What Should We Say? Brands and the LGBTQ+ Community

A rainbow megaphone held up at a Pride event.

Holidays and special events often present opportunities for corporate communications, with Thanksgiving, election day, and the Super Bowl leading to a flood of social media posts, ad campaigns, and news stories. Brands use these occasions to connect with audiences, aiming to associate themselves with a sense of community. However, these efforts can backfire if your […]

How PR Professionals Can Elevate Your CEO’s Public Image and Influence

A group of communications professionals seated around a table in a meeting room, looking down at each others' laptop screens and collaborating on work.

ven in the high-flying corner offices with sweeping views and sophisticated décor, CEOs are just like everyone else—having strengths and weaknesses. To effectively shape their public image, influence stakeholders, and build their company’s reputation, CEOs need honest and strategic counsel from public relations professionals. Key Strategies for PR Success with CEOs 1. Craft a Compelling […]

Connecting with Lawmakers – Strategies for Telling Your Story Persuasively

C2 Strategic Communications president Kerri Richardson shaking the hands of Kentucky Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman

For most people, interacting with any government official — from a local council member to U.S. Senator and County Executive — can be extremely intimidating. How do you approach them? What do we talk about? Or, even worse, what if you don’t see eye-to-eye on a particular issue, much less anything? First and foremost, remember […]

Public Engagement: 5 Key Benefits of Involving Everyone

Person standing at a presentation booth with a poster, interacting with attendees at a public engagement event.

Public relations, at its core, thrives on building relationships and fostering connections with various stakeholders. Securing active public engagement can make or break a project and set the positive tone for future public opinion. While stakeholder outreach and public engagement might sound straightforward in theory, reaching your target audience can present a wide range of […]

Media Relations for Non-Profits: How to Effectively Share Your Story

A man holding packages of food talking to someone in a pickup truck in line at a pop-up Dare to Care Food Bank event.

The landscape of non-profit organizations is filled with worthy causes – everything from feeding the hungry, behavioral health services, providing compassionate support for children in need and more. The incredible work these organizations do in service to our communities are stories that need to be shared far and wide.   Enter: the media relations campaign. A […]

Breaking Barriers and Nurturing Resilience – Mental Health in Communication

In the fast-paced world of communication, professionals face high-pressure situations, tight deadlines, and constant connectivity. While these realities are part of the job, they can also impact mental health if not managed properly. At C2 Strategic Communications, prioritizing mental health is a core part of our company culture. Creative Industries and Burnout  The creative nature […]

Maximize Your PR Impact: Why Media Relations Builds Brand Strength and Reputation

In the competitive world of public relations, media relations is pivotal to maximizing your PR impact. Effective media strategies are crucial for building a robust brand and managing your reputation. Leveraging media relations enhances credibility, amplifies your brand’s visibility, and helps navigate reputational challenges. Here’s why media relations is a cornerstone of successful PR and […]

Harnessing the Power of Earned Media: Boost Your PR and Marketing Success

Unlock the potential of earned media to transform your PR and marketing strategy. In the dynamic field of public relations, earned media stands out as a powerful tool for enhancing your organization’s reputation and visibility. Paid vs. Earned MediaPaid advertising provides broad control over content and message distribution, but earned media offers unique advantages. Earned […]

Crisis Communication – How to Start Planning for the Unexpected

In public relations, crisis communication is a crucial skill that can make or break an organization’s reputation. Whether you’re in the public or private sector, effective crisis communication can help manage scrutiny, reduce damage, and rebuild trust. Here’s how to start planning for the unexpected: 1. Prepare Ahead of Time Effective crisis communication begins with […]

Don’t Just Fly, Soar: How Certified Drone Pilots Can Elevate Your PR and Marketing Strategy

There’s nothing quite like stunning aerial images captured by videographers from above. It’s no wonder many businesses are eager to utilize drones for promotional purposes. The idea of a new, eye-catching cover photo of your business for your social media channels sounds appealing, doesn’t it? However, before jumping into using your personal drone for commercial […]

Why Your Civil Engineering Project Needs a Brand: Boosting Visibility and Impact

In the world of civil engineering, where function and practicality take precedence, it is easy for artistry and marketing to take a back seat. So, why should it matter? Isn’t branding for commerce? Why does an engineering project need a brand identity?  1. Credibility and trust: Civil engineering projects, such as road improvement, involve significant […]

Preventive maintenance: Make it a habit

Fellow allergy sufferers, I hear your sniffles. I see the pollen and mold counts and I grieve along with you. Louisville is a tough place to be if you’re sensitive to, well, anything that floats in the air. I’ve finally gotten my annual allergy suffering under control, thanks to a good doctor who told me […]

Three questions to focus your communications on the bottom line

Too often – in both our personal and work lives – we get wrapped up in the details of what we doing and miss the meaning of what we are doing. We’ve all seen examples of well-intentioned professionals losing sight of their mission and falling into a routine that strays from their desired course. Communications […]

Yes You, Enough with the Jargon

I don’t really like to begin a post with a definition, but I think it’s important that everyone understand what jargon is: A form of ineffective communication. Jargon seldom helps make a point well. At best, jargon is an imprecise way to communicate messages quickly. At worst, it leaves others completely oblivious to your meaning. […]

Email: Does the E stand for Easy? Or Evil?

Email is the most overused and abused form of communications today. (Texting is next, but that’s another discussion.) Because email is familiar, easy-to-use, and very often effective, we use it as a universal form of communications – the verbal equivalent of a survival tool that supposedly does everything from cutting tree branches to opening beer […]

Marketing vs. Communications: What’s the Difference and Why Should I Care?

Seldom a week goes by that someone doesn’t ask me to explain the difference between marketing, communications, and public relations. Plenty of business people confuse and intermingle these terms. This confusion can lead to problems moving your products and/or promoting your business or organization. It’s important to know: Marketing is not communications and communications is […]

5 tips for adding healthy habits into your workday

Whether logging in from home or an office with limited capacity, the way in which we work has changed. More people are indoors, sitting and staring at a screen for a majority of the day making it hard to prioritize their own well-being.

Being thankful in 2020: C2 Strategic founder talks Kentucky’s greatest gifts

Most people will not celebrate Thanksgiving and other seasonal holidays this year because of COVID-19, but there are still plenty of reasons to be thankful. C2 Strategic founder Chad Carlton encourages optimism for Kentuckians and anyone struggling through a tough year. He talked about his favorite things about the Bluegrass State and what he’s learned […]

See the virtue in virtual communications – because it’s here to stay

Andrea Brady

Chances are you’ve logged untold hours video conferencing since March. Many of us have grown accustomed to attending staff meetings or checking in with team members through a variety of virtual tools. But have you thought about all the different ways you can connect virtually with your clients, partners and community, beyond the basic meeting?

Expert Tip: Affordable investments for stronger social media

Social media and other forms of virtual communication have never been more important. That sentence was true in January. Now, it’s even more true, as many organizations are moving longstanding fundraising events (or important public meetings) to virtual formats.