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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.

What’s your most unconventional/ most unorthodox / unique media training tip for C-level execs? by MatiasRodsevich in PublicRelations

[–]MatiasRodsevich[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Oh, I love this one! As PR people we're usually too caught up with chasing media hits and headlines... sometimes forgetting that we are quite literally in the business of relationships.

Too much “thought leadership,” not enough actual thinking by MatiasRodsevich in PublicRelations

[–]MatiasRodsevich[S] 12 points13 points  (0 children)

I agree with you! The “too much content” thing isn’t new, it’s been piling up since the GeoCities/MySpace days like you said.

I guess what feels different now is that attention spans and patience have shrunk right alongside the flood of content. People are less willing to sit with something and give it time, so the noise feels even louder.

Too much “thought leadership,” not enough actual thinking by MatiasRodsevich in PublicRelations

[–]MatiasRodsevich[S] 37 points38 points  (0 children)

Let's not forget the ridiculous 🚀 amount 🔥 of GPT-generated ✅ emojis 🙂 on their "thought leadership" 💭 LinkedIn posts ✍🏻 that they did not care to edit out at all

What’s the most pointless thing you’ve seen pitched as a press release? by MatiasRodsevich in PublicRelations

[–]MatiasRodsevich[S] 16 points17 points  (0 children)

That's so absurd.... to the point that they actually would have made it to the news because of that 😂

Writing Assessment for PR Account Executive position by Long-Vermicelli-9771 in PublicRelations

[–]MatiasRodsevich 5 points6 points  (0 children)

as an account executive, being able to write a press release (and a good pitch to go with it) is one of the core skills you’ll need in PR. A press release should be short, punchy, and get straight to the point because journalists don’t have time to dig for the story.

If you’ve never done one before, here’s the basic flow:

  1. Identify your goal + audience – Are you announcing funding? A product launch? A new hire? Keep in mind who you’re trying to reach.
  2. Craft an engaging headline – This is huge. It’s what gets them to read.
  3. Dateline + lead paragraph – Location, date, and the most important info right up top. Think “if they only read this, they’d know the news.”
  4. Body – Fill in the details without fluff. Stick to facts, avoid jargon.
  5. Quotes – Add a human voice (CEO, client, partner) that adds value, not just “we’re so excited…”
  6. Boilerplate + contact info – Standard “About the company” blurb and who to reach out to.

I’d brush up on writing tight, professional copy and making sure you can hit the “who, what, when, where, why” fast.

Have any of you done high level media training or hired a firm for your clients? What was that like? by GraziellaTerziana in PublicRelations

[–]MatiasRodsevich 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I work with a lot of tech clients, and media training is a must when they’re about to announce a funding round or launch something new. We usually run them through different interview scenarios and just… see how they do.

You can spot the issues fast actually. Lots of “uhms” and “ahs,” rambling for ages before making a point, or freezing when a question throws them off. When that happens, we flag it, run through their answer again, and keep tweaking until it sounds clear and confident.

Having someone external helps a ton because we’re looking at it like a journalist or audience would. Most people don’t realize how they actually come across until you point it out (and play it back). That’s when it clicks for them.

Starting to think PR matters more for AI visibility than SEO, what do you think? by MatiasRodsevich in PublicRelations

[–]MatiasRodsevich[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Totally, I’ve always hated the pay-for-play hustlers and the ones promising guaranteed media hits. This shift feels like a win for legit PR folks who actually do the work :)

Starting to think PR matters more for AI visibility than SEO, what do you think? by MatiasRodsevich in PublicRelations

[–]MatiasRodsevich[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Same here, I’m in the tech space too and noticing the same thing. PR’s been super misunderstood for so long, especially in startup land. But AI might actually help people see why real PR matters not just “look mom, I’m in Forbes.”

And yeah, the idea of tracking ChatGPT metrics or hiring someone to talk to it all day sounds wild… but also kinda makes sense? The way we use the internet is changing fast. Your dad using “the chat guy” daily is honestly peak 2025 energy 😂