The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson
The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson
www.mollymcpherson.com
Top PR Wins and Fails of 2025: Part One
20 minutes Posted Dec 17, 2025 at 10:00 am.
How The List Is Judged
Win #10: South Park’s Rebound
Fail #10: Cracker Barrel Rebrand
Win #9: Candace Owens’ Pivot
Fail #9: Blue Origin Celebrity Flight
Win #8: Tatiana Schlossberg’s Essay
Fail #8: RFK Jr. Fallout
Win #7: Kidman And Urban’s Playbook
Fail #7: Justin Baldoni’s Headwinds
Win #6: Coldplay Handles Viral Moment
Fail #6: Diddy’s Brand Collapse
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Show notes

This week’s episode kicks off Part One of The Top PR Wins and Fails of 2025 by pulling straight from the headlines and social media feeds that dominated the year. Instead of rehashing scandals, it digs into the decisions behind them: who understood the moment they were in, who badly misread their audience, and who confused being everywhere online with being trusted. From cultural power plays to celebrity miscalculations, the pattern is clear and a little uncomfortable. You can win the attention economy and still lose credibility. Part Two, covering the top five PR wins and fails of the year, drops next week.

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