He's stealthy, he's not a neurologist, and he's a killer with the
Nerf guns. Meet Jared Greenberg, founder of Dog 'n' Pony in San Diego.
Oh, and if anyone from Hill & Knowlton's reading this - guys, you should
talk.
Describe the company you work for: Dog 'n' Pony is a boutique
specializing in what we like to call "stealth PR" - a unique means of
generating publicity attributed entirely to third parties with the goal
of staying "under the radar." Our (secret) clients are primarily hi-tech
startups in Southern California, plus one in Taiwan.
What do you do? I'm the visionary, the guru. I run this agency. My two
employees and our mascot (a cocker spaniel named Inky) generally go
along with me.
Tell us something amusing/interesting/embarrassing about your company:
We keep a variety of "toys" around our workspace (please don't call it
an office) to generate creative light and heat, in the intellectual
sense.
About four months ago, I accidentally hit our AE, Jessica, in the eye
with a Nerf missile. She had to spend the night in the hospital with a
scratched cornea. Boy, did I feel silly! (Especially when the lawsuit
arrived? - Ed.)
How did you get into PR? At age 11, I saw Pat Kingsley on TV rescuing
Milton Berle from a potentially sticky situation, and I was hooked. She
was sassy, and I knew I wanted to do what she was doing. My father was
in denial until just recently. He'd wanted me to be a neurologist.
What was your best pitch? I once set up a latte cart in front of the
offices of the Industry Standard in San Francisco, just to get them to
hear my pitch. It worked - they said it was the best latte they'd ever
had.
If you could work for one company, what would it be? I've always admired
Hill & Knowlton because of the influence they wield in shaping not only
news coverage, but the American culture. Burson-Marsteller has always
impressed me, just because of their sheer size. Man, they're big!
What invention would make your job easier? I've always dreamed about a
pill I could give editors that would break down their resistance to my
pitches. But I guess that'd be illegal, so never mind. (Uh, Jared, PR
stands for Public Relations, not Pushing Rohypnol - Ed.)
Write the headline for the story you would most like to read in PRWeek
"Greenberg named chairman of Hill & Knowlton." It couldn't get any
better than that.
Name one thing about your past people would be surprised to learn: I was
painfully shy as a teenager. But then I learned that if you want
something in life, you've got to assert yourself.
Which historical figure would you most like to represent? Gandhi. Or
Jesus Christ.
What is the secret of your success? I have complete and total faith in
the power of PR, no matter what anyone may say.
