News

Myriant Corporation Signs On

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

BOSTON, April 2, 2013 – Greenough, a Boston based, national public relations, social media and marketing agency, today announced a new engagement with Myriant Corporation, a bio-based chemicals company based in Boston. Myriant selected the agency after a competitive review.

“This is my second time working with Greenough, and I continue to be impressed by the agency’s extensive experience in the clean energy marketplace,” said Sue Hager, senior vice president of corporate communications and government affairs. “Greenough’s unique storytelling approach coupled with knowledge of the industry will be an asset as we commercialize bio-succinic acid.”

Myriant has pioneered a proprietary platform that produces a broad pipeline of bio-based chemicals, including bio-succinic acid and other bio-based products. Globally, the annual market for succinic acid is estimated at approximately $7.5 billion in new and existing applications. Succinic acid, which is traditionally produced from petroleum, can be used in a wide variety of applications including polymers, urethanes, plasticizers and coatings. Myriant’s high purity bio-succinic acid is made from renewable feedstocks and is chemically equivalent to petroleum-based succinic acid while providing a lower environmental footprint. Myriant’s bio-succinic acid reduces harmful greenhouse gas emissions by 94 percent compared to petroleum-derived succinic acid and by 96 percent compared to petroleum-derived adipic acid.

“Myriant is leading the industry in commercializing alternatives to petroleum-based chemicals, and we’re excited to be part of the team,” said Phil Greenough, president of Greenough. “In the wake of President Obama’s second term mandate for energy innovation and sustainability, this is a compelling story that will resonate well across both traditional and social media channels.”

Greenough is working with Myriant on an integrated media program that includes traditional and social media/marketing aligned around Greenough’s unique storytelling approach.

About Greenough

Greenough builds brands through the power of storytelling and is nationally recognized for its award-winning public relations, social media and marketing programs. Since 1999, Greenough has helped companies develop and implement marketing and communication programs that drive awareness, generate conversations and deliver qualified leads. For more information, visit http://www.greenough.biz or read our blog at http://www.greenough.biz/blog.

 

Lineup of Clean Energy Clients Grows with Conservation Services Group

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

BOSTON, April 2, 2013 – Greenough, a Boston based, national public relations, social media and marketing agency, today announced its selection as agency of record by Conservation Services Group (CSG), the market leader in residential energy efficiency in the United States.

“Greenough’s proven experience in the energy industry was an immediate draw for us,” said Cindy Johnson, Vice President of Marketing and Communications for CSG. “The agency’s creative approach to fashioning stories into the types of narratives that get media attention really grabbed us. We look forward to starting our partnership.”

Greenough will work with CSG to build awareness of the company’s nearly 30 years of experience designing and delivering energy efficiency and clean energy programs. The Greenough team will apply its unique brand storytelling approach to highlight CSG’s innovative and sustainable program designs and technologies and create opportunities for CSG executives to provide thought leadership in the national clean energy dialogue. The integrated PR program will focus on media relations, content development and social media strategy.

“CSG is a pioneer in energy efficiency and has a well-established and ongoing track record of innovation,” said Phil Greenough, president of Greenough. “We are thrilled to start sharing CSG’s stories to further advance the company’s mission of promoting energy efficiency and the development of renewable energy resources.”

About Greenough

Greenough builds brands through the power of storytelling and is nationally recognized for its award-winning public relations, social media and marketing programs. Since 1999, Greenough has helped companies develop and implement marketing and communication programs that drive awareness, generate conversations and deliver qualified leads. For more information, visit http://www.greenough.biz or read our blog at http://www.greenough.biz/blog.

ConnectWise and LabTech Added to Agency Roster

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

BOSTON, April 2, 2013 — Greenough, a Boston based, national public relations, social media and marketing agency, today announced that is has added software providers ConnectWise and LabTech to its roster of technology clients. ConnectWise and Labtech are sister companies based in Tampa: ConnectWise develops service management software designed exclusively for IT service providers, VARS, ISVs and MSPs, while LabTech is the developer of the world’s leading remote monitoring and management (RMM) solution.

“Greenough impressed us with its knowledge of our space and its ability to reach the media that matter most to our partners and prospects,” said Jeannine Edwards, Director, ConnectWise, LabTech & Quosal Communities. “We communicate frequently with the industry, through both traditional and social media, and it’s important that our brand story is consistent, creative and compelling.”

“As the technology landscape continues to transform, we have a unique opportunity to tell brand stories for companies that are reshaping the industry,” says Phil Greenough, president of Greenough. “As we help move ConnectWise and LabTech partners and prospects from awareness to affinity and action, we’re excited to be part of the next wave of software innovation.”

Greenough will collaborate with ConnectWise and LabTech on integrated marketing programs with a particular focus on news programming and media relations.

About Greenough

Greenough builds brands through the power of storytelling and is nationally recognized for its award-winning public relations, social media and marketing programs. Since 1999 Greenough has helped companies develop and implement marketing and communication programs that drive awareness, generate conversations and deliver qualified leads. For more information, visit www.greenough.biz or read our blog at http://www.greenough.biz/blog.

Investing in Video Storytelling

Monday, April 1, 2013

By Christine Williamson

Boston Private Bank and Trust, a leading private bank and wealth management firm, is using visual storytelling to reach prospective clients and referral sources, as well as to deepen its relationship with current clients.

For Boston Private Bank and Trust, video messages from the company’s top portfolio managers help communicate the personality of the firm and form connections with clients and prospects in ways print or web collateral cannot.  The goal of adding video to the firm’s website is to make it more engaging and increase the average time spent on the site.

By integrating visual storytelling with more traditional brand storytelling, Greenough helps clients such Boston Private Bank and Trust more rapidly move from awareness to affinity and action.  In the video below, Chief Investment Officer Tom Anderson and his team outline the major investment themes of the year, giving viewers a clear understanding of the company’s approach to investment management.

See Videos

Alumni Profile – Sonya (Hausafus) Caprio

Monday, April 1, 2013

By Lucy Muscarella

The guidance and mentorship experienced early in a person’s career is often the most formative.  The things young people pick up from their first venture into the working world – about how to perform in their industry, how to interact with a manager and to effectively manage, and how to find a work-life balance, or not – are lessons they carry to each of their subsequent positions.  Greenough alumna Sonya Caprio found a mentor in Phil Greenough and continues to apply his lessons every day.

Sonya, formerly Sonya Hausafus, began working with Phil at Weber Shandwick (then the Weber Group) – her first job after graduating from Northwestern University.  She worked on a number of accounts with Phil, honing her public relations arsenal and developing a love for the art of marketing.

However, though she was in a job she enjoyed and was quickly progressing in, the open road called to the 20-something and she set out on a 5-month cross-country road trip with her then boyfriend, now husband.  The two ultimately put down roots in Boulder, Colorado, and Sonya accepted a job offer from Weber Shandwick’s Denver office.

Just as she was starting to tire of her Boulder to Denver commute, she fortuitously received a call from Phil, who was planning to open Greenough’s West Coast operation in Boulder.  Sonya leapt at the opportunity to work under Phil’s direction again, and took on the position of Senior Manager in 2000.  In this role, she supported Greenough’s larger accounts that had West Coast presences, like Citrix, and also focused heavily on new business recruiting.  “I’ll never forget the first account I closed – the first one that I really felt responsible for,” she reflects.  The account was Raindance Communications – whose co-founder Todd Vernon interestingly went on to found the company where Sonya currently works.

Ultimately, Phil decided that Greenough’s West Coast office needed to be closer to the action in Silicon Valley, so they parted ways when he moved the location to Menlo Park, CA.  Up until that point, Sonya’s entire career had been on the agency-side of public relations and she decided she wanted to give the client-side a shot.  She worked a year-long stint with a large office supply corporation, but found that her true passion was in high tech PR.

In 2004, Sonya started as Director of PR at StillSecure, a network security solutions provider.  She functioned in this role for three and a half years, building the company’s PR program from the ground up.  At this point, Sonya was ready to expand her career into other areas of marketing and she took on the position of StillSecure’s Director of Marketing.  Here she developed skills in lead generation, product marketing, and channel marketing.

In 2010, with the assistance of venture capital mogul Brad Feld, Sonya landed at Lijit Networks, an online advertising company, as the Senior Director of Marketing and Communications.  Lijit was acquired by Federated Media Publishing in October of 2011, and in September of 2012 Sonya moved from Lijit to the new parent company.  She has served as Federated Media Publishing’s VP of Marketing for five months now.

Sonya describes her time with Greenough as “like bootcamp for my career.”  She credits her years spent in the Boulder office with teaching her the ins and outs of PR and how to do it well.  Sonya describes herself as the “epitome of work-life balance” and says she valued how Greenough “does such a great job of hiring really smart people, but ones who know how to have fun as well.”

She jokes that Phil has been her “life mentor, basically,” so much so that he was a guest of honor at her wedding.  “Not a month goes by that I don’t remember something Phil taught me — whether it’s how to do PR, how to manage people, how to inspire people, how to keep a job interesting, or how to have fun.”

Highlights from 2012’s Client Satisfaction Survey

Monday, April 1, 2013

By Zach Pearson

In December, Greenough presented the results of its 12th annual Client Satisfaction Survey to the team. Over 70% of the clients responded to 2012’s survey, one of the highest participation rates yet – and everyone was very pleased with what they had to say.

Greenough’s Client Satisfaction Survey consists of 13 statements, each with a scale from 1 (“strongly disagree”) to 10 (“strongly agree”). Compared to last year’s results, Greenough’s numbers improved in 4 key metrics.

First, overall client satisfaction went up, reaching a 9.2 average. Greenough also improved its teamwork with clients, whose average response to the statement “Greenough is an extension of my own team” was a 9.6 – one of the survey’s highest scores this year. Additionally, over 50% of clients surveyed gave Greenough a perfect 10 for providing value for their budget.

However, the survey’s overall average scores are what really count – and this year, Greenough hit them out of the park. More than half of the clients gave survey responses that averaged above 9.0, and Greenough’s overall client satisfaction average was 8.93, less than a percentage point below the highest score in the survey’s history.

“2012 was a great year for both us and our clients, and our Client Satisfaction Survey proves that,” said Phil Greenough, president of Greenough Communications. “We’re driven to deliver the best at Greenough, and getting that close to our record has inspired us – we can’t wait to beat it in 2013.”

The Art [and Science] of Storytelling

Monday, April 1, 2013

By Jess Boardman

The concept of storytelling has been around for thousands of years, dating as far back as when the Aboriginal Australians painted stories in caves.  In its simplest form, storytelling allows us to share experiences and create emotional connections. Not surprisingly, the marketing world uses storytelling to build customer loyalty. In this day in age, many businesses claim to be “business storytellers,” but few truly understand the art (and science) of storytelling.

In late 2012, we conducted our second “Prevailing Storylines Study” in hopes of better understanding storytelling. What is the foundation for powerful storytelling? What makes a good story, and what excites the media? How do you get folks to listen, and, more importantly, how do you inspire action? Over the course of three months we studied ten of the most widely read publications (The Wall Street Journal, TIME, The New York Times, etc.), reading more than 1,000 articles and looking for archetypal stories that appear regularly in mainstream media. We found that every single article fit into at least one of 10 classic archetypes, or narratives. From “David and Goliath” to “The Best Kept Secret,” the same narratives showed up over and over again — proof that business storytelling is not just an art, there is some science to it as well.

 

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We also found that certain publications tend to favor certain narratives. For example, Bloomberg favored the narrative “The Prediction,” while The New York Time’s Green Blog favored the “Cautionary Tale” and Fortune favored “Recipe for Success.” The fact is that certain journalists and certain publications seek out very specific storylines, so companies will be more successful if they understand the prevailing archetypes that resonate with these journalists and publications.

At Greenough we recognize that in today’s digital world, storytelling extends far beyond traditional media and is very much a part of the social sphere. In 2013 we will conduct another storylines study that will focus entirely on today’s prominent social channels – so keep an eye out for it!

Greenough Promotes Amy McHugh to Vice President, Account Services

Friday, March 8, 2013

Veteran Broadcast Journalist Continues to Drive Agency’s Account Service Strategy

BOSTON (February 12, 2013) – Greenough, a national public relations, social media and marketing firm, today announced that Amy McHugh has been promoted to vice president, account services. In her new role, Amy will continue to lead accounts across consumer, healthcare, professional services and technology spaces, providing clients with long and short-term strategic counsel.

Since joining Greenough in 2009, Amy has made a strong impact on client service with her passion for building strong client relationships and designing creative programs. As leader of the agency’s annual client satisfaction initiative, Amy has continuously maintained the highest level possible of client satisfaction across her accounts.

“Amy is the epitome of a great client services leader,” says Phil Greenough, president of Greenough. “She skillfully provides strategic counsel and produces results that not only deliver business value but garner respect from her clients.”

Before joining Greenough, Amy had a successful eleven-year career as a broadcast journalist at network affiliates across New England. She has worked as an on-camera anchor, reporter, producer and managing editor at ABC and CBS affiliate stations in Rhode Island and Maine, where her writing and reporting were honored by the Associated Press and the Maine Association of Broadcasters.

“At Greenough, we pride ourselves on our top-notch client service,” Amy says. “We like to think our clients consider us an extension of their own marketing teams. We’ve distinguished ourselves with our unique brand storytelling approach, but we’re equally proud of our unwavering dedication to our clients and to helping them reach and exceed their goals. I’m proud to be a part of that.”

A Breakout Year in Earned Media for Harvest Power

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Successful companies don’t need to manufacture stories, but they do need to package them. Fortunately, Harvest Power started 2012 with significant business momentum, including prestigious industry awards and a $125 million series C funding round. The key for Harvest was turning milestones and recognition into broader awareness. That’s where brand storytelling comes in.

While some would say any Wall Street Journal story is a good story, Greenough’s media team looks for more. Yes, Yuliya Chernova’s article covering Harvest’s series C financing round was important, but its value to Harvest came from its depth, especially its emphasis on the positive prospects for Harvest’s business model.  Chernova’s words, “The company’s waste-to-energy approach reflects a broad movement in the U.S. to get value from waste, rather than expensively transporting it to municipal dumps,” were powerful indeed.

Harvest’s story resonated far beyond the Wall Street Journal, leading to important pieces in digital and print outlets including GigaOM, GreenTechMedia, The Boston Globe, The Boston Herald, and Dow Jones. This presented strong evidence to future customers and investors that Harvest is poised for sustained growth.

Beyond the funding news, Harvest continued to successfully spotlight its CEO, Paul Sellew.  Greenough’s media relations team has strategically positioned Sellew as a thought leader with insights that inform issues ranging from renewable energy to soil revitalization. This aggressive outreach led to widespread coverage in The New York Times, The Boston Business Journal, Xconomy, The Boston Herald and other media mainstream business media.

Harvest’s leadership extended into industry media as well through strategically placed contributed articles: Greenough spotlighted Wayne Davis, a Harvest co-founder, by publishing bylines in both Environmental Leader and Renewable Energy World, while Meredith Sorensen, Harvest’s marketing manager, contributed a two-part article for Renewable Energy World entitled “Integrating Anaerobic Digestion Into Our Culture.”

Recently winning the “Continued Excellence” award for being named to the Global Cleantech 100 list for the last 3 years, the momentum continues. Harvest is clearly on an earned media winning streak.  And we’re just entering the fall. 2012 is indeed a breakout year for Harvest.

Greenough Promotes Andrea LePain to Vice President, Media Relations

Monday, October 1, 2012

Andrea LePain, a veteran journalist who joined Greenough nearly two years ago, oversees the agency’s highly successful media team. Since Greenough’s reorganization, which established distinct media, content, account services and social media/marketing teams, Andrea has introduced a new methodology and approach to media and influencer relations. She and her team of former journalists are skilled at brand storytelling in digital, print and broadcast and have deep connections to thousands of media outlets worldwide.

In her new role as vice president, Andrea will continue to serve clients and engage with media. To her, media relations is a passion. As a member of Greenough’s management team, Andrea is directly responsible for expanding the successful media team and working closely with her colleagues across the agency to advance best practices as the media landscape continues to evolve.

“Andrea has been instrumental in creating a highly successful media team that consistently outperforms expectations,” said Phil Greenough, president of Greenough. “Her approach to storytelling reflects an obvious journalist’s sensibility, and that enables her – and our entire team – to build much stronger relationships with our media contacts worldwide.”

Before joining Greenough, Andrea was managing editor for NECN, one of the nation’s largest regional news channels. In addition to playing a lead role in NECN’s editorial process, she also oversaw the station’s investigative unit. Andrea’s accomplishments include a 2009 Edward R. Murrow award for investigative reporting and a New England Emmy nomination for a story that exposed an alleged mortgage fraud ring in Boston.

“Journalism and media relations are two sides of the same coin, and storytelling is the currency,” said LePain. “I joined Greenough because I was intrigued by its brand storytelling approach. I look forward to playing a much larger role in shaping how media relations reinforces that groundbreaking storytelling approach.”