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TRANSCRIPT:
DOUG: We love the people who work with us, but we also love and recognize the contributions of the people who’ve passed through and gone on to bigger and better things. One of them joining us, Brian Devenny. Brian, it’s great to see you.
BRIAN: Good to see you, sir. How are doing?
DOUG: Doing great. So, let’s start off, maybe share a little bit about the work that you did while you were here at D S Simon Media.
BRIAN: I was the director of media relations at D S Simon during the seven years I was there from 2006 to just about 2013. And I led media strategy across a variety of projects. I think the biggest week we ever had when I was there was 17 SMTs in one week. So, it was always a very fast paced environment, very quickly moving, things changing on the fly, but it was a great experience. It was a great team, ultimate professionals, and everybody had sort of their role, and everybody knew exactly what they needed to do in order to make a project successful. I can’t remember one instance in my tenure there that that didn’t happen.
DOUG: We did manage to break that record with 20 in one week. And now, of course, we call them AI-Powered Broadcast Media Tours™ because they’re also optimizing for GEO. But, you know, one might think hearing this or suspect in my own bias is, like, where could you go from there? But somehow you managed to go. Tell us about, you know, what you’ve been embarked on more recently in your career.
BRIAN: Yeah. So, after my time at D S Simon, I actually moved from, New Jersey to California, and I now work at Zeno Group, which is international, actually. And I’ve been working on the Kia account for, just over ten years. So, it’s been great. I’m dedicated to one client, so it’s very different from my time at D S Simon, but it’s really cool.
DOUG: Yeah. If you want to add a feather in your cap, you can let them know that we have a Kia and thought of you when making that Kia Sportage purchasing decision, which was a good thing. We’re also doing as part of our anniversary series is getting people’s take on what stayed the same in the industry, what’s changed and what’s next. So, let’s start. You know, since you started your career in PR, what do you feel has still remained consistent?
BRIAN: The basic tenants of media relations, emails, calls to follow-up. The one thing that has changed a little bit about that, sometimes I’m able to text producers and editors. Whereas when I started out, I wasn’t able to, but it’s really those core, tenants of media relations of building that relationship with the media, so that way they trust you when they see an email with your name on it. They’re like, oh, this is probably a good story. You know, let me take a look. And they don’t just automatically put you in the junk bin or the, you know, to be read later bin.
DOUG: That is great. And, obviously, much has changed even from when you started with us in the early 2000s.
BRIAN: A lot’s changed. The biggest changes that I’ve seen in the industry are social media and now AI. Those are the two biggest changes because social media has really brought in a whole other level of media relations that, some old timers like me had to get used to, because we were used to dealing with the traditional newsroom. And now we’re dealing with journalists, very accredited journalists who are now working from home. And they don’t have the power of a big newspaper, a big TV station, or a radio station behind them, but they are just as influential as the folks in you know, at FOX in Detroit or any other market. So, that was one of the biggest changes. The team that I work on now has someone specifically dedicated to influencer and social media outreach. So, I’ve learned a lot about it, but I need to learn more.
DOUG: And I’d say one question with what you said. I think I can refer to you as a mid-timer, not an old timer. We want to be gracious to the people who pass through. One thing I struggle with is even the what’s next because we’re so deep in the now with AI transforming. Do you see what’s next?
BRIAN: Can you see that ahead? I do see what’s next. I do think AI is going to definitely play a role in communications moving forward and brand communications moving forward. I don’t know how much of what it will play. I think it was really sort of a novelty when it first came out, and people were very interested in it, but then I think people got kind of keen to it. Well, that’s clearly a fake image, and I think they don’t really trust it. So, it’ll be interesting to see how that evolves in the future.
DOUG: Yeah. We’re seeing the big changes. It gives us a better sense of identifying the questions people are asking that are relevant about the product. And that’s what it was always about when you were writing media pitches and developing story ideas. Hey, what’s the info people need to know? And now we’ve got the person who can answer it. What hasn’t changed also? You look the same, looking great. Congratulations.
BRIAN: I have filters on my computer.
DOUG: Congratulations on the success and all you’ve achieved. We know you’ve played a key role in helping us be where we’re at today. So, thank you so much.
BRIAN: I learned a lot working with you guys, and it really helped me hone my media relations skills. It gave me the power to be adaptable on the fly because we were working with so many different clients at the same time at D S Simon. We had to adapt to the client way of communication. So, some were more casual, some were very much indeed more formal. So, it was definitely made me more adaptable, and, you know, I think just a better professional overall.
DOUG: Yeah. Well, thanks so much for your generosity.
BRIAN: I appreciate you guys. Congratulations on your 40th anniversary, and cheers to 40 more.
