• Media on the Move: April 2023

    Media on the Move: April 2023

    April showers bring…B2B media moves? This month was all about our B2B friendlies. From covering the latest in cyber and AI – ChatGPT, anyone? – to new technology and business beats, we’re sharing the top moves you need to know to keep your media strategy sharp.

    Axios

    Maria Cristina Curi was hired as a tech policy reporter based on Capitol Hill and will be assisting in the launch of a new tech policy newsletter. Most recently, she was a tech reporter at Bloomberg News and before that covered cybersecurity, telecom and the FCC for Bloomberg Law.

    Bloomberg News

    Crystal Tse has taken over as the Bloomberg Deals activism reporter in the U.S. She joined Bloomberg in 2016 and has covered equity capital markets in Asia, including public and private fundraising and related market regulations.

    Alexandra Semenova has joined Bloomberg as markets reporter. Most recently, she was a reporter at Yahoo Finance and MandateWire.

    CBS News

    Kris Van Cleave is now the senior transportation & national correspondent. He previously covered the Congress beat.

    The Chronicle of Higher Education

    David Jesse joined the team as a reporter covering college leadership. Previously, he was the higher education reporter at the Detroit Free Press.

    Information Week

    João-Pierre S. Ruth has been promoted to senior editor. He will continue to cover tech policy, including ethics, privacy, legislation and risk; fintech; code strategy; and cloud & edge computing.

    Morning Brew

    Patrick Kulp has joined Morning Brew as a tech reporter covering how businesses are investing in technologies like AI, cloud computing, AR/VR and more. Previously, he was a senior emerging tech reporter at Adweek.

    NBC News

    Sara Ruberg has been promoted to associate producer for NBC’s business, technology and innovation unit. Previously, she was a news associate covering business and technology.

    Runtime News

    Tom Krazit, former Protocol reporter, launched Runtime, a new enterprise tech publication focused on enterprise software/hardware, cloud, cyber, data management, AI and more.

    The Verge

    Adi Robertson took on a new role as senior editor for tech and policy. She joined the publication in 2023 as a news writer and has since reported on tech policy, video games, virtual and augmented reality, biohacking, and tech history.

    Matter

  • Helping Hands 100 Item Drive

    Helping Hands 100 Item Drive

    Matter’s award-winning Helping Hands volunteer program is a core part of our company’s culture and identity. Our motto is, “People in need matter. Helping hands matter.”

    To kick off 2023’s volunteer efforts, we launched an agency-wide initiative called the “100 Item Drive.” Our goal – to support local organizations across our nationwide office communities by collecting 100 items to donate by the 100th day of the year, April 10th! Our teams in each office chose which organizations they wanted to collect items for and from Boston to Denver, we worked together to gather the items needed most by our chosen charities.

    From books for a women’s shelter and dog/cat food and paper goods for multiple animal rescues to new socks for deployed soldiers and hand-made fleece blankets for a homeless coalition, we were able to collectively donate over 700 items to help give back!

    Like our CEO Scott Signore always says, “I believe in good people. Everything else will follow.” We value our colleagues, clients, their families and the communities they live in, so continuing to provide opportunities that allow us to spend time giving back and supporting those around us remains a top priority at Matter.

    I couldn’t be prouder to work in a place filled with so many people who are passionate about making a difference, and this drive is a testament that together our time and efforts can do just that!  See below for a list of the organizations we worked with in what I’m sure will be the first of many annual “100 Item Drives.”

    Click to learn more about these amazing organizations

    Sojourner House

    RI Food Bank

    Crossroads RI

    Sweet Paws Animal Rescue

    Warm Feet for Warriors Project through Soldiers’ Angels

    Rosie’s Place

    MSPCA

    Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh

    Buffalo Cares

    Lollypop Farm

    Willow Domestic Violence Center

    North Texas Wildlife Center

    Colorado Coalition for Homeless

    Denver Animal Shelter

    Denver Rescue Mission

    Matter MKTG

  • Gusto Comes Out Swinging: Team Ends Q1 with a Combo of New Video Clients + Award-winning Podcast Projects

    Matter’s Creative Content House Helps Marketers Boost Brand Awareness and Reach Audiences with Video Production, Motion Graphics Design + Podcasts.

    BOSTON, April 12, 2023 — Gusto — a Matter company and creative content house that brings brands to life with award-winning video and podcast production — today announced its continued momentum highlighted by seven key additions to an extensive client roster of brands across healthcare, B2B technology and consumer markets. 

    Proving return on investment (ROI) remains a top priority for marketers facing increased budget scrutiny, so every piece of content must support key business drivers. Semrush’s annual State of Content Marketing Report shows that video is the top-performing content format (45% of responses), with short-form video being the most effective format. With proven expertise in maximizing ROI through video strategies and execution – from product videos and explainers to commercials and original series – Gusto is uniquely positioned to further elevate brands as a part of Matter’s holistic PR and marketing efforts.

    “I’m always impressed by their attention to detail and overall high production value,” said Jessen Wehrwein, Chief Marketing and Culture Officer at Quantic Electronics. “Most recently, Gusto helped us ring in our company’s second anniversary with an impactful milestone video. We’re excited to continue this content partnership well into the future.”

    Gusto’s video and podcasting experience continues to expand across a diverse range of verticals, including advanced hardware, software enablement tech, healthcare, robotics, cybersecurity, climate technologies and more. Leveraging a mix of video production, motion graphics design and podcasting, the group’s new client partners include: 

    • Asensus Surgical – a medical device company pioneering the use of Augmented Intelligence and Machine Learning to reimagine robotic surgery by addressing the clinical and economic challenges associated with current laparoscopic and robotic options in today’s value-based healthcare environment.
    • Energy Harbor – a premier carbon-free power producer with the second largest nuclear fleet in the country and a fully integrated retail energy supplier.
    • Lattice Semiconductor – the low power programmable leader that solves customer problems across the network, from the Edge to the Cloud, in the growing communications, computing, industrial, automotive and consumer markets.
    • Multi-Health Systems, Inc. – a leading developer of innovative scientific assessments and technology solutions.
    • Ostro – a leading healthcare engagement platform that creates personalized healthcare journeys that boost engagement and drive improved value for consumers, HCPs and life sciences brands.
    • Quantic Electronics – an electronic component company that brings together the industry’s most distinguished electronics and manufacturing experts in an elite portfolio of complementary design, engineering and manufacturing businesses.
    • Vercara (formerly Neustar Security Services) – a purpose-built, global, cloud-based security platform that provides layers of protection to safeguard businesses’ online presence, no matter where attacks originate or where they are aimed.

    Gusto’s production of the inaugural podcast season with the ACLU of Massachusetts was recently honored in the 27th Annual Webby Awards, hailed as the “Internet’s highest honor” by The New York Times.

    “Honorees like Gusto are setting the standard for innovation and creativity on the Internet,” said Claire Graves, President of The Webby Awards. “It is an incredible achievement to be selected among the best from the nearly 14,000 entries we received this year.”

    With creative professionals across Matter’s offices, Gusto’s award-winning producers, editors, animators, cinematographers and storytellers deliver high-performance assets that help clients inform, engage and inspire the groups they want to reach.

    To learn more about Gusto and see their award-winning work, visit www.letsgusto.com.

    About Matter Communications 
    Matter is a Brand Elevation Agency that integrates PR, marketing and creative services into content-rich campaigns that inspire action and build value. Founded in 2003, with eight offices spanning North America, Matter works with the world’s most innovative companies across healthcare, high-technology, consumer technology and consumer markets. For more information, visit https://www.matternow.com.

    Contact
    Matter 
    Greg Amaral 
    [email protected] 
    www.matternow.com 

    Matter

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  • RSAC 2023 Preview: Q+A With Michelle Adams-Dixon 

    Ahead of RSA Conference 2023, Tim Hurley, EVP and cybersecurity team leader at Matter, sat down with Michelle Adams-Dixon, VP of Global Marketing and Communications at RSAC, to get the scoop on cybersecurity’s biggest annual event. 

    1. The theme of RSAC 2023 is a great one – “Stronger Together.” How are you seeing the cybersecurity community collaborate more effectively at the Conference and beyond?  

    Each year RSAC purposefully creates a new theme for the Conference. As we go through the process of creating a theme for the following year’s event, we look to see what is trending in cybersecurity and create a topic or “anthem” theme that resonates throughout the entire Conference – the keynotes, breakouts, discussion on the show floor, etc. This year, when we went through the process, we aimed to build a manifesto for the industry, and community is what we came up with. Then as we evolved our thinking, we realized it was not just community but the strength and camaraderie, and how individuals come together to work best when they have a sense of community.  

    “Stronger Together” really pulls at the heartstrings and it literally made the hair on our arms go up! So, we knew we hit the right theme. It can be applied in so many different areas – how individuals can advance their careers, solve joint problems together and innovate in ways that they could not do individually. We also know that the industry does not sleep. So Stronger Together is not only about protecting your businesses, your assets and your employees, but also your families and your mental health. What we have seen is the community coming together in supporting one another in ways we had not seen before. That, in essence, is why we felt Stronger Together was the right message for us in 2023. 

    2. What is noticeably different or new at the event this year, and what are RSAC organizers particularly proud to show off this year?   

    We added several new aspects to the Conference. One of the big things is the footprint in terms of the schedule. Last year, for the first time ever, we went from Monday-Friday to a Monday-Thursday schedule. This year, we are keeping that format but with some changes. Unlike in previous years, Monday will be a full day of content and programs, with the expo floor opening on Monday evening.  

    At the close on Thursday afternoon, we will present the “Hugh Thompson Show” to recap the four days of RSAC with some exciting guests. We are really proud of this. Hugh is, of course, a Managing Partner at Crosspoint Capital Partners (our private equity owner), and for the past 13 years has served as Program Committee Chairman of RSA Conference. So, there is a lot of great synergy there.  

    The RSAC Innovation Sandbox contest will take place on Monday as usual. That will be exciting and competitive. In fact, we had a 150 percent increase in submissions this year. On Tuesday, we will bring back RSAC Launch Pad for earlier-stage innovators, which is literally for entrepreneurs who have ideas on the back of napkins in the very formative stages. Three contestants will present in a “Shark Tank” style competition to three judges. They will get feedback, strategic guidance and possible mentorship from the judges. Launch Pad started in 2019 and was let go last year given our virtual format, so we are excited to bring this back! 

    3. How would you assess the industry’s progress with its collective DE&I initiatives since last June’s RSAC?

    There is a perpetual need to increase progress across the industry — not just for RSAC, but for cybersecurity in general. I feel we are making some strong progress. As many know, we made it a mandate a few years back, to have diverse voices on stage. Every panel has a mandate for at least one female participant, which has been very well-received. We have also put a lot of work into our partnerships to ensure greater participation by individuals with diverse backgrounds. For example, RSAC partners with Cyber Jitsu, Cyversity, Black Girls in Cyber, Share the Mic and many others. This helps increase cybersecurity awareness within these organizations and makes it easier for people to connect with our diverse speakers.  

    There are a few other programs to highlight. We have an Inclusive Security Welcome Network Breakfast on Wednesday, followed by Inclusive Security track sessions. We also have a Women’s Networking reception on Tuesday, which is open to all attendees – male and female – and it usually is a big draw. Additionally, on Thursday we created a College Day. We open up passes to students studying cyber or engineering and we have our Security Scholar Program for students attending from some of the top universities across the country.  

    Finally, a few years ago we introduced RSAC 365, a year-round content creation initiative to stay connected to our community, but also to help mentor and guide those individuals, who might not be ready for the big stage at RSAC, to hone their skills during the year.  

    All these programs and initiatives are designed to show our support for DE&I. 

    4. Based on current registrations, overall attendance, as well as participating media and analysts, RSAC appears to be stronger than in 2022. What do you attribute that to?   

    Last year after moving the Conference to June, we had about 26,000 attendees. RSAC 2023 is already stronger across the board. We came into this year with a goal of attaining pre-COVID (2019) numbers of 43,000 attendees overall. I’m happy to share that we are currently trending above that number. We are seeing that individuals just want to get back together at live events. It’s time. The same is true with sporting events, concerts and conferences generally.  

    That said, we will have strong health and safety protocols in place and will follow mandates issued by the city of San Francisco so that everyone can have a good time, be safe and learn in this environment.  

    Regarding press and analysts, we are also trending toward hitting or surpassing 2019 numbers. We have more than 300 individuals registered so far this year. We also added a category for individual content creators, which has been a popular one. 

    5. What is your one “can’t miss” keynote or session?  

    The keynotes of course are the cornerstone of our program. There are some “tried and true” sessions, such as The SANS Institute’s “The Five Most Dangerous New Attack Techniques,” which has been presented many times previously that I’d highlight, as well as speeches from U.S. Deputy Attorney Lisa Monaco, science journalist Claire Malone and futurist Dr. Michio Kaku, to name a few. We have also invited four TED Talks speakers to present an abridged version of their TED Talks throughout the week. Those should be of great interest as well. 

    6. What is your “secret tip” for PR or comms professionals looking to line up meetings with top reporters this year?   

    We reviewed a bit of this during our Exhibitor’s Webcast recently. Here are some of the PR basics: Find the news hook. What is it you have to say that is trending in the news? And it needs to be more than an opinion. Be prepared to lead with data and research. It is so important to capture attention. Also, review the list of attending journalists and analysts and approach them well ahead of time. Finally for exhibitors, be sure to leverage and utilize our press rooms for 1:1 meetings which provide a quieter, more private spot than the booths.  

    7. What are your recommendations for someone attending their very first RSAC?  

    We have a new “first timer” program this year. On Sunday night from 5-7 pm, we are hosting a reception for those individuals who have never attended RSAC. We are combining that event with our Loyalty Plus program (those who have attended five or more RSAC events). This allows us to connect “newbies” with “RSAC veterans” to answer any questions. If you are new to RSAC, go to our website to review all our information and content, and to reserve a seat for any sessions that interest you.  

    We have also created a new and improved mobile “experience” that will be helpful. This is not an app, but a way to navigate RSAC effectively and in a user-friendly way. Finally, are the common-sense tips: Wear comfortable shoes, pack a granola bar or other snack, and be sure to bring a water bottle. 

    8. RSAC can’t be all work. What is your recommendation for a little R&R during RSAC this year?

    That’s for sure. On our site, we provide a few pages of information in our Venue section. San Francisco is such a great walking city, so I always advise folks to get into town a day early if possible, to check it out. Another great spot for unwinding and getting some fresh air is the Yerba Buena Gardens right across from the Moscone Center. I highly recommend that. Finally, my favorite thing to do post-event is to book a spa appointment – nothing better!  

    Tim Hurley