In a world where all graphic designers are exceptional pingpong players … one … is not. But, that’s not stopping him from diving into Nashville’s Ponger Games: an underground pingpong tournament where one second you’re the paddle … and the next second, you’re the ball. Meet Greg Ellis. He’s got everything you would expect a young, big-city graphic designer to have: cool headphones, a tattoo, tight pants that are somehow also kind of baggy, an ironic hat and a sweet ride. Greg is hiding something from his fellow designers. He can’t pong. He can’t even ping. Now, Greg needs … Read More
An Inside Look at MP&F’s New Office Space
MP&F Partner Katy Varney recently penned a guest column for the Nashville Business Journal about the firm’s new office space and how it’s an asset for clients and the future of the company, along with the reasoning for why we stayed downtown. If you’re interested in reading Katy’s column, please click here. To complement the column, the NBJ photographed the new space. A 27-photo slideshow can be found here. (A paid online subscription is required to read the column and view the photos.)
MP&F Brings Home 18 Awards at IABC’s Music City Gold Pen Awards Ceremony
The 2016 Music City Gold Pen Awards took place on Thursday, May 19. There are dozens of award categories, which recognize effective communications projects and campaigns across middle Tennessee and southeastern Kentucky. MP&F took home 13 International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Awards of Excellence and five Awards of Merit. MP&F received the 18 awards on behalf of a range of client projects. Job Corps, NashvilleNext, CSX, Kirkland’s, Red White and Food, Nashville Public Education Foundation, and Nashville Mayor Megan Barry’s Inauguration all won Awards of Excellence. Job Corps, NashvilleNext, Kirkland’s and Nashville Mayor Megan Barry’s Inauguration also won Awards of … Read More
Being Clear About Your Online Content
There was a time when the editorial and advertorial worlds had clear lines of demarcation. It was easy to tell the difference between an investigative report and an ad. However, the days of this “Church and State” arrangement have been disrupted by the sheer weight of online content we now see on a daily basis. As we’ve moved from a print-dominated to a digital world, new avenues for promotion like native advertising have blurred this once easy-to-read landscape. And with social media and online influencers, this line can be even murkier – in some cases being obfuscated on purpose … Read More
MP&F Wins Best in Show, Mercury Award, and 25 total awards at PRSA-Nashville Parthenon Awards Ceremony
The 2016 PRSA-Nashville Parthenon Awards took place on Thursday, April 29 and MP&F was once again honored to receive a number of awards, including “Best of Show” for the second year in a row. The “Best of Show” award went to the Kirkland’s team for its “#Christmasland” Blogger Campaign. The entry received a perfect score – not an easy thing to achieve! The amazing team consisted of Katy Varney, Jennifer Brantley, Megan Willoughby, Danielle Hall, Aleah Heinlein, Evan Galin, Megan McConnell, Laura Huddleston and Angela Argiro. The coveted “Mercury Award” was presented to MP&F staffer Leigh Lindsey. It was no … Read More
MP&F wins PRWeek’s Public Affairs Campaign of the Year for Red White and Food Campaign
We are excited to share that MP&F took home yet another national honor for the Red White and Food campaign at the PRWeek Awards in New York City last Thursday. In the article below, PRWeek explains why MP&F’s and the Red White and Food Coalition’s work won the 2016 Public Affairs Campaign award: ‘Where’s the wine?’ That message, uttered by shoppers in Tennessee grocery stores, was the rallying cry of MP&F Public Relations’ campaign to allow wine sales in the state’s grocery establishments. The process was harder than it sounds. Although state legislators passed a measure that would allow … Read More
Tested. Tried. True. Business advice from Mark McNeely
Back in 2011, my friend Gini Dietrich asked me and several of our marketing and PR colleagues nationally to write one-pagers for a book she was working on titled “Dear CEO: Letters to the C-Suite from Experts on Vision, Culture, Community, and Integration.” The advice was to help organizations make it through the Great Recession. My one-pager was in the Community section. In total, there are 32. There was a recent instance that made me want to pull it out for a quick read. In reviewing this more than five years later, I don’t feel that I would change a … Read More
Reflections on Being a Diversity Fellow at MP&F
MP&F was thrilled to work with Bryan Byrdlong during his time as MP&F’s first diversity fellow. Bryan spent six months at MP&F, and the following blog shares highlights from his experience. Click here to learn more about our diversity fellowship program, or visit www.mpf.com/careers to apply. The deadline for our 2016 fellowship is April 1, 2016. Fellowship 1: community of interest, activity, feeling or experience 2: the state of being a fellow or associate To say that my time as MP&F’s first diversity fellow has been invaluable both personally and professionally would be an understatement. It is difficult to summarize a six-month … Read More
12th Awards: Mike Pigott wins for Community Cheerleader
12th & Broad recently honored recipients of The 12th Awards during a reception at Rosewall in Nashville. The awards are designed to honor Nashville’s most innovative, creative and community-minded individuals and organizations of the year. MP&F founding partner, the late Mike Pigott was posthumously honored for his work in the community. Here is a short letter of appreciation written by his wife, Sharon. 12th Awards: Mike Pigott wins for Community Cheerleader posthumously The Tennessean February 3, 2016 Mike Pigott loved Nashville and he loved journalism. From the first day he arrived in this town some 40 years ago, he made … Read More
2015 in Review
Happy New Year. May 2016 be productive and rewarding. Before it gets too far gone, though, I want to talk about 2015, a year like none I have ever experienced in my 28 years of PR agency work. 2015 was wrenching, heartbreaking and heartwarming. Our partner Mike Pigott’s untimely passing in June was a historic low for our company. We lost not only a great practitioner, but a great person. There is not a day that has gone by since June 29 that I have not wanted to ask his advice or opinion on something related to our company, our … Read More