The Gist Matthew Hiltzik on the Craft of Crisis Communications
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Nov 3, 2025 Matthew Hiltzik, founder and CEO of Hiltzik Strategies, navigates the complex world of crisis communications with a focus on strategy, law, and politics. He emphasizes the importance of audience understanding and the precision of digital tools over emotional appeals. Hiltzik shares insights from campaigns involving Schumer and Clinton, highlighting grassroots retail politics and the continuing significance of detail in today’s algorithm-driven landscape. The discussion also humorously critiques an SNL sketch and explores public perceptions of figures like Cuomo.
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ILR Training Shaped His Strategy
- Hiltzik recounts studying labor relations at Cornell and taking diverse courses that shaped his approach.
- He credits those classes with teaching negotiation, risk, and audience understanding used in communications work.
Boots-On-The-Ground Campaign Start
- Hiltzik recounts volunteering on Carolyn McCarthy's campaign after a mass-shooting tragedy.
- He describes it as a pure introduction to retail politics: phones, doors, and community energy.
A Check That Opened Doors
- Hiltzik tells meeting Chuck Schumer in Ithaca, where Schumer remembered a donation from Hiltzik's grandfather.
- He uses the story to illustrate the power of retail politics and long memory in local relationships.
