• Crisis Ready in 2025: Why Your Organization Needs a Custom Crisis Communications Plan

    Crisis Ready in 2025: Why Your Organization Needs a Custom Crisis Communications Plan

    At the beginning of this year, we outlined the key threats we predict organizations will encounter and the crisis communication strategies leaders can use to stay prepared. Over the next several weeks, we’ll examine each of these tactics in more detail – starting with crisis communication protocols and scenario planning.

    Why Have a Crisis Communications Plan?

    Many organizations lack a formal crisis communications plan, leaving them vulnerable to issues when they arise. An effective crisis communications protocol is essential for protecting reputation, maintaining stakeholder trust – including employees- and minimizing harm, no matter the scale of an incident.

    A crisis communications protocol is a guiding framework that enables an organization’s leadership team respond quickly, consistently, and meaningfully during high-pressure situations. Without a clear, pre-defined strategy, teams scramble, responses are delayed, and mistakes magnify. The organizations that navigate crises successfully know that crisis readiness means having a plan in place before you need it – not figuring it out as you go.

    What an Effective Protocol Includes:

    • Defined Roles & Responsibilities: Establishes a centralized Incident Communications Team (ICT) and clear processes to manage communication efforts.
    • Decision Making & Information Flow Structure: Ensures rapid response and alignment with broader operational crisis management efforts.
    • Prepared Messaging: Provides templates for high-priority incidents to enable swift, effective communications.
    • Guidance for Tailored Responses: Promotes agility while keeping messages proactive, thoughtful, and consistent across channels and audiences.

    A Crisis Communications Plan is NOT:

    • A Business Continuity Plan or operational recovery guide. While related, a crisis communications protocol focuses specifically on communication strategies, not logistics or operational recovery.
    • A step-by-step manual for every possible scenario. It includes adaptable templates, and when trained on the process properly, it empowers the team to make informed decisions based on the context of each incident.

    Key Considerations Before You Plan:

    • Cross-Department Collaboration: While primarily supporting communications and marketing, crisis communications protocols must align with all business operations and include input from across the organization. Looking at issues that require specialized and nuanced approaches, HR teams may need to manage internal messaging during a workforce reduction, while legal and compliance teams should be involved in regulatory or litigation-related crises.
    • Inherent Risks: Identify high-priority risks unique to your business or industry.For example, a university may focus on student and campus safety, while a technology company prepares for security breaches. An AEC (architecture, engineering & construction) firm may outline specific strategies for natural disasters, whereas a financial services organization prioritizes fraud response.
    • Level of Impact: Every organization must align internally on what qualifies as a crisis and how incidents should be categorized. Looking at one incident across sectors, an employee fraud issue may escalate into a full-blown crisis for a bank or nonprofit, where ethics and governance are under the spotlight. However, a large enterprise may consider this a low-level HR issue rather than a crisis.
    • Escalation Framework: Many organizations uncover internal process gaps while developing their crisis protocol. Use this time to streamline workflows and ensure smooth coordination between operations and communications. For instance, if there is a product recall or widespread service outage, customer service must be equipped to quickly flag potential issues, enabling a coordinated response that includes product teams, compliance, public messaging, and direct outreach to impacted customers.

    Don’t get caught flat-footed when a crisis emerges. By arming your organization with a strong crisis communications plan, you can lead the narrative rather than react to it.

    Need help getting started? We’ve developed crisis protocols for organizations of all sizes across industries. Let’s talk.

    Julianna Sheridan

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  • 3 2025 Super Bowl Ads That Got Us Talking: Tubi, Dunkin’, and Fetch

    3 2025 Super Bowl Ads That Got Us Talking: Tubi, Dunkin’, and Fetch

    Every year, brands pull out all the stops to make a splash. Some go for patriotic, some go for sentimental, while others go for absurdity. This year, three ads caught our attention and got us talking. Melody Curran (Brand Strategist) and Rory Nolan (Creative Copywriter) broke down the Tubi, Dunkin’, and Fetch commercials — analyzing what made them stick with us from both creative and strategic perspectives — and highlighted the importance of aligning strategy and creative toward a common campaign goal.

    1. Tubi: Weird, Wild and Western

    Ever heard of Tubi before this year’s Super Bowl? Yeah, us neither. But their ad made sure we’d remember the name. The spot featured a kid with a cowboy hat… that was part of his skull. Yep, you read that right.

    The ad leaned into the absurd while subtly playing on trends. Westerns were once America’s favorite genre, but fantasy has taken the crown in recent years. We have a hunch that Tubi cleverly (and creepily) used that data point  to showcase its broad selection of content. And it worked.

    We couldn’t stop talking about the underlying message: your media preferences are part of your identity. From Yellowstone-loving city slickers to fantasy fans sporting wizard hats, the ad reminded us that Tubi has something for everyone — no matter what genre speaks to you.

    The Verdict: Memorable, weird, and surprisingly insightful. We’ll be thinking about that cowboy hat for a while.

    2. Dunkin’: All Celebrities, No Substance

    Ah, Dunkin’ — the beloved Massachusetts staple. This year, the coffee giant went big with a celebrity-stuffed spectacle featuring Ben Affleck, Casey Affleck, Jeremy Strong, Bill Belichick, Bill Belichick’s girlfriend and more. It was loud, beyond colorful, and jam-packed with pop-culture references.

    The problem? It tried to do too much. Between the pop-culture nods, the over-the-top humor and the sheer number of stars crammed into 60 seconds, the core message got lost. We couldn’t help but wonder: What was the plan here?

    We get it — Dunkin’ doesn’t need to introduce itself. But this felt more like a flex than a clear, cohesive ad. The best part? A brief moment of real, relatable banter about Dunkin’ being for “real” people. If they’d leaned into that, maybe the ad would’ve hit harder.

    The Verdict: A classic case of “too much of a good thing.” Dunkin’, we love you, but next time, maybe skip the Dune references.

    3. Fetch: A Stunt That Missed the Mark

    Fetch took a big swing with a Super Bowl giveaway, promising $10,000 to 120 lucky viewers who participated through their app. The idea was solid: turn a passive ad experience into an interactive event (while hacking their big game ad-buy). But in execution? It fell flat.

    For starters, Fetch isn’t exactly a household name. The ad didn’t do enough to explain what the app actually does (it’s a rewards platform for everyday purchases, like groceries) ahead of encouraging downloads – a direct response strategy. Instead, viewers got a vague message and an arguably clunky process that required them to stay on the app for 10 minutes to participate in the giveaway. We’re curious how many of those that did download the app kept it on their phone and learned more about what Fetch Rewards does the other 364 days of the year.

    We admired the ambition, though. Fetch used its budget to give back to consumers instead of just paying celebrities — something you don’t see often enough. They also saw a huge lift in site traffic with a 803% spike on Feb. 9th, according to Similarweb. But without more brand awareness or clearer instructions, the stunt likely left many viewers scratching their heads and may lead to a drop off in traffic, app downloads post-event versus capturing long-term, loyal customers.

    The Verdict: A promising concept that needed more groundwork. Maybe next year, Fetch.

    Super Bowl ads are like halftime shows: some blow you away, some leave you baffled, and all of them get people talking. Tubi won the “weird but compelling” award, Dunkin’ went celebrity-overload, and Fetch tried to hack the system with mixed results.

    At the end of the day, these ads reminded us that creativity, strategy and clarity matter more than celebrity cameos or flashy stunts. And if you’re going to attach a cowboy hat to someone’s skull, well, you better have a solid story to back it up.

    What did you think of these ads? Did Tubi’s weirdness work for you? Did Dunkin’ make you laugh? And did you even know what Fetch was before the giveaway? Let us know!

    Rory Nolan

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  • Mastering Media Interviews: The Art of Bridging

    Mastering Media Interviews: The Art of Bridging

    Media interviews can take unexpected turns, but that doesn’t mean you have to lose control of your message. Whether you’re facing a tough question or simply steering the conversation where it needs to go, bridging is a valuable tool. Done well, it keeps you composed and ensures your audience walks away with the right takeaway.

    Use Bridging Techniques to Stay on Track

    Bridging keeps your key messages at the center of the conversation during media interviews. A simple way to think about it is using the ABCs:

    • Acknowledge the question – Show that you’ve heard and understood what’s being asked.
    • Bridge to your message – Use a neutral phrase to transition smoothly without sounding dismissive.
    • Communicate your key message – Reinforce the main point you want the audience to remember.

    However, bridging phrases aren’t just canned responses and they work best when used strategically. Here are four ways to apply them in real-world scenarios:

    Avoiding Comparisons

    A reporter might ask, “Isn’t your platform just another tool in an already crowded market?” This is an opportunity to differentiate your offering rather than get caught in a comparison:

    • “That’s one way to look at it, but what sets us apart is how our AI is built specifically for enterprise workflows, reducing manual effort and improving accuracy at scale.”
    • “The real value here is in how our platform integrates seamlessly with existing tech stacks, solving a key adoption challenge for IT leaders.”

    This keeps the discussion centered on what makes your solution unique.

    Addressing Questions Outside Your Expertise

    If a reporter asks about quarterly revenue projections and you’re the CTO, not the CFO, you need to stay in your lane while still offering value:

    • “I can’t speak to specific financials, but I can tell you that demand has been strong, and we’re seeing rapid adoption in key industries like retail and supply chain.”
    • “Our finance team handles that, but from a technology standpoint, we’re investing heavily in R&D to ensure our platform stays ahead of evolving security threats.”

    This approach prevents speculation while reinforcing relevant points about your company’s progress.

    Reframing a Question to Provide Clarity

    Sometimes, a question frames an issue in a way that doesn’t reflect the full picture. If asked, “Won’t increased automation lead to job losses?” you can reframe and redirect:

    • “What we’re actually seeing is that automation is freeing up teams to focus on higher-value work, reducing burnout and improving job satisfaction.”
    • “The conversation isn’t about replacing jobs—it’s about enabling teams to work more efficiently while improving outcomes for customers.”

    This allows you to correct misconceptions and shift the discussion to a more constructive angle.

    Wrapping Up and Closing Strong

    Reporters will almost always end an interview by asking, “Is there anything I did not ask you?” Never pass on this question. A strong close reinforces your message and ensures your key points stick. If an interview is wrapping up, you might say:

    • “At the end of the day, our goal is to help enterprises harness AI in a way that’s practical, secure, and delivers real business value.”
    • “This is about making complex technology easier to implement and manage so businesses can focus on growth, not IT headaches.”

    Final Thoughts

    Effective bridging isn’t about dodging questions but steering the conversation with confidence. It helps you stay in control of interviews, making sure your key messages land, no matter what you’re asked. With preparation and practice, you can turn even the toughest questions into opportunities to reinforce what matters most.

    Want to make the most of your media interviews? Matter’s Media Training Services can help your executives refine their messaging and handle tough questions with confidence.

    Andrew Petro

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  • A Healthcare Social Media Checkup: Dos and Don’ts of Social Media Marketing for Healthcare Orgs

    A Healthcare Social Media Checkup: Dos and Don’ts of Social Media Marketing for Healthcare Orgs

    Whether you’re a health tech firm, consumer health and wellness brand or a healthcare provider, social media marketing has taken many twists and turns over the past few years. From increased fragmentation of social media channels to new channels like Bluesky to increased politicization to concerns about overly aggressive content moderation, it’s never been more challenging to navigate effective social media marketing. At the same time, healthcare orgs are navigating other marketing challenges, like adapting to AI, changing healthcare consumer behaviors and HIPAA rules. There’s a need to maximize ROI from every social channel. So what’s working and what’s not in 2025? Here are some do’s and don’ts. 

    DO: Get Visual

    With so much content on social media, it’s important for brands to stand out. Channels like LinkedIn are really leaning into short-form video, as video drives 5x more engagement than other types of content. To increase brand awareness, companies should develop quality video content of patient success stories, behind-the-scenes in hospitals, and health tips, to name a few. Executives can also share their honest, transparent insights on a specific topic in a short clip.

    DO: Get Collaborative

    Partnering with another brand that has a large and similar target audience is a great way to boost awareness. Matter recently developed a social media strategy for a client to raise brand awareness. It involved the client running an organic campaign to fundraise $10,000 for a NYC-based nonprofit.​ In just two days, we reached our goal and grew our client’s audience by 32%.

    DO: Share Employee Spotlights

    Highlighting employees’ achievements on social media not only boosts morale and team culture but also helps spread brand awareness. A Sprout Social survey of 1,110 US social media users found that over half of engaged social users are most likely to share employee updates. Healthcare companies should start an employee spotlight series, such as a “Meet the Team” or Employee of the Month to reach a wider audience.

    DON’T: Post Inconsistently

    How often a healthcare company should post on social media varies by platform, but we typically recommend companies post relevant content at least 2-3x per week to grow their audience and increase engagement. Publishing consistently also helps build an online community.

    DON’T: Be Overly Promotional

    Sharing a variety of content on social media, such as educational posts, patient stories, executive POVs and industry news are all great for building visibility and a committed following. Healthcare companies that use social media to sell or self-promote can cause followers to lose interest and unfollow the page.

    DON’T: Appear Too Formal

    Remember, social media is meant to be social. Don’t be afraid to start conversations by asking questions in captions. Questions can be simple, like “How do you cope with stress?” Healthcare companies can also utilize the polls feature on social media platforms, such as LinkedIn and X, to ask their audience for their perspectives about any topic. Polls can be light-hearted or more focused on products and research. 

    While there are many benefits to social media in healthcare, leveraging it can be challenging due to industry regulations. Before publishing, healthcare companies must ensure the content does not violate regulations, such as HIPAA.

    About HIPAA Compliance

    HIPAA privacy laws protect patient health information from being disclosed publicly. Before posting on social media, it’s important for organizations to develop policies with their legal counsel and train their social team. For example, healthcare companies are required to receive written consent and HIPAA authorization to disclose personal health information from a patient before publishing stories, photos, or videos. Failure to do so may result in serious consequences. HIPAA compliance on social media is intricate, and it’s important for organizations to develop a clear plan to ensure patient confidentiality. Working with an organization like Matter that has expertise in navigating these regulations can make all the difference when it comes to a streamlined content development and review process. 

    Overall, social media presents a uniquely valuable opportunity for healthcare brands. These platforms can help companies build brand awareness, strengthen trust, generate site traffic, and increase industry engagement. With almost five billion social media users globally, most looking for helpful educational content from healthcare brands, the sky is the limit for healthcare companies that engage meaningfully and authentically. 

    Greg Amaral

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