PMC Media Group was coming off a record-breaking 2019. Darren Jodoin, founder and president of the media and advertising firm, said the business had grown 28% from 2018, and he had high hopes for 2020.
The company moved into its third location, flourishing from a tiny, 350-square-foot space to its current 3,000-square-foot office on Main Street in East Greenwich.
“We were anticipating 2020 to be the year of the century,” said Jodoin, whose clients come from three sectors: construction trades, which includes architects, contractors and lumber yards; restaurant groups and hotels; and event marketing.
Three months in, the floor fell out from underneath PMC. Within 48 hours of the coronavirus shutting down much of Rhode Island’s economy, Jodoin had to lay off five employees.
PMC helps plan a number of Rhode Island’s largest events, including the Rhode Island Home Show, the Newport International Boat Show, the RISE Women’s Leadership Conference and the Newport Chowder and Oyster Festival.
Every event was canceled, while many of his other clients were canceling their services and contracts.
“Our sales plummeted,” said Jodoin, who noted PMC lost almost $500,000 in revenue practically overnight. “It was a major hit to the firm. We got destroyed.”
With the clients PMC had left, and media buying of print, radio, TV and billboard ads declining, Jodoin and his team had to think creatively to keep their small-business clients at the top of consumers’ minds during the crisis. Their response: digital marketing through content such as how-to videos, safety videos and social media clips for stronger engagement while also building e-commerce websites.
According to Briana Tikiryan, PMC’s social media manager, the firm’s traditional media clients embraced digital efforts through marketing, social media advertising and management, and website development. Clients’ messaging on those platforms had to change, too.
“If they were closed, it was supporting the business online. If the businesses were open, the scheduled social media posts with images that had people in them had to be changed to those wearing masks and having protective equipment on,” said Tikiryan.
Tikiryan said the firm had to readjust some campaigns, and quickly. But for Jodoin, it was worth it.
After a loan of $150,000 from the Paycheck Protection Program, long nights in the office for months and a reinvestment in digital marketing, Jodoin has brought back all five of the employees he laid off in the spring and hired two new employees in video production and one in social media.
Jodoin said he has a “comeback” attitude, and said he is prepared for Rhode Island’s second surge that could potentially shut down businesses during the winter months. Some of his clients returned to their services at PMC, while the persistence of the firm spread through word-of-mouth, bringing the business new clients.
“It’s never about how much money we make; it’s about the success of our clients,” said Jodoin. “If we stick to that, then we will be in business forever.”
OWNER: Darren Jodoin
TYPE OF BUSINESS: Media consulting and advertising firm
LOCATION: 694 Main St., East Greenwich
EMPLOYEES: 16
YEAR ESTABLISHED: 2012
ANNUAL SALES: WND
Alexa Gagosz is a PBN staff writer. Contact her at Gagosz@PBN.com.
