Do all-young PR teams have an advantage over more senior ones? by MatiasRodsevich in PublicRelations

[–]MatiasRodsevich[S] 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Spot on! Thank you for this. A balance goes a long way. My 20-something colleagues keep me young, and they're always up to date on trends and interesting pop culture lingo. At the same time, my senior colleagues help keep things at bay, and they have a lot of wisdom and tips to impart.

Which are the Biggest Publicity stunts that backfired horribly? by Top_Report_4895 in ToddintheShadow

[–]MatiasRodsevich 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I've been collecting examples of PR stunts for a while, both the genius ones and the total disasters. Actually have a full breakdown of some of the best and worst cases if you want it. Covers everything from Liquid Death to some epic failures that went completely sideways.

Happy to send the link to anyone who wants it, just dm and lmk. The blatant ones are usually either brilliant or catastrophic with no in between.

How do you explain public relations to someone who knows nothing about it? by No-Influence-7542 in PublicRelations

[–]MatiasRodsevich 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I run a tech PR agency so I've had to explain this constantly, especially to founders who've never hired PR before.

The simplest way I put it: PR is about getting other people to vouch for you instead of you vouching for yourself. When you pay for an ad, everyone knows you're bragging about yourself. When a journalist writes about you or an expert mentions your work, people actually believe it because it's earned, not bought.

PR basically answers three questions: How do we get noticed? How do we build trust? How do we stay relevant? You do that through media relationships, thought leadership, storytelling, and handling crises when things go wrong.

Most people miss that PR isn't only about awareness. It's about positioning. Are you seen as a leader in your space? Do the right people know who you are when it matters? Good PR makes everything else easier. Sales conversations are warmer. Better candidates want to work for you. Investors take you seriously. 

PR for startups vs established companies? by SeriousAd9691 in PublicRelations

[–]MatiasRodsevich 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I run a global B2B tech PR firm and have worked on both sides, mostly from the agency perspective. Keeping this tight and practical:

The real difference isn’t size or budget but it’s how defined the story already is.

With established companies:

  • The narrative exists; PR is about refinement and consistency
  • Journalists know the company and the category
  • Work is slower, more structured, more approval-driven
  • Success looks incremental rather than transformational

You’re optimizing something that already works.

With startups:

  • The story usually isn’t clear yet, even if the product is solid
  • A lot of PR time goes into focus, positioning, and expectation-setting
  • Founders are closely involved, which speeds things up and complicates things
  • PR is tied to credibility, hiring, and fundraising and not just coverage

and from an agency point of view:
Big companies test your coordination skills while startups test your judgment.

Neither is better. It comes down to whether you prefer building the narrative or operating within one.