Ben
Ben Watson
Network with journalists
Develop press releases
Monitor media coverage
Media Relations
Manage public perception
Elevate online reputation
Develop earned media moments
Public Relations
Build relationships with lawmakers
Monitor policy developments
Liason with regulating agencies
Government Relations
Communicate CSR initiatives
Manage corporate newsletter
Develop other stakeholder comms
Corporate Relations
I'm Ben Watson, and I specialize in Executive Communications, including media relations, public relations, government relations, and corporate relations.
My expertise includes developing press releases for earned media, crafting crisis communications strategies, media monitoring, developing content for high-stakes communications, and developing content for SEO and reputation management. I also have extensive experience in entertainment and event production.
Consider me your Chief Communications Officer in a box, your Swiss Army knife of media solutions, ready to leverage my extensive experience and network to meet your executive communication needs.
My career has been defined by a series of high-impact experiences that span the breadth of communications. From orchestrating corporate communications for a Silicon Slopes fintech company to delivering Department of Homeland Security emergency communications at a federally-declared natural disaster, from providing media relations for live productions of multiple No. 1 Billboard Artists to rendering public affairs support for an Adjutant General's multi-state tour of Army units preparing for deployment, my background encompasses a wide range of scenarios.
As a public affairs soldier, I served with the 103rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment and 111th Press Camp, honing my skills in communications and public affairs operations, as well as my attention to detail and campaign execution.
One of my strengths is my ability to craft highly effective press releases resulting in earned media. I've done this for an array of organizations including an Inc. 500 company, fintech companies, universities, a luxury resort, regional arts organizations, performing artists, government entities, and more.
These releases have led to news pieces published locally, regionally, and nationally, with coverage by NBC Nightly News, Inside Edition, Yahoo News, Yahoo Finance, Deseret News, Good Morning Utah (ABC4), KSL, KSL.Com, East Idaho News, KIDK, KRTV, KFBB, and many other print, broadcast, and digital outlets.
Additionally, I've provided event production consulting for corporate conferences and live entertainment events, including working with Grammy winners, Grammy nominees, No. 1 Billboard Artists, American Idol Alumni, and other notable artists. This breadth of experience underlines my ability to manage and elevate communications across various platforms and mediums, including leveraging the power of live events.
Ben Watson
Garth Brooks
Press Conference
Panel Discussion w/Adassa
from Disney's ENCANTO
Through my work in reputation management, I have collaborated with Ben on many important communications projects pertaining to very notable leaders in the top levels of government and business. Ben knows what he's doing and he does it very well.
Greg Graf
President
Snake River Strategies
I've known Ben for much of his communications career. He does an excellent job interfacing with the media on behalf of organizations. I know that when he's in the picture, we're working with someone who understands how to navigate the media landscape.
Nate Eaton
News Director
East Idaho News
Contributor
Dateline NBC
As a film producer, I have made it one of my goals to search for future leaders and entrepreneurs who have an interest in media and entertainment. I have followed Mr. Watson and have been impressed with his demeanor and dedication to purpose.
Jerry Molen
Producer
Schindler's List
Jurassic Park
Rain Man
Recent Comms Projects
Crisis Communications
Company Size: 200 employees
Annual Revenue: $80 Million
Industry: Consumer Services
As part of my retainer, during our weekly communications meeting, the CEO, CMO, and General Counsel requested my assistance in developing a communications strategy and messaging for a potential crisis. Within days, I prepared media talking points for the executive leadership, readied a press release, and developed internal messaging for employees and other corporate stakeholders. Additionally, I enhanced our media monitoring to proactively track online chatter regarding the issue.
Develop Earned Media Moments
Company Size: 20 employees
Annual Revenue: $30 Million
Industry: E-Commerce
As part of my retainer agreement, I proactively nominated one of the Co-Founders for an award from the Department of Defense. Following my submission, the DOD sent an entourage to our corporate headquarters to present the award. This effort generated a media moment, resulting in favorable coverage for both the Co-Founder and the company. It enhanced our brand's SEO and supplied valuable content for our social media channels and corporate newsletter.
SEO Content Curation
Company Size: 20 employees
Annual Revenue: $30 Million
Industry: Financial Technology
As part of my retainer, I manage the company's ongoing relationship with our SEO and Reputation Management Vendor. A key responsibility of mine is curating content for multiple "microsites" developed to improve the company's Google SERP standings. I regularly create content for these microsites. Since one of these sites serves as the company's news outlet, the press releases I distribute to the media are also natively published on this news microsite, thereby enhancing our SEO strategy.
Build Relationships With Lawmakers
Company Size: 4,000 employees
Annual Revenue: $500 Million
Industry: Education / University
As part of my ongoing communications services, I proactively established relationships for a major university with its home state's congressional delegation (two senators and two representatives) in Washington D.C. These efforts enabled the university to create its first-ever resident Washington D.C. experience. This initiative not only enhanced the university's image but also generated valuable content for enrollment marketing, donor relations, and other community engagements within the university.