Creative: Having the quality or power of creating. Resulting from originality of thought, expression. (Dictionary.com) As you can imagine, a creative agency like Shift Collaborative is full of creative professionals. I am not one of them. Not in the traditional sense. I can’t draw a stick figure. I don’t sketch or doodle during conference calls. I make lists. I’m a … Read More
From Local Attention to National Acclaim for Smallman Galley
A virtuous PR path for the country’s first restaurant incubator Since we started working with Smallman Galley just over a year ago (has it really been an entire year?!), we’ve been on an adventure to collaborate with the owners, the chefs, and the bar-program manager to bring their passions to life: four aspiring chefs in four separate kitchens — with … Read More
Making our Mark in Downtown Pittsburgh
It was an innovation-filled year for the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership with new events like Picklesburgh and the launch of BetaBurgh. Learn more.
We Are Brands
Someone forged my signature three weeks ago. They stole my credit card. This is the second time in three years I’ve had a security breach. Those thieves’ forged my John Hancock, and now I have no faith in my ink mark. Think how easy it was for someone else to sign my name. Humans have been signing things since they could pick … Read More
Community Matters
We are grounded by the space that we move into and out of every day. But, what happens when that sense of place is disrupted or even ripped out from under us?
Let’s Create a Manifesto!
Maybe you’ve been told you’re not a special snowflake, but actually you are. You are a special snowflake. Each of us is special and unique. Each of our companies or organizations is unique, with a certain way we look at the world and our market and ourselves. But when the world looks at us, we rarely look unique. We all blend … Read More
How to start your awesome blog (for the absolute beginner)
A few weekends ago, I presented a couple of sessions at PodCamp Pittsburgh 9. The first was Blogging 101, a novice-level session. Here’s a video of the session, plus the written notes I prepared ahead of time.
Behind the Scenes: How Shift Secured a Two-page Spread in the Trib
by Therese Joseph, Shift PR Fellow Yesterday, on November 2, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review distributed its Sunday paper, as per usual. However, unlike its usual paper, this edition contained a two-page, cover-spread story, the longest in the paper’s memory, on the behind the scenes making of Franksgiving, the Film Factory winning screenplay produced by Steeltown Entertainment Project. Anyone who’s attempted to … Read More
PR Part 3: Resolving a Media Crisis
Whether it’s the latest professional athlete scandal, a revealing political bashing, or a brand not holding true to its values, we’ve all heard a media crisis story. The response to these crises often sets the stage for whether the organizations will be able to recover from their crises. Every brand, business, and person can face a public relations crisis. The … Read More
PR Part 2: The Social Frontier
by Therese Joseph, Shift PR Fellow As public relations professionals, it is our job to monitor and manage the reputations of the businesses we represent. Traditionally, this was managed by working with media outlets to spread positive press about the businesses. While these tactics are still employed, research shows that people trust the opinion of a friend over advertising and … Read More