Communicating Purpose with John Higginson

Hosted by Communicating Purpose with John Higginson

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Sep 2026

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About the show

My name is John Higginson and I’m on a mission to revolutionise communications by focusing on the power of purpose. Each week I will interview a leading light in the communications world, getting insight into what it means to be in PR, why it is so important and - most importantly – why it is governed by purpose. Join me each week on my new podcast. Listen anywhere you get your podcasts and don’t forget to give it a review.

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October 26, 202632 min

DH Kong — Head of Marketing & Creative, Hiut Denim

Is there really no such thing as bad publicity? From helping build controversial fast-fashion brand Dolls Kill to championing traditional craftsmanship at Hiut Denim in West Wales, DH Kong has experienced two very different approaches to marketing. On the latest episode of Communicating Purpose, John Higginson is joined by DH Kong , Head of Creative and Marketing at Hiut Denim , to explore the lessons he's learnt about navigating controversy and how his experience has shaped the way he approaches marketing today. Tune in to hear John and DH discuss: 🔥 How a controversial social media post at Dolls Kill sparked a major backlash, and the lessons learnt from the communications crisis 💬 Why deliberately courting controversy can be an effective marketing strategy, even when the tactics are questionable 🧵 Why 'craft' risks becoming another marketing buzzword, much like 'sustainability' 👖 How Hiut Denim is using the stories of its makers to communicate the value of craftsmanship and quality

September 18, 202622 min

Dr Rachael Hazael — Founder & CTO, Blast EcoShield

Can a hedge stop a bomb? It sounds far-fetched, but a Cranfield University scientist has spent four years showing the right plants can absorb the force of a blast. On this episode of Communicating Purpose, Higginson Strategy CEO John Higginson is joined by Dr Rachael Hazael, Founder and CTO of Blast EcoShield, whose living barriers protect public spaces without the concrete and steel. Tune in to hear John and Rachael discuss: 🌱 Why a greener built environment is the logical path forward 🛡️ Why a living barrier offers what concrete never could 🌸 The Chelsea Flower Show reaction, where visitors had no idea they were looking at blast protection 💡 What explaining blast science to schoolchildren and horticultural experts alike taught Rachael about landing complex ideas I hope you enjoy. John Higginson, Founder & CEO, Higginson Strategy

July 15, 202623 min

Amira Jehia — Founding Executive Director, drip by drip,

A single pair of jeans can take thousands of litres of water to make. So why is water still treated as a footnote in fashion's sustainability strategies? On this episode of Communicating Purpose, Higginson Strategy and Eco Age CEO, John Higginson, is joined by Amira Jehia, Founding Executive Director of drip by drip , the first NGO in the world focused exclusively on water justice in the fashion industry. Tune in to hear: 💧 Why water justice is different from water efficiency , and who really bears the cost of the water fashion uses. 🏥 How one brand partnership turned a truck into a mobile hospital , delivering more than 140,000 free treatments to garment communities. 🔅 Why Amira believes the narrative is about to shift , and what's driving that change as heatwaves intensify.

June 8, 202624 min

Sara Kenny - Communications and Marketing Manager, Biodiversify

This week on the Communicating Purpose podcast, John Higginson speaks to Sara Kenny, Communications and Marketing Manager at Biodiversify. Sara's route into the role has been anything but linear. She started with a zoology degree, moved into journalism, then found her way into digital marketing at the charity Children in Crossfire, picking up skills across very different worlds along the way. She now leads marketing at Biodiversify, where much of her attention is currently on improving lead conversion and getting sales and marketing pulling in the same direction. In this episode, John and Sara discuss: 🌿 The way digital marketing has shifted, and what that means for purpose-driven organisations 🎯 Cracking lead conversion and bringing sales and marketing into alignment 🤝 The ingredients of a strong, lasting agency relationship 📊 Why data visualisation is so powerful when you're telling a story with numbers I hope you enjoy. John Higginson Founder & CEO, Higginson Strategy

May 28, 202628 min

Martin Allen Morales — CEO, Institute of Imagination

This week on the Communicating Purpose podcast, John Higginson is joined by Martin Allen Morales, CEO of the Institute of Imagination . Martin has an extraordinary story to tell. From a childhood in Peru shadowed by terrorism and inequality, to arriving in a very divided 1980s Britain as a young boy seeking safety, his path has taken him through DJ booths, record labels, restaurant kitchens and the boardrooms of Apple and Disney. Today, Martin leads one of the UK’s most innovative education charities, the Institute of Imagination - an organisation helping children and communities unlock creativity, build confidence and develop the skills for a better future. In this episode, John and Martin discuss: 🧠 How memory-based education systems can suppress creativity in children 🎯 Why authenticity and community matter more than polished marketing 🚀 The marketing lessons charities can borrow from pop culture 💡 The leadership lessons Martin learned from building, and nearly losing, a £10m hospitality business I hope you enjoy. John Higginson, Founder & CEO, Higginson Strategy

March 6, 202636 min

Jaye Cowle — Founder & CEO, Launch

This week on the Communicating Purpose podcast, John Higginson speaks to Jaye Cowle, Founder and CEO of Launch. Jane didn’t set out to build an agency. After moving from London to Cornwall during the financial crisis, she found herself suddenly “unemployable” in the local job market with two young children. Then one interview changed everything — when the person across the table told her: “I’m not going to offer you a job. I’m going to be your first client.” That moment became the start of Launch — now a certified B Corp and award-winning performance marketing agency built on a simple idea: Happiness is a business strategy. In this episode, John and Jane discuss: 💡 Why culture-first companies outperform 🚫 Why your purpose should guide your “no’s” just as much as your 'yes'-es 🤖 How AI is creating a “race to beige-ness” in content 🎯 Why authenticity is becoming the most valuable currency in communications I hope you enjoy. John Higginson, Founder & CEO, Higginson Strategy

February 18, 202637 min

Naomi Smith — CEO, Best For Britain

This week on the Communicating Purpose podcast, John is joined by Naomi Smith, CEO of Best for Britain. Having grown up during the Troubles in Northern Ireland and later walking away from a six-figure finance career to fight for a cause most people told her she couldn’t win, Naomi is not someone who gives up easily. Launched in 2017 to stop Brexit, today Best for Britain focuses on strengthening UK–EU ties, reversing the economic damage of Brexit, and advocating for practical, closer collaboration with Europe. In this episode, John and Naomi discuss: 🔄What it really takes to pivot from public defeat to long-term influence 🔏Why so much political persuasion now happens quietly, inside private feeds and long-form content most of us never see. 🧠How platforms like YouTube, Twitch and Discord shape worldviews through content that doesn’t look political at all 🎯Why many progressive voices are still not operating where attention is actually being won. I hope you enjoy. John Higginson, Higginson Strategy

December 31, 202528 min

Communicating Purpose - 2025 Highlights

As 2025 draws to a close, we’re bringing the year to a finish with a special highlights episode of the Communicating Purpose podcast. This episode revisits five conversations that stayed with me after the microphones were switched off — from the frontlines of BBC News and government communications, to boardrooms, policy think tanks, climate action, and one of the most powerful campaigns for public health in the UK. Across these conversations, a clear theme emerged: purposeful communication isn’t about noise, it is about clarity, trust, and the courage to say the difficult things well. You’ll hear lessons on navigating scrutiny, shaping public debate, turning evidence into impact, making complex issues mainstream, and using communication as a force for meaningful change. I hope you enjoy. John Higginson, Founder & CEO, Higginson Strategy

November 5, 202528 min

Rosamund Kissi-Debrah CBE - Founder, The Ella Roberta Foundation

This week, John Higginson speaks with Rosamund Kissi-Debrah CBE , whose daughter Ella became the first person in the world to have air pollution listed as a cause of death. Since then, Rosamund has led a relentless campaign for cleaner air — not just in London, but across the UK and beyond. She talks about what it takes to turn personal tragedy into lasting change, the links between pollution and health, and why she believes clean air should be treated as a basic human right. It’s a moving, clear-eyed conversation about accountability, children’s health, and the cost of doing nothing. I hope you enjoy. John Higginson, CEO Higginson Strategy

October 15, 202517 min

Dan Harris - Founder & CEO, Neurodiversity in Business

It's my pleasure to share with you the latest episode of the Communicating Purpose podcast with Dan Harris, Founder and CEO of Neurodiversity in Business. Neurodiversity in Business is a remarkable charity and business forum dedicated to advancing best practices in neurodiversity recruitment, retention, and empowerment. Their mission is to help organizations create more neuro-inclusive workplaces while championing the one in five neurodivergent individuals in today’s workforce. Although NiB is run entirely by unpaid volunteers, it partners with some of the world’s largest corporations—reflecting the growing commitment across industries to embrace neurodiversity and inclusion. In this episode, we discussed: 🤝 Destigmatising neurodiversity in the workplace and fostering genuine inclusion 🏢 Why businesses thrive when neuro-inclusion is embedded at their core 💬 My own personal journey with ADHD and how it has shaped my career I hope you enjoy. John Higginson, Founder & CEO, Higginson Strategy

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