• PR Perspectives: Will Uber Go Under?

    Full disclosure: I have never used the Uber service. Also, I am a GenX (barely) suburban guy who prefers driving own car and has no problem with mass transit in Boston or other major metros. Right there I am in in the wrong demographic for the suddenly most reviled brand – “sharing economy” or otherwise – on the planet to care about what I think.

    But this post is not about the Uber service. It’s not even about the alleged behavior of some of its drivers – that’s an entirely different matter. It’s about their brand and their integrity (or lack thereof). One of which seemingly does not exist and the other could cease to if the company doesn’t act quickly and decisively and demonstrate some existence of a soul.

    Its also about their complete and utter failure to take any meaningful, genuine public responsibility for both recent actions and words by their executives. Or the manner in which they’ve communicated with, and about, the media and how they are going about their business. And growing that business, which seems to be the only thing that Uber cares about.

    Like everyone else in media and communications, I’ve watched with interest the past the few days as Uber CEO Travis Kalanick has been justifiably pilloried by the very media he shows complete disdain for. PandoDaily’s Sarah Lacy was first out of the gate, railing repeatedly against Uber’s modus operandi. @sarahcuda has encouraged women everywhere to just delete the app. BuzzFeed’s Ben Smith attended a supposedly off the record “influentials” dinner last Friday night with other media, investors and high profile types. Smith reported that Uber’s Emil Michael suggested that the company should consider hiring a team of opposition researchers to “dig up dirt” on any media members who dare to be critical of Uber. Here’s Lacy’s Monday morning take on the dinner and what was disclosed.

    If you can believe all that’s been written (the casual observer has no reason not to) by both traditional media outlets like WSJ and USA Today and blogs everywhere, Uber is under a ridiculous firestorm and no amount of dirt on Bill Cosby, Roger Goodell or any other people behaving badly are about to nudge off the proverbial front page.

    The latest from Kalanick came yesterday when he told a group of technology investors that the company’s problems stem from growing too fast. I’m sorry but that is weak, it still a cheesy cop out from the young CEO.

    So what’s the prescription for extinguishing the many brush fires engulfing Kalanick and Uber?

    David Plouffe’s the guy pushing the buttons now, but here’s “three for free” in the PR recommendations department:

    1. Appeal to the board to fire Kalanick today. Scoble and others have made the same call. Start anew. Get a respected CEO who knows how to grow a business with integrity in there. Today.
    2. Drop the surge pricing model for the holiday season. Uber must regain goodwill with consumers everywhere. Happy Thanksgiving. Merry Christmas. Happy Chanukah!
    3. Issue legitimate apologies to media member and outline policy changes with some teeth to clean up the mess.

    What would you do if you were in Plouffe’s shoes?

     

  • Ed Emberley: Helping All of Us Become Vector Art Wizards

    Let me start off by saying, I can NOT draw. I feel like a lot of times as someone working in a creative field, people assume my skills range into all of the artistic buckets (which they do not). The late stand up comedian Mitch Hedberg once claimed how as a comic, people assumed he could act. He then compared it to someone looking at a chef and saying, “Well, can you farm?” The same rings true here.

    Lately I’ve been diving deeper into vector animations that include kinetic characters, cars, and buildings that rise out of the ground in just a matter of frames. Most of the time a collection of people and environments from shutterstock will get me set on the right path, but what about when specific objects are needed, and nothing on the web matches the style you’re looking for? Or perhaps the environments are a little bland, and you want to add some details that make it unique For example, downloading an Illustrator file of a giant store for a project is easy enough, but then in the script it specifically notes that it’s a grocery store. How do you create something from scratch that remains continuous with no illustration expertise? Just let Caldecott Medal winner Ed Emberley come to the rescue.

    Ed Emberley authored a whole slough of children’s drawing books from the early 70’s through the mid 90s. His tutorials show his audience how to draw everything from an oil tanker to a gorilla, by using nothing except basic geometric shapes. Growing up these books were always lying around my house, and I never thought they’d be just as useful at age 25 as they are to a 5 year old (and no I am not a parent).  Just to get an idea of the layout of his books, here’s his instruction on how to construct a gorilla  Next to it is a vector version I created in Adobe Illustrator, in just a couple minutes.

     Screen Shot 2014-11-19 at 1.15.41 PM

    My takeaway from these tutorials is that Ed’s books help all the people like me out there who don’t have the steadiest hand (read: too much coffee on the morning commute) create interesting add-ons to their vector projects. Combined with a color deviation to a brand’s stylistic guidelines, any of us can create a protective Viking ship for a data security client or a bunny for a consumer brand’s Easter campaign.

  • The Boston Globe Names PR Firm Matter Communications a ‘Top Place to Work’ for 2014

    Coveted Award is PR Agency’s 2nd Straight, Along with Four ‘Agency of the Year’ Honors in Past Two Years

    Newburyport (November 13, 2014) – The Boston Globe honored Matter Communications as one of Massachusetts’ best employers in its annual Top Places to Work magazine, which will appear online today at BostonGlobe.com/topplaces and in The Boston Sunday Globe on November 16. The national PR and social media agency ranked fifth in its highly competitive category, climbing three spots from its award ranking last year.

    For seven years, this popular 48-page standalone magazine has recognized the state’s most admired workplaces based on surveys completed by the people who know them the best — the employees themselves.

    “Employer success can’t be measured solely in profits and revenue,” said Boston Globe Business Editor Mark Pothier. “What matters most to employers are their people. This year’s winning companies go above and beyond to motivate and challenge their workers, which tends to encourage innovation and loyalty.”

    “Of all the awards we’ve been fortunate to win, the Top Places to Work honor means the most to me personally,” said Matter Founder and CEO Scott Signore. “Our people are our lifeblood, our greatest asset, and knowing that we’re providing a challenging, rewarding environment for them to flourish is extremely gratifying. Ultimately, our clients are the beneficiaries.”

    The Boston Globe’s 2014 Top Places to Work survey, conducted by employee survey firm WorkplaceDynamics, measured about 73,500 individuals’ responses to statements regarding six key factors related to employee happiness, including company direction, execution, employee connection, work load and responsibility, management, and pay and benefits. Least important factors were pay, benefits and work-life balance, with survey subjects placing much higher importance on employee appreciation, confidence and a meaningful connection to the work.

    Top Places to Work online extras include sortable rankings and photo galleries. All can be found at www.bostonglobe.com/topplaces. Readers can follow the news on Twitter at #workboston.

    About Boston Globe Media Partners LLC

    Boston Globe Media Partners, LLC provides news and information, entertainment, opinion and analysis through its multimedia properties. BGMP includes The Boston Globe, BostonGlobe.com, Boston.com, Cruxnow.com, BetaBoston.com and Globe Direct.

    About Matter Communications Headquartered north of Boston in Newburyport, Massachusetts, with offices in Providence, Rhode Island, Portland, Oregon and Boston, Matter Communications executes creative, results-driven public relations and social media programs on behalf of clients across the U.S. and Europe. Matter maintains a broad portfolio of clients in high-technology, consumer-technology and consumer markets – including, among many others, Akamai, FootJoy, Harris Corporation, Lexar Media and Verizon Wireless. Founded in 2003, Matter’s PR services include company and product launches, product reviews, analyst and media relations, social media, crisis communications and thought leadership programs. For more information, please go to https://www.matternow.com or visit the PR Whiteboard blog.

    Media Contact

    Parry Headrick
    VP of Marketing
    [email protected]
    978-518-4547

  • Animate Your Infographics to Maximize Your Reach

    In today’s media landscape, there’s no such thing as “too much content.”  The amount of platforms, outlets, and opportunities for getting your message seen and heard is enormous, and it’s crucial that brands take notice and stay ahead of the game.  

    As both the Boy Scouts of America and Scar from the Lion King advise, “Be Prepared.”  It’s best to always be ready with content (especially visual content) before it’s needed, because inevitably, it WILL be needed.

    Here at Matter, we’re big proponents of maximizing content and creating cross-platform campaigns.  It’s one of the many benefits of having a full suite of creative services under one roof, working with both the PR teams and each other to keep messaging and aesthetics consistent, regardless of what the “output” is.

    While larger projects (product launches, cause campaigns, etc) benefit most from utilizing the “Holy Trinity” of Creative Services – integrated Web Development, Design, and Video (more on that in another post), smaller initiatives can benefit immediately from simply going one step further with your content production than initially planned.

    With that, I give you The Animated Infographic – A cost-effective way to spread your message across as many platforms as possible, while maintaining a consistent design aesthetic.

    By developing both a static infographic AND an animated video based off of that infographic, you’re ready for almost any application.  Examples:

    -Post the infographic on your site (obvi…)

    -Add the video to your YouTube page (also obvi…)

    -Print out the infographic to use as collateral.  Clients have used our infographics at presentations, sales meetings, or even blown up and displayed as artwork on walls (we do that too)

    -Include either the infographic or video (or both!) in press releases and blog posts

    -Run the video on TV screens at trade shows or at your office.

    And the best part is, as your story gets pitched to media and spread on social channels, you can accommodate any content request.  Some websites may prefer to embed videos, while some may want the static infographic.  Print publications, obviously, would prefer the infographic if they plan to print it.  Double-up on Facebook and Twitter blasts by sharing both pieces of content separately.

    This way, you can be sure that you’ve got a consistent message and design aesthetic, and have maximized your opportunities for sharing across all possible outlets.

    Check out some examples we’ve produced here at Matter!

    Tyco Integrated Security:

    Anna Jaques Hospital:

    Madico Window Films:

    High Liner Foods:

  • 3 Ways to Get Hands-On for Better Pitching

    As PR professionals, our craft demands versatility and speed. We need to be able to speak intelligently and convincingly about any number of topics – many of which may have little to no relevance in our personal lives – and we need to be able to do it to virtual strangers who’ve likely forgotten more about the topic than we’ll ever know. We have to be quick. We have to respond. We have to deliver. So it isn’t much of a surprise when we find ourselves parroting, instead of comprehending – copy/pasting, instead of writing – hitting ‘send’ without truly understanding the very words we’ve packaged up and fired off. Here’s the problem: choosing speed over understanding robs us of our chance to be passionate about the brands we represent.

    This is the part where you roll your eyes.
    I know – I’m being idealistic. After all, we’re not just bowing to the demands of a single client, but several. We have expectations to meet and team members we refuse to let down. There just aren’t enough hours in the day to dive head-first into a sea of fine print. But I can guarantee you that sending a few fewer emails tonight or blocking out an hour on your weekend in favor of spending meaningful time with your clients’ offerings will do you a world of good.

    Here are three things you can try straight away:

    1. Make use of demo videos. One of my clients has produced over 70 product videos in the last year. I’ve watched every single one. Many of them 4 or 5 times, as an in-depth visual demonstration has been critical to my understanding of gear I don’t see in my daily life. If your client doesn’t have demo videos, begin a conversation about getting them produced. 1-3 minute overviews are easy to create, provide context and technical understanding, and act as a perfect learning tool for you AND your media contacts.

    2. Sign up for the webinars. And I don’t just mean the ones your clients perform. Cramming yet another something into your already-overbooked day may seem impossible, but you can make up the hour another time. Much like demo videos, it’ll give you a guided look at something you’d have trouble exploring on your own, and you’ll have a chance to hear questions and answers you wouldn’t necessarily think to pose. If your clients don’t perform webinars for their products, some quick searches online may yield similar sessions performed by customers, reviewers or even competitors.

    3. Request review samples for the team. Many product or gear-focused brands make samples of their products available for reviewers. In anticipation of the interest you’ll be receiving from media, request that one or two samples of your clients’ primary products be sent to your office first so you have a chance to actually hold / aim / wear / test / blend the items before they’re forwarded to your media contacts. Take notes and snap a few photos of yourself or your team putting the gear to use. …And maybe hold off on the blending until the item comes back…

    Be a partner – not a mouthpiece.
    These tactics may not be ground-breaking, but they’re nonetheless necessary. Not only will your clients appreciate the knowledge you demonstrate of their products, but media will also benefit greatly from being able to get a few more of their technical questions answered, right away, by you. What’s more, you’ll be showing both sides that you’re dedicated to understanding the world they work in every day, making you not only the versatile and speedy PR person, but a valuable extension of both their teams.

    Now hurry up and go get some dirt under those fingernails.

  • Three Tips to Host a Successful PR Launch Party

    Three Tips to Host a Successful PR Launch Party

    A few weeks ago, right before the start of New York Fashion Week, I joined three of my Matter colleagues in the Big Apple to host a PR launch party for our client felix + iris, a new e-commerce eyewear brand dedicated to helping consumers find the right fit online.

    As the clock struck 6 p.m. that night, dozens of media members strolled through the entrance doors – from mommy bloggers, to trade publications like 20/20, and even top-tier glossies including InStyle and Family Circle.

    Guests had the chance to meet the brand’s founders; try on some of the most popular frame styles; and order a complimentary pair of glasses. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience – when else will I ever be able to tell a Forbes fashion contributor which pair of frames suit her best?!

    Based on my recent experience, here are three tips to host a successful client launch party:

    1. Work as a Team: In a recent Matter Chatter post, Delia said it best, “teamwork makes the dream work.”From décor to party favors and guest lists, there are so many granular details that go into event planning, which is why you must work as a team to get through the lengthy to-do list. Divide and conquer tasks and have check-in meetings to ensure you’re all on the same page and all tasks are covered.
    2. Plan Ahead:  Public relations professionals know that planning ahead is the best way to approach any type of client news. The same can be said for a launch party. For example, months in advance, start thinking of the look and feel of your event venue – does it represent your brand? Is it convenient for invited media?
      Speaking of invitees, plan a tiered guest list and set dates for various rounds of outreach, including save the dates, invitations, and follow-ups. Stay organized through shared documents and spreadsheets, and hold regular planning meetings with your team to determine what the next steps are, well in advance of the big day.
    3. Be Social:  When the party is in full swing, don’t be afraid to walk up to the reporter who’s alone, tucked away in the corner of the room. Make conversation – ask them if they are enjoying the party; what they like to do in their free time; or relate it back to current events (“what are your plans for Fashion Week?”). You’re more inclined to connect with them on a personal level, and your follow up is bound to resonate well in their inboxes post-event.
      Along with in-person communication, don’t forget the role social media can play in your event. Create an event hashtag and encourage guests to share photos or comments using the hashtag. At the felix + iris party, we accomplished this through our invitations, event signage, and simply weaving the topic into conversations. An online buzz quickly followed, as guests continued to #TakeALook at the new brand.

    By following these guidelines, you’re well on your way to hosting a successful launch party. Most importantly, the stress will mount as you approach launch day, but don’t forget to just have fun throughout the planning process.

  • Planning and Executing a Successful Startup Launch: The Proof is in the Process

    Supporting a startup entering into a market can be a rewarding but difficult process. The ability to not only counsel your client with a timely and strategic plan but also execute that plan smoothly is crucial to the overall success of the announcement. There are different ways to integrate a company into the market and it all depends on the overall goal of the company. One key element to any launch plan is to start early. Why? A couple of reasons:

    • Messaging – With startups, clients rely on our counsel to help craft and shape their messaging for the announcement. Even if the language is shifted down the line, it’s important to get a good foundation started so your client is well-prepared for any initial conversations with influencers.
    • Reporters and Analysts are Busy – Reporters and analysts are constantly being inundated with the latest and greatest in their particular fields of interest – so it’s important to communicate to them why your client is worth speaking to.
    • Industry Advantage Giving time to strategically roll out a launch quietly before the actual announcement not only leads to day-of coverage, but also helps form a solid foundation with key influencers in that industry.

    Matter Communications recently assisted in the launch of an innovative startup using the roll out launch process.

    Fiber Mountain, Inc., developer of the Alpine Orchestration System, Optical Edge Switch and Connectivity Virtualization solutions for hyperscale data centers, came out of stealth mode and launched its company in September at Interop 2014 – a major networking industry conference in New York.

    During our initial planning discussions with Fiber Mountain, we learned that the company’s CEO M.H. Raza was going to be in the Boston area a few weeks prior to the launch date. We decided to leverage this by forming a pre-briefing tour and began reaching out to influential Boston-based analysts and select press to encourage introductory meetings. This allowed Raza to meet with those that would become a regular contact post-launch that we wanted to get in front of and helped build a foundation for important future relationships. Following the company’s Boston tour, we continued the momentum by reaching out to other analyst firms, technology publications as well as those we knew were going to be attending Interop.

    The results: 27 interviews conducted with analysts, press, bloggers and other folks that matter in the data center industry and 13 original articles placed, including features in Forbes, Network World and TechTarget, equaling to approximately 30 million impressions. Between analyst briefings, media coverage from the launch and show floor “buzz”, Fiber Mountain was arguably the most innovative at Interop 2014.

    Have a client launch coming up? Here are some tips to consider when developing your clients’ launch:

    • Start Early – Understand when your client is planning on launching its company and/or product and work backwards on when you should start reaching out to influencers. A good rule of thumb would be to start at least a month or two out. This way, you are giving your team enough time to educate the analysts and/or reporters about the technology and schedule pre-launch interviews.
    • Pre-Brief Media Tour – Set a goal with your team on how many interviews you should work to secure prior to launch. All clients are different and you should set realistic expectations with your clients (e.g. not promising them a slot on Good Morning America right off the bat) but, set reachable goals based on previous experience.
    • Stand Out – When working with your client to plan their launch and the activities leading up to it, figure out a way your client can stand out amongst all of the other pre-existing companies, especially if it is a startup. This can be around a major industry event or show, developing graphics such as an infographic or video, or utilizing a multi-media news release. Understand which avenue aligns with your client’s goals for the launch and plan around it.
    • Use Social Media – This is a given however, many clients do not understand the true value social media channels hold. Educate your client on the importance of aligning a social media campaign along with the actual launch. If your client is unfamiliar with Twitter or Facebook, or isn’t’ even involved on social media, use this as an opportunity to educate them on how it will help promote their launch and future relationships with the analysts and reporters they connect with.
    • Keep the Momentum Going – While both the client and the PR team needs a breather after a huge announcement, don’t stop. Keep the momentum going after the launch to not only secure more coverage and briefings but increase the conversation about your client.

    We want to know. What other tactics or strategies have worked well for your client, product or service launches?

  • Working with the Press – 5 Things I Learned from Attending PhotoPlus Expo

    Working with the Press – 5 Things I Learned from Attending PhotoPlus Expo

    To someone in his or her first year of PR, pitching reporters can often be nerve-wracking or downright scary. I recall my first time picking up the phone to speak with an editor and trying as hard as I could to not freeze and hang up the phone. Last week I was given the opportunity to attend PDN’s PhotoPlus Expo (PPE) in New York City to support some of Matter’s clients in the Digital Imaging Group. PhotoPlus is one of the largest photography imaging shows in North America and is a time for companies in the photography industry to showcase their latest products. It’s also a chance for us in PR to schedule meetings with attending press to visit our client’s booths.

    During the expo it was time to do what PR professionals do best, work with the press and manage the relationship between them and our clients. With press meetings filling most of my day, there was no time to let my nerves get the best of me. Below are five tips I learned from managing press meetings at PPE.

    1. Know Who You’re Meeting and When – Having a detailed schedule of who you’re meeting and when will help you be prepared when it comes time to introduce yourself to the reporter. Chances are you’ll see them before they see you, but when the opposite happens you’ll be able to respond to the reporter effectively without a pause or awkward stare at their credentials.
    2. Be Aware of Your Time and the Reporter’s – It’s pretty common to have multiple meetings scheduled in a row and it’s even more common that a reporter may not show up right at his or her scheduled time. Once the meeting is taking place, take a time check and see how much time the reporter has with your client. If you need to move the meeting along, feel free to do so. Reporters are very busy at tradeshows and they’ll be dealing with many other PR reps like you, so the more helpful you can be to them, the more memorable you’ll be.
    3. Prepare Your Client – A detailed briefing book with interview notes and information on the reporter and the news outlet they work for can help your client make the press meeting more affective. When making the introduction, remind your client what the reporter is interested in. Briefly suggest what your client should start with depending on each reporter’s interest. Is the reporter unfamiliar with your company? Have your client start with a brief rundown of their products and services.
    4. Be Confident – Don’t forget to have some confidence when approaching the press. This will make them feel comfortable and be more engaged. What helped me most was remembering that they are just people and they agreed to schedule this time. You’re not bothering them and in fact you’re actually helping them by making an introduction and getting your client’s attention faster than they may be able to.
    5. Don’t Forget to Network – Have some free time in your schedule? Walk around the show floor and take a glance at attendee’s credentials. You’ll be surprised at the people you run into. From waiting in line at the food court or taking the elevator there’s always a chance to forge a new relationship. But when doing so, be casual and don’t push your client too much. Reporters will be happy to engage in some small talk instead of an elevator pitch on the way up to the fourth floor.

    Working with the press involves a lot of preparation, but when properly prepared can be very enjoyable. Do you have a success story during a press meeting? Tell us about it below.

  • What PR Pros Can Learn From Political Campaigns

    What PR Pros Can Learn From Political Campaigns

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    Election day is almost here, and I have to admit that I’m one of many voters suffering from the “negative ad fatigue.” If you live in a state (or a TV market) where there is a race with national implications, you’ve probably been exposed to more than one ad filled with dubious accusations told in a dramatic narrative.

    A lot of those negative ads with messages like, “Candidate X wants to end the Medicare guarantee,” and “Candidate Y voted to cut veterans benefits” are appeals to the small sliver of voters who are still undecided and need some kind of emotional motivation to support a candidate.
    Putting aside the issue of whether or not negative political ads work – there are reams of research on this for those interested – election season gives us as PR professionals some important reminders and takeaways.
    Here are four key learnings from observing some of the campaigns in this election:

    • Don’t repeat negative language when answering a question: I’ve seen this mistake multiple times, in which a candidate is accused of an ethics violation or of poor decision making, and counters with their own ad in which they repeat the accusation before refuting it. Repeating the negative message puts that candidate in defensive mode and keeps the idea in the voters’ minds. As we counsel our clients, answering a reporter’s question using positive words will likely resonate better for their audiences.
    • Be careful when using humor: I like political ads that are lighter, more fun and effectively use humor. They are a nice break from the dour, doom-and-gloom ads funded by the Super PACs. The problem is many candidates can’t do it very effectively. The same idea applies to those of us designing PR campaigns for businesses. You may come up with something that your audience finds really clever, or it could backfire. Tread carefully.
    • Keep the message simple: I’ve seen more than one political ad this election in which the candidate was trying to tell me all about themselves, but I was overwhelmed with too much information. “Candidate X has done a lot for seniors, is a job creator, has fought against the Washington special interests, is a great mom or dad, had a hardscrabble childhood, is in touch with the struggles of the average person”…and on and on. As we advise our clients, trying to connect with multiple diverse constituencies at once can muddy the waters and not help you stand out. The best candidates are those that pick one key message and stick to it.
    • • Communicate the message in a powerful way: It can be hard to distinguish one candidate’s platform from another. Related to the last point, the best candidates develop a strong narrative about themselves that will inform the way they’ll conduct themselves in office. In PR, it can be difficult to get a reporter to believe that your client’s widgets are better than their competitors’ widgets. But developing a compelling story about your company can make them interesting and set them apart.

    Don’t forget to vote tomorrow. And in case you can’t get enough of political ads, Time Magazine revisits the top ten campaign ads of all time here.

  • Gentlemen, Start Your Mustaches!

    Beginning this morning, I’m joined by a number of guys at our PR and social media firm Matter Communications who are participating in the Movember initiative, a program designed to raise awareness (and funds!) for various forms of men’s cancer, including prostate and testicular, to name only a couple. The Movember Foundation encourages men to grow mustaches to spark conversation and raise money for its men’s health programs – and it’s a perfect initiative for us as the gang here at Matter likes sparking conversation and raising money, too!

    This weekend marked the beginning of the month-long mustache-growing challenge. It’s either the beginning or the end, depending on how you look at it, but what’s clear is that today is the last day in 30 for a clean-shaven upper lip! Below is a shot of our group, all of whom are willing to forego their typical appearance for the purpose of doing good, which I value and appreciate. (And, I’m encouraging you to check back to this blog and visit our Facebook page for pictures of our collective mustache progress in the coming weeks!)

    Beyond the individual and collective accomplishments that happen around here in a week or a month, our organization prioritizes supporting good causes. I’m so proud of the fact that the hard-working team here at Matter volunteers time and energy, and gives to organizations that positively impact so many. (Coincidentally, we’re between efforts for raising awareness for prevention of domestic violence on behalf of the Jeanne Geiger Crisis Center and our annual Thanksgiving Food Drive that benefits the Salvation Army. And, I understand a crowd from Matter just rolled up their sleeves and served dinner at Haven from Hunger, a monthly happening.)

    So, while we’re raising awareness for a good cause, we’re also hoping our mustaches will make folks from the 70’s proud – and we’d love your support! If you are interested in contributing to our cause, please visit this page and search for either Matter Communications or Matter Stache, and thanks in advance for doing so!

    And, again, please keep your eyes peeled for progress related to this initiative! I’ll be joined by several of the guys here at work in looking rather shady in the coming weeks! J