M&C Communications
M&C Communications is a Colorado-based boutique PR firm specializing in crisis communications, brand protection, and CBD/hemp PR, serving government, nonprofit, agriculture, hospitality, and cannabis clients with a team of former journalists.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersHighlands Ranch, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What M&C Communications does
M&C Communications is a privately held, founder-led boutique public relations firm headquartered in the Denver, Colorado metro area (Highlands Ranch mailing address, Conifer operational address) that specializes in crisis communications, brand protection, and vertical-specific PR for CBD/hemp, government, nonprofit, agriculture, and hospitality clients. The firm was founded by Diane Mulligan, APR, and operates with a roster of roughly ten professionals, the majority of whom are former broadcast journalists and newsroom producers from major US television markets; its Vice President Mitch Jelniker holds 13 regional Emmy awards. Its service portfolio is structured around trademarked methodologies — Brand Protection PR™, CBD Brand Protection PR™, Insider Media Relations™, 360-Degree Brand Protection PR™, and the proprietary Brand Protection Tool™ assessment — which together form a repeatable framework for threat identification, crisis preparedness, and recovery. Notable client work includes the City of Manitou Springs Westboro Baptist Church protest response (2020 PRSA Silver Anvil Award), the Rocky Ford Growers Association listeria recovery campaign (2017 PRSA Colorado Gold Pick), and ongoing partnerships with Monarch Casino Resort Spa, Lung Cancer Foundation of America, and the Colorado Department of Agriculture.
The firm's business model is professional-services consulting revenue via project-based engagements and multi-year retainers priced on a custom, quote-based basis with no publicly disclosed rate cards. Go-to-market is sales-led and founder-driven: client acquisition occurs through direct outreach, referrals, and industry reputation reinforced by published case studies, the Move the Stairs™ podcast and blog (distributed across Spotify, Apple, Google, and Amazon), event participation (notably the NoCo Hemp Expo), and trade association involvement (US Hemp Roundtable membership for founder Diane Mulligan). Distribution is augmented by an international PR Director based in Dublin serving Irish and European clients across food, sports, and tourism. The firm holds APR accreditation for two team members, is certified as a BizHack Digital Marketer and Smart Social Secrets practitioner, and has no disclosed AI/ML technology stack — it operates as a labor-and-judgment-intensive services business rather than a software-enabled platform.
M&C Communications firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- M&C Communications
- Legal name
- M&C Communications
- Website
- https://mandccommunications.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- M&C Communications is a Colorado-based boutique PR firm specializing in crisis communications, brand protection, and CBD/hemp PR, serving government, nonprofit, agriculture, hospitality, and cannabis clients with a team of former journalists.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
M&C Communications industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Public Relations Services
- NAICS
- Public Relations Agencies (54182), Public Relations Agencies (541820), Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418)
- SIC
- Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Advertising (7310)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Crisis Communications & Issues Management (MPAAADAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Media Relations, Monitoring & Rapid Response (MPAAAOAK), Brand Safety, Monitoring & Social Listening (MPAAAOAA), Product & Brand PR (Consumer & B2B) (BPAFADAH), Digital PR & Social Media Communications (MPAAADAJ)
Keywords
Where M&C Communications is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Highlands Ranch
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
M&C Communications business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Professional Services - PR Consulting: M&C Communications generates revenue through consulting fees for public relations services including brand protection, crisis communications, media relations, and strategic communications. Services are tailored to individual client needs and delivered through project-based engagements and ongoing retainers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom engagement-based pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
M&C Communications product offering
Product offeringCore offering
M&C Communications is a public relations firm that provides crisis communications, brand protection PR, CBD-specific public relations, and media relations training services to businesses, municipalities, nonprofits, and regulated industries. The firm's work spans crisis preparedness and rapid response, proactive media management, brand reputation and thought-leadership building, and social media strategy, delivered through project-based engagements and ongoing retainers. Its offerings are unified under the 360-Degree Brand Protection PR™ methodology and supported by the proprietary Brand Protection Tool™ for vulnerability assessment.
Product overview
M&C Communications is a public relations firm offering a suite of branded service products centered around brand protection and crisis communications. The core offering consists of Brand Protection PR™ and CBD Brand Protection PR™ services, supported by Crisis Communications and Insider Media Relations™ training programs. The portfolio is unified under the 360-Degree Brand Protection PR™ methodology, with the proprietary Brand Protection Tool™ for threat assessment. The firm also produces the Move the Stairs™ Podcast as a content and thought leadership platform. All services focus on building brand trust, managing media relations, and preparing for or responding to crises.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Brand Protection PR™ Core PR service that helps businesses differentiate themselves and build a reservoir of trust and goodwill by developing client trust, proactively managing the media, and enhancing brand loyalty through powerful strategic messaging. Intended for organizations seeking to strengthen brand reputation and customer engagement.
- CBD Brand Protection PR™ Specialized PR service for CBD and cannabis companies that helps navigate regulatory compliance at the federal, state, and local levels, build customer loyalty, and manage brand reputation in the rapidly changing CBD industry. For CBD product brands seeking to legally keep their story in front of target audiences.
- Crisis Communications Crisis communications planning and management service that helps businesses prepare for, respond to, and recover from reputation-damaging situations through a three-step Plan-Prepare-Practice process. Includes the proprietary 360-Degree Brand Protection Tool™ for vulnerability assessment and an activatable crisis plan within 15 minutes.
- Insider Media Relations™ (Media Relations & Training) Media relations training and strategy service developed through decades of newsroom experience that teaches clients how to build authentic relationships with journalists, create irresistible pitches, and handle media interviews with confidence and authority. Positions clients as thought leaders and prepares them for media interactions.
- 360-Degree Brand Protection PR™ Comprehensive brand protection methodology combining customer loyalty building, reputation-safety planning, and opportunity/crisis forecasting to create resilient brands; the firm's overarching service framework unifying its offerings.
- Brand Protection Tool™ Proprietary assessment tool that identifies a company's three most vulnerable areas and develops focused crisis management plans through collaborative work sessions with leadership teams. Includes threat forecasts and response roadmaps delivered by crisis communications experts.
- Move the Stairs™ Podcast Weekly podcast featuring interviews with industry experts discussing topics related to PR, brand protection, CBD industry trends, crisis planning, and media relations. Distributed on Spotify, Apple, Google, and Amazon as a thought-leadership and brand-building asset for the firm.
Quantifiable outcome
- 28,000% increase in campaign impressions for Rocky Ford Growers Association
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use M&C Communications
Customer profileNamed customers13 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
M&C Communications technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
M&C Communications partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Hope for Stomach CancercoreM&C Communications appointed as public relations agency for Hope for Stomach Cancer, a nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness and providing support for stomach cancer patients. The partnership focuses on storytelling, advocacy, education, and community engagement to improve awareness and care for the disease.
- Dr. Zogg's Amazing CBDcoreOngoing client partnership for CBD brand protection PR, helping design social media kickoff campaigns and partnerships with local retailers and sporting outlets to bring CBD into mainstream health and wellness conversations.
- Monarch Casino Resort SpacorePR partner providing crisis communications and ongoing public relations services, including during demolition of parking garage and construction of 23-story hotel tower expansion.
- City of Manitou Springs, COcoreCrisis communications strategy development for managing Westboro Baptist Church protest at local high school, including proactive school, community, and media communications strategy honoring 1st Amendment rights.
- Lung Cancer Foundation of AmericacoreOngoing partnership for awareness campaigns, Speakers Bureau development, patient-led video series, and social media content creation to boost nonprofit mission awareness.
- Rocky Ford Growers AssociationcoreCrisis communications partnership to correct listeria association through positive coverage of food safety protocols, family farms, stewardship, and quality. Also developed unique partnerships including Worth the Wait Rocky Ford Cantaloupe Gose beer.
- City of Black Hawk, COcoreStrategic communications partnership to establish city as Colorado's premier gaming resort destination and illustrate its place in Colorado's Gold Rush history.
- Hirakata FarmscoreStrategic PR partnership establishing Hirakata Farms as leader in industry safety and innovator in Millennial market collaborations including award-winning Worth the Wait IPA campaign.
- Colorado Department of AgriculturecoreCrisis communications partnership during listeria crisis that threatened Colorado agricultural industry, winning North American Agricultural Marketing Officials Award.
- US Hemp RoundtableminorDiane Mulligan listed as Member of US Hemp Roundtable 2021-present, an industry coalition for hemp policy and advocacy.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves3 records
Expansion highlights5 records
M&C Communications competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Ackermann PR: Tennessee-based boutique public relations firm offering media relations, crisis communications, and brand storytelling with a similar scale and full-service model to M&C Communications. Operates in adjacent U.S. regions serving comparable mid-market and enterprise clients across nonprofit, healthcare, and lifestyle sectors.
- Bernstein Crisis Management: California-based agency specializing in crisis communications, litigation PR, and reputation protection, overlapping directly with M&C's core crisis and brand protection practice. Operates as a comparable specialist boutique with strong positioning in rapid-response engagement.
- J Public Relations: Mid-sized boutique PR agency serving hospitality, real estate, nonprofit, and consumer brands with media relations, brand awareness, and crisis-adjacent services. Comparable in firm size and vertical-mix orientation to M&C Communications.
Regional players
- Sachs Media Group: Florida-based public affairs, crisis, and issue management firm serving government, association, and corporate clients in the Southeast. Comparable in its strong government/municipal client mix and crisis communications focus, but geographically distinct from M&C.
Emerging players
- Walker Sands: Mid-sized integrated communications and PR firm serving B2B technology, professional services, and consumer brands with media relations and brand storytelling. Comparable on B2B/consumer PR service mix though heavier than M&C in technology and demand-gen.
- PAN Communications: Mid-size integrated marketing and public relations firm with strong B2B technology, healthcare, and consumer brands practices. Comparable on mid-market positioning and integrated brand/communications services, though with significantly broader headcount.
Broad incumbents
- Edelman: Global public relations firm offering crisis communications, brand marketing, public affairs, and corporate reputation services across virtually every industry vertical. Operates as the market-leading broad incumbent against which credentialed boutiques like M&C are typically benchmarked.
- FleishmanHillard: Global communications agency with deep crisis, public affairs, healthcare, and brand practice areas including dedicated crisis and issues management capabilities. A leading broad incumbent providing reference scale for evaluating M&C's specialist positioning.
- Ketchum: Large global public relations firm with established crisis and brand management practices, plus a specialty in health, food, and lifestyle sectors relevant to M&C's agriculture and nonprofit client base. Sets the broader incumbent benchmark.
- Weber Shandwick: Global public relations and communications leader with crisis management, public affairs, brand marketing, and earned media capabilities. A standard reference incumbent for evaluating a credentials-led boutique like M&C Communications.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
M&C Communications social profiles
Digital presenceM&C Communications compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance9 records
M&C Communications financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
M&C Communications leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
M&C Communications funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
M&C Communications M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about M&C Communications
What does M&C Communications do?
M&C Communications is a public relations firm that provides crisis communications, brand protection PR, CBD-specific public relations, and media relations training services to businesses, municipalities, nonprofits, and regulated industries. The firm's work spans crisis preparedness and rapid response, proactive media management, brand reputation and thought-leadership building, and social media strategy, delivered through project-based engagements and ongoing retainers. Its offerings are unified under the 360-Degree Brand Protection PR™ methodology and supported by the proprietary Brand Protection Tool™ for vulnerability assessment.
Is M&C Communications a public or private company?
M&C Communications is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was M&C Communications founded?
M&C Communications was founded in 2009. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is M&C Communications based?
M&C Communications is headquartered in Highlands Ranch, United States, in the North America region.
How does M&C Communications make money?
One revenue line is on record: professional Services - PR Consulting.
Who are M&C Communications's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Ackermann PR, Bernstein Crisis Management and J Public Relations. Sachs Media Group is listed as a regional player. Emerging players are Walker Sands and PAN Communications. Broad incumbents are Edelman, FleishmanHillard, Ketchum and Weber Shandwick.
Does M&C Communications have an API?
No public API is recorded for M&C Communications.
What industry is M&C Communications in?
M&C Communications's product category is Public Relations Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAAADAF, Crisis Communications & Issues Management, with a secondary code of MPAAAOAK, Media Relations, Monitoring & Rapid Response. Its NAICS code is 54182 and its SIC code is 7311.