CELEBRATE SPRING WITH
TANNER FRIEDMAN
Today’s harsh reality - less news covered by fewer outlets - won’t change anytime soon. Your thinking about communications must evolve. That was our message to a recent PR conference at Central Michigan University. Tanner Friedman strives daily to create value, something too often lacking in our industry. How do you create value in communications? Be customer focused, to clients and journalists. Be journalistic in your thinking about what’s news. Be creative in approach. Be respectful in pitching. Be honest about what’s a story. Be strategic about audiences. Be multiplatform in content distribution. Above all, be professional. That is how we stay true to our mission, vision and values, despite some trends, working toward being invaluable to our clients.
 
  • When Duke's star player experienced an on-court, injury-inducing Nike shoe malfunction, Don weighed in with WWJ Newsradio 950 on steps the international shoe company might take to repair and protect their brand and reputation.
 
  • In the public eye, Matt Friedman spoke on the intersection of media, sports, business and law at the Wayne State University Law School. Re-visiting Wayne State, he took an audience of 200+ Public Information Officers through a successful crisis communications case study at the Crisis Communications Summit, hosted in-part by DTE Energy.

  • As for media appearances, Matt analyzed Michigan State University's year-long PR crisis in response to John Engler’s resignation on FOX 2 News' Let It Rip and Michigan Radio and was quoted on MSU’s Satish Udpa’s role as interim president during the college’s darkest crisis in Crain’s Detroit Business.


Ten years ago this spring, we were the victims of an online theft. In the early days of Twitter, our account was hijacked, resulting in national media attention. Before anyone had heard of “fake news,” we became the example of online impersonation. In the process of getting @tannerfriedman into the right hands, we learned much about what was then a new frontier, and the experience reinforced our commitment to authenticity and credibility online, for ourselves and our clients. This was an ordeal we would rather not relive, yet it has helped guide our web and social media work for a decade.

In the winter months when community needs are high and volunteerism is low, Tanner Friedman collaborated with Gleaners Community Food Bank to recruit new volunteers for three programs in critical need of support. By way of media drops and strategic outreach, Tanner Friedman secured coverage with FOX 2 News, WXYZ, WWJ Newsradio 950, The  Associated Press , and the  Macomb Daily , among others. As a result, Gleaners saw an increase in volunteer interest, with several new volunteers citing media coverage as their reason for reaching out.
 
The Suburban Collection has honored  Teacher of the Year  recipients in schools throughout Metro Detroit for nearly 20 years, and in recent weeks, Tanner Friedman assisted Michigan’s largest dealership group in celebrating area educators and community involvement with coverage on Fox 2 News,  WDIV and WXYZ and in hometown newspapers the Farmington Voice Farmington Press and  Troy Times .
 
The Tanner Friedman team had an active first quarter of 2019 working with  Feld Entertainment to promote an impressive lineup of family entertainment in Detroit, including  Monster Energy Supercross Sesame Street Live Monster Jam and  Disney On Ice presents Mickey’s Search Party . We put our media relations skills to work and successfully secured placements on/in Fox 2 , WDIV WXYZ Detroit News, Detroit Free Press , WWJ and beyond. 
 
As the snow began to melt, Tanner Friedman helped Weingartz promote its purchase of Livonia-based outdoor power equipment company Commercial Lawnmower from longtime family friend John Murphy, with business/personal interest stories running in Livonia Observer and Crain’s Detroit Business . Tanner Friedman was also enlisted to help promote  English Gardens’ recent acquisition of Superior-Township-based Plymouth Nursery, including the planning of a VIP dignitary opening ceremony – featuring a “garland cutting,” commemorative mini watering can gifts and a green-space-focused, community-giving component.
 
Tanner Friedman has teamed with Wayne Metro to build awareness for its nearly 50 years of providing economic independence programs, including Head Start and after-school initiatives, job and utility assistance, and community development projects that nurture families and build communities, beginning with a focus on its Masqueraid Ball. The event supported the “Save the Day” fund for families in crisis. Louis Piszker, CEO, and Mia Harnos, Chief Development & Communications Officer, were recently featured on 910 AM Superstation and Craig Fahle’s Deadline Detroit podcast , talking about Wayne Metro’s mission.
 
Aiding in the efforts to raise childhood abuse prevention awareness for the 273,000 children living in Oakland County, Tanner Friedman is supporting event communications, fundraising and media efforts on behalf of CARE House of Oakland County’s inaugural  Pinwheels for Prevention initiative and their partnership with the Detroit Tigers. With all proceeds benefiting CARE House’s community education efforts, throughout the month of April, Tanner Friedman is hosting a pinwheel “garden” in our lobby. Executive Director Blythe Spitsbergen shared more on how community members can get involved with WWJ Newsradio 950
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