Welcome to Lessons in PR, an ongoing series of public relations tips and advice from the professionals at Matter Communications. Have your own tip to submit? Respond in the comments or email vboynton@matternow.com. As media platforms evolve, public relations is tasked with a continuously growing list of promotional activity. What hasn’t changed, however, is our core responsibility: media relations. Regardless of our individual specialties, it is… Read more »
To observe an elite star at the height of his or her powers can be vexing or inspiring. I suppose that’s why there are Instagram posts and coffee mugs to remind us all that Beyoncé also operates in a day with 24 hours – whether we’re meant to feel bad about ourselves or determined to do more is a matter of perspective. This weekend, I watched… Read more »
I have to admit that on the first day of my internship at Matter Communications I had some major jitters. I had no idea what to expect, and all I knew about PR, or account management in general, were the shady antics that Pete Campbell conducted on “Mad Men.” Having been a journalist with two internships under my belt, I knew I could handle the craziness… Read more »
I chose a career in PR because of the ever-changing nature of the industry. I can never expect the same day-to-day with my consumer clients due to the unpredictability of the retail industry and the enhancement of technology. It’s so important to stay in tune with the hottest trends, but one trend that has not only been pertinent to my consumer accounts, but across a wide… Read more »
As we’re immersed in the development and advances in technology on a daily basis, we probably don’t stop to think what our creations will look like in the future – or further, how they will act. An interesting topic of discussion throughout many industries lately has been around artificial intelligence (AI) and the future it holds for society. One side of the debate is skepticism and… Read more »
Since the time that I was in college, people have been talking about the “death” of print journalism and the shifting media landscape. We talked about it so much in fact, that my then journalism-major girlfriend wound up becoming my lawyer fiancé. Between a PR pro and a lawyer, I’m not sure which side of our union best represents the “dark side” – but I digress…. Read more »
Tomorrow marks my 120th day working at PR Agency, Matter Communications. While they may seem like the fastest four months of my life, they also have been the most valuable. Working in public relations teaches you many things, some of which are important life lessons that will serve you both in your professional career and in everyday life. Here are seven life lessons I have learned… Read more »
In such a fast-paced environment, trust and respect among team members is a critical element for success. That’s why it’s important to periodically take time out of the office, step outside of our comfort zones and get to know colleagues on our PR teams outside of the confines of conference rooms and our inboxes. We recently had the opportunity to venture pretty far out of our comfort… Read more »
As any PR pro knows, staying plugged in to the news is a must. Everything from world headlines to national stories, tech trends, pop culture, and whatever’s trending day-to-day on social media – staying ‘in the know’ helps us be creative and gives us an edge when pitching fresh, new angles to reporters. That’s great, but who has the time, patience and attention span to absorb… Read more »
As you may have caught on the news on your drive in yesterday morning or throughout the day on Wednesday, it’s a big week for drugstore chain (and Matter client) CVS. Earlier this year CVS Caremark made a commitment to stop selling cigarettes and other tobacco products at all CVS/pharmacy stores by October 1, 2014 – becoming the first national pharmacy to do so. Yesterday morning CVS officially… Read more »
What do Nike Shoes, local brews, foodies, hipsters and Matter Communications all have in common? Simple – all can be found in Portland Oregon. I have been fortunate enough to spend this week with some of Matter’s newest cohorts in our recently added Portland office. While I am here in an official capacity, it has hardly felt that way. There is something in the air in… Read more »
Everyone knows the common saying among creative professionals: “There’s never a dumb idea while brainstorming.” Jokes aside, being a member of the Matter Communications team, whether in Portland or Newburyport, we often find ourselves searching for creative ideas among our colleagues, both on and off the account in question, to expand our clients’ reach within their respective industries. Matter has developed such a strong repertoire of… Read more »
A bi-coastal, cross-office exchange program – how cool is that? With the importance of office culture always top-of-mind at Matter Communications, a program was created wherein each month two professionals from our East Coast locations are offered the opportunity to visit our new Portland, OR location. The goal: foster work relationships and encourage collaboration. Sarah Ellis and myself were recently (and fortunately) selected for the trip,… Read more »
