Sachs Media celebrates a remarkable milestone: President and CEO Michelle Ubben’s 25 years of leadership and dedication to the firm. Over the past quarter-century, Michelle has been a driving force in shaping Sachs Media’s trajectory, from pioneering groundbreaking public relations campaigns to guiding the firm through the ever-evolving landscape of modern communications. Her visionary leadership has shaped the direction of the firm, built a thriving culture, and driven important outcomes for our clients and industry. In this interview, Michelle reflects on her journey, the evolution of public relations, and her hopes for the future of Sachs Media and the broader PR industry.
Q: How has the public relations industry evolved since you started your career, and what are some of the most significant changes you’ve witnessed?
A: The public relations industry has had to evolve as the news industry has changed. We’ve seen newsrooms slashed and shrunk, so while generating earned media is still one of the most valuable outcomes we get, it’s gotten harder to accomplish and requires more creativity.
At the same time, we’ve seen a huge growth in the ability to generate content and deliver it directly to audiences. Content creation has become a much bigger part of our focus, along with digital targeting to make sure we’re putting content in front of the right people – in many cases without media coverage. I think the most effective campaigns still utilize both approaches. Where we have such a good story angle, research, or a strong news hook, we chase media coverage because it’s some of the most credible content out there. But we also tell our own story, creating compelling visual content — videos, social posts — to drive a conversation on social media. This is another key way that we raise awareness and shape public dialogue.
Q: Can you share how Sachs Media has adapted to the changing landscape of PR over the years and what new strategies or technologies the firm has embraced?
A: Change is the one constant, and it requires us to always be on our toes, to change up our strategy – not doing things the way we always did them, but taking advantage of trends and technology and the evolution of communications, including social media, which is changing by the day. All of that change has opened up more opportunities to build effective campaigns and communicate with people, making our profession even more exciting.
People have a much shorter attention span now, so information has to be compelling and visual. Video is the way people are consuming much information today, as opposed to reading long narratives. Social media is another area where we’ve adapted. A big part of how we’ve evolved is in understanding where conversations are happening, how people are getting information differently than they used to, and being able to participate on those platforms, shape conversations, and change a narrative for a client or an issue.
Q: What do you believe sets Sachs Media apart from other PR firms?
A: Strategy. We hone in on the big, game-changing opportunity for a client, or the big problem or challenge that could sink a client’s business, or the societal problem that could be solved with legislative action if we can help persuade the public and then legislators to do the right thing.
We look at the big picture, identify a high-impact outcome, and chart a strategic course to help our clients get there. So our work, at the end of the day, is transformational. This relies on good data – our research division provides insights that inform our strategy and make our campaigns more successful. But it’s also a mindset: thinking about what is going to create a breakthrough for this client, this challenge, or this issue, and not just a set of deliverables.
Q: Looking ahead, what are your hopes and aspirations for Sachs Media and the future of the PR industry? How do you see the role of PR evolving in the next decade?
A: For Sachs Media, I hope we foster the kind of healthy culture that helps us attract and retain the top talent – professionals who care deeply about their work, their clients’ goals, and especially their team members. We’ve made a strong commitment, backed up by investment, in our team’s professional development, while also providing a career path so they can stay and grow with us, delivering winning work they can be proud of and changing the world through the impact we’re having.
Looking at the future of PR, data is going to continue to play a large role, so PR practitioners will have to cultivate a growing capability to consume data, manipulate data, understand what it’s telling us, and use that to drive better outcomes.
There is no doubt that AI is a great tool. It allows us to be more efficient, letting one person do more than they ever could have done without it. However, I believe there should be limits to how it’s used. Writing forces you to think through the arc of a story and how you’re going to frame an issue — this changes how you think about something and how your audience views it. I don’t think that can be delegated to AI. We’ll need to continue figuring out the appropriate use of AI while protecting and prizing the role of writers and strategists, ensuring that we deliver the best possible results for our clients.
Q: Reflecting on your 25-year journey with Sachs Media, what have been some of the most memorable moments or milestones for you and the firm?
A: What I treasure most from my 25-year body of work is the impact we’ve had on so many important issues. To have the privilege to work with the State of Florida to rebrand the state’s public adoption system, focusing on the children who wait the longest for adoptive homes – teens, sibling groups, kids with disabilities and health problems – gaining insights from deep conversations with case workers, adoptive parents, and foster parents to understand the realities. Then, working with a fantastic creative team to build a successful campaign that would invite people who hadn’t previously considered adopting a child from the state system to take a real look at that option – that was some of the most meaningful work of my life.
I cherish the opportunity to do work that matters. Another example was working with state Sen. Lauren Book to launch the Lauren’s Kids Foundation and create, under her leadership, curricula for every grade from kindergarten through high school about sexual abuse prevention, and raising the profile of that issue so that people felt comfortable talking about it instead of sweeping it under the rug.
I also think about our work with the National Alliance on Mental Illness to promote access to mental health medications, amplifying the voices of family members of people with mental illness to make sure the Legislature knew that if people couldn’t access their meds, the person with the diagnosis, their families, and society all would pay a price.
I’ve enjoyed practicing the kind of PR that promotes ideas and issues. The work we do really matters, and I believe it’s changed lives, saved lives, and is about as impactful as any other career you can imagine.
That’s what transforms a job into a career, and I’ve enjoyed and appreciated every minute of it.
Q: How have your personal life and experiences outside of work helped shape your passions for client work and your approach to leading the firm?
A: My husband and I raised six children over the course of my career, and those profoundly rewarding experiences helped me to appreciate the challenges of balancing work and family, and it fostered a commitment to build a family-friendly workplace. That’s why our work with such clients as the Children’s Movement of Florida has been so meaningful – to be part of Bosses for Babies and spread the message that flexibility and family-friendly policies are good for families and good for business. It feels like a full-circle moment for me. As much as I’ve loved my work, the roles I’ve played within our family make up the biggest part of who I am and have brought me the most satisfaction – by far. I like to think I’ve applied that same approach to my work with our Sachs Media family, celebrating weddings and births just as much as their professional successes. As my husband Matt always says, “It’s all about faith, family, and friends,” and that pretty well sums up my priorities. A rewarding career has been icing on the cake.