression and power dynamics, to brand behaviour, cultural engagement and when taking a stance helps or harms.About the guestShilpa Saul is Director at The Unmistakables, where she works with brands and organisations to help them become relevant to more people, internally and externally. She brings over 25 years of experience from fast-paced agency and in-house roles.Connect with ShilpaShilpa Saul on LinkedInThe Unmistakables website & insightsConnect with me:LinkedIn: Kayleigh-Anne SoryalWebsite: https://www.love-comms.com 

This episode is about ambition and what it’s like to operate for years in high-pressure communications roles. I’m joined by Lee Griffith, founder of sunday skies, to reflect on her career in senior communications roles and the shift that led her to retrain and build a different way of working.Lee spent nearly two decades working in communications across large public sector environments most recently as a Communications Director. We talk about advising leaders, navigating expectations in PR, and the judgement calls that come with senior roles.The conversation also explores her decision to step away from corporate life, retrain as a coach, and how she now supports people to (un)learn leadership, ambition and responsibility in work and life.About the guestLee Griffith is the founder of sunday skies. After almost 20 years in senior communications roles across large public sector organisations, Lee retrained as a coach and now works with people who care a lot to (un)learn the rules that were never written with them in mind, so they can lead, work and live on their own terms.Connect with LeeLee Griffiths on LinkedIn(Un)learning Life on Substacksunday skies websiteConnect with meKayleigh-Anne Soryal on LinkedInlove comms website

Christmas is one of the biggest commercial moments of the year, and a super important time for PR and advertising people. Now is the time of the year where everyone has an opinion on a Christmas ads, so it felt like the right time to speak with someone who really knows the season.In this episode, I’m joined by Hannah Sharratt, Associate Director at Axe + Saw, a multi-award-winning independent creative agency. Hannah began her career in travel PR before moving into global roles at Ogilvy, where she worked on Coca-Cola’s Christmas activity and Cadbury. She now brings that experience into the independent agency world, working on clients like Spotify and Vinted.We talk about this year's best, worst and surprising Christmas adverts, and Hannah's experience in the area. About the guestHannah Sharratt is an Associate Director at Axe + Saw. A Cannes Lions Grand Prix winner with over a decade of experience in earned media, Hannah has shaped global campaigns across industries – from travel and tech to FMCG – for global powerhouses like Cadbury, Coca-Cola and TUI. She’s also helped cultivate the distinct voices of cult-favourite brands including Yard Sale Pizza, Spotify, Arsenal, and Feeld. Connect with Hannah on LinkedInVisit Axe + SawConnect with me:LinkedIn: Kayleigh-Anne Soryal Website: https://www.love-comms.com 

PR has a perception problem, and a work culture problem. In this episode, I speak with Riannon Palmer, founder of feel-good agency Lem-uhn, about what it means to build a more thoughtful, purpose-led approach to PR that delivers strong results without burning people out.We talk about the culture of overwork that still dominates agency life, how flexibility and boundaries can lead to better campaigns, and what it takes to run a values-led business without compromising on ambition. We also explore the role of AI, greenwashing, and why the best comms people are often the first to call out bad decisions from within.About the guest:Riannon Palmer is the founder of Lem-uhn, a feel-good PR agency working with purpose-led brands to drive real impact. She was named one of Management Today’s 35 Under 35 and is a champion for building a healthier, more progressive PR industry. Connect with her on LinkedInMentioned in this episode:Better Business Act: https://betterbusinessact.org/B-Corp: https://bcorporation.uk/NY Times article:  “We can bury anyone”Clean Creatives: https://cleancreatives.org/You can connect with me Kayleigh-Anne Soryal on https://www.linkedin.com/in/kasoryal or visit https://www.love-comms.comIf you enjoyed the episode, please follow and share it. It helps new listeners find the show.

Influence drives the fashion and beauty industries, but are we measuring it in the right way?In this episode, I speak with Alison Bringé, Chief Marketing Officer at Launchmetrics, about the real power of celebrity and influencer partnerships. From red carpet moments to viral TikTok clips, these are the moves that shape brand perception and sales. But behind the buzzwords and paid fame lies a deeper question: how do we actually qualify influence?We discuss the murky history of measuring press impact and reach, and Launchmetrics’ Media Impact Value (MIV®) that help brands quantify the true value of visibility across print, social and online. Alison also shares her views on what makes a great brand moment, how brands get it wrong, and why understanding context is just as important as counting clicks.Mentioned in the episode:·         Launchmetrics Brand Ambassador Marketing 2025 Report·         Upcoming Webinar on Qualitative MetricsAbout the guest: Alison Bringé is the Chief Marketing Officer at Launchmetrics, a brand performance platform used by leading fashion, lifestyle and beauty brands to measure and amplify their influence.Connect with her on LinkedIn Learn more about LaunchmetricsYou can connect with me on LinkedIn at Kayleigh-Anne Soryal or visit lovecomms.co.ukIf you enjoyed the episode, please follow and share it. It helps new listeners find the show.

Motherhood and PR is not always a great mix; the industry has traditionally rewarded long hours, always-on ambition and those who put work first.In this episode, I speak with Bethany Pearson (Betty), PR Director at Grayling and a founding mother of PR Mums, about how the PR world is starting to respond to these challenges and what still needs to change to build more inclusive careers.We discuss how ambition is perceived after maternity leave, the structural barriers faced by returning parents, and the emotional labour many continue to carry. We also explore where progress is happening and how leadership and teams can better support working parents, and the amazing work of PR Mums and other organisations to drive positive change.About the guest:Bethany Pearson is a senior PR leader and a founding mother of PR Mums, a platform supporting parents in PR & communications through recruitment, community and long-term cultural change.Connect with her on LinkedInVisit: https://www.prmums.comMentioned in this episode:PR Mums White Paper on Best Practice: https://www.pr-mums.com/news/championing-parental-policy-best-practice-in-prLeaders Plus: https://www.leadersplus.orgTommy’s Training for Line Managers: https://www.tommys.orgYou can connect with me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/kasoryal or visit https://www.love-comms.comIf you enjoyed the episode, please follow and share it. It helps new listeners find the show.

Social platforms shape what we see, how we speak, and what gains attention. In this episode, I speak with Dr Zoetanya Sujon, sociologist and author of The Social Media Age, about how digital platforms influence behaviour, tone and public conversation. We explore why people use platforms differently depending on their role or life stage, what happens when polarised content is rewarded, and how this can affect communicators trying to strike the right tone.We talk about:How platform design influences interaction, visibility and audience behaviourWhy life stage, profession and pressure affect how people use social mediaThe cultural tension between speaking up and staying silentDr Zoetanya Sujon is the author of The Social Media Age, published by SAGE. Follow her at linkedin.com/in/zoetanya-sujon.You can connect with me at linkedin.com/in/kasoryal or visit love-comms.com.

You can be brilliant at your job and still be terrible at communicating it.In this first episode, I speak with Jess Preston, co-founder of Inside Voices and a communication coach who works with leaders and spokespeople to help them speak with clarity and confidence. We explore how habits, nerves and early influences shape the way you speak, and what to do when your voice doesn’t match your intention.We talk about the British discomfort with confidence, media training, and what makes a strong spokesperson in today’s landscape. We also discuss how brand jargon weakens messaging, and why clear, human language matters more than ever in public relations and internal communications.Jess shares practical advice on voice training, public speaking and managing nerves, drawing on her background in performance and coaching. I reflect on what I’ve seen go wrong and right behind the scenes in brand PR and leadership communication.Follow Jess on Instagram at @weareinsidevoices and explore her work at weareinsidevoices.com.Connect with me on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/kasoryal or visit love-comms.com to learn more.

What does it take to 'spin' today’s scandals and successes? How to Spin It is about the people shaping perception; those working behind the scenes to build and direct the stories we see around businesses and brands.Hosted by Kayleigh-Anne Soryal, a Head of Comms, this series explores how PR & Comms professionals do what they do. It’s a conversation about modern communication, and the space between intention, interpretation, and influence.