As the founder of Melrose PR, a leading communications agency based in Los Angeles, California, Kelley Weaver is widely recognized as a leading authority on public relations and media in the blockchain space. Weaver has been featured and quoted by publications such as the LA Times, Forbes, Entrepreneur Magazine, Inc, LA Business Journal, Young Entrepreneur, and numerous others. She is also the host of Crypto Token Talk, a popular podcast featuring top industry experts in blockchain technology and “Crypto 101.”
Prior to launching Melrose, Weaver led her other company, pursecase, to a successful exit in early 2017. A popular fashion tech accessory that she invented in 2012, she was featured on ABC’s hit show Shark Tank! As a result of her appearance, she was awarded an investment deal with prominent businesswoman Lori Greiner.
In time, pursecase would appear on media outlets like QVC, The View, and Extra with worldwide distribution channels including Hallmark, Paper Source, Kitson, and Staples. From inception to the time she sold the company, pursecase did over 3 million in retail sales.
As Senior Editor at Gokhshtein Media, I recently had the chance to interview Weaver about emerging trends in the blockchain + crypto media space along with perspectives on public relations for projects in the industry.
On entering the public relations arena
I founded Melrose PR ten years ago as a boutique PR agency that at the time serviced more lifestyle and consumer product clients. In 2016, we took on our first blockchain client: Gem, an enterprise blockchain solutions provider based in Venice, CA. Gem introduced us to blockchain technology and the transformative aspects of cryptocurrency.
On her early orientation to crypto
Around this same time, I got hooked into Bitcoin as well and made the decision to focus exclusively on this vertical moving forward. By the time the ICO summer of 2017 hit, we were one of the only PR firms with an exclusive crypto focus and were flooded with business. It has certainly been a wild ride from those crazy days to where we are today with NFTs, explosive DeFi growth, and institutional adoption. The industry has matured tremendously as have we as an agency.
On Melrose’s values and strategic intent
Our aim is to provide a great working culture and represent the best and brightest teams in the space. Our prioritization of quality over quantity is how we've built a reputation among our media contacts as being a trusted source for great commentary and news. We're not the biggest, but we aim to provide the highest quality service and work with exceptional clients that are paving the way to mass adoption.
On a typical PR client
We work with companies and projects deploying blockchain and cryptocurrencies to solve real-world problems and fill gaps in the market. It's always our objective to set our clients up to meet and surpass their media goals, and so it's important for us to do our due diligence prior to signing new projects to ensure the ingredients are in place for us to achieve success with landing earned media.
These ingredients include industry validation (i.e. completion of a successful raise with recognizable partners) and filling a real need in the market with innovative deployment of blockchain tech. Another bonus for us is if the project has access to unique data pertaining to hacks, gas fees, and transaction volume.
On the biggest PR and media challenges in the industry
The biggest challenge we face relative to crypto PR is navigating the ever-changing and sometimes fickle media landscape. For example, NFTs were huge until reporters got sick of hearing about yet another NFT drop. Now, we've found that the media is more interested in stories pertaining to the technology behind NFTs, such as the infrastructure providers like InfiniteWorld and ID verification platforms like Civic, and financialization platforms like Arcade.
On how PR and Media in the Blockchain + Crypto world have evolved over the years.
Crypto PR is definitely a singular industry, especially given the rapid change that is inherent to the space. In the early days, it was a struggle to escape the negative associations with Silk Road and scam ICOs that gave the industry a bad reputation. Now that bitcoin and cryptocurrencies have been adopted by major financial institutions, governments (i.e. El Salvador's adoption of bitcoin as legal tender), and corporations like Block (formerly Square), PayPal, and Tesla, the public perception has done a complete 180 from where we were just five years ago.
On the biggest blunders made by new startup projects in their PR efforts?
There are a few protocols we make sure to explain during onboarding that many startups are not aware of when they first embark on their PR journey. First and foremost, know what is newsworthy to the media and what is better presented as a community update.
Our relationships with reporters are based on our ability to distinguish between what’s news and what might be considered a major milestone for the project but don't quite cross that threshold of being of interest to the media. If your project does have something newsworthy, the use of best PR practices is critical to setting yourself up for making the biggest splash.
On the relationship between a PR campaign and reporters
Startups that don't understand the nature of PR-reporter relationships will sometimes post their biggest news on Twitter not realizing that as soon as the information has been made public, it's likely taking the air out of the balloon—there is little incentive for reporters to cover the story and make it their own. This is why we always recommend pitching big news under embargo before anything is made public on social media.
It is also important to be conscientious of a reporters' time. We always educate our clients that it is not wise to reach out to reporters about an announcement going live the next business day, as this does not take into account their bandwidth—they need time to ask questions, write the story, and often get approval from their editor before publishing.
On the importance of industry expertise
Expertise is much more valuable than promotional content for developing a reputation within an industry. Some projects new to PR will want to insert their project into every quote or comment provided to a reporter, but this approach can often come off as too salesy and turn off reporter interest. It's much more worthwhile to provide reporters with real insights on what is happening in the ecosystem and build a report as an expert who the reporter can trust moving forward.
On emerging trends within the Blockchain + Crypto industry over the next 12-18 months.
I won't try to make market predictions, but I am a real believer in the power of blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies to transform finance and the Web for the better. In light of the potentially dystopian future we face should we fail to decentralize control of the internet, I think an appreciation for blockchain technology's ability to empower users with control over their own value and data will only continue to grow.
On the pandemic’s impact on the Blockchain + Crypto space
The crypto economy is fortunate in that most of the Web3 projects we work with are already distributed and set up for remote work; however, like all industries, we are also working to figure out how to retain some aspect of the camaraderie and collaboration brought forth by being in-person. We are a fully remote team, but we host bi-annual in-person offsites to bridge that gap.
On what industry thought leader(s) and/or mentor(s) have been her greatest source of inspiration
Cathy Wood of ARK Invest is a dynamo. I love listening/watching her interviews; she is so passionate and her seasoned background makes her very credible. Meltem DeMirrors is also someone I’ve known since my early days of entering the blockchain industry, and I’ve loved watching her career grow and flourish. Her expertise is unparalleled as is her ability to connect people. I’m a big fan.
On what one book she would recommend to newbies in the crypto space
Nathaniel Popper’s “Digital Gold” paints the picture of early bitcoin and how it came to life. Matt Leising’s “Out of the Ether” does the same for Ethereum. Both are great reads that I highly recommend. Matt is a former Bloomberg reporter who has been an ally of Melrose PR and is a truly exceptional writer. He recently launched a special ‘Founder’s Edition’ of the book which doubles as an NFT to authenticate its provenance as one of oly 1,000 copies to ever be printed.
On what excites her the most about the crypto space. Frustrates her?
There is never a dull moment in this industry and there is always something new to learn and discover. This can also be frustrating because no matter how much you learn, you feel that you're still behind. But I'd rather be constantly challenged by an industry operating on the cutting edge than be in an industry that is stagnant.
On her greatest personal hope for women entering the crypto realm
My hope for women is that they will not be intimidated by what they feel they don't know. There is so much opportunity for everyone regardless of gender or background. Crypto is inclusive in its very design, and so I encourage people of all walks of life to find a way to get involved. It's okay to be new—everyone is still new to this space to a certain extent.
On why she’s such a big fan of the Santa Monica, California lifestyle.
First of all, you can't beat the weather. I love walking to the beach and the laid-back vibe of the culture here in Santa Monica. It can also be fun to have access to all the glitz and glam of Hollywood though you can generally find me by the ocean playing in the sand with my husband and two daughters (who will be welcoming a baby brother this year!)
