University of Guelph-Humber

“There is truth to every stereotype,” says UofGH Media Studies Professor Matt Chandler.  And for PR professionals, tasked with breaking the typecast, this often marks the difficult starting point.

“Succeeding in the PR world is about appealing to different segments of the market,” he says.  “This means translating what a company has to offer in a way that’s truly unique.  In a way that’s never been done before.”

As account manager at British PR firm Siren Communications, Prof. Chandler managed just that.  Given the Royal Carribbean cruise line account, complete with the undesirable pigeonhole “overfed, newly wed, nearly dead”, Chandler created so-called “mummy bloggers.”

“We were looking to appeal to families, and to those who take pride in healthy lifestyles.  So we strategically recruited online influencers – mums who had their own followers and fan base in the online world.  They became our Royal Mums – our brand ambassadors.  We developed an ongoing program, developed relationships with them.”

“It was a very successful endeavor.”

“We’re bombarded by thousands upon thousands of messages, thousands of brands.  And to cut through the clutter and stand apart – that’s what our students will be tasked with, and that’s what I’m preparing them for.”

BIOGRAPHY

Matt Chandler earned his Honours B.A. in Media from Western University, his Graduate Certificate in Corporate Communications from Seneca College, and his Master of Professional Business Communication from the University of Western Sydney, Australia.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Event Management
Public Relations
Corporate Communications
Crisis & Issues Management