I DON’T SELL ATTENTION. I PROTECT REPUTATION.
Senior communications counsel for leaders, organizations, and cultural institutions where visibility carries consequence.
MY STORY.
I’m Matthew Celestial, a communications professional with over twelve years of experience working across public relations, media strategy and executive communications.
I began my career in entertainment publicity, working with artists, studios and cultural brands where attention is earned, not assumed, and where storytelling determines relevance. That foundation shaped how I think about visibility: not as volume, but as positioning.
As my work evolved, I moved into technology-driven and highly regulated sectors, including animation, video games, biotech, pharmaceutical and consumer products communications. In these environments, communications is not about promotion — it is about precision. Reputation, credibility and trust are built (or damaged) under scrutiny, tight timelines and real-world consequence.
Today, I work across multiple sectors, advising leaders and organizations navigating growth, complexity and public pressure. My practice sits at the intersection of culture, strategy and risk — helping clients communicate clearly when it matters most.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP & VENTURES.
Alongside my advisory work, I am an entrepreneur and founder, leading multiple ventures under Statement Worldwide.
These include Pop Canada, a culture and media publication focused on contemporary entertainment and creative industries, and Matte Equation, a skincare and wellness brand built around ritual, recovery and long-term brand trust. In addition, I run Statement Studios, an animation and video game production company, developing an indie TV series, Somewhere Else.
Building and running these ventures has given me firsthand experience in brand creation, audience development, media scrutiny and execution under real commercial constraints. I understand what it means to make decisions with limited resources, public accountability and reputational risk — experience I bring into every client engagement.
I don’t advise from the sidelines. I build, launch and sustain brands myself.
HOW I THINK ABOUT COMMUNICATION.
Communication is not neutral. And it is never just messaging.
At senior levels, communication functions as infrastructure — shaping trust, signaling leadership intent and influencing outcomes long before a headline appears.
I believe effective communications:
Protect reputation before seeking attention
Align internal realities with external narratives
Favour clarity over noise
Value restraint as much as reach
The most important communications work often happens quietly: knowing when not to speak, how to prepare leaders for scrutiny and how to ensure visibility does not come at the cost of control.
LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE.
I currently serve on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Public Relations Society (Toronto Chapter) and have previously served on the boards of the Toronto Animation Arts Festival International and the BRIC Foundation.
These roles reflect my commitment to the profession, to ethical leadership, and to the long-term health of Canada’s creative and communications ecosystems. They also keep me closely connected to evolving industry standards, governance realities and peer accountability.
I maintain deep relationships across media, creative, corporate and institutional environments.
HOW I WORK.
Matthew Celestial Public Relations is a senior-led advisory practice.
I work selectively with a limited number of clients and lead engagements directly. Clients work with me when experience, judgment and discretion are essential — not when they are looking for volume-driven publicity or transactional press.
My role is often that of a trusted partner: helping leaders think through complexity, pressure-test decisions and communicate with intention rather than reaction.
Clients often describe my approach as calm, direct and thoughtful — particularly in moments where clarity matters and stakes are real.
BASED IN TORONTO, I WORK WITH CLIENTS GLOBALLY.
If you’re navigating a moment where visibility, trust or reputation is at stake — or exploring your next chapter in communications — I’m happy to connect.