10.12.17
Friends,
On October 13th, Blue Engine Message & Media celebrates its 11th anniversary. I am proud of how far we’ve come, and even more excited about where we’re going. Our firm may have started in my basement, but today our client work takes us coast-to-coast and around the globe.
It also just so happens that this year, as it did when I founded Blue Engine in 2006, October 13thfalls on a Friday. We’ve been blessed with good fortune, we’ve worked hard and, superstitions aside, I can say that there’s nothing unlucky about this date for us.
Over the past 11 years, we’ve grown our team and expanded our capabilities to stay at the leading edge of the changing communications landscape. We’re still working closely with reporters and developing winning messages, but today, we’re also deploying new digital tools and technologies to connect directly with audiences on behalf of our clients.
So much has changed since starting Blue Engine – but the core principles upon which we were founded haven’t. We still believe that consistent senior-level engagement matters as much to our clients as it does to us. We believe that bringing together the best practices of long-term corporate communications planning with short-term political rapid response techniques can produce exciting results, while also making sure that clients end an engagement stronger than when they enter. We believe our Blue Engineers are our true competitive advantage and the fuel for our firm’s success. And we believe in the idea that working with Blue Engine means gaining a true collaborative partner.
Since our founding, we’ve eschewed traditional hourly billing models in order to immerse ourselves with our clients and their consultative teams at a senior level. All of us love the work we do, and what brought my partners David Di Martino and Allison Clear Fastow to Blue Engine was the opportunity to engage deeply with clients, particularly when they face a threat or an opportunity, telling their story in a way that helps accomplish their goals.
So as we mark this moment, we have a lot to be proud of and much for which we are thankful. In particular, our clients, partners and friends who have trusted us along the way, and especially the incredible team we’ve assembled.
I’m proud, humbled and, on behalf David, Allison, Adam, Amber, Steve, Jessica, Jaime, Tim, James, Catherine, Irma, Kat, Kris, Kara, Carly, Cynthia, Sam and Ronda: happy Friday, October 13th.
Here’s to another great year – we’re excited about what’s ahead.
Sincerely,
Erik Smith