PR professionals will be the first to tell you: Rehearsal is the key to a successful speech or presentation. Not only are speakers that are well rehearsed more confident, but rehearsal can also help the speaker stay on…
Gauging the overall success of a public relations campaign is simple enough in hindsight, but recognizing the moment when it reaches a tipping point and the weight of public opinion shifts and congeals around a particular…
Public relations professionals are storytellers. But for all the mission statements, press releases and company credos, we have a tough time telling our own stories. Even my own parents have cornered me at a family outing…
In a recent interview with Politico, Steve Coll, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who authored a book examining ExxonMobil, might have said it best about the oil and gas industry and its growing public relations problem with…
Many organizations and brands are finding enormous success by incorporating visual social media platforms into their communications programs. While some brands are hesitant to jump on the bandwagon for fear of joining an application that will…
A few months back I wrote a post about the power of Why. Today I was reminded of the power of another of the five Ws – When. I just launched a Facebook ad campaign connected…
Coined by Marshall McLuhan, the phrase “the medium is the message” is a staple in communications 101 courses. The idea is that the way a message is transmitted plays an integral role in how the message…
Where do you get your news? Now think about where your parents – or grandparents – got theirs. The answers are likely very different. My parents watched the local TV evening news, followed by a national…
If you’ve logged into Facebook or Twitter over the past few days, you’re probably well aware that it’s Shark Week. In its 25th year, the annual week-long programming event continues to gather steam, which is fueled…
The Olympics are an inspiring display of what humans can achieve given the right combination of natural talent, determination and hard work. Bodies and spirits are pushed to the limit in pursuit of gold medals and…
Cookerly helps steer major corporate and executive initiatives for the nation’s #1 luxury automaker including recent award-winning programs such as “Greatness Lives Here” and “No Limits,” initiatives designed to empower the next generation through community activism and education. We recently helped launch the Mercedes-Benz A-Class vehicle line including MBUX artificial intelligence including tie-ins with the Super Bowl, Ludacris and the Ron Clark Academy. Leveraging paid, earned, shared and owned media, the Cookerly team supports MBUSA across both external and internal channels.
As a senior vice president at Cookerly, Matt helps organizations protect and advance their reputations and bottom lines through strategic communications programs. Using creativity, planning and flawless execution, he works with a team to deliver compelling public relations campaigns that produce results and support clients’ business objectives.
Industry expertise includes banking/finance, energy and automotive across clients such as SunTrust Banks, Colonial Pipeline and Mercedes-Benz USA. Recently, Matt helped launch SunTrust’s first Super Bowl ad and generate earned media for the grand opening of SunTrust Park, the home of the Atlanta Braves.
Matt is also a member of Cookerly’s crisis response team and has experience managing major crises generating national headlines.
Other areas of expertise include designing/implementing communications campaigns, media relations, executive speech writing, media training, survey design and execution, and more.
A Georgia State University graduate with a degree in economics, Matt served as managing editor of the student newspaper. He attended graduate school at George Washington University, receiving a master’s degree in strategic management, public policy and economics (MPA).
As senior vice president at Cookerly, Mike Rieman specializes in building and maintaining relationships with the media and has an excellent track record of landing significant placements in print and broadcast media including USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg and Money Magazine.
Mike comes to the firm with more than a decade of public relations and journalism experience. As a former news editor, Mike understands how to work with his clients to craft stories that garner recognition on traditional and social media channels. He has led numerous award winning campaigns for a number of clients, including Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Construction Market Data Group and the Georgia Emergency Management Agency’s Ready Georgia campaign. Favorite recent assignments include a campaign to announce McDelivery, McDonald’s new delivery service.
Mike is a native of Tulsa, Oklahoma and a graduate of the University of Georgia where he earned a degree in speech communications. He serves on the PRSA Georgia Chapter Programming Committee and is an avid sports fan and trail runner. He resides in Marietta with his wife and two children.
As vice president of Cookerly, Sheryl Sellaway uses her extensive corporate communications background to lead consumer PR efforts, deliver strategy for marketing programs and share expertise about community initiatives.
An award-winning speechwriter, Sheryl comes to the firm with over 20 years’ expertise in media relations, employee communications and community affairs. Some of her best work has occurred while leading product launches, handling crisis situations, managing senior leadership meetings and overseeing employee events.
Sheryl is a Georgia native with an MBA from Amber University and a bachelor’s degree from Georgia State University. Active in the community, she is a Leadership Atlanta graduate currently serving on several boards including Bethany Christian Services. Sheryl is an author, pen collector, avid runner, mentor and philanthropist.
NAPA AUTO PARTS, the nation’s top brand in the automotive aftermarket, is ramping up its retail operation across the country with grand reopening celebrations to show off its transformed “top stores,” expanded inventory and “NAPA Know How.” Cookerly designed a creative program that has successfully sparked conversations across media and social media channels in the target markets, enhanced community relationships, built awareness/visibility, increased customer traffic at store events and helped boost NAPA sales and follow-on business.
The Arthritis Foundation has undergone significant changes and seeks to build upon a renewed direction with fresh perspectives. The foundation relies on Cookerly to infuse new ideas, raise national awareness and engage internal stakeholders to support the organization’s new and powerful “Champion of Yes” branding. The comprehensive communications strategies and tactics conceived and implemented for the foundation put a national focus on the critical nature of arthritis and are helping reinvigorate the organization’s image of one committed to conquering the insidious and debilitating disease.