In this episode of the Dear BAMf podcast, we speak with Erin Kim, Communications Director at Geltor Inc. Erin is moved by foresight; bringing humanity, inclusivity, and authenticity to storytelling around breakthrough technologies. In this episode, Erin answers some tough marketing and PR questions from our listeners, including this one about media relations:
Dear BAMf,
My client has been plagued by negative coverage over the last 12 months, as a result of a few rounds of layoffs and drama with their lead investor. A major business pub reached out to us this week, asking my client to participate in a story about how COVID-19 has impacted their business. The reality is it completely railroaded their progress as a company, and they had to apply for a hefty PPP loan to stay afloat. On the other hand, the company is just starting to rebound and if we can supply data to support this, the reporter has noted she would write a balanced piece.
Should we participate in the opportunity? It could be the first semi-positive piece of tier-one coverage we received in the last 12 months. However, there is always a chance that this could crash and burn, which could leave us in an even worse position from a brand standpoint. How would you approach this?
Listen now to hear how Erin advises this writer to move forward.
(01:37) What is Geltor?
Before jumping into Dear BAMf question's Erin explains what Geltor is saying, "Geltor is a conscious bio-design company. We're just over five years old now and what we do is we use a sustainable fermentation process to make proteins of the highest quality." Erin goes on further to explain Geltor's environmental sustainability impact, "We have a proprietary animal-free and sustainable way of producing, not just collagen but any kind of protein." Erin is invested in acknowledging ethical concerns that effect the environment and humanity.
(02:30) What are you most proud of?
You could hear the gratitude in Erin's voice as she says, "We've hired and we've grown threefold. Haven't laid off a single person yet. We've done really well and we also announced a series B fundraise." Erin is optimistic that Geltor's forward momentum will continue throughout 2021. Later in the interview Erin reveals that her ideation towards rebranding Geltor was also a source of pride.
(09:30) How and when to pass on tier-one coverage?
Erin says, "Sometimes no story is vastly preferable to a negative one." You have to assume the worst is going to happen and act in the ways that you can to mitigate risks." Erin stresses that the importance of PR and communications is proper preparation and proactivity. Imagine risks that could potentially hurt your client's reputation and don't hesitate to walk from an opportunity. Erin says, "I think if there's ever a time to go a little bit quiet, a pandemic is that time."
We are all BAMfs (badass motherf*ckers) according to us, but sometimes even BAMfs need help. Dear BAMf is an advice column-style podcast that lets you anonymously hit us with your hardest marketing and PR questions hosted by Founder & CEO of BAM Communications, Beck Bamberger.
Have a difficult PR or marketing situation you can't figure out? Drop us a line at Dear BAMf. Your submission will be entirely anonymous.
Catch our next episode on Monday, February 22 and subscribe to Dear BAMf on Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Podcasts.