Establishing a Leading Authority in Accounting and Finance through Thought Leadership and Magazine Redesign

The Opportunity

The Massachusetts Society of CPAs (MSCPA) represents as many as 11,000 members and serves 1,700 public firms and nearly 1,800 business and industry organizations. Despite its role as the leading certified public accountant professional organization in Massachusetts, the MSCPA's narrative was not being told. The MSCPA engaged BG to develop a comprehensive media relations strategy to establish CEO Amy Pitter and other MSCPA staff and members as thought leaders in the industry to drive brand awareness and garner media attention surrounding the Society's accomplishments. Alongside the media relations campaign, the MSCPA also engaged BG to redesign the layout of its membership magazine to elevate the MSCPA brand.

The Strategy

The BG creative team conducted a thorough audit of the MSCPA's brand and magazine layout to identify areas for improvement. They then developed a comprehensive media relations strategy that focused on establishing thought leadership and garnering media attention for the Society's accomplishments. The strategy included:

  • Developing a media list of relevant reporters and media outlets.
  • Drafting press releases and pitches that highlighted the Society's accomplishments and positioned CEO Amy Pitter and other MSCPA staff and members as thought leaders in the industry.
  • Conducting media training sessions for key staff and members to prepare them for media interviews and appearances.

The team also redesigned the layout of the membership magazine to improve visual appeal and convey the Society's message more effectively. The new magazine layout was based on monthly content themes and leveraged white space and creative accents to make the publication more visually impactful.

The Result

The media relations strategy and magazine redesign resulted in significant improvements to the MSCPA's brand and thought leadership. The results include:

  • Establishing CEO Amy Pitter and other MSCPA staff and members as thought leaders in the industry.
  • Garnering media attention for the Society's accomplishments, including coverage in leading industry publications such as Accounting Today and CPA Practice Advisor.
  • Redesigning the membership magazine to improve visual appeal and convey the Society's message more effectively.

The media relations strategy and magazine redesign helped to position the MSCPA as a leading authority in the accounting and finance industry and elevated their brand and thought leadership. The Society received increased media attention and positive feedback on the redesigned membership magazine layout, which effectively conveyed their message to their members and beyond.