A.wordsmith | Portland PR & Communications

January “Like a Boss” Coffee Chat Rewind: The Power of Giving Back

By Ann Smith | Feb 16, 2018

At our most recent “Like a Boss” Coffee Chat we had a great morning talking, learning and sharing about what it means to do good and give back. On our panel were Amy Weeden, co-founder and managing partner at Propeller; Doug Whyte, executive director at the Hollywood Theatre; Suzanne Nance, chief executive officer and on-air […]

Leaders, according to me

By Ann Smith | Oct 19, 2017

What is a leader? It’s a question I think about often. I think about the people who surround me that I consider to be leaders. I think about the state of the country and the world and the people who we call leaders because of their titles, but maybe little else. I think of everyday […]

Women of the Olympics & the Telling of Great Stories

By Ann Smith | Aug 8, 2016

Over the weekend the Summer Olympics in Rio kicked off. Despite much worry leading into the Games over major issues such as safety, facilities, clean water and overall security, so far Rio is proving to be a respectable host. And in a time when it seems hard to find common ground, sports once again bring […]

Getting Ripa'd

By Ann Smith | Apr 27, 2016

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock for the past week you’ve most likely know the full story, or at least rumblings, of the Kelly Ripa vs. Michael Strahan vs. Disney-ABC drama. On Tuesday Kelly returned to the show after taking some time off to digest and deal with the news that not only is […]

The A.wordsmith Model | A Culture for Work/Life Balance

By Ann Smith | Jul 7, 2015

The A.wordsmith model is build to reflect our commitment to not only high-quality client service, but also work/life balance. In the office we are kick-ass communication professionals, with world-class public relations, branding and marketing expertise. At home we are mothers, partners and friends with those we value most. The firm’s flexible model means our team manages […]

It Was Never a Dress: Let your Superhero Fly

By Ann Smith | May 21, 2015

Earlier this month a B2B software development company did something brilliant – and it has almost nothing to do with their offerings. They launched the “It Was Never a Dress” campaign (https://itwasneveradress.com/). If you haven’t seen this on social (or mainstream) media yet, you’re missing out. Axosoft, a Scottsdale, Arizona software company that focuses on […]

From One Working Mother to Another

By Ann Smith | Mar 4, 2015

A frustrating truth Today a powerful column appeared on Fortune.com. It was written by Katharine Zaleski, a former journalistic powerhouse who held top roles at The Huffington Post and The Washington Post in her mid-20s. She is open and honest about how she viewed and treated women who were mothers during that time. Honestly recalling […]

Topping the Search Engines in 2015

By Ann Smith | Dec 10, 2014

The term “search engine optimization” can be scary to businesses of any size. With up to 64 percent of website traffic coming from search engines, it’s also critical. Monday’s article by Forbes’ Jason DeMers highlights the top trends for search engine optimization in 2015. So what’s the biggest take away for your business? Specialization in technical […]

My Hometown Hero Gets an Ivy League Shoutout

By Ann Smith | Nov 25, 2014

I’m a ranch kid who grew up in the south-eastern corner of Oregon. People ask me all the time where I’m from and my natural response is “Southern Oregon.” They then usually start guessing places – Ashland? Medford? Grants Pass? No, keep going. At this point I can see they are persistent to so I […]

Five New Trends Showcasing the Diversity of Social Media

By Ann Smith | Nov 25, 2014

When social media websites like Facebook and Twitter first splashed onto the scene, few probably imagined how many possibilities would spark from the platforms’ creations. Today, you’re not just limited to connecting with old friends, following your favorite athletes and celebrities, and planning your wedding or home décor. New technological innovations have allowed consumers to […]

In Defense of Annoying Advertising

By Ann Smith | Nov 13, 2014

For decades, targeted advertising was limited. Men were cursed to see ads for women’s sanitary products and women had to tolerate ads targeted at men’s health. Many dollars have been spent on prospective consumers that were not going to be buying a company’s products. But today, the world of marketing has changed. No more are […]

Campaign Ads of 2014

By Ann Smith | Nov 4, 2014

November 4th has arrived and after today you no longer have to listen to the campaign advertisements, at least for awhile. Although these advertisements address some of the issues with each campaign candidate or proposition measure, they can be overbearing, aggressive, and sometimes pushing the truth. NPR’s Alisa Chang, recently reported on the “2014 Campaign […]