Meet Joe Wiggins, Our Community Member of the Week

Name: Joe Wiggins

Job: Senior Account Supervisor

Company: Coyne PR

LinkedIn: Joe Wiggins

In 140 characters or less, tell us who you are and how you got to where you are today.

I am a creative problem solver who is passionate about bridging the gap between what my clients are and what they want to be.

What’s one trend in media or marketing that you’re buying or selling?

Augmented reality; the ability to create an experience in the audience’s homes or wherever they are can be powerfully persuasive.

How do you define creativity?

Any idea that presents a new way of looking at a challenge and solving for it.

What’s the project or campaign that you’re proudest of? Why?

USA Swimming Foundation’s “Make a Splash” initiative, a national child-focused water safety campaign, that encourages families to teach children how to swim and prevent childhood drowning. To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the campaign, we created the world’s largest kickboard. Measuring in at 18ft x 11ft and tipping the scales at over 400 pounds, the kickboard was declared the Guinness World Record for the Largest Kickboard–and it floated too! We branded the kickboard, which provided a dynamic media moment with Sports Illustrated SportsKid of the Year, Reece Whitley, as well as a group of local children learning to swim at the unveiling site. Coyne was able to widely spread the vital message that “Putting your child into swimming lessons is just as important as putting them in a car seat.”

The campaign generated 556 total placements, resulting in 173 million impressions and an ad value of $929,621.25.

What are you working on right now? Any exciting future plans that you’re able to share?

Harlem Globetrotters, FloSports, The Olympic Channel, The Northern Trust, and Yahoo Sports.

As a connected fan, what’s the best piece of sports content that you have recently consumed?

Podcasts have been an informative, engaging way to connect with sports. From shows like Jalen & Jacoby to PR Week to Sports Byline, I appreciate that this platform dives into the nuances of the sports often missed between the lines.

What’s been the biggest high and low of working in sports?

The key for me as a sports PR professional is delivering consistency since you can never 100% predict the outcome on the field or in the boardroom. So it is important not to get too high or low, so you’re able to be both reliable and credible. The best teacher of this has been being a lifelong fan of the NY Knicks–despite the many ups and downs they’ve had through the years!

What’s one element of the sports industry that you’d like to see change?

Diversity in PR, particularly in agencies and team front offices. This would allow players to see their stories told to the media through voices who more readily reflect them.

What’s an example of one way in which MiS has positively impacted your career?

Your network is your net worth, right? And MiS has provided an invaluable network for guidance and support. Through MiS, I was introduced to a community of people I have grown to trust. And I believe when you have trust, amazing things can happen for all people involved.

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Hear more from leaders and creators across the sports industry this June at Hashtag Sports, an annual conference designed for media and marketing professionals.