Digital Strategy | Social Media | Analytics
For the past 10+ years I’ve successfully led numerous technology driven organizations through the process of engaging their customers with high-impact digital content.
From ski resorts to software companies, craft breweries to national laboratories, I’ve implemented highly successful data-driven, audience-first content strategies that drive measurable results.
Pretty (dam) cool.
Hiring (and retaining) new scientists and researchers is a top priority for leadership at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, one of the Department of Energy’s top research institutions focused on renewable energy advancement, the development of basic science, and national security. As a result we’ve incorporated recruitment messaging into almost every facet of our digital communications strategy. One key area of outreach we had to focus in on early in my time at PNNL was in the booming area of hydropower research.
I’m not above using puns to get people’s attention - so I pitched and published a campaign called “The Best Dam Job” that highlighted our researchers giving various reasons why they had the best dam job at the lab. This helped drive interest in our open positions in that research focus area and contributed to a 30% increase in headcount at PNNL in the 2 years after.
Career goal unlocked: Get the Secretary of Energy to tweet something that would make my grandmother blush.
Setting the tone
Federally funded scientific laboratories are not known for having cheeky, playful institutional voices. I’ve seen that as an opportunity to stand out in a crowded space when trying to reach one of our target recruiting audiences - early career STEM professionals. By evolving the lab’s previous straightforward, formal approach to communications, we’ve been able to attract a new generation of talent - including scientists who credited our “meme game” as a reason for joining the lab.
Explaining the science and impact
A core function of my role at PNNL is helping the public understand the work that goes on at the lab and the impact it has both locally and globally. My approach is to center our communication around simple visual metaphors that don’t require a PhD to understand can be run on a loop for people who want to watch them back a few times in their feeds before learning more.
To support new research about the power of microgrids, our team created a social-friendly looping visual that illustrates new research highlighting the power of variable energy storage for island communities in a simple and digestible way.
Each year the lab publishes an economic impact report that has historically been challenging to make interesting to the public - it’s distributed as a PDF and quickly forgotten. I was tasked with making it socially shareable, and this video was our solution.
Go Fast
While at TIBCO Software, I worked with the Mercedes Formula One team to develop collaborative content including a Reddit AMA session with driver Valtteri Bottas. The team was originally very hesitant to engage with the Reddit community but after several rounds of discussions with their communications team we hashed out a plan that would ensure their brand safety concerns would be met. It wound up being our highest performing piece of sponsorship content throughout my 3 seasons working with the team. Mercedes now regularly engages with fans on Reddit.
Baby Formula
In Spring of 2022 - a baby formula shortage rocked the United States. As the father of a newborn who required specialty formula, I was all-consumed by my inability to source the formula my baby needed, and knew other parents were struggling as well.
I put my digital media and outreach skills to work. My efforts were successful enough to spark an international media frenzy, resulting in a US Senate hearing with the FDA director in which our family’s story was highlighted. Two weeks later, baby formula returned to the shelves in our area after months of prolonged absence.
Contact Mac
Email
macjaeh@gmail.com