Who is Joseph Priest anyway?

In marketing and communication, it’s often said that content is queen (not “king,” because I think we’ve shown bias toward men and male forms for far too long and need to reverse the trend), but in my case content may be a god. Ever since I fell in love with classic movies at an early age, I’ve wanted to be a creator of original content that inspires or captivates. And this goal has taken me to a rewarding career path and personal life that I wouldn’t change if I could, and a journey that I’m excited about continuing so I can help people and organizations communicate their messages as originally and powerfully as possible.

Today, I’m a public relations and communications professional with over 15 years of experience in corporate communications, marketing communications, and online communications. I’ve gained expertise in creating a wide variety of communications for every kind of organization, from corporations, such as IBM; to communication agencies, such as Ketchum; to broadcast news outlets, such as WTVT, in Tampa; to academic institutions, such as the University of Tennessee.

I’ve had a long and winding road gaining expertise in creating and shaping these different kinds of content. After graduating from Auburn University with a mass communication degree, I started off as a production assistant at the Fox television affiliate in Tampa, WTVT, where I worked as a production assistant in the studio and then as a video news editor. I then changed paths by returning to college, at the University of Tennessee, getting a public relations degree, and going to work at one of the world’s largest electronics companies, Philips Electronics, in Knoxville, where I helped manage internal communications for a companywide software project. Next, I joined Ketchum, a top-10 public relations agency, in Atlanta, and wrote corporate and marketing communications for clients like IBM and Intercontinental Hotels, before moving to Ketchum’s New York office, where I took on an internal role in which I managed the content on Ketchum’s website and blog. And then I took an opportunity to return to my hometown of Tampa and become a writer at Syniverse, a telecommunication company where I oversaw the company’s blog and social media, and wrote a range of other corporate and marketing communications.  

My experience at Syniverse has taken me to my latest chapter in my journey as a content manager. In the last several years, I’ve seen social media reach a tipping point and rise from a token corporate communication channel updated a few times a week with bland announcements to a major company mouthpiece requiring daily updates, real-time responses, and long-term editorial planning. This is why I recently chose to pursue a graduate certificate in social media and redefine my skill in this rapidly evolving area of public relations.

My passion for content extends well beyond my professional career, too. My favorite hobby is collecting, watching and comparing notes on classic Hollywood and international films with like-minded admirers. I have always been impressed by the powerful storytelling and carefully crafted narrative formats of these movies, especially from the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. My two favorites from this era are a 1952 Japanese film titled Ikiru (To Live), about a dying Tokyo bureaucrat’s search for meaning in life; and Sunset Boulevard, a 1950 American film noir on a faded actor’s deranged quest to recapture fame. 

And my other big hobby involves consuming content of a different sort – international travel. Over the past 15 years, I’ve been fortunate to travel to many exotic overseas locations and sample the different cultures and rhythms of the world. By far, Japan and Singapore top my list of favorite places and continually amaze me with their array of distinctive foods, manners, and historical sites.

I’m fortunate to already have a rewarding career behind me but still an exciting one still unfolding in front of me. It’s a journey that I’m excited about continuing on this blog and offering guidance to people and organizations on how to communicate their messages as originally and powerfully as possible. I invite you to join me on this journey, and I look forward to your feedback along the way.