I have leveraged my editorial experience and press contacts to help raise the visibility of clients with missions in which I believe. Since I know how journalists operate — what is and what is not a fresh story — I have been able to elevate clients’ profiles quickly and significantly.
FAMILY EQUALITY COUNCIL
In 2015 and 2016, I consulted in this capacity for the family non-profit, which advocates for LGBTQ parents like myself.
My strategy to elevate the brand was simple. I called the magazine, newspaper, TV, and web journalists I’d worked with throughout my career and pitched them the “why” behind the mission and purpose of this phenomenal organization. Highlights:
• The Today Show — I placed Executive Director Gabriel Blau on The Today Show the day after Caitlyn Jenner’s Vanity Fair cover reveal.
• Rachel Maddow — I secured powerhouse civil rights attorney Roberta Kaplan a spot on Rachel Maddow to discuss her lawsuit with Family Equality Council against the state of Mississippi, which had a ban on same-sex couples adopting.
• The New York Times — I secured much-shared pieces with top-tier journalists, such this Tamar Lewin story on Roberta Kaplan and FEC’s Mississippi same-sex adoption lawsuit, which was mentioned on page A1 of the paper.
• Thomas Roberts Out There on MSNBC — Booked the segment “Three Sisters Fight for Marriage Equality” on Thomas Roberts’ MSNBC web show.
• Detroit Free Press — Placed a op-ed by a former foster child criticizing Michigan’s bills 4188, 4189 and 4190 in the state’s largest newspaper.
• Newsday — Placed an op-ed by Executive Director Gabriel Blau in the paper and on its website the day after the Supreme Court ruled for marriage equality.
• A sizzle reel I wrote and produced for Family Equality’s spring 2016 awards gala.
• Monthly talking points — Here’s the July 2016 internal document I created offering a 360 view of what was happening around the non-profit.
• “Freeheld” premiere coverage: Julianne Moore talked with me on the red carpet about the LGBTQ moms and dads in her life; Ellen Page mentioned gay friends’ struggles adopting; and Michael Shannon discussed his lesbian sister’s journey toward parenthood.
• Family Week: 20 Years in Provincetown: A three-minute photographic tour of the event with co-founder Scott Davenport.
• A press release I wrote and a video I crafted and produced announcing Family Equality’s new executive director.
• A speech I wrote for Family Equality award recipient Rob Scheer, headliner at the L.A. Impact Awards.
• A speech I wrote for the Family Equality award recipient Tony Hynes, author of “The Son with Two Moms.”
• A speech I wrote for an LGBTQ family screening of “Finding Nemo” during NYC Pride in 2015.
• A speech summarizing Family Equality Council’s work, delivered by the board of Family Equality Council at the L.A. Impact Awards. Here’s the video.
• A speech summarizing Family Equality Council’s work, delivered by the board of Family Equality Council at the New York Night at the Pier. Here’s the video.
NEWFEST
• A speech I ghostwrote for Debra Messing, the night she awarded Tituss Burgess the “Voice & Visibility” Award at NewFest’s LGBT Film Festival. Here’s a clip.
• I co-produced a four-minute sizzle reel about honoree Tituss Burgess and wrote other materials for the opening night.
Bradley Jacobs (AKA BJ) 