PR and marketing professional Matthew Brammer is returning to Baylor University in Waco, Texas, almost 20 years after he graduated to share what his years of business-ownership and a career in professional motorsports marketing has taught him. Brammer will address four classes in the School of Journalism Thursday.
 
Brammer is the founder and president of Phoenix, Ariz.-based Active Marketing and has served as PR and marketing director for several professional NHRA drag racing teams in his tenure at Active Marketing. Along with his promotional responsibilities as the head of his company, he is currently Series Director of the Get Screened America Pro Mod Challenge presented by ProCare Rx and has been intimately involved in keeping the exciting class of cars active in the NHRA.
 
According to Brammer, the only thing faster than the 0-to-330 m.p.h. cars he writes about or quicker than the lightning-fast reactions of the drivers he represents is the speed of the networks his articles are delivered to and the power of the words he writes. PR and marketing professional Matthew Brammer is returning to Baylor University in Waco, Texas, almost 20 years after he graduated to share what his years of business-ownership and a career in professional motorsports marketing has taught him. Brammer will address four classes in the School of Journalism Thursday.
 
Brammer is the founder and president of Phoenix, Ariz.-based Active Marketing and has served as PR and marketing director for several professional NHRA drag racing teams in his tenure at Active Marketing. Along with his promotional responsibilities as the head of his company, he is currently Series Director of the Get Screened America Pro Mod Challenge presented by ProCare Rx and has been intimately involved in keeping the exciting class of cars active in the NHRA.
 
According to Brammer, the only thing faster than the 0-to-330 m.p.h. cars he writes about or quicker than the lightning-fast reactions of the drivers he represents is the speed of the networks his articles are delivered to and the power of the words he writes.
 
"The power of the keyboard is huge, and with the advent of email, social networks, blogging, video-blogging, micro-blogging and everything else, the speed of news and opinions is blistering," Brammer said.
 
"I don't know if it matches the ground-shaking 8,000 horsepower of a Top Fuel Funny Car or Dragster, but it's definitely got the power to shape the opinions of the masses, and that can shake the world.
 
"I can't believe it's been nearly 20 years since I graduated - I think that's the most shocking thing for me.  I have always loved teaching and sharing my life, so the thought of getting to talk with students who are in the place I was is really a lot of fun," he said.
 
"So much has changed since I was a student as far as the industry and technology - but the goals are still the same: communication and motivation to attitude or action.
 
"Baylor is such a great place - the atmosphere, the environment - it's all so positive and charged with possibilities. I love it. If I had someone come in and talk about what they were doing like I'm planning to do on Thursday - it might have made a difference, if noting more than just confirming that I had made the right choice for my major. 
 
Brammer will be speaking to JOU 3372 and 4371 students about branding and the importance of image-building in public relations and will cover self-promotion, new media and integrating photography into PR and marketing with JOU 3357 Advanced Photography students. He will also be covering "a day in the life of an NHRA publicist" with JOU 3367 students.