Communications & New Media Nov. 2017 I Vol. 31 No. 11

THE TECHNOLOGY ISSUE

Augmented reality: not technology for technology’s sake Standing out in today’s noisy tech landscape

Thought leadership: going beyond the buzzword Chasing press mentions = PR with blinders

Choosing agency partners for global growth Employer branding: an insider’s view

When hackers target PR firms Five common mistakes in tech PR

November 2017 | www.odwyerpr.com

Vol. 30. No. 11 Nov. 2017

EDITORIAL THOUGHT LEADERSHIP: BEYOND THE BUZZWORD To create cutting-edge ideas, MILLENNIALS MOST LIKELY TO 6 23 it takes a little bit of courage IGNORE PRODUCT RECALLS EMPLOYER BRANDING: AN 8 INSIDE VIEW FOR PR PEOPLE EVENTS COULD DRIVE Recruiting top talent remains a MAGAZINES’ GROWTH 24 competitive and critical challenge. 14 8 AR ISN’T TECHNOLOGY FOR FACEBOOK USE PLUMMETS TECHNOLOGY’S SAKE ACROSS MIDDLE EAST The biggest goal of Augmented 9 25 Reality is finding client solutions. VIRAL CONTENT VS. NEWS FOR SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT AN INTEGRATED APPROACH TO COMPANY STORYTELLING 9 Cutting through the chatter to COMMUNICATING IN 26 deliver effective messages. TURBULENT TIMES Tech has a responsibility to keep FIVE COMMON MISTAKES 25 pace with a transformed world. 10 IN TECH PR WWW.ODWYERPR.COM Subtle, everyday behaviors that Daily, up-to-the-minute PR news 27 can sink client relationships. EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES, SMARTPHONE-LEVEL IMPACT How technologies on the horizon CHASING PRESS MENTIONS: will change the world we live in. 12 PR WITH BLINDERS Earned media opportunities can 28 top mentions in business pubs. WHEN HACKERS TARGET PUBLIC RELATIONS FIRMS GETTING PR OFF How to safeguard your information THE DESERT ISLAND and prevent a further crisis. 14 For continued success, firms need 29 to move outside the comfort zone. EXPANDING BANDWIDTH Tech clients have growing need PROFILES OF TOP TECH for strategic communications. 16 30 PR FIRMS WHAT THE ‘BETTER RANKINGS OF TOP TECH ECONOMY’ MEANS FOR PR PR FIRMS EDITORIAL CALENDAR 2017 Increasing consumer power is a good thing for the industry. 18 41 January: Crisis Comms. / Buyer’s Guide WASHINGTON REPORT February: Environmental & P.A. March: Food & Beverage PICKING PARTNERS FOR April: Broadcast & Social Media OVERSEAS GROWTH 44 How to find the right partners May: PR Firm Rankings when your firm is going global. 20 COLUMNS June: Global & Multicultural July: Travel & Tourism PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT August: Financial/I.R. Fraser P Seitel HOW TO STAND OUT 42 September: Beauty & Fashion IN A NOISY SPACE October: Healthcare & Medical How to use psychology to make FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT November: High-Tech contact with your clients. 22 43 Richard Goldstein December: Entertainment & Sports

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EDITORIAL Trump, press scramble to rebuild Mueller narrative pecial Counsel Robert Mueller’s bombshell first indictments against former Trump cam- paign aides in the Russia investigation were revelatory for a number of reasons. First, the Scharges were substantive and wide-reaching enough to suggest the investigation won’t be EDITOR-IN-CHIEF going away anytime soon. Jack O’Dwyer Second, they underscored the lengths to which Trump loyalists in the media will go to keep [email protected] their audiences dancing to the drumbeat of denial, with the usual menu of dismissive claims that it’s all a witch hunt, or fake news, or launching a disinformation campaign of whataboutisms in ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER a desperate attempt to redirect us to the real story: namely, Hillary Clinton’s 2009 deal to grant John O’Dwyer U.S. uranium production to a Russian nuclear energy agency while she was Secretary of State, or [email protected] “fake news” outlet the Washington Post’s October report that the Clinton campaign helped fund the infamous 2016 Trump dossier. Former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort, along with his business associate Richard SENIOR EDITOR Jon Gingerich Gates, were hit with a dozen counts not actually linked to anything involving the 2016 campaign: [email protected] tax evasion, money laundering and intentionally conspiring to defraud the government by fail- ing to register lobbying work for a pro-Russia Ukrainian political party with the Justice Depart- SENIOR EDITOR ment. Manafort, who’s now the first campaign chief since Watergate to be indicted, has pleaded Kevin McCauley not guilty to those charges. [email protected] Then there’s the case of George Papadopoulos, the 30-year-old former Trump foreign policy advisor who was quietly arrested in July and pleaded guilty in October to lying to federal inves- ASSOCIATE EDITOR tigators regarding his months-long attempts to arrange meetings between the Trump camp and Steve Barnes high-ranking Russian government officials. Manafort, Gates and other senior Trump officials [email protected] apparently knew what Papadopoulos was doing, as did Agriculture Dept. adviser Sam Clovis, who encouraged Papadopoulos to seal the deal on a meeting. So, why are we just hearing about CONTRIBUTING EDITORS it now? Unsealed court papers show Papadopoulos had been lending “proactive cooperation” to Fraser Seitel the investigation since his arrest, meaning for more than three months he may have worn a wire Richard Goldstein in exchange for cutting a plea deal, and his work with federal investigators could produce further charges against other staffers. This is very bad news. EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS So far, Trump and his administration have responded to the news with wild feats of obscuran- & RESEARCH tism, utilizing a confusing communications strategy that serves to both distance the President Jane Landers from the allegations while, simultaneously, casting the developments as no big deal. Trump on Oct. 30 took to Twitter to respond to the arrests, claiming Manafort’s unlawful activities oc- curred “years ago,” and “long before [Manafort] came to the campaign.” This is incorrect. Ac- cording to Mueller’s Oct. 30 indictment, Manafort hid Ukrainian payments from U.S. authorities John O’Dwyer Advertising Sales Manager between “approximately 2006 through at least 2016,” during which time he was serving as Trump [email protected] campaign Chairman. On Papadopoulos, Trump cast the former advisor as a “young, low level volunteer” who “has already proven to be a liar.” White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders repeated these talking points, claiming O’Dwyer’s is published monthly for $60.00 the former campaign members were indicted on charges that had “nothing to do with the Pres- a year ($7.00 a single issue) by the ident.” She then doubled down on the image of Papadopoulos as a glorified coffee boy, referring J.R. O’Dwyer Co., Inc. to him as an unpaid volunteer on an advisory council that met once in the course of a year. 271 Madison Ave., #600 Predictably, Trump’s allies in the media have fallen lock-step behind these clumsy PR efforts, New York, NY 10016. desperately attempting to spin a confusing narrative of often-contradictory talking points that (212) 679-2471 Fax: (212) 683-2750. downplay the indictments while attempting to use the opportunity as a chance to rally their au- © Copyright 2017 J.R. O’Dwyer Co., Inc. diences to follow them down the rabbit hole after their own cherry-picked conspiracy theories involving Hillary Clinton. OTHER PUBLICATIONS: Sean Hannity, who’s gone absolutely ballistic over the scandal, laid bare his paranoid, fevered delusions in an October monologue, claiming there’s “zero evidence of Trump Russia collusion” www.odwyerpr.com before pivoting into a baseless conspiracy theory that Mueller is somehow “clearly complicit” in Breaking news, commentary, useful data- Clinton’s 2009 Uranium One scandal. Jesse Watters, appearing on “The Five,” also used the news bases and more. as a classic “but Hillary!” bait-and-switch, claiming that what “Papadopoulos did, Hillary did 10 O’Dwyer’s Newsletter times worse.” Sidney Powell, speaking on “Fox & Friends,” claimed that “the entire investigation A four-page weekly with general PR was set up, basically, to impugn this presidency and to make it as hard as possible for Mr. Trump news, media appointments and placement to carry out his duties.” opportunities. In a series of bizarre new developments, both the New York Post and the Wall Street Journal’s editorial board have penned editorials calling for Mueller’s resignation. In the strangest twist O’Dwyer’s Directory of PR Firms of all, Fox has now set its sights on the judges presiding over the Paul Manafort case, reporting Listings of more than 1,250 PR firms throughout the U.S. and abroad. that one judge has a son who was allegedly convicted of selling heroin, and that another donated $1,000 to Bill Clinton’s 1992 presidential campaign. O’Dwyer’s PR Buyer’s Guide There’s another unlikely ally that has aligned with this narrative. Speaking with the media on Products and services for the PR industry Oct. 31, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called the investigation “over-the-top Russo- in 50 categories. phobic hysteria” and the suggestion of any election meddling “fantasies” without “a single piece jobs.odwyerpr.com of proof.” Politics truly makes strange bedfellows.  O’Dwyer’s online job center has help wanted ads and hosts resume postings. — Jon Gingerich

6 NOVEMBER 2017 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM

REPORT Millennials most likely to ignore product recalls A recent survey suggests that Millennials are significantly more of the Millennial, Generation X and Baby Boomer generations. Approximately 70 likely than other age groups to be noncompliant with product return percent of all respondents admitted that notifications or to even take them seriously. they judge recall notices based on whether By Jon Gingerich they believe they’re personally at risk. More KEA. Volkswagen. Blue Bell. Lululemon. (36 percent vs. 16 percent) and also more than a quarter (26 percent) of all respon- ISamsung. Product recalls have been re- likely to characterize recall notices as “not dents polled said they believe recall notices sponsible for a growing share of head- serious” (33 percent vs. 21 percent). are simply sent primarily out of legal obli- lines and crisis retainers in recent years, Of the different types of potential prod- gation. but members of the Millennial generation uct recalls listed in the survey, Millenni- Finally, the survey found that overall, seem less likely than other age groups to re- als expressed the greatest lack of interest across all age groups, respondents took spond to these product return notifications in recalls involving consumer electronic most seriously product recalls involving or even take them seriously, according to a products. On the other hand, Millennials appliances and power tools.  recent consumer survey commissioned by seemed to agree with older age groups on recall management company Stericycle Ex- the gravity of recalls pertaining to either Magazines bank on pert Solutions. food or pharmaceutical products. Nearly Stericycle’s survey suggests that those 70 percent of all respondents ranked one events to drive growth belonging to the 18-to-34-year-old demo- of these recall categories as either the most graphic are the least compliant across all serious or second-most serious form of By Jon Gingerich age groups when it comes to recall notices recall, with a wide majority — 85 percent espite years of dwindling page- involving everything from food, pharma- — claiming they check their refrigerators counts, advertisers and audiences, an ceuticals and motor vehicles to consumer or cupboards when they hear about a food DOctober survey of industry experts electronics. recall on the news, and 82 percent claiming shows that professionals working at maga- In fact, the survey found that Millennials to do the same in their medicine cabinet zine brands appear unexpectedly confident are three times more likely to simply ignore when it involves a recalled pharmaceutical on the future of the magazine-media land- recall notices after reading them compared product. scape. to members of the Baby Boomer genera- The survey also found that personal rele- According to the survey, conducted by tion (18 percent vs. six percent), are twice vance — or lack thereof — was a key driver magazine industry news site Folio, a reason as likely to toss these notices in the trash of recall non-compliance among members for this rests on one key area where activity seems to be booming: events. Nearly 54 percent of respondents said that publisher-branded events — trade shows, exhibits, sponsorships and other live opportunities that forge partnerships between media brands and advertisers — will be a top source of growth within the next year. About a quarter (23 percent) of magazine pros surveyed said events now comprise the fastest growing part of their business, although a greater share (44 percent) said digital media currently claims that role. Content marketing and print followed, at 18 percent and 15 percent, respectively. Apparently, the publisher-branded event landscape has the magazine media industry feeling uncharacteristically bullish in 2017, as nearly 70 percent of the survey’s respon- dents said they now anticipate their reve- nue to grow within the next year, with near- ly 40 percent expecting double-digit gains, while 30 percent claim they expect growth to hover somewhere in the single digits. Nearly half of magazine-media pros polled (46 percent) also cited print and dig- ital advertising opportunities as big areas of growth within the coming year. Marketing services such as white papers, webinars and special e-blasts followed closely behind, at 36 percent. Only 18 percent believe sup- plemental materials will drive growth, fol- lowed by subscriptions, at 10 percent. 

8 NOVEMBER 2017 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM Facebook use plummets across Middle East Facebook’s popularity among Internet users is rapidly declining pared to 76 percent in 2015). throughout the MENA region, and has now been dethroned by In the United Arab Emirates, Facebook WhatsApp as the social media platform of choice. use among all nationals declined to about By Jon Gingerich 70 percent, versus 83 percent in 2015 and espite a general rise in social media changing. While Internet penetration has 84 percent in 2013. use in the Middle East and a consis- risen overall in every country in the region, On the other hand, smartphone instant Dtent increase of Internet penetration Facebook use among Internet users has de- messaging service WhatsApp has exploded across every country in that region, Face- clined across nearly all countries during the in the Middle East, with about two-thirds book’s popularity now appears to be on the same time period, dropping 10 percentage of all nationals citing its use and now ac- decline, according to a seven-nation survey points since 2015 and 20 percentage points counting for nearly 80 percent penetration of Middle Eastern media use conducted by since 2013. this year among the region’s Internet users, Northwestern University in Qatar. In Qatar and Saudi Arabia, Facebook use edging out Facebook for the first time and With a penetration of nearly 75 percent plummeted by more than 20 percentage now topping the list of the region’s pre- of Internet users, Facebook has long-been points in the last two years alone, to 22 per- ferred social media platform. the dominant social media platform in cent in Qatar (compared to 43 percent in Photo-sharing service Instagram has also the MENA region, but that appears to be 2015) and 55 percent in Saudi Arabia (com- surged, from six percent to 39 percent pen- etration among Internet users in the region. Viral content battles news for social engagement Use of messaging app Snapchat has also grown, now used by about 28 percent of the By Jon Gingerich population. “ oft” media items — or viral, “feel tent also appear to be yielding relatively According to the survey, younger nation- good” content produced by online higher levels of engagement than years pri- als (18-24 year-olds and 25-34 year-olds) Spublishers — could be edging out or. Conservative news and opinion site The tend to favor Instagram, Snapchat and hard news sites for stories that yield the Daily Wire produces nearly 16 million en- Twitter. While WhatsApp, Facebook and most interactions on Facebook, according gagements on more than 1,100 articles, and YouTube tend to skew younger as well, old- to findings by analytics firm NewsWhip. Capitol Hill mainstay The Hill wasn’t far er demographics (45+) are more inclined NewsWhip’s latest Facebook publish- behind, with more than 15 million engage- to cite these platforms as their mediums of er rankings, which listed the top 25 sites ments on nearly 4,000 articles.  choice.  ranked by total engagements — likes, com- ments, shares and reactions — on Facebook in September reveal that while “traditional” publishers still produce the content most likely to be shared, commented on and dis- cussed via the social platform, that trend could be changing. Bored Panda, the cute-centric art and photo site focusing on viral, animal-based content, earned NewsWhip’s number-one spot for engagement for the month of Sep- tember, recording more than 32 million in- teractions throughout with 1,231 published articles. Fox News and the New York Times took second and third place, respectively, for a near tie (Fox netted 28 million interactions on 55,000 articles, versus NYT’s 26 million interactions on about 5,700 articles). CNN. com, NBC.com and the U.K.’s Daily Mail rounded out the rankings’ top five, earning 23.8 million, 23.5 million and 21.3 million engagements, respectively. Millennial-focused online news and en- tertainment site BuzzFeed landed in News- Whip’s top ten for the first time, recording nearly 17 million Facebook engagements through nearly 9,000 articles. Inspira- tion-oriented site Shareably took the 19th spot, beating top-tier outlets such as ESPN and the U.K.’s Independent with more than 13 million engagements. Digital outlets focusing on political con-

WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | NOVEMBER 2017 9 FEATURE Communicating in turbulent times

In a world transformed by technology, leaders in the tech industry has been entrusted with a major responsibility to demonstrate an awareness of the impact their products and services have on individuals and communities in the information era. By Peter Prodromou ver the past four decades, technolog- down. No one is checking to ensure the ac- outside of technology — policymakers, so- ical progress has redefined the mod- curacy of the news. The telephone is being ciologists, economists — who can deliver Oern world, changing how we live, used to manage and materially affect the guidance that goes beyond the Silicon Val- work, meet, play, even love. It has brought outcome of elections. ley bubble. billions of people into the middle class, In the old days, the news and news anal- Build a commitment created an infrastructure for health, com- ysis was comprehensive. There were four to self-governance. merce and education in some of the most networks you could trust. Today, cynical They must also build remote parts of the globe. It was guided by institutions are creating disfavor of others an industry-wide com- a utopian libertarianism that believed only to lessen their influence. The 24/7 news mitment to self-gov- the best ideas would rise to the surface. De- cycle waters down our ability to judge the ernance centered on spite the massive good done by these inno- veracity of what we read, see and hear. global socio-economic vations, this viewpoint also left blind spots And there’s an increasing lack of trust in stability and smart in- and neglected to confront or plan for the traditional touchstones — media, govern- novation. side effects of such a massive revolution. ment, industry associations and academia For media companies, Peter Prodromou And now, we’ve begun to see the world so — characterized as fake news as a result it’s time for these firms wholly transformed begin to push back, of a proliferation of the same. Fox News to take a stand on what modern media is its cultural and civic cornerstones unable demonstrated its ability to move voter per- and define their roles and responsibilities to keep pace with such rapid technological centages to the right and the left. Our Pres- in it. They have an opportunity to estab- progress. ident deploys Twitter today to communi- lish fact-based dialogues that challenge Today, we’re seeing an unprecedented cate directly to his constituencies and to set the current status quo and misinformation consumption of information over the In- the news agenda. they have been helping to peddle. They can ternet. Almost 90 percent of America has Across the globe, we’ve seen large num- also highlight the opportunity this trans- access to the Internet, and one out of every bers of people feeling alienated from a cul- formative industry is creating with new two individuals worldwide has Internet ac- ture that they believe is moving too fast, businesses and new good paying jobs, in- cess as well. Internet and mobile penetra- where truth is no longer concrete due to spiring innovation and boosting entrepre- tion rates continue to grow each year. Goo- the proliferation of fake news, where mass neurship. Finally, they can take an active gle easily leads Internet searches with more amounts of generated wealth have made role in restoring faith in U.S. institutions, than 80 percent of the market. inequality easier to see. And in response to by taking an activist role in communi- Technology companies like Google, all of this, we’ve seen the rise of reactionary ty-based approaches and managing them- Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft, Tencent, movements on the right and on the left, all selves as media companies. An agenda for Apple and Alibaba now dominate the land- too willing to place these technology com- these companies includes: scape, and Google, Facebook, Amazon and panies in the crosshairs of legislation, reg- Intermediated newsrooms. Content- Apple have all continued to grow in reve- ulation and negative popular sentiment. laden media companies like Facebook and nues and net income and have outpaced Google was fined earlier this year a record Google should consider putting interme- the S&P 500. The combined revenue of $2.7 billion in an E.U Anti-trust ruling; and diated newsrooms in place to help assure these firms exceeds the GDP of 88 percent the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee is the accuracy of news and begin to restore of countries worldwide, according to 2016 currently summoning Facebook about the confidence in the medium. GDP estimates from StatisticsTimes.com. prospect of the Russian use of Facebook to Shared connection campaigns. Online These companies are transforming the influence the U.S. presidential election. shared connection campaigns led by these economy and industries. Traditional bricks Responding to the challenge companies could connect users and drive and mortar retail risk finding themselves To continue to thrive, the technology conversations around political, economic, uncompetitive. industry must first be ethical as an in- moral leadership, innovation and other The growing influence of social media dustry. It must chart a path forward that important issues of the day. More than two-thirds of U.S. adults get demonstrates an awareness of the impact Public trust consortia. This initiative their news from social media. Facebook of the products and services it sells on the would lay the foundation for developing and YouTube dominate social media with individuals and communities that rely on a consortium of major technology firms 66 percent of adults using Facebook and them. Other agenda for technology com- to address the issues of public trust, me- 58 percent using YouTube. A stunning panies includes: dia curation, and the integrity of online percentage of adults, 45 percent, get their Embrace the idea of long-term civic news. The consortium could highlight the largely disintermediated news from Face- good. It must embrace the idea that fos- responsible role these media firms are try- book and 18 percent from YouTube, ac- tering a long-term civic good is better for ing to play and serve as a think tank for cording to Pew Research Center’s News the company than generating short-term policies that increases Facebook’s standing, Use Across Social Media Platforms 2017 profits. and as a hub for third-party coordination survey. Get outside the bubble. Leading tech- on matters of public policy. Disintermediation is making traditional nology companies must demonstrate media irrelevant and is taking newspapers willingness to engage openly with experts _ Continued on page 19

10 NOVEMBER 2017 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM

FEATURE Emerging technologies, smartphone-level impact Mobile devices and the app economy have transformed every tonomous vehicles on the road, with preset aspect of our lives. Here are some of the ways today’s emerging routes to airports, landmarks or city cen- ters. While these vehicles will be designed technologies might disrupt — or assist — our world in the years to drive without any human interaction, the to come. way they do so will evolve. The first genera- By Lisa Vallee-Smith tion will navigate with built-in sensors and ver the past decade, we’ve seen sig- centers for our increasingly smarter homes. onboard mapping systems. However, as nificant changes in the technology Google and Apple have since joined smart cities evolve, so will these navigation Oindustry. Hardware, software, inter- the voice-speaker fray, which means spo- systems; the vehicles will interact with one faces and services have all transformed in ken-word interfaces will only get better and another and their sur- remarkable ways. The cumulative effect of more pervasive from here on out. Big-name roundings, taking cues these innovations can be summed up sim- competition and ongoing improvements in from the infrastructure ply: technology isn’t just part of our every- artificial intelligence and deep learning will itself. Smart traffic sig- day lives now, it’s at the core of human in- help these voice platforms get much smart- nals, road signs, and teraction. er in the coming years. car-to-car communi- For the most part, this evolution traces Just as smartphones made touchscreen cation will reshape and back to the dawn of the smartphone. As interfaces mainstream, these popular voice optimize the flow of mobile devices have become more capa- assistants make spoken commands the new traffic. ble, easier to use, and ubiquitous, they’ve normal. Now that there are several options All this will also leave changed how people consider the concept for your home, in-car systems are likely to a lot of in-car down- Lisa Vallee-Smith of “personal computing.” It no longer means be the next major voice battleground. time for passengers. sitting down at a desk and using a keyboard Cities become giant computers Without the need to steer, cars can become and mouse. Within the context of our daily Think of the rapid evolution of the smart more like extensions of our homes. They’ll lives, the phones in our pockets are more home. Now, expand that idea citywide. The allow us to get some work done, binge- powerful than any laptop or desktop. upcoming transition to 5G networks — an- watch Netflix, and maybe even catch an Mobile devices have become our cam- other major trend to watch in the coming extra 20 minutes of sleep. The shapes, sizes, eras of choice, our handheld gaming con- years — will allow city infrastructure to and interiors of cars will all go through rad- soles, our GPS units, our social-media become increasingly connected. Combined ical redesigns, and the roads of the future dashboards, our VR and AR headsets, our with that connectivity, maturing IoT tech- will look incredibly different due to all the music players, our mobile TVs, our depart- nologies and evolving artificial intelligence automation. ment stores and our newspapers. They’ve will help population centers analyze large Changes that go well beyond technology changed the way we summon a ride, order pools of data in real time and adapt accord- As was the case with smartphones, each food, split a bill, and even find a date. The ingly. of these emerging technologies may have a app economy is worth a trillion dollars, and Imagine public-safety workers being au- societal impact that extends beyond its core it didn’t even exist a decade ago. tomatically alerted when a person is in purpose. And they aren’t all positive. Yes, the smartphone has changed a lot danger, or ambulances being automatically Improved voice interactions can change of things. That’s not news. However, it’s deployed when a car accident occurs. Pic- the future of computer interfaces, creating important to consider the smartphone ture traffic lights changing as an ambulance devices that are more personal — and more as a symbol of how certain technologies approaches an intersection or your car au- intrusive — than ever before. Smarter cit- can impact seemingly everything around tomatically finding an open parking space ies may lead to efficient large-scale infra- us. Now that we’re living in a mobile-first near a popular restaurant. structures, but at the risk of creating new world, what will be the next technological Not all of these applications will be a concerns about personal privacy and secu- sea change to transform our lives? reality right away, but your city may turn rity. And while self-driving cars can pave It’ll be much bigger than phones. The next “smart” sooner than you think. The Con- the way to safer roads, many people aren’t 10 years will see significant advancements sumer Technology Association predicts comfortable with the idea of cars taking in human-machine interfaces, transporta- there will be 88 smart cities around the the wheel by themselves. The implications tion and city infrastructure. Technology is globe by 2025. In 2018, for the first time, of more-advanced AI and automation will bound to become an even bigger part of our International CES will have a large portion have a substantial impact on the job market lives. In the coming years, these advance- of its show floor devoted to smart cities. and society at large. ments will maintain the dizzying pace of Self-driving cars dominate the roads It all comes back to another lesson we can change. Just as smart cities will evolve steadily learn from the rise of the smartphone: even Voice is the default interface over the next decade, the vehicles that pop- the best technologies can have negative As much as touchscreens and apps have ulate their roads will offer increasing levels consequences. As technology becomes an changed the world, we’re already moving of automation. We’ve already seen in-car even bigger part of our lives in the future, beyond them. Amazon launched its first systems that can change lanes, parallel park it’s important for it to become more assis- Alexa-powered Echo device three years and take some of the tedium out of being tive than disruptive. ago, and while voice controls were part of stuck in traffic. We’re on the brink of those Lisa Vallee-Smith is CEO of Airfoil. A pub- our mobile devices before the Echo, putting automated systems becoming standard-is- lic relations and marketing communications them in a fixed in-home device was a revela- sue features in all cars. However, the real consultant with more than 25 years of ex- tion. These smarter speakers don’t just make self-driving revolution will happen outside perience. her expertise includes primary re- it easier to check the weather or play our fa- of individually owned vehicles. search, strategic planning, corporate commu- vorite music, they’ve also become control Taxis and shuttles will be the first fully au- nications, and issues/crisis management. 

12 NOVEMBER 2017 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM

FEATURE When hackers target public relations firms A question that has been floated around Corporate communications companies and their counselors are more than once in the cybersecurity indus- ideal targets for cybersecurity breaches. Here are several steps try is whether PR agencies and communi- firms can take to safeguard information and prevent further crisis cation firms are indeed targeted more than to their clients. other companies by hackers. It’s difficult to By Frank Tortorici say this categorically, but such attacks are rising. he recent debacle surrounding the dia outlets generally use highly accessible Who is targeting communications and hacking of credit reporting bureau services to transfer such information: spe- PR companies on the internet and why is TEquifax, which exposed millions of cifically, file storage services like DropBox, it becoming more common? To answer customers’ proprietary and contact infor- Drive and Box. Convenience is a necessity, this question, according mation, is just further evidence that cy- but that information must be safeguarded to Matti Kon, CEO of bersecurity issues are not going away and to prevent further crisis to clients. New York-based cyber­ will remain at the forefront of international Global Ransomware attacks in June af- security solutions firm business concerns. fected some communication companies, InfoTech, it’s import- One cybersecurity matter very rare- including British advertising agency WPP. ant to understand that ly examined, however, is how corporate Expert hackers know that going after a PR, cyber­attacks are divid- communications firms, often charged with marketing communications or advertising ed into two major cat- aiding and buttressing other businesses’ firm will likely bear them a treasure trove egories: corporate reputations, handle a situation of private data. Random attacks. that imperils their own online data and Since many communications firms take Random attacks are Frank Tortorici programs. pride in crisis preparations programs for usually performed by a Communications firms and public rela- clients, it makes sense that they should malware that’s not prejudiced; it doesn’t tions agencies are often the experts people bulk up security themselves for all the cli- care if you’re a major business or a small turn to in any matter of crisis and they are ent data they possess. Yes, one must always store, or whether you’re a PR company or the purveyors of plans and programs de- remember that any information stored on a hospital. If an everyday average form of signed to protect companies in times of a computer doesn’t belong to you simply malware makes its way into your system it struggle and disaster. because you entered it. will destroy anything it can. Everyday mal- What happens when one of them is According to anti-malware company ware has flooded its way throughout the hacked? Malwarebytes, there are many steps that Internet and can automatically replicate PR agencies generally have a more-than- firms can take to safeguard information itself and continue to spread by compro- usual amount of sensitive information, be- and communications firms especially mised systems. This is also applicable to cause they have their own proprietary data, should take heed of these. Ransomware, which is a specific type of as well as reams of private material from The first is to constantly update your OS malware that will hold your organization a number of clients. Along with data loss, and other software so that hackers can’t ransom for payments, which you either many organizations fear the reputational take advantage of outdated safeguards in make or your data will be published/sto- damages that they would incur as the result your security programs. PR firms should len/destroyed, etc. of a cyberattack. Case in point: Equifax. invest in even more sophisticated technol- Specifically-targeted attacks. In these Agencies that handle crisis communica- ogy such as Malwarebytes Anti-Exploit. cases, the PR or communications company tions are typically part of the process when It also goes without saying that you is targeted by an entity who would like to responding to a cyberattack. Nation-state should rid all traces from any devices you penetrate the system and get information adversaries that want to control the narra- sell or discard. One tip that is often ignored about clients, projects or bank account tive may specifically target such agencies is to not use open Wi-Fi, which is easily ac- information. These aren’t random attacks, precisely to meet that objective — con- cessible to most hackers. The best way to but are probably the result of individuals trolling the narrative or to obtain informa- do this is to use an encrypted password. using the Internet and weaknesses in your tion that could be otherwise damning. Some more obvious solutions are to cre- systems in order to penetrate your organi- “Everyone should be concerned with ate difficult passwords which you should zational information and steal it, perhaps protecting employee, client, and company change frequently and lock devices and to get ahead of their competition. data including financial details — that goes make timeouts fairly short. Several ser- These are similar in nature to the cases without saying,” said James Taliento, CEO vices offer two-factor authentication which in which the Russians are blamed for com- and Founder of Cursive Security, a Long Is- makes hacking much more difficult. promising the American electoral system land-based cybersecurity solutions compa- Also, be sure not to link accounts. If you during the last election. This is targeted ny. “But PR is all about the communication work for a PR firm, be especially sure that criminal activity. and the content. Unfortunately, they would you don’t comment on a social media site A PR company, although probably hold- be an ideal attack point for a disruptor using your personal Facebook or Twitter ing more sensitive information than other aiming to harm as many individuals and when you’re speaking for the company or types of businesses, has to safeguard its companies as possible.” on client matters. interest on the Internet just like any other Taliento believes that the top attack vec- And although storing things on the cloud company. Whether it has to protect itself tors would include those communication is convenient, keep client sensitive infor- from a random attack or from a target- channels such as email, phone or messag- mation off the cloud. Be sure to log activity ed attack, every communications and PR ing. Other areas of interest would be where for clients on private servers to which only sensitive information is being stored. Me- trusted company personnel have access. _ Continued on page 19

14 NOVEMBER 2017 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM

REPORT Expanding bandwidth in tech communications

Pushing product remains crucial, but tech clients increasingly demanding their PR firms deliver more strategic communications. By Matthew Schwartz n late 2015, Hewlett-Packard split into to public policy. for Racepoint. In 2016, the agency garnered two listed companies, HP Inc. and Hew- APCO, which generated $10.7 million in $23.7 million in tech-related fees, with an Ilett Packard Enterprise, resulting in tech fees in 2016, with growth expected for increase in such fees projected for 2017. roughly 30,000 job cuts. Against that back- 2017, works with both To bolster the agency’s portfolio, Race- drop, HPE was eager to assuage concerns enterprise companies point in September launched a thought among existing employees and inject a new in the tech space, such leadership initiative called The Think Tank. esprit de corps. as Adobe, as well as The multifaceted program, which is de- Enter W2O Group. The PR agency had startups like OneCon- signed to show all clients how technology is represented the old Hewlett Packard for cern. changing their markets, several years and was now tasked with en- “We need to engage focuses on the macro gaging Hewlett Packard Enterprise employ- global institutions and issues affecting tech ees posthaste. talk about broader is- companies, including W2O quickly created “BeHPE,” or “Be sues through a CSR Evan Kraus job displacement / job part of Hewlett Pack- (corporate social re- creation, civic leader- ard ­Enterprise.” The sponsibility) and public-policy lens, rather ship and social respon- program, which than a commercial lens,” said Evan Kraus, sibility. launched in early 2016, President and Managing Director of Oper- Content creation provides a “way to em- ations at APCO Worldwide. “Tech clients W2O Group, whose Christa Conte power employees and are aware that they need to have those con- clients include Intel, encourage them to use versations, rather than just doing ‘PR.’” Verizon and Visa, is also working more their voice on behalf Peter Prodromou, President and CEO of frequently with tech companies’ marketing of the brand, driving Racepoint Global, stressed that it’s more and advertising departments to encourage interest in the compa- Madelyn Varella important than ever for PR agencies to edu- an integrated model. ny’s vision,” said Mad- cate tech clients how to effectively commu- The change is reflected in W2O’s tech elyn Varella, head of integrated planning at nicate to a broader set of constituents than fees: It generated $19.5 million in tech fees W2O Group. in the recent past, as tech companies face in 2016, and anticipates a 10 percent in- As part of the effort, the agency trains growing scrutiny from government regula- crease this year. HPE employees how to share content via tors. “We’re sharing insights about digital in- their personal social media channels and “The implication is how to formulate fluencers, which media outlets are key, and spark conversations online regarding the business strategies and deal with a poten- the relationship between earned media company’s brand, products and services. tially harsh regulatory environment,” said and marketing,” Varel- HPE, in turn, promotes the program via Prodromou, whose clients include AT&T, la said. “It always helps the company’s social platforms, thought Extreme Networks and Panasonic. “That’s a the client become more leadership initiatives and live events. very different ask.” integrated, and those “BeHPE” exceeded its goal of 10 percent Integrated model are the teams that get participation among company employees Indeed, tech clients want their PR firms the visibility, funding, — within the first 18 months of the pro- to cultivate an integrated communications and usually have more gram — by the end of 2016, Varella said. model and work with a broader array of success in their organi- “We want to help employees stay engaged, business departments zations.” position their stories better and get the within the company. Christa Conte, Senior Ross Levanto right messages to the right places.” “Silos still exist, and VP and head of digital Expanding aperture there are some com- commerce at PR agency Hotwire, amplified W2O Group’s efforts on behalf of HPE munications strategies Varella’s comments. “Integrated commu- help to illustrate the changing PR demands that are not done as ho- nications is commanding a more signifi- among technology clients. In a post-digital listically as they might cant share of the marketing mix than ever age, tech companies are looking to their PR be, but the market is before,” she said. “This means developing agencies for more strategic communica- moving so fast that cli- communications strategies to support lead tions and to reach out to a growing number ents are being forced to Peter Prodromou and demand gen, in addition to traditional of disparate audiences both internally and change their thought awareness building activities such as events externally. processes,” Prodromou said, adding that and media relations.” PR campaigns focused on extolling a new more and more of his tech clients now ask Hotwire, which garnered $13.3 million technology or gee whiz algorithm continue him to attend C-suite meetings to discuss in technology revenue in 2016, with a five to serve their place. However, with technol- their PR and marketing efforts. “We’ll con- percent increase expected this year, contin- ogy having a growing impact throughout tinue to do great creative for products, but ues to ramp up its influencer engagement the business sector and society, PR agencies the agencies that will win in the future are programs. For retail tech company Velocity have started to expand their aperture on the ones who can provide new strategic Worldwide, for example, Hotwire targets behalf of tech clients to include multiple is- ­services.” sues ranging from cybersecurity to privacy Tech continues to be a dominant sector _ Continued on page 19

16 NOVEMBER 2017 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM

FEATURE The ‘Better Economy’ and what it means for PR An emerging confluence of trends in the market have handed unprecedented power to the consumer, with public relations practitioners poised to become one of the greatest benefactors. By Jason Mandell number of years ago, I read a book like them in the pre-social world, still had three big brewing giants. These profits were called “The Fall of Advertising and their work cut out for them. It took years then spent on sport league sponsorships A the Rise of PR” by Al and Laura for them to spread the word to the masses and TV campaigns featuring frogs, bikinis Ries. The basic premise was that market- and grow into market leaders. Remember, and “cool” dudes convincing you to drink ing was shifting away from traditional paid Twitter was invented in 2006; by then Goo- the beer regardless of how it tasted. Small advertising to one dominated by what’s to- gle was already worth over $100 billion and brewers couldn’t com- day commonly referred to as earned and Amazon $15 billion. pete with that. owned media. As the co-founder of a San The most recent period has quickened But things started to Francisco-based PR firm, I believed every the pace; markets are changing faster than change once the craft word and had already witnessed this hap- ever before. A company like Uber can go beer market gained pening firsthand. from startup to market leader in just a few momentum in small Companies such as eBay, Google, Am- years through a mix of word-of-mouth pockets around the azon and Netflix were prime examples. marketing and a dramatic improvement country, driven entirely None of these brands spent a dime on in product, in this case over the taxi-based by consumer demand. advertising in their early years, and most system it displaced. A sample Tweet circa One six-pack at a time, didn’t even pay for PR. They grew organ- 2012 might have looked something like people started to realize Jason Mandell ically because what they were doing was this: “Just used this new service called @ that beer could actually exciting to so many people. uber, so much better than Yellow Cab, try it taste good, or at the very least was far better The preceding advertising-dominated era out! #taxissuck #gethomefast #iloveuber.” than what had previously only been avail- was perhaps best showcased in the AMC This “Better Economy” has been driving able. Suddenly they had access like nev- series “Mad Men,” in which high-powered the incredible growth of Silicon Valley and er before. People began to talk. Then they ad execs were portrayed as regularly build- all of the other Valley and Alleys and Sili- starting blogging and sharing their new ing or saving brands. They would rely on cons around the world for nearly 20 years. favorite beers in droves. Beer discovery be- TV-based campaigns that preyed on our That’s nothing new. What is new is this came a market in and of itself with festivals emotional connections, employing tactics trend is becoming so powerful that even and pairings and all kinds of fun. The mar- like puppies, babies and beautiful women to the largest brands in the oldest industries keting cost is essentially zero. win over an audience. If it pushed the right are powerless to stop it. Today, craft beer is approaching 20 per- buttons, a commercial could fundamentally From banking to beer to transportation cent market share in the U.S. and growing change the trajectory of a company. to energy to food to retail and fashion, about 13 percent annually versus a decline We talk a lot now about how the Inter- every industry has felt threatened by the in the “domestic” beer market. The consum- net and social media has democratized chance of something better coming along er is now empowered in ways never before marketing and media, but the Rieses wrote and making it obsolete before it even fin- possible and the big brewers are no longer their book before blogs, Twitter, Instagram ishes preparing for its quarterly analyst capable of controlling access and devel- et al were part of our world. The basic briefing (Ok, maybe not that fast!). In oping cute ads meant to move the market premise has actually been in the making earlier eras, being the market leader usu- share needle. If millennials aren’t watching for a very long time. ally meant two huge advantages: control those ads, how can they be reached? The Beyond what’s been happening in mar- of distribution and access, and the biggest big guys are so desperate, they even spent a keting, there’s a far larger macro trend advertising budget you could muster. New million dollars on a Super Bowl ad making evolving that I refer to as the “Better Econ- upstart competitor at your ankles? You can fun of beer geeks all the while buying up ev- omy.” Success in many ways has become squeeze them out by limiting their access ery craft brewer willing to sell its soul. quite simple: the way you win today is by to customers and pouring a small fortune Our longtime client American Giant creating something better than what exist- into the highly effective 30-second spots to is one of the poster children of the “Bet- ed before. It seems obvious, but that often be devoured by impressionable consumers. ter Economy” in the fashion sector. The wasn’t the case before. Those revolutionary My personal favorite is the beer indus- company has spent virtually nothing on brands mentioned before all have one thing try. A fantastic documentary called “Beer traditional paid media in its six-plus year in common: they improved on what had Wars” details how the beer oligopoly of history, relying on a branding, earned come previously. Google was better than Budweiser, Miller and Coors controlled and owned media campaign that focused Yahoo. Netflix was better than Blockbuster. the market for decades through a three-­ on the greatest sweatshirt ever made. The Amazon was better than Borders. eBay was tier distribution system the government CEO outlined this trend in a book we better than driving down the street to your created after Prohibition. Partnering with co-authored with him called “I F***ing neighbor’s garage sale. a regional distributor compels them to Love That Company.” They didn’t have to pay anyone to sell push your product over the little guys That brings me to my final key component that story to consumers. It was a field of which lends itself well to retailers, bars of this new “Better Economy”: customer re- dreams: build it and they’ll come. The en- and restaurants that care about volume lationships. Before these big changes start- trenched competition couldn’t compete discounting to max their bottom line. The ed to occur, customer service was usually because they were simply inferior. No ad end result was grocery shelves filled with an afterthought for a big company. They did campaign could change that. 30 different Anheuser Busch products and But those companies, and many others taps exclusively pouring drafts from the _ Continued on next page

18 NOVEMBER 2017 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM PR IN THE ‘BETTER ECONOMY’ PR IN TURBULENT TIMES _ Continued from page 18 _ Continued from page 10 it only because they had to, and invested The good news is a well-oiled social Community roundtables. These com- the bare minimum to get by. Some people media and customer service team can be panies could use their convening author- would inevitably complain or be unsat- invaluable to building and maintaining a ity to also engage users at the local level isfied, but those people were drops in the brand. Even better, doing so costs a pit- with community roundtables engaging on bucket compared to a deep infrastructure tance compared to trying to gain share and important issues of the day. Forum topics that could throw a few million bucks at a change behavior through traditional paid could include the skills gap, unemploy- TV campaign in a matter of days. media campaigns. ment in towns abandoned by traditional But social media-fueled word-of-mouth There’s a confluence of trends that have manufacturing, or finding ways to spread has created a massive problem for market given power to the consumer, and brought technological innovation to businesses, leaders and a wonderful opportunity for big brands, typically used to controlling and social entrepreneurs, etc. the disruptors. Suddenly, a random Insta- and influencing markets with relative ease, Responsible journalism. These compa- gram or YouTube “celebrity” with 100,000 to their knees. The old methods no longer nies should publish manifestos on the fu- followers can harm your brand with one work, but new ones have emerged that are ture of responsible journalism, and build simple scream. Yelp, TripAdvisor, Glass- truly better for everyone. Lucky for us, PR relationships with leading journalism door and all the rest of the review sites practitioners are one of the big benefactors. schools as a means to build strong journal- have provided easy access to firsthand, Welcome to the “Better Economy.” ist talent capabilities and practices. unfiltered critiques of your company. And Jason Mandell is co-founder of The alternative is to face onerous regula- often there’s very little, if anything, that can LaunchSquad, a 120-person communica- tions, limits on the pace of innovation, loss be done about it. This means that if a com- tions agency that focuses on emerging and of revenue and public demonization. pany doesn’t have an authentic, custom- innovative brands. Jason has helped over a Finally, for communications firms, this er-first philosophy that enables it to put out hundred companies over the past 20+ years is an issue of business strategy as well as fires in a genuine manner, it’s at great risk develop and share their stories with the communications. Smart companies will:  for brand deterioration. world. • Seize this moment to realign and act as business strategist as well as a communica- tions expert. EXPANDING BANDWIDTH IN TECH • Demonstrate consistency and fairness _ Continued from page 16 in all communications and insist their teams have thoughtful engagement ap- proaches. specific tech audiences via salon dinners, for Norwest Venture Partners, a global ven- • Embed social responsibility in the DNA email newsletters or bespoke partnerships. ture capital and private equity firm. of their clients’ organizational structures Influencer marketing is just one of a slew Highwire uses both earned and owned and systems, and be in complete alignment of new digital PR channels that are becom- media to show how Norwest helps entre- with the client’s business and engagement ing more pronounced for tech clients. preneurs develop their businesses. It also strategies. They will help their clients cre- Ross Levanto, Senior VP at Highwire, creates content tying Norwest to entrepre- ate programs, coalitions and platforms that said tech clients are providing more budget neurial topics such as ecommerce, and po- show that their clients are aware, they are to execute the firm's ideas for content mar- sitions senior executives at the company as responsible and they are active. They will keting. thought leaders. develop effective, highly integrated cam- “There’s a strong interest in going beyond “Content marketing has to be part of the paigns that effectively position their clients earned media and taking a compelling idea mix,” Levanto said. as leaders in this movement. and turning it into a video, an ebook or Highwire generated $14 million in tech • Develop and position their clients’ blog, to achieve marketing objectives such fees in 2016, and anticipates a 17 percent thought leaders in issue areas of interest, as aiding brand awareness and lead genera- increase for 2017. and orchestrate events which bring indus- tion,” Levanto said. Matthew Schwartz is Editorial Director of try allies, academics, policymakers, activ-  Take Highwire’s integrated PR program Gould+Partners. ists and more to the table for a robust dis- cussion of the role technology companies and they play in society. WHEN HACKERS TARGET PR FIRMS • Highlight the good their clients are _ Continued from page 14 doing but help them avoid pitfalls too (e.g., decisions that make short-term busi- company should employ a dense, strong be responsible for protecting its footprint. ness sense, but do long-term reputational cyber security footprint, and train its em- This concern should report directly to the harm). ployees regularly as cybersecurity should senior management of the communica- • Create strategies that engage their cli- be a top priority. Kon says that it’s highly tion/PR company because its success can ents directly with the social and civic im- recommended to have somebody on staff literally save the firm from dissolution plications of innovation. They will provide that is proactive in protecting the compa- caused by clever and insidious hacking. crisis management strategy designed to ny from cyber threats. But if the company Frank Tortorici leads Marketing Maven’s mitigate any unintended consequences cannot afford a full-time person to moni- business and professional services practice along the way. tor its systems, it should retain a cyberse- out of their NYC office. He can be reached Peter Prodromou is CEO of Racepoint curity technology organization that would at [email protected].  Global. 

WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | NOVEMBER 2017 19 FEATURE Picking partners for overseas growth

Smart strategies for signing partner agencies when it’s time to take your tech company global. By Phil Carpenter

ou’re the CMO of a Silicon Val- a million dollars a year to spend on PR, variation on the theme, however, is that ley-based tech company, and you’re global firms will give you plenty of love. with the centralized control model, you Yout with a friend at The Dutch Goose But that’s not a realistic PR budget for an appoint a single agency as the coordinating in Menlo Park for a beer, as you’ve just emerging technology company. And if firm. You work closely with this lead agen- closed your series B financing and are in your budget is modest, you may end up cy to set strategy. The lead agency, in turn, the mood to celebrate. Your friend runs with a global firm’s “B team” (if it’ll take handles the day-to-day interaction with marketing for a tech company that’s fur- your business at all). the regional agencies. ther along — it has just filed its IPO paper- Best of breed: the DIY model It also coordinates work, in fact — and on your second pint of An alternative to signing a global agency things like measure- Anchor Steam, you begin to talk shop. is to go with the “best of breed.” In this sce- ment and billing. “Hamelin Labs is killing it in the U.S.,” nario, you are hiring the very best agency This hybrid ap- your friend says. “Now that you’ve raised a partner you can find in each market you proach is a compelling new round, you have to be thinking about enter. And under the “DIY model,” you’ll one. You retain the overseas expansion. You’re soon going to then manage these agencies yourself. ability to hire the best have launches to manage in multiple coun- Let’s be clear: This path takes work. You’ll possible talent in each tries. Have you nailed down your agency need to invest in identifying, onboarding market. But you out- Phil Carpenter strategy yet?” and managing strong agencies in your tar- source the operational Sound familiar? When you reach this get geographies. You’ll have to coordinate complexities of managing these disparate crossroads, it’s important to think careful- their activities to make sure they’re execut- agencies to a single coordinating firm. ly about how to proceed, as the paths you ing according to your overarching global Yes, this model does come with some ex- could follow are different from one anoth- PR plan. You’ll need to work with them on tra costs to cover the fees of that coordinat- er, and once you head down one of them, measurement and reporting so that you ing agency. But doing so will also reduce it can be painful and time consuming to can roll up results in a unified fashion. And your stress substantially and enable you make a change later. you’ll have to deal with budgets and bills and your staff members to devote more So, what are your options? from multiple vendors. of your bandwidth to other facets of your The global firm But if you’re willing to put in the effort jobs. I liken this approach to hiring a gen- The allure of the global firm is the prom- described above, the outcome can be out- eral contractor to help you remodel your ise that a single agency can represent you standing. You get access to top-notch PR house. Yes, you could run such a job your- in whatever markets you pursue. Entering talent and the results that talent can de- self, hiring and managing subcontractors Germany? Your global firm has an office in liver for you. If a team isn’t performing to directly to help you with everything from Berlin. Expanding into China? The glob- your standards in a particular market, you framing to roofing to painting. But hiring a al agency has offices in both Beijing and can swap agencies in the region without GC substantially reduces the time that you Shanghai. causing problems throughout your agency need to devote to remodel logistics, freeing In picking a global firm, you could select portfolio. you up to tackle life’s myriad other tasks. a generalist with broad mandates that in- You’ll get more for your money, as you Next steps clude tech practice groups. Or, you could will work with smaller to mid-sized agen- When it’s time to make this choice on pick a tech specialist. cies that value your business and will work behalf of your growing tech company, do The global agency feels like the conve- hard to keep it. And, you will have deep your homework. Talk to industry friends nient choice. You get a single bill. You get knowledge and excellent control, as you who have been through this stage in their unified measurement and reporting. And will be very close to what each agency is company’s growth to understand which when it’s time to move into a new region, doing in each region and how they are per- path they chose, what worked for them and you don’t have to run an RFP to find a new forming for you. what they wished they had done different- PR partner. If you follow this path, make sure you hire ly. Talk with your marketing-savvy venture The principal problem with this mod- the right internal staff to deftly manage the investors about what other companies in el, however, is that talent can vary widely global network of firms you’ll build. Your their portfolio have done — and how those from office to office with a global firm. The best bet is to bring on team members who choices panned out. And be sure to inter- agency’s Mexico City team may be fantas- have worked both for agencies and for oth- view firms of different stripes to hear their tic. But its Bogota team could be lousy … er tech companies. This way, they’ll have a pitches. and now you’re stuck with them. Given detailed understanding of how agency life With good information, you can make that team quality is so critical to success works and can manage your agency part- an informed choice — and on your path in marketing and PR, it seems unwise — ners most effectively. to world domination, this is an important even dangerous — to just roll with a global Best of breed: centralized control one. agency’s default crew when entering a new In this scenario, once again you’re hiring Phil Carpenter is Executive Vice President region. the very best agencies you can afford in the & Managing Director at PAN Communica- The other challenge is cost. If you have different markets you are targeting. The tions. 

20 NOVEMBER 2017 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM

FEATURE Standing out in a noisy space How technology marketers can use psychology to ensure their messages break through the deluge of media that consumers receive on a daily basis. technology to use. Social default bias states By Elizabeth Edwards that a consumer is more likely to make a decision that others have already made, t doesn’t need to be said twice: we live in that solve the same problem. Often, con- and will consequently be content with the a fast-paced, tech-driven world. Today, sumer choices between comparable options way that the product works because of oth- Ieverywhere you go, everything you do, come down to a simple differentiator. Peo- er pre-existing satisfaction. So, when your and everyone you meet has some relation ple want to feel like they made an informed product gets a recom- to technology. In a world where you ask Siri decision without necessarily having to do mendation from some- or Google your most dire questions, tell Al- extensive research. The authority principle one, make that known. exa what song you want to hear and expect provides that differentiator, and is an effec- Show that others have Cortana to schedule your appointments, tive way to put your product above others used your product, it’s more impressive when you find a task that may appear similar in a consumer’s liked your product, or product that doesn’t involve technology. mind. The Authority Principle explains why and allow for new users So how is any technology brand, product or we desire to hear an opinion or suggestion to easily demonstrate company supposed to appear special? Just from an authority figure — someone who their relationship with a few years ago, being in technology was a we look at as a “professional” or “expert.” the product to create differentiator. The word “technology” alone If we have access to an authority figure’s involvement. The effect Elizabeth Edwards was enough to catch someone’s eye, sell input, we don’t feel like we need to make that groups of people your product and communicate your cate- the decision for ourselves because someone have on decision-making is immense, even gory. Technology was evolving, fascinating, who knows better than we do makes it for if the consumer doesn’t personally know confusing and distinctive. Although it can us. No one wants to buy a product and then the individuals recommending your prod- still be all of those things, it’s not unique hate it, knowing they only have themselves uct. Reading product reviews, seeing others enough anymore to rely on that distin- to blame. This psychological principle cre- with the product, or hearing personal rec- guisher to be your main marketing point. ates influence behind your brand that in- ommendations are all enough to create a Nearly everyone and everything is becom- creases credibility. By pairing your brand confidence in the consumer that will drive ing tech — even down to self-driving trucks with someone who is looked at as intelli- them to purchase your product. and wearable dehydration detectors. The gent and informed, consumers will be more Perceptual contrast theory increase of technology innovations paired confident about their decision to purchase. It’s impossible for someone to look at two with the ever-increasing number of mes- Of course, this authority figure doesn’t have different objects or people presented next sages a consumer sees a day makes it harder to be Ryan Gosling — or anyone with over- to each other or in sequence and not create than ever before to market your technology whelming fame. Just putting your CEO or a comparison between the two. The brain in a way that is effective and memorable. So spokesperson in a lab coat while describing always compares the second to the first. In how do you make your technology message product capabilities is enough to create the technology marketing, present a primary break through all the noise? idea of authority in the consumer’s mind. option that’s not as good as your option. In one word, science. Category size bias This taps into the perceptual contrast the- The use of psychology in marketing can Consumers are known to respond fast- ory and can be the push a consumer needs ensure that your technology isn’t just an- er when there is a small category rather to purchase from your brand. Showcase other message lost in the craziness of the than an overwhelming number of options your product second and portray clear dif- thousands of communication efforts that or items in a grouping. Technology is, of ferences that will inevitably be compared consumers receive on a daily basis. By pro- course, an enormous category, encompass- by the consumer, and make sure that your viding the way that humans are hardwired ing so many components that it’s difficult product, brand or technology is superior. to react, psychology gives you the ability to to even fathom how many “things” it con- People will automatically compare the two create marketing efforts that yield exceed- tains. This large category makes it easier and will ultimately choose yours as the best ingly effective results. Understanding new for products to get lost or forgotten. By us- option. psychological principles that affect deci- ing the category size bias, your consumer Whether your technology is innovative sion-making is imperative in today’s noisy will be less overwhelmed and have a high- or classic and dependable, it’s likely lost world to get your message not only out, er chance of noticing, and picking, your in the noise of the industry. What used to not only heard or seen, but remembered. product. Avoid generalizing your brand as be an exciting, futuristic industry is now Psychology deepens your understanding just technology because that groups you a noisy space full of unheard and unseen of the consumer’s unconscious wants and with everyone in the world. When you are messages. Utilize psychological laws to tru- needs, and because of this, your messaging marketing your product, create a sub-cate- ly understand and reach your consumer in is catered to what your audience is looking gory that consumers can visualize in their a way that will make your product, your for — even if they don’t know it. Here are a mind with fewer options to compare. This brand, stand out from everyone else in the few principles and effects that you can spe- is less overwhelming and lets your product crowded tech world. Differentiate yourself cifically begin leveraging now to stand out stand out. by keeping science behind your communi- from everyone and everything else in the Social default bias cation. tech space. People want to feel secure in deci- Elizabeth Edwards, an award-winning Authority principle sion-making, so they turn to other consum- communicator, speaker and author, founded We know there are thousands of products ers to affirm which product to purchase or Volume PR in 2001. 

22 NOVEMBER 2017 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM Thought leadership: going beyond the buzzword

Businesses spend enormous sums of time and money developing business vision and services have worked if “thought leadership” content. But truly getting into the ring of ideas it hadn’t already paved the way for e-busi- ness two decades ago? is a practice that demands a great deal of courage. Thought leadership happens when a pow- erful purpose, a compelling vision of future by Scott Davila and Christian Munson fulfillment and people who believe in it, come together. That’s the sweet spot and the ompany leaders and their marketing allows our employee-owners to solve com- hardest part. departments talk a lot about wanting munications challenges in new ways, create It takes guts Cto be thought leaders, but they often tools like our Crisis IQ quiz and get ahead But don’t discount have a hard time getting there. Why? Not of the digital transformation that is chang- what comes next. Easy, because they don’t know how, but because ing how people connect and engage with it is not. they don’t understand what thought lead- information. It takes guts for PR ership really is. Apple’s purpose — to harness the power and marketing pro- And if they do, many lack the stomach to of technology, simplify its use and make fessionals to challenge take the risk. it accessible — gave Steve Jobs a platform their leadership to com- Because of that, thought leadership has from which he could turn a computer com- municate new ways of been hijacked by marketing and communi- pany into a pioneering phone company. doing things in a market Scott Davila cations that educate, inform and reinforce IBM’s long history of technological inno- comfortable with the the status quo, not challenge it. vations enabled the company to lead its way things are. That’s es- Every year, businesses spend loads of time stakeholders into a new age of cognitive pecially true if you’re the and money on developing “thought lead- business. Lyft’s purpose to facilitate mobil- market leader, because ership” content. It comes in all shapes and ity gave John Zimmer a platform to revo- you’re the status quo sizes — from white papers and e-books, to lutionize our transportation infrastructure. — and thought leaders webinars and infographics, to survey re- Future casting question the status quo. ports, videos and even cartoonish memes. Leadership implies leading somewhere, Naysayers and com- If you take the time to engage with any of it, right? How are you going to build on your petitors also will spring a large percentage is tactical, promotional purpose and inspire stakeholders to do up quickly to take Christian Munson and self-serving. It’s about how to do this things differently? Better? carefully aimed shots and that, not about why. The core of thought leadership is chal- at thought leaders. Those challenges will There’s a time and place for this informa- lenging the status quo and sharing a vision sting at best, and at worst, completely de- tion, but it’s wrong to call it thought lead- about where the industry is heading. Let rail efforts to make change. Why mess with ership. your competitors talk about the five things what’s already working? Thought leaders Strategic thought leadership isn’t about they learned at the latest industry confer- will be prepared for negative reactions and the how. It’s about leading an industry into ence. A thought leader shows the way for- not be derailed. a new, innovative and impactful approach ward. In addition to thick skins, thought leaders to business. It understands the internal and When Jobs unveiled the iPhone in 2007, also need their wallets. external factors that will exist tomorrow he didn’t just say that Apple was getting Merely saying something doesn’t make it and empowers your audiences by helping into the phone business. He said that every- so. Companies articulating a bold vision of them see into the future and showing them thing we currently did on desktop comput- the future must invest in making it a pres- greater possibilities. ers (browse the Internet, send email, make ent reality. Teams, processes and even prod- Success requires meeting some important purchases, watch videos, get directions, ucts and services need to be recalibrated to criteria. etc.) would soon be done on the little black align with the new vision. The marketplace Strength of purpose rectangle he held in his hands. He called for needs to see actions being taken to pursue It starts with communicating and deliver- a digital revolution and led the charge. it. Smoke and mirrors are for magicians, ing on a clearly defined purpose. Stakeholder belief not world changers. You must know in what direction your in- Leaders require followers, and followers Creating a thought leadership strategy is dustry is moving, what problems will need don’t follow unless they believe what they more than a messaging exercise parlayed to be solved and why it’s important to attack see and hear from the brand out front. It’s into blog posts, speaking engagements and them with strategic intent every single day. not always a linear progression. Some- the well-placed op-ed. It needs to perme- Otherwise, there just isn’t a platform for times, employees, investors and customers ate the organization: operations, customer leadership. believe because a company has delivered service, new product/service development, At our agency, our purpose is to help our on its purpose for years. Other times, belief employee engagement, investor relations, clients connect with the people who matter in a coming future happens first, opening etc. It takes strategic vision, courage and most to them. We come to work every day doors for organizations to do things differ- commitment to take risks and lead by ac- to fulfill this mission so that our clients can ently. tions, whether you’re out to change your be successful, grow their organizations, hire Would Apple have been successful chang- company, your industry or the world. more talent and make a positive impact on ing the way people use cell phones if the Scott Davila is Senior Vice President and the world. personal computer hadn’t already trans- Technology lead at Padilla. Christian Mun- Credibly fulfilling this purpose over de- formed people’s expectations of technol- son is Senior Director, Corporate Communi- cades gives us a platform for leadership. It ogy? Or would IBM’s move to a cognitive cations at Padilla. 

WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | NOVEMBER 2017 23 FEATURE Employer branding: an insider’s view for PR pros Even when it comes to the world’s biggest, hottest brands, recruiting top talent remains one of the most competitive and critical of business challenges. By Andy Getsey

mployer branding is a critical element versity, meaningfulness of work, etc., into city business journals, to the dozens of oth- in any organization’s ability to attract conversations about news, perspectives, vi- ers for different industries, company sizes, Estrong candidates — think of it as the sion, and other topics. It can be subtle, but type of worker, etc. There’s a fair bit of work sum total of a company’s brand awareness do it. involved, so pitching in together makes it and reputation as an employer of choice. Highlight interesting people and work. easier. But it’s worth it. According to LinkedIn’s 2017 Global Promote interviews, contributed article Work employer brand-related KPI’s Trends Report, 80 percent of business lead- opportunities and blog/social media/video and metrics into your PR program eval- ers believe that employer brand has a signif- posts with the company’s most interesting uation and reporting process. Nothing icant impact on their ability to successfully people, engineers and other technical staff, motivates adoption of new activities like recruit top talent. as well as racially- and gender-diverse em- tracking them. Set some A lot of PR work involves creating high- ployees, university graduate hires and in- goals, put some efforts ly structured and polished stories and terns. against them, and re- thought leadership pieces aimed at media, Candidates want to know who really port on them. A few social channels and events and addressing works at your company, what they’re work- starter ideas: topics like company news, product news, ing on and what they have to say. Staff-pro- • # articles or posts financial performance, vision and perspec- duced content is far more interesting to conveying positive as- tive — all of which is super important. prospective employees than what the com- pects of your company’s But in the war for talent, serious candi- pany says about itself. culture dates can be wary of too much marketing Help with Glassdoor. Use your skills in • # references of your polish, and really want more of an insider community management, crisis planning company’s mission, val- Andy Getsey view of the company. Working with HR ex- and Q&A coaching to work with HR on ues, culture in articles/ ecutives, recruiters and employees, PR pros strategy for managing Glassdoor, and mes- interviews about other topics can help create the kind of authentic com- saging to address the most common com- • # profiles of, or Q&As with, interesting munications about the company’s mission/ ments and complaints — and work with employees values, staff and day-to-day work activity management to address valid criticisms • # articles or posts from interesting em- that give candidates the kind of informa- and make actual changes. ployees tion they actually need, and that can make Include recruiters on real-time clip • # HR events PR assists with, before and a difference in recruiting effectiveness distribution. Get to know your compa- after metrics How can a PR person inject more em- ny’s recruiters, and pass along employer • # awards applied for/won ployer brand value into his/her work to brand-friendly articles and posts to them • # clips or posts passed along to recruit- directly impact a company’s success in at- as they hit, so they can work them into ers tracting top candidates? candidate calls and correspondence right • # visits to company’s career site, Linked­ Build employer branding elements into away. In, Glassdoor pages before and after en- the PR plan. Proactively collaborate with Help with events. Offer your event man- hanced PR/HR collaboration the HR/recruiting team to build an em- agement knowledge and skills to help the • # applicants before/after stronger col- ployer branding “track” into the corporate recruiting team in planning and hosting laboration between PR and HR PR plan. More than anything, prospective tailored recruiting events. Help engineers Granted, stepping up employer brand employees want to know what a company with planning and managing meetups. support may well increase your workload, values, what it’s really like to work there, They know what they’re doing, but coming but the impact of injecting more employer what the work itself is like, and who the from PR, you may have a different perspec- branding value into your overall PR efforts people are that make the company go. Bake tive and skillset that would be additive and can be huge in terms of attracting and re- these kinds of stories, and content about welcome. cruiting top talent. these topics into the program — inside the Submit for best workplace awards. Col- And as employer branding continues to usual product announcements, earnings laboration between PR and HR and re- explode as a discipline, adding pro-level releases, hiring and promotion announce- cruiting on awards strategy and execution experience to your portfolio of skills will ments, etc. is powerful. PR people often have access make you more valuable — and possibly For example, in a product release, high- to media and award-list resources and ap- even open up new career opportunities. light the individuals and teams, and the plication skills that HR departments may Andy Getsey is Co-Founder and Manag- challenges they overcame in creating the not have, and HR/recruiting has a profes- ing Partner of Employera (www.employera. product. In hiring or promotion announce- sional feel for the employee point of view com), HR consulting firm focused on em- ments, include nods to key aspects of the that PR may not. Some awards are given ployer branding, talent acquisition, employ- company’s mission, values and culture. strictly through employee ratings — like ee engagement and experience design to help Inject candidate-facing talking points Glassdoor and Indeed.com. Many others companies attract and keep the right people. into everything. Similarly, work with your accept applications — from the big ones He also co-founded and helmed tech firm company’s spokespeople to inject bits of like Fortune, WSJ, Inc. and Working Mother Atomic PR, which was acquired by Hunts- the company’s mission, values, culture, di- magazines, to local opportunities through worth in 2011. 

24 NOVEMBER 2017 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM AR isn’t technology for technology’s sake Promote fresh content The rise of Augmented Reality underscores how companies can By creating an Augmented Reality expe- embrace new technologies while paying attention to the ways in rience, you create a web infrastructure ca- which these advancements will provide solutions and actually pable of hosting fresh content as it is devel- benefit their audiences. oped and released. This scalable solution By Jeremy Lerner and Deborah Brown grows with your group’s output. As new products, marketing promotions “We are stuck with technology when what consumers’ fall on their list of competing and communications refresh throughout we really want is just stuff that works.” priorities?” the year, and new content is developed, an — Douglas Adams “Is this a solution that is helping anyone? AR platform is a logical place to host this Would a simpler solution fit better?” collateral. Regularly updating dedicated s brands fight for attention across “What can we learn from the data we are content on AR ensures media and devices, connecting with collecting?” it remains a destina- an audience while remaining au- Questions such as these should always A tion that offers new and thentic has never been more challenging inform your team’s recommendations. unique material. In this — or vital — to success. Brands frequently Leverage visual recognition way, AR seamlessly in- respond to this challenge by layering the Machine learning is a simple applica- tegrates with a brand’s latest technology into their communica- tion of artificial intelligence that enables existing digital ecosys- tions plan, perhaps without first paying engines to recognize and learn from data tem. enough attention to how this technology they’ve seen before, such as an image. Vi- The hottest new tech- will impact their customers’ experience. sual recognition algorithms and the image nology trend is not Prioritizing innovation above solutions banks through which they comb have nev- Jeremy Lerner always the right rec- is rarely effective; leaning too heavily on er been faster, more exhaustive or more ca- ommendation for your jargon and the latest tech gimmicks con- pable of making complex inferences. client. Fostering mean- sistently betrays even the best intentions. By using an image as a marker — an in- ingful connections When brands prioritize innovation over dustry term for an image that prompts a among the message, solutions in this way, they risk alienating virtual application to launch — you can the user and the brand their audience. For companies to incor- use a mobile device’s camera to recognize should always be the porate new technologies successfully, they an image, and then create a virtual expe- priority. Any technolo- must select only those innovations that rience on the mobile screen after recogni- gy that doesn’t improve help solve the challenges customers face. tion. Visual recognition is key to this appli- and increase these inter- Change the way we interact cation of AR. actions can be counted Deborah Brown The rise of Augmented Reality — su- These applications quickly recognize any as another technology perimposing virtual elements and digital well-designed logo, and will soon expand for technology’s sake. Brands have the tools information on a user’s view of the real to more complex items such as cars and today to ensure they are leveraging AR to world, thereby augmenting their view with shoes. What product, image or printed col- foster these connections, and they can reap additional graphics — offers telling lessons lateral might your team or client find use in the benefits of harnessing this new technol- in how companies can embrace new tech- “turning on” through image recognition? ogy as it is applicable to their business. nologies while considering the benefits to A new presence at trade shows Jeremy Lerner is Digital Project Manager their audience. The application of AR has helped brands at Peppercomm and oversees integrated con- The technology’s increasing presence stand out at events and trade shows with tent campaigns. Deborah Brown is Partner across brand campaigns raises the con- rich, immersive experiences, bringing stat- and Managing Director, and manages ac- cern that, as it enters the mainstream, it ic booths to life. By using any mobile de- counts ranging from crisis management to may be misunderstood as technology for vice’s camera, on-site imagery can be recog- B2B.  technology’s sake. Since AR only entered nized to provide an informative experience the mainstream recently, through mobile — perhaps to showcase new products, PR news brief games such as Pokémon Go and Ingress, offer price comparisons, auto-play video, some find it difficult to imagine its applica- instantly purchase, download information Equifax picks DLA Piper tions beyond lucrative licensing deals and like a catalogue or manual and more. Equifax has turned to DLA Piper for DC work in the consumer entertainment. The user takes this experience home and wake of its data breach that exposed the personal The implications of AR are actually ex- can continue interacting with the brand’s data of nearly 146 million people. tensive, and any brand dismissing it as a content long after the event. Transaction Ignacio Sanchez, who chairs DLA Piper’s govern- passing fad is missing a huge opportunity ment affairs practice group, and Steven Phillips, co- tools and product catalogues obtained chair of its federal law unit, head Equifax’s lobbying to reach their target audience. Here are a from the brand through AR stick with team. few ways you can direct your clients to use them, while others fade from view. The massive breach triggered moves on Capitol AR to drive solutions that facilitate mean- AR can also direct users towards do- Hill to tighten regulatory screws on the $9.4 billion ingful interactions, are scalable for contin- nation pages, social media platforms, credit bureau business, which is controlled by the Big Three firms of Equifax, TransUnion and Experion. ued application, and provide a return on downloadable content and beyond. By le- Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, for in- investment. veraging visual recognition and existing stance, has pushed a proposal to force firms to give To get priorities in order, you can start by collateral at events, a wide audience of mo- customers a free and easy way to freeze their credit. asking: bile users is introduced to unique decision Other measures call for software upgrades and cre- “How does my client define technology?” ation of a national technology standard for the credit streams they would not have encountered bureau business. “Where does ‘adapting technology for otherwise.

WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | NOVEMBER 2017 25 FEATURE An integrated approach to company storytelling

As technology continues to evolve through a global media landscape, more opinions and perspectives are being amplified than ever before. Within this new media reality, however, companies are finding it increasingly challenging to cut through the cacophony of voices in order to tell effective brand stories and campaign narratives in an effective and impactful manner. By Sanjay Kulkarni

t’s critical for communications and pub- content for the sake of content. Build ma- into how the content resonates with stake- lic relations professionals to adopt new terials with the key group always in con- holders. This allows companies to measure Istrategic methods to optimize their mes- sideration so that the end result will be success qualitatively as well as quantita- saging in order to reach the audiences that tailored and specific to their interests and tively. matter most. actions. The wealth of infor- Communications teams must also con- In addition to the audience, commu- mation and conversa- sider the best ways to utilize big data tech- nications teams should know the ins and tion in today’s media nology and devise new approaches to mea- outs of the media channels that the content can be daunting, but surement that are campaign-specific and will live on. A high-performing commu- should not deter PR aligned with company goals. nications professional should understand and marketing de- The PESO model what works and what doesn’t on certain partments from creat- Website and blog platforms continue to channels; this understanding will support ing new and impactful enhance their features through person- a company’s goal of generating the most narratives. The PESO alized timelines, filtered newsfeeds and effective materials for establishing a brand model provides a ad-targeting methods in an effort to cre- story and reputation. head-on approach for Sanjay Kulkarni ate a unique and rewarding experience for Stay up-to-date with emerging platforms tackling the landscape each individual. PR professionals should and shifting site popularity by conducting through channel diversification and audi- be encouraged to move away from nar- regular audits of the company’s frequently ence specification. row, one-size-fits-all campaigns that focus used channels. Audits will also help assess Setting the right goals and priorities on their efforts on a single type of media and if each platform is still reaching target au- a campaign-by-campaign base will help instead adopt a multi-faceted approach diences and benefitting the company as it identify key measurement indicators and that incorporates paid, earned, shared and has in the past. will go a long way in defining success. By owned media channels. Measuring success leveraging all the resources at your dispos- By spreading a company’s messaging As in any aspect of business, PR and mar- al, you will not only meet, but exceed mes- across various media channels, the PESO keting campaigns must establish goals and sage impact expectations. model provides more opportunities for an measures for success at the outset. Once Sanjay Kulkarni is Global Head of PR initiative or a product launch to reach and a campaign is launched, the communica- Solutions at Nasdaq Corporate Solutions.  impact key audiences. In other words, the tions team should have in mind clear indi- message has more paths to success. cators that people — particularly priority PR news brief The holistic nature of the PESO mod- stakeholders — are engaging with the con- el also makes it an asset for relation- tent. Like the PESO approach for distribut- Ogilvy works to kill Sinclair / ship-building among the media and with ing deliverables, the process for setting the Tribune deal customers. A campaign launch that utilizes barometer of success is not a one-size-fits- WPP’s Ogilvy Government Relations represents the a company’s full breadth of media channels all solution. Coalition to Save Local Media, which is fighting the and resources can direct readers and view- The checkpoints for a campaign should proposed Sinclair Broadcasting/Tribune Media Co. ers to a company’s additional platforms to be specific to each initiative and platform. merger on grounds that the $6.6B cash deal would learn more and explore further. For example, if a company released a vid- crush local independent media and lead to higher prices for consumers. For example, an earned op-ed can in- eo via Facebook to raise awareness on a OGR’s team includes Moses Mercado (chief of clude links that direct readers to a compa- particular subject matter impacting their staff to ex-Democratic Leader Dick Gephardt), Tim ny website and specific social media pages, bottom line, communications profession- McGivern (COS to former Kansas Republican Sen- which in turn can lead to related videos and als should set a target number of views to ator Sam Brownback), Conrad Lass (ex-lobbyist for interactive content. This is more engaging gauge effectiveness, as opposed to likes or American Petroleum Institute, Southern Co. and Rio Tinto mining company) and Todd Novasone (ex-COS for audiences than a one-sided approach of comments. to Kansas Republican Jerry Moran). only a paid or earned platform, since users The audience should also be taken into The Coalition contends the Sinclair/Tribune com- will commit to spending more time learn- consideration when evaluating success. A bine would reach 72 percent of US households and ing a brand’s story or a campaign’s purpose. high level of engagement is of little value effectively control the market for broadcast equip- Creating effective content ment and impede the introduction of new services. unless the right people are interacting with American Cable Assn., CCA (rural/regional wire- PR professionals can best utilize the the content. This is where communications less carriers), ITTA (broadband providers), DISH PESO model by ensuring their content is professionals can leverage social media Network, Common Cause, Public Knowledge and created with the target audience in mind. monitoring technologies that provide an- Foundation for Rural Service are among Coalition The creative process should always start at alytics broken down by demographic and members. Sinclair says the deal would enable it to build a the end: who is this intended for and what other specifications. next-generation broadcast platform to offer ad- message should they take away from this? These capabilities can also analyze en- vanced services for a larger customer base. Companies should not simply produce gagement by sentiment, providing insight

26 NOVEMBER 2017 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM Five common mistakes in tech PR Agencies and PR practitioners regularly engage in a number likely under the gun to garner a certain amount of views or social shares for their of everyday, subtle behaviors that could cost their tech clients content. A way to help and build better re- valuable relationships and relevance with key stakeholders. lationships with these key individuals is by by Aaron Strout proactively checking in with them and ask- ing them what they are writing about. Share s an experiment, try searching for ness for a product, service or brand. But in great stories and insights that you’ve heard “PR mistakes” on Google. Rather today’s world, is knowing how many poten- about that don’t involve your company. Ob- Athan finding everyday blunders com- tial eyeballs saw a piece of coverage good viously, this can’t be a full time focus, but munications professionals make, a long list enough? If a marketer tried to explain that just like good networking requires “putting of “PR fail” articles fill the page. Obvious they’d sent out 100,000 pieces of direct mail money in the bank,” so too does good PR. snafus like United Airlines’ handling of a and thus had 100,000 impressions but no 5. Ignoring your employees as a critical passenger who was forcibly removed qual- insights beyond that, they would likely be channel to share news. This could be an ar- ifies as a mistake. But how many compa- fired. It’s because the cost of that direct mail ticle unto itself, but em- nies or their agencies make those types of campaign would be $25,000-$50,000 thus ployee advocacy is prob- mistakes? More likely, they’re erring on a requiring that the marketer know not only ably one of the greatest much smaller scale. At the end of the day how many responses they received, but how untapped resources in those mistakes add up. And while they many of those responses turned into leads the market. Yes, there are might not land a brand on the front cover of or even new customers. When the only cost risks involved in mak- USA Today, they may cost that brand valu- for something is the time it takes to pitch ing sure employees are able relationships and relevance with their something, the bar for proving effectiveness trained and equipped key stakeholders. With an eye toward being is set lower. But with companies constant- to share company news. helpful, here are five common mistakes in ly seeking ways to improve their top and Tools like Dynamic Sig- Aaron Strout Tech PR: bottom lines, nobody is being allowed to nal, Social Chorus and 1. Targeting the wrong influencers/me- skate. What if PR started to look at number LinkedIn’s Elevate make launching, scaling dia professionals. Every company has “the of website visits driven? Or leads generat- and tracking this activity easier than ever … list.” It often includes 100-250 journalists ed? Or at the very least, what about positive even in regulated industries. — many of whom are relevant — but often share of voice in a particular space? The Are you making these mistakes? Or is lacks a rank order beyond the first 5-7 con- tools exist today to at least show correlation your agency? The good news is that they can tacts and likely includes targets that were if not causation on all of these fronts so why all be fixed. The solutions just require good once relevant but have become less so over not use them? data, tools and a little elbow grease. time. What the list most likely doesn’t in- 3. Failing to understand what content Aaron Strout is Chief Marketing Officer of clude is bloggers or those that run YouTube resonates with one’s target audience. It’s W2O Group.  channels. It probably also doesn’t take into probably safe to say that most companies consideration aggregate influence. Back in or agencies don’t sit back and say, “I won- the day, when a journalist worked for one der if we can put out a press release that no- PR news brief publication and social media wasn’t yet a body cares about?” But I will guarantee that LDWW handles Whitefish thing, it was easy to get a relative sense of there are press releases that aren’t optimized LDWW is handling Whitefish Energy, the tiny Mon- whether the aforementioned was import- for search. There are also pieces of short tana company that had its $300 million contract to ant or not. Today, journalists often write and long form content that find their way rebuild Puerto Rico’s power lines cancelled Oct. 29 for multiple publications, or may keep a to places like blogs, Twitter and LinkedI­n by the island’s governor, Ricardo Rossello. personal blog at the very least. They’re also (I see social media as an extension of PR) Criticism by Congress and the Federal Emergen- cy Management Agency prompted Rossello to ax sharing content via Twitter, LinkedIn and that use the wrong language or even worse, the contract granted to the two-person firm. Some SnapChat. This new paradigm creates a don’t resonate with target audiences. Given expressed concern over Whitefish’s ties to Interior new influence that’s hard to measure with- the role that organic search plays in product Secretary and ex-Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke, out the proper tools. In order to solve this or brand discovery these days, why not give whose son worked for Whitefish during the summer. problem, our data scientists have created an yourself the best chance of being found? Ken Luce, former Hill+Knowlton Strategies COO and founder of the Dallas-based integrated com- algorithm that uses 110 different data points There are numerous tools out there (Goo- munications shop, and Brandon Smulyan, a Weber to determine a list of the top 50 influenc- gle provides some free of charge) that can Shandwick and H+K alum, represent Whitefish. ers with weighted ranking. Why is this such help optimize content. Or, if you’re really on Luce told MSBNC that Whitefish landed the Puerto a problem? For one, why would you want your game, try running a content gap anal- Rico Electric Power Authority pact because it moved quickly to land the business. “This is really a very to spend one second with a journalist that ysis by comparing search volume for certain simple effort by an entrepreneur to get on the plane, used to be influential but now isn’t in your key words with keyword density in your fly to Puerto Rico, talk to PREPA when no one else top 100. And conversely, don’t you want to owned, earned and social content. would,” Luce told MSNBC. know who your new and emerging influ- 4. Treating influencers/journalists like Rossello said New York Governor Andrew Cuomo encers are? What about having the ability to order takers. This means that instead of and Florida’s Rick Scott have agreed to send utility crews to restore power to the island of 3.4 million. actually groom those with higher signal to assuming reporters and bloggers are robots About 30 percent of Puerto Rico’s power has been noise into top influencers in your space? waiting around for the next pitch email or restored six weeks after Hurricane Maria. 2. Using “impressions” as a performance press release to float into their inbox, why Luce has counseled ExxonMobil, General Motors, metric. Everything these days must be mea- not take a step back and look at the chal- American Airlines Sprint, US Airways, while Smulyan handled Carnival Corp., Ford Motor, Verizon and Jose sured. And with PR it’s often been a given lenges these journalists are up against? Feliciano Foundation. that it only drives soft ROI or general aware- Many are underpaid, under-resourced and

WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | NOVEMBER 2017 27 FEATURE Chasing press mentions is PR with blinders Earned media opportunities are a far more effective and strategic means of gaining coverage and opening editorial doors than merely chasing press mentions in business or trade publications. By Dan Garza yths and stereotypes continue to is mentioned. You’ll never know until the experts or SMEs to keep the content engine persist in high-tech PR. Most prev- article is published, and then you’re either a well fueled and in tip-top condition. Malent is the one where you’ve got to hero or a persona non grata. In effect, you’re Have you thought about scheduling your be buddies with a business editor or report- rolling the dice. You’re lucky if you get a CEO or CTO to speak at top industry con- er, take him/her to lunch as a way of curry- positive mention. ferences, ghostwriting speeches and abun- ing favor and scoring good press. Or at least The faulty assumption on the part of the dantly sprinkling them with industry is- get a mention in an upcoming article. PR pro is that he/she will get a favorable sues? That approach will draw editors like That antiquated PR practice is usually at mention. Unfortunately, for that naïve PR a magnet because that’s the prodding of company execs. They’re pro, the objective of a straight reporting where they live. They more interested in pumping up stock price business publication article is usually to want to get perspective at the moment than conveying useful infor- cover a particular issue and not to hype or on top issues. mation to their customer base. So, they’re glorify a particular business or technology There are also great hoping a mention in the Wall Street Journal subject. opportunities with a or New York Times will kick up their stock. Editor lunches so yesterday sustained program of Accomplished PR pros have outgrown Savvy high-tech PR pros know it’s so yes- technology-contributed this Madison Avenue schtick of yesteryear. terday to take editors out to lunch to try to articles. As mentioned But the mentality still lingers. So, you may wrangle stories. Editors tell you up front earlier, Silicon Valley wonder — in today’s highly competitive and that proposed stories stand on their own, marketing execs have Dan Garza volatile landscape — what do leading high- so no need to try to curry favor with them. this notion that a PR ma- tech companies expect out of veteran PR Instead, most PR pros work toward under- ven must be buddy-buddy with business ed- pros? Press mentions? Really? standing editorial needs and polishing their itors to get that much sought after mention. You can think of mentions as PR with stories to meet those requirements. No need But think about it, business editors are hard blinders. The reason is the intensity and to check out favorite restaurants for editors to convince, plus they get a gazillion PR sto- mental energy of just trying to get a men- as part of the PR pro’s job description. ry queries a week. tion not only makes you myopic, but also What you have to keep in mind is the Your story has a better chance of getting blocks your views from looking at the high-tech landscape is extremely compet- business editorial attention via contributed broader strategic opportunities high-tech itive. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a articles in the trade press. How is that pos- PR offers. To put it another way: the focus chipmaker, a computer vendor or software sible? As far back as the invention of the sil- and intensity of getting a mention stagnates company, there are always highly aggres- icon transistor, business editors have relied your thinking and blinds you from a broad- sive competitors nipping at your heels, and on trade press articles to keep them abreast er view at the strategic opportunities high- most often they aren’t so gentle about it. of the latest technology developments. tech PR offers. They are more than willing to run you out Today, you can add blogs as another strat- In most cases, your company or product of business. egy for getting the word to business editors. mention is usually in a series of competitor A lot of high tech companies haven’t yet For instance, techtarget.com has increasing- mentions the reporter uses to highlight the learned that PR is a top-notch tool to help ly become popular with its multiple tech- subject he/she is writing about. Or it could maintain a competitive edge. But you’ve got nology editorial sites for news and blogs. be a standalone mention citing your compa- to nurture it and use it in the right way. The One particular site, IoT Agenda, offers the ny or product as an example. wrong way is to use yesterday’s thinking and opportunity to post blogs on an arranged What does a mention really get you from practices, in general, being random and re- monthly schedule — just as long as the a business point of view? Certainly, from active, and solely going after press mentions blogs are useful to readers and not laden the editorial standpoint, that mention or or cranking out press releases. with product hyperbole. an exec’s quote expands a story, adds more You have to be strategic, or put another It’s not only business editors, but market credibility to it. way, you’ve got to use a well-organized and and financial analysts also rely on technol- However, from a business’s point of view, sustained methodology coupled with con- ogy trade press articles and blogs to keep what’s the value? Quite honestly, a mention tent marketing to effectively get your mes- them up to date. That’s where your story is rather lightweight and doesn’t convey sages across to the right audiences. and your messages really shine and get con- keywords that search engines pick up and Better ways siderable attention by those key influencers. give a company’s marketing message new There are better ways of gaining coverage So, rather than constantly deploying the life as it travels along its viral journey. in the trade and business press than trying frontal approach for your business story, try On the other hand, to be fair, a mention in solely for mentions. A good route to take the flanking movement like that taught in top national business publications like the is to collaborate with marketing and sales ROTC 101. Strategically finesse your tech- New York Times and Wall Street Journal is to lay out a strategy, a plan, if you will, that nology content via a well-organized con- nothing to sniff at or lightly brush off. But clearly defines the what, when and how to tributed article program, instead of trying still, those mentions are often few and far launch and sustain a content marketing/PR to force it down editors’ throats. You’d be between, non-strategic, and actually, forgot- campaign. surprised at the results. Pretty soon editors ten in no time. Once you get rolling on that plan, it’s al- start coming to you, instead of you dogging And who knows what slant that particular ways on because you are constantly gener- article takes when your product or service ating new content from your subject matter _ Continued on next page

28 NOVEMBER 2017 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM Getting PR off the desert island

Getting out of our comfort zones and becoming integrated within a has to reach multiple audiences with clear broader, multi-dimensional mix of communications channels and messaging. Customers in the cyber world media is vital for PR’s continued success in the tech landscape. typically don’t like to divulge their securi- ty issues and won’t be of much help with By Sabrina Horn endorsements. Earned media by way of a aking technology meaningful, ap- er the complexity, the greater the need for thought leadership campaign around dig- proachable and embraceable is the digital/ visual communications to simplify, ital resilience with contributed content is Mholy grail for every tech commu- explain and achieve buyer acceptance. Tech part of a carefully devised PR strategy that nications professional. Twenty plus years campaigns should incorporate all these el- drives social activity. That company must ago, the tools and channels for PR pros to ements: websites, videos, infographics and also simultaneously manage the messaging share their stories were simple, push-ori- the use of virtual reality within immersive conveyed via its website, ented and one-dimensional. Press releases events. PR can still be “king” especially in its billboards and its were the primary vehicle used by PR pros thought leadership campaigns. It can cre- print ads. Those mes- to convey a news announcement. The only ate “virality” to advance conversations on sages are all intimate- visual media at play were broadcast TV and social media and it can be the place where ly intertwined and are advertising. Websites didn’t exist, as bizarre campaigns begin: a powerful engine that clearly more powerful as that seems now. augments paid strategies across multiple in brand building if they Today, PR has evolved and expanded to platforms. convey the same story. include many new ways of relating to the As a result, agencies are evolving their In another example, public. It’s about figuring out how their firms to offer more of these communica- how we talk to consum- story fits into conversations already taking tions elements and brand marketers are ers about robots that Sabrina Horn place amongst a plethora of other channels changing how their marketing and com- help us do our chores at and media. Its success, therefore, is based munications teams are structured. For home spans all types of media and chan- on being integrated with those other chan- many firms, it means learning to speak nels. The use of love-based or positive mar- nels and campaign elements, requiring PR a new language, hiring new people with keting strategies to help assuage the emo- counselors to be more informed of all the broader skill sets and creating new process- tions of fear associated with robotics can be avenues available to them and take a broad- es around integrated service paradigms. It instrumental and must be infused in every er view. PR as a function can’t work in a silo means getting out of the comfort zone and digital and analog aspect of this communi- because it won’t be as effective. Nowhere is thinking multi-dimensionally. cations campaign. Without a healthy adver- this more the case than in the technology So, where do you start when you want to tising budget, videos and infographics and industry, where tech PR is undergoing a get off the desert island? some clever writing can be embedded in a revolution. First, identify the central objective your creative social campaign targeting audienc- Today, technology lives within healthcare company wants to achieve, and the key es on Facebook, and a radio morning talk devices, educational learning tools, payroll problem your product or service solves. show circuit. Traditional PR elements hang systems, travel accessories, fashion and even Then, articulate how it solves that specific off this program, leveraging it, driving it, inside art. Often, the benefits of technology problem differently. Who are the audienc- supporting it. are misunderstood. The current hype cy- es? Where do they get their information? In sum, everything we do today as tech cle around artificial intelligence, machine How open minded are they to something PR professionals needs to be connected and learning, driverless cars and robotics is just new and what existing beliefs might be integrated within the broader communica- beginning. Innovation can be complex and in the way? Who influences their habits? tions mix. This presents a tremendous op- intimidating to businesses and consumers These and other questions feed the research portunity for tech PR people: the chance to alike, therefore requiring a more thoughtful, to fuel your strategy. Then, what are the sto- relate to different publics in multiple ways, multi-faceted communications approach. ry arcs you want to tell? You can have sev- for the purpose of bringing acceptance to Our role as tech communicators is of pro- eral, and they can run in parallel or in a se- innovation. It is beautiful, complicated, in- found importance here. How we position quence. And finally, from everything in the telligent and purposeful. Those that leave and communicate the benefits of a new wheelhouse of communications (written, their desert island may find choppy waters technology can be the difference between spoken, digital/visual), what are the tactics but will soon hit their stride in an exciting smooth consumer adoption or the rapid de- that bring those stories to life? new phase of their profession. mise of yet another tech start-up. In a basic hypothetical example, a mar- Sabrina Horn is Managing Director of In this new tech PR landscape, the great- keter of enterprise-level security software Finn Partners’ Technology Practice.  CHASING PRESS MENTIONS tent, and lots of times, those are either pub- Wouldn’t it be much more effective, less _ Continued from page 28 lished contributed articles, blogs or techni- hassle, and with fewer rejections to allow cal papers. technology and contributed articles/blogs them for a mention. Once they come across your exec’s con- to open editorial doors for you, instead of There’s another important point about tributed article or blog, you’ve captured the working so hard for a press mention? contributed articles and blogs. Most often, business editor’s attention. As he/she sees Dan Garza is a marketing PR profession- the right keywords go viral, thanks to search more of your technology pieces on search al and veteran observer of Silicon Valley PR. engines. Business editors often conduct engines, the more influence you’re building. He’s collaborated with top technology com- their research these days by entering key- Chances are, when your technology topic panies and was instrumental in creating and words on Google, and voila, are presented comes up for business reporting, those ed- implementing successful PR strategies at these with a motherlode of up-to-date tech con- itors will be calling you. firms.

WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | NOVEMBER 2017 29 O’Dwyer’s guide to TECHNOLOGY COMMUNICATIONS

AIRFOIL PUBLIC RELATIONS

336 North Main Street Royal Oak, MI 48067 248/304-1400 hello@airfoilgroup .com www .airfoilgroup .com Additional offices in Silicon Valley & New York .

Lisa Vallee-Smith, CEO Leah Haran, Sharon Neumann, Keith Donovan, Sr . VP Amy Bryson, VP Airfoil is an independent public relations and marketing communi- Susan Thomas, 10Fold CEO. ARPR’s growing team includes a mix of media relations, content market- cations firm that has served as the ing, social media and lead gen experts. perceptual architect for many of the world’s best-known technology 10FOLD brands. With offices in tech-rich trial segments. the competitive customer support regions including Detroit, Silicon Since its founding in 2000, Air- space. We thrive on our ability to 44 Montgomery St ., Suite 3065 foil has built a reputation for results help technology companies estab- San Francisco, CA 94104 Valley and New York, Airfoil Pub- lic Relations is recognized for de- and earned its placement on presti- lish leadership positions in their 415/800-5372 gious industry lists like O’Dwyer’s categories. Technology helps shape 925/271-8202 livering strategic solutions built on 925/271-8240 research-driven insights and cal- “Top 50 Independent Public Rela- culture and in turn, culture impacts www 10Fold. .com culated, creative communication tions Firms,” The Holmes Report how we use the technology at our info@10Fold com. risks. The firm develops strategies “Top 12 Technology Firms,” and disposal. Our efforts are informed that maximize clients’ competitive Advertising Age “Best Places to by those cultural trends coupled Susan Thomas, CEO advantages in local, national and Work.” The firm has earned numer- with real-time research that al- Ross Perich, Vice President, global business markets, and with ous accolades including PRNews low us to execute programs and Enterprise “Small Agency of the Year,” PR- drive meaningful business results. Angela Griffo, Vice President, target audiences through tradition- al and emerging channels. SA’s “Silver Anvil Award of Ex- Whether a new product launch, the Infrastructure cellence” and “Silver Anvil Award evolution of a service, or a finan- Fran Lowe, Vice President, Big Airfoil’s team of progressive Data account professionals and vital of Commendation,” and multiple cial event, we’ve been there before Bart Tillmans, Vice President, global partners apply a multidisci- Hermes Creative awards. and can lend our expertise to en- Operating Systems plinary lens to client communica- sure success. Cathy Denham, Controller tion challenges, providing content ALLISON+ Gary Good, Chief Media Strategist development, design, digital mar- ARPR and Lead Writer PARTNERS keting, research, public relations, 10Fold is an award-winning advertising and social media ser- 40 Gold Street 675 Ponce de Leon Ave . NE vices to help meet their objectives. San Francisco, CA 94133 Suite 9800 agency specializing in elevating Atlanta, GA 30308 B2B technology brands through The firm elevates positioning for www allisonpr. .com 855/300-8209 media, analyst and influencer re- brands across consumer, enter- annaruth@arpr .com prise, health care, auto and indus- Jonathan Heit, Partner and lations, content development (in- Co-Founder + President www .arpr .com cluding an in-house video produc- Jordan Fischler, Partner and tion team), social media services, Head of Consumer Technology Additional offices in New Orleans and content amplification. Head- and San Francisco . quartered in San Francisco, 10Fold Technology has been a core Anna Ruth Williams, CEO has regional offices in Pleasanton area of expertise throughout Alli- son+Partners’ history. We helped Blair Broussard, SVP and Capistrano Beach, CA as well Renee Spurlin, VP of Analytics & as Austin, TX and Denver, CO. create the very notion of online Digital Marketing The 10Fold team is differentiated influence as part of our early You- Evan Goldberg, VP of Client based on its deep domain expertise Tube work, and have since worked Service across networking, information se- with nearly every major technol- curity, enterprise software, mobile, ogy brand, including Dropbox, In less than five years, ARPR has DevOps, Big Data and machine WhatsApp and Google, to name emerged as one of O’Dwyer’s top learning, and storage industries. just a few. Our experience fuels 30 tech PR agencies in the U.S. 10Fold helps elevate and ampli- our current successes including Our culture, coupled with our high fy the innovation that changes the executing a strategic consumer standard of excellence and a com- way the world works and lives. and consumer tech media relations mitment to innovating PR, has re- Based on an accountable Metrics program in three global markets sulted in a diverse roster of more Matter™ methodology, 10Fold has for Pinterest, shaping the future than 20 leading global tech com- served nearly 400 companies (in- of the enterprise with Samsung, panies. cluding a “herd of unicorns”) since Airfoil Group CEO Lisa redefining “safety science” for UL With 35 awards on our shelf, its inception in 1995. Vallee-Smith. and helping Zendesk stand out in ARPR has earned a reputation for

3030 APRILNOVEMBER 2015 2017 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | ADVERTISING | ADVERTISING SECTION SECTION 30 NOVEMBER 2017 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM w Profiles of Technology PR Firms propelling what’s possible by cre- third-party relations, case histo- atively telling high-impact stories ries and speaking and awards pro- that intersect technology, innova- grams. The agency’s specialty is tion and business. Specifically, we driving coverage from the likes of scale to complement high-growth ABC to the Wall Street Journal. startups, mid-market leaders and global public and private enterpris- es within the cybersecurity, mis- CATAPULT PR sion critical, health IT, mobility, 6560 Gunpark Dr ., Suite C MarTech and FinTech sectors to Boulder, CO 80301 #MakeNews and #DriveLeads. 303/581-7760 From our Panorama Approach to Fax: 303/581-7762 our team with diverse skill sets to tdouglas@catapultpr-ir com. our workplace culture and benefits www .catapultpr-ir .com — ARPR is writing the next chap- Bospar Team Call. ter in the mass communications Terri Douglas, Co-Founder & textbook. Just like our tech clients, Principal (pro bono), Clover, Currency- many other tech PR applications. we’re focused on innovating the Ranked the leading technology future. cloud, Cyence, Cylance, Digita- Whether it is new software, In- lOcean, EyeVerify, Fastly, Ginkgo ternet portals, medical or industri- PR agency in Colorado, Catapult Bioworks, Google, HackerOne, al device or solution, consumer or PR helps B-2-B technology com- BATEMAN GROUP HackerRank, Harness, Illumio, business services, new app or tech panies drive market-leading posi- Invoca, LinkedIn Sales Solutions, incubator or special event, our ex- tions through Strategic Narrative 1550 Bryant St ., Suite 450 LinkedIn Marketing Solutions, perienced high-tech PR specialists Marketing. Catapult’s formalized San Francisco, CA 94103 Live Grey, Manifold, MapR Tech- know how to get you where you approach combines positioning 415/503-1818 nologies, Narvar, Netskope, Opti- need to go. With more than 150 and messaging, aggressive media Fax: 415/503-1880 mizely, Optimove, Ping Identity, years of experience, our team in- and industry analyst relations, so- sfnewbiz@bateman-group .com cial media and content marketing www .bateman-group .com Platform9, Quick Base, Rainfor- cludes PR pros, journalists, multi- est, Recorded Future, Scale Ven- media specialists and web market- into a comprehensive strategy de- 45 Main St ,. Suite 617 ture Partners, Segment, Shape ers. signed to helps companies become Brooklyn, NY 11201 Security, Smartsheet, SnapLogic, true market leaders. 347/410-7983 Snowflake, Stackla, Tegile Sys- The firm is expert at coordinating nycnewbiz@bateman-group .com tems, Tenable Network Security, BOSPAR and executing high-impact compa- Ultimate Software, UpGift, Urban ny/product launches. Its Strategic Fred Bateman, CEO and Founder Airship and Virtustream. Locations in San Francisco, LA, Narrative Marketing process be- Bill Bourdon, President and Orange County, Chicago and the gins with a full-day workshop, and Partner Washington, D .C . area . provides tech firms with the tools Tyler L. Perry, General Manager, BOARDROOM 415/913-7528 to define and own new or existing NY and Partner success@bospar .com Shannon Hutto, Executive Vice COMMUNICATIONS, @BosparPR market categories. President and General Manager, Catapult has deep expertise in all SF INC. Chris Boehike and Curtis major vertical markets, including Syreeta Mussante and Paula Sparrer, Co-Founders and years’ long experience in applica- Cavagnaro, Executive Vice 1776 N . Pine Island Road Principals tion development, cloud, big data, Presidents Suite 320 Tom Carpenter, Principal commercial wireless and enter- Joe Franscella, Senior Vice Fort Lauderdale, FL 33322 Tricia Heinrich, Chief Content prise platforms that disrupt market President 954/370-8999 Officer Elinor Mills, SVP of Content www .boardroompr .com norms. Catapult’s success stems from its Rachael Cassidy, Matt Coolidge, donsil@boardroompr com. Bospar is an award-winning bou- Kerry Tescher and Amy Ziari, personal and professional service, Vice Presidents Julie Talenfeld, CEO tique tech PR agency that offers the along with partner-level account Jennifer Steinle, VP of Operations Don Silver, COO best of big and small. involvement and strategy. It is the Like a big agency, Bospar has preferred agency for technology Headquartered in San Francis- We are a full-service public re- seasoned professionals across the companies looking for both strate- co with offices in New York City, lations and integrated marketing country, based in San Francisco, gy and strong execution. Bateman Group was founded in agency delivering results for many Los Angeles, Chicago, Orange 2004 with a goal of creating the of Florida’s top businesses. We County, New York, and Washing- technology-focused PR agency of bridge new and traditional media, ton, D.C. Its content department COOPERKATZ & choice for startups and established giving clients an edge in rising provides blog posts, case studies, COMPANY, INC. market leaders alike — a different above the highly competitive mar- ghost-written articles, messaging, breed of agency where content de- ketplace. positioning, press releases, social 205 Lexington Avenue, 5th Floor velopment is a core competency in- In addition to software, IT events media content, website copy, in- New York, NY 10016 stead of a liability. Bateman Group and apps, BoardroomPR has fographics, research projects and www .cooperkatz .com is distinguished by its people-first worked in several industries deliv- videos. company culture and progressive ering media relations, marketing But like a boutique, you will get Ralph Katz, Principal workplace policies. By assembling consulting, trade show strategy, so- attention from the most senior staff Anne Green, President, CEO and retaining a stellar team of the cial media, website development, and a team of people who have CooperKatz & Company of- top communications strategists in SEO and identity packages for worked together for years. fers full-service public relations, the industry, Bateman Group main- companies in a host of industries. Bospar’s staff includes journal- marketing communications and tains one of the highest employee Representative high-tech clients ists who know how to reverse-en- creative services capabilities to retention averages in the industry BoardroomPR has served include gineer media coverage from a cli- a national client base. We have a — turnover is typically no more healthcare tech, real estate and ent’s needs and provide intensive 21-year track record of developing than 8%. construction web portals, industrial media training with an insider’s creative, high-impact, technolo- Clients include: AdRoll, Ampli- technical solutions, aviation apps, perspective. Bospar supports its tude, Animoto, Anthemis, Armis, computer devices, energy and pow- media efforts with analyst and in- Atlassian, Betterment, Code2040 er generation high tech devices and fluencer relations, customer and _ Continued on page 32

ADVERTISING SECTION | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | NOVEMBER 2017 31 WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | NOVEMBER 2017 31 Profiles of Technology PR Firms enterprise mobile app? Or explain COOPERKATZ & COMPANY to shareholders or prospective in- _Continued from page 31 vestors why a security technology, biotech development, retail tech gy-focused communications pro- enhancement or fintech algorithm grams for such clients as Ad-ID, may change the world? Is your Capgemini, Carrier, Collective, new green technology gearing up DealerTrack, Fiserv, MSN, Otis to challenge conventional wisdom Elevator Company, Polar, Telcor- about alternative energy? Are you dia, Teliris, Virgin Mobile, Zipcar aiming to expand your marketing and more. to a global stage? Our technology expertise covers We thrive on helping organi- both B2B and B2C organizations zations to address their business across a wide range of indus- communications challenges and try sectors. Clients leverage our position themselves to succeed in award-winning team for needs in- the marketplace. Our programs are cluding: brand positioning, media designed to deliver business ROI, relations, industry analyst rela- not just press clippings and status tions, social media / digital strategy reports. We welcome the opportu- and execution, content marketing nity to partner with you to grow and development, new product in- Feintuch Communications President Henry Feintuch (left) and Healbe your business. troductions, special events, adver- CEO Artem Shipitsyn display the GoBe 2 Smart Life Band at CES in Las tising, video production, collateral Vegas. FINN PARTNERS materials, design and more. CooperKatz has won numerous ents have included the BSA-The the right message through the right 301 East 57th St . industry awards including “Best Software Alliance, the High-Tech channel at the right time. From New York, NY 10022 Agency of the Year” in our size Digital TV Coalition, InterDigital, building awareness with thought 212/715-1600 category from The Holmes Report IPC-The Electronics Association, leadership, media relations and ad- [email protected] and “Best Places to Work in NYC” LyondellBasell, NASSCOM, NE- vertising to nurturing relationships [email protected] from Crain’s New York Business NA-The 9-1-1 Association, SAP via marketing automation, Fahl- chantal .bowman-boyles@ across multiple years. Americas, SAP National Security gren Mortine delivers the full range finnpartners.com Services, and the Wireless Inter- of services required for success in www.finnpartners.com DALE CURTIS net Service Providers Association today’s multi-channel world, in- Sabrina Horn, Managing Partner, (WISPA). cluding branding, public and ana- Technology Practice Leader COMMUNICATIONS lyst relations, media planning and 646/202-9777 or 415/999-8777 buying, content marketing, social [email protected] LLC FAHLGREN media strategy and management, Alicia Young, NY/East Coast MORTINE advertising and digital develop- 212/593-6343, alicia .young@ 1901 L Street NW ment. finnpartners.com Suite 300 Howard Solomon, SF/West Coast Washington, DC 20036 4030 Easton Station, Suite 300 415/348-2733, howard .solomon@ 202/495-3700 Columbus, OH 43219 FEINTUCH finnpartners.com www dalecurtiscommunications. com. www .fahlgrenmortine .com Chantal Bowman-Boyles, info@dalecurtiscommunications com. Info@fahlgren .com COMMUNICATIONS London/Europe 614/383-1500 +44 203 217 7061, chantal . Dale Curtis, Founder & CEO Twitter: @FahlgrenMortine 245 Park Ave ., 39th Fl . [email protected] New York, NY 10167 Allan Tan, Asia Pacific Founded in 2009, Dale Curtis Aaron Brown, EVP, B2B 212/808-4900 Ying Communications, a Finn Communications helps companies aaron .brown@fahlgren .com info@feintuchpr .com Partners Company and causes advance their agendas 614/383-1608 www .feintuchcommunications .com +65 6779 5514, allan .tan@ through strategic, integrated com- Dennis Brown, SVP, Technology www .PRWorldAlliance .com finnpartners.com munications in Washington, DC dennis .brown@fahlgren .com 614/383-1609 Henry Feintuch, President In 2017, Finn Partners’ Tech- and beyond. Julie Exner, SVP, Technology Richard Roher, Managing Partner DCC provides public affairs ori- nology Practice, ranked third on julie .exner@fahlgren .com Doug Wright, Senior Account O’Dwyer’s list of top technology ented PR and content services to a 614/383-1632 Director variety of clients in sectors includ- firms, enjoyed continued global ing technology, telecommunica- Fahlgren Mortine is one of the Feintuch Communications = growth and thrives as the agency’s tions, public safety, manufacturing, nation’s largest marketing and Tech PR. We’ve been doing it for largest practice area. This year, energy, and nonprofit issues. communications agencies, rank- decades and all with an eye to- global marketing and communica- Our team offers decades of expe- ing #10 on O’Dwyer’s list of U.S. wards delivering business results. tions firm Finn Partners expanded rience in senior positions in Con- PR firms. Through industry-lead- Our senior-led team helps start- its tech footprint with the acquisi- gress, the White House, Executive ing integration and a pledge to ups, rapidly growing firms and es- tion of Singapore-based technolo- Branch, local government, busi- “think wider,” the agency skill- tablished enterprises to influence gy boutique Ying Communications ness, nonprofits, and the media. fully blends the authenticity of a markets about their products, ser- which will also serve as the agen- Our in-house specialties include public relations firm, the creativity vices and corporate values. We do cy’s central hub for Asia/Pacific. strategic counsel and planning, of an advertising agency and the that with journalistic sensibilities Finn also acquired ABI Marketing messaging and content, news accountability of a digital shop to and solid business experience. Public Relations, specializing in media relations, digital media, innovate, influence and achieve as Preparing to launch an exciting Industrial technology with offices graphic design, video, and events. one agency for an enviable port- social media platform or beta test in Frankfurt and Shanghai. We maintain a network of adjunct folio of technology and B2B cli- a breakthrough ad technology? With its U.S. and global reach, professionals in DC and across ents. Our buyer-centric approach Planning the introduction of ad- Finn’s Technology Practice is over the nation who can be activated as is informed by a willingness to vanced technologies for audio cap- 130 professionals. The firm is rec- needed. “go deep” into markets, personas ture or video display? Looking to ognized as a leader in integrated Tech- and telecom-related cli- and solutions to reach buyers with get industry analyst feedback on an _ Continued on page 34

32 NOVEMBER 2017 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | ADVERTISING SECTION 32 NOVEMBER 2017 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM

Profiles of Technology PR Firms and concerns around, artificial in- telligence in homes and driverless cars. GREENOUGH

One Brook Street Watertown, MA 02472 617/275-6500 www .greenough .biz

Phil Greenough, CEO & Founder Jamie Parker, President It’s about what customers can do with technology, not the feeds and speeds. For nearly two decades since our founding, Greenough has pioneered brand storytelling that leads with the what and why for The Hoffman Agency’s global management team joins its Silicon Valley enterprise solutions, mobile appli- staff to smile for the camera. cations, IT security and robotics. Whether it’s a decision-maker contributed articles to “newsjack- Sabrina Horn, Managing Partner, within an enterprise considering ing” our clients into breaking fea- THE HOFFMAN Technology Practice Leader at technology for marketing analyt- ture stories, we ensure that your Finn Partners. ics, HR or financial operations or brand stories are well-told across AGENCY a consumer choosing a device, it’s relevant channels and help drive FINN PARTNERS always the story that drives the ac- marketing qualified leads and new 325 S . First St . tion. sales. San Jose, CA 95113 _Continued from page 32 We’ve perfected brand journal- 408/286-2611 ism to deliver compelling stories SBurkhart@Hoffman .com tech communications across all across earned, owned and paid HIGHWIRE PR LHoffman@Hoffman .com core and emerging sectors includ- channels. As designated reporters www Hoffman. .com/tech-pr/ ing: artificial intelligence, fintech, for your brand, we bring stories 727 Sansome St . www .storytelling-techniques .com Suite 100 Twitter: @DailyBrew autotech, enterprise cloud, cyber- to life that strongly resonate with San Francisco, CA 94111 security, storage, consumer tech/ your target tech buyer because we 415/963-4174, ext . 2 Defining communications broad- IoT, data science, supply chain, eschew the hype and hone in on hi@highwirepr .com ly to include digital, content mar- services, mobile, marketing tech, what’s relevant to buyers. www highwirepr. com. keting, thought leadership as well digital media, information ser- Our brand journalism “report- as traditional PR, The Hoffman vices, and telecommunications. ing” uncovers standalone stories Emily Borders, Kathleen Agency knows how to differenti- Finn Partners is at the center of the and perspectives that are routine- Gratehouse and Carol Carrubba, ate brands and deliver air cover for Principals tech industry’s global ecosystem, ly featured in CIO, TechTarget, sales. With a heritage in the tech connecting influencers, media, and VentureBeat and other technology Highwire is a full-service com- sector, the firm’s work today cuts financiers with top tech executives trades as well as vertical outlets. munications agency built on the across a range of B2B and consum- to help them build their brands and Our continuous vetting of “sourc- promise of delivering creative, re- er markets. move their businesses forward. es” identifies and prepares experts sults-oriented PR programs for in- For clients with global needs, As the industry moves toward who can regularly comment on novative companies. the company operates its own of- integrated communications, Finn technology stories across business Highwire is an award-winning fices in Asia Pacific, Europe and Partners Technology Practice is media, from national outlets such agency that has achieved success the United States. Unlike tradition- ahead of the curve, supporting its as the New York Times and the Wall with a simple formula: we believe al agencies handicapped by their technology clients with full ser- Street Journal to local news outlets in supporting our clients with re- silo structure, we apply a collab- vice programs including digital, and hyperlocal media. sults-oriented programs built on orative approach to implementing branding/web, public affairs, crisis Our campaigns target earned, business goals. multi-country campaigns. This communications, public relations, owned and paid media simultane- At Highwire we transcend the leverage of content and thinking events and research services. In ously, delivering your unique tech- “same old same old” strategies across geographies ultimately gen- 2017 Finn Partners conducted and nology value proposition, often with the same zeal clients bring to erates better results. And we can do published its own primary research tailored to unique vertical markets. their own business. And we do it this with a single-point-contact for on the growing consumer use of, From thought leadership through with a smart, informed approach clients. that’s founded on relevance and While campaigns vary by client insight. We roll up our sleeves and and industry, all share one theme: immerse our experts in your busi- the creation of content that re- ness, executing on your challeng- flects the tenets of storytelling. es and goals to generate greater This means developing narratives awareness, growth and sales. Our that prompt journalists to write client expertise spans consumer and target audiences to read — a and lifestyle brands to mobility and far cry from the “corporate speak” enterprise technologies. Across our that satisfies internal stakeholders. San Francisco, New York, Chicago, Toward this end, the firm also con- and Boston offices, we have more ducts storytelling workshops. than 85 employees, along with Even on the operations side, The proven partnerships with interna- Hoffman Agency walks to a differ- tional agencies that collectively ent drummer. Eschewing the tradi- and successfully drive international tional focus on the financial side — HIghwire PR’s staff. campaigns. measuring account people based

34 NOVEMBER 2017 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | ADVERTISING SECTION 34 NOVEMBER 2017 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM Profiles of Technology PR Firms on their “billability” — the firm cluding SaaS, Cloud Infrastructure, ning public relations, digital com- adheres to the belief that if you de- Internet, Ecommerce, Mobile, Fin- munications, and social influencer liver great work to the client, finan- tech, Data/Analytics and IoT. Mar- engagement agency that helps cial performance will follow. rying a deep understanding of tech- brands connect to their target au- nology, capital markets, business dience. Our clients’ successful and financial media, ICR provides campaigns are marked by tier-1 HOTWIRE a compelling value proposition for media coverage, thought leader- companies at various life stages, ship, third-party recognition, and 16 W . 22nd Street, 12th Floor New York, NY 10010 including startups seeking to raise multi-channel visibility. Engaging 646/738-8960 additional capital, growth com- both internal and external stake- panies with IPOs on the horizon, holders transforms friends, follow- 222 Kearny Street organizations investing in M&A, ers, and industry leaders into loyal Suite 400 businesses transforming to meet brand advocates. San Francisco, CA 94108 customer and market demands, and Don’t just take our word for it. 415/840-2790 public entities looking to better tell “The most proactive agency I’ve www .hotwireglobal com. their stories. ICR maintains offices ever worked with!”, said Saman- hello@hotwireglobal com. in Boston, Connecticut, New York, tha Osowski, SVP, Marketing for San Francisco, Hong Kong and Yorktel Barbara Bates, Global CEO Inkhouse CEO and co-founder John Mahoney, Chief Client Officer Beijing. Social media has changed both Heather Kernahan, President, Clients: Alteryx, Appian, Datos Beth Monaghan how, and from where people re- North America IO, FLEETCOR Technologies, utation for solid PR and content ceive and consume news and in- Forter, Guidewire, HARMAN In- campaigns, and deep bench of formation. For advocacy to be Hotwire is a global communi- ternational, Mobileye, MuleSoft, experienced communications pro- effective, messages must not only cations agency that helps CMOs Proofpoint, Red Hat, ShopKeep, fessionals, former journalists, and reach your target audience, but also better engage and connect with TechStyle, Veeva, Yext. creative thinkers on staff. resonate across multiple channels their customers. From Sydney to We partner with global brands, to impact opinions, build brand San Francisco, we operate with INKHOUSE Fortune 100 enterprises, venture trust, and solidify reputations. Our a borderless mind-set across 22 capital firms, and technology com- 360-degree approach leverages locations including the UK, US, 260 Charles St ., Suite 200 panies at any stage of their life- traditional, interactive digital, and France, Germany, Spain, Italy and Waltham, MA 02453 cycle. Our client roster runs the social engagement to tell your sto- Australia, together with co-brand- 781/966-4100 gamut from enterprise technology ry with focus, consistency and au- ed partners Yellow Communica- www .inkhouse .com (fintech, security, cloud, wearables, thenticity, across every medium. tions in the Netherlands and Bel- Twitter: @InkHousePR The JMRConnect team is well- workwithus@inkhouse .com SaaS), to professional services, gium, Active DMC in the Middle venture capital, healthcare, educa- versed in myriad disciplines, East and VIANEWS in Brazil, as tion, consumer and real estate. including: corporate communi- well as other affiliate partners. Beth Monaghan, CEO & Co- Founder, beth@inkhouse .com With offices in Boston, New cations; employee advocacy and On September 29, 2016, Hot- Tina Cassidy, EVP & Chief York, San Francisco and Provi- engagement; public affairs; inves- wire acquired Eastwick Communi- Content Officer, tina@inkhouse. dence, RI, InkHouse is well-posi- tor relations; community building; cations — continuing our mission com tioned to serve both national and journalism; and industry analysis. to offer a truly global client and Jason Morris, EVP & General international clients looking for Our senior-level personnel bring employee centered alternative to Manager, West Coast, jason@ dynamic, thoughtful integrated a diversity of skills and decades the multinational agency model. inkhouse .com of expertise from multinational Nicole Bestard, EVP & General communications campaigns. This acquisition will give us better Communicate. Amplify. Engage. agencies; privately-held and pub- access to the technology hub of the Manager, New York, nicole@ inkhouse .com inkhouse.com licly-traded companies; private world, strengthening our reach and equity and venture capital; politi- expertise as a large multinational 550 Montgomery Street JMRCONNECT cal consulting; media; and analyst agency with the service ethos and Suite 450 firms. deep local connections that only a San Francisco, CA 94111 225 E . Redwood Street local agency can offer. 415/299-6600 Suite 301 KARBO Baltimore, MD 21202 401 Park Avenue South, 10th Floor COMMUNICATIONS ICR New York, NY 10016 10 G Street, NE 646/975-5142 Suite 710 601 Fourth St ., Suite 204 685 Third Ave ., 2nd Flr . Washington, DC 20002 San Francisco, CA 94107 New York, NY 10017 91 Clemence Street 415/255-6510 646/277-1200 Providence, RI 02903 7 World Trade Center info@karbocom .com tom .ryan@icrinc com. 401/633-8110 50 Greenwich St . www .karbocom .com www .icrinc com. New York, NY 10007 InkHouse is breaking the agen- 1304 Jefferson Avenue ICR provides strategic commu- cy mold. We’re making traditional 202/904-2048 Redwood City, CA 94062 nications and advisory services media relationships relevant again. info@jmrconnect .net that help companies drive business And we’re breaking down creative www .jmrconnect .net Julie Karbo, Founder & CEO goals, bolster credibility and en- silos with integrated PR, content, Mostafa Razzak, CEO and hance long-term enterprise value. social media, design, filmmaking Principal Karbo Communications is a re- ICR’s Technology Practice, com- and paid editorial all in one place. spected and innovative PR and ® prised of former Wall Street veter- We value progress over process, Shaping Influence Worldwide : digital communications agency ans and seasoned communications but we also believe in the power of A 360-degree approach to telling that delivers on business objec- experts, brings a unique POV that measurement. We’re bi-coastal, 10 your brand’s story with focus, con- tives. With Karbo Com, you don’t helps technology companies build years old, 100 people, and one of sistency and authenticity, across get bench players. You get the carefully articulated positioning the fastest growing agencies in the every medium. industry’s top marketing and PR and competitive advantages around country. We are relentless, and our hands- teams working with you every day, their ideas, concepts and stories. Founded in 2007, InkHouse’s on approach is a catalyst for cli- whether it’s developing position- The team delivers results for cli- steady growth can be attributed to ents’ success. ing, placing your company in top JMRConnect is an award-win- ents across a range of sectors, in- the company’s longstanding rep- _ Continued on page 36

ADVERTISING SECTION | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | NOVEMBER 2017 35 Profiles of Technology PR Firms consumer technology, enterprise national media tours, integrated in- technology, fashion, retail, enter- fluencer campaigns and viral social tainment, quantum computing, media competitions to generate media, ecommerce, gaming, edu- buzz for our clients. In addition to cation, finance, energy and more. content marketing, our digital team We work with our clients to un- also executes social media adver- derstand, shape and expand upon tising campaigns with analytics their stories and then connect with and insights geared toward driving audiences and build lasting en- consumer awareness, engagement gagement. Our holistic approach and sales conversions. to communications takes advan- tage of all of the ways story can be MCGRATH/POWER shared through owned, earned and paid media. 75 E . Santa Clara Street Whether it’s helping develop San Jose, CA 95113 Amazon’s self-publishing busi- 408/727-0351 ness, supporting Stubhub as it www .mcgrathpower com. transforms its business, building JonathanBloom@mcgrathpower . The TDK and Karbo Com team at January 2017 CES. American Giant into one of the com hottest new fashion brands in the Fog World Congress, Logitech, Jonathan Bloom, CEO and world, or taking software compa- Founding Partner KARBO COMMUNICATIONS RTI (Real-Time Innovations), ny Okta from early stage startup Kate Walker, SVP and Partner _Continued from page 35 TDK, 8th Wall, nCAP, JotForm, to more than 500 staff, we believe Derek James, VP and Partner Flexera/BDNA, OnScale and Op- our fine-tuned set of services and Kristin Bleier, VP media, growing an active social talysys. talent can develop a winning com- media base, creating viral vid- munications program for virtually We are an integrated marketing eos or writing influential content. LAUNCHSQUAD any company. and communications agency with a We’ve ushered in clients across As a 120-person agency, we can profoundly diverse history of craft- technology industries, such as bring a lot of resources to bear on ing communications programs with cloud, SaaS, mobile, the Internet 340 Pine St . helping our clients get known. Our conviction for consumer brands, Suite 100 services include extensive brand B2B technology companies and of Things, social, Big Data, apps, San Francisco, CA 94104 advertising tech, security and net- strategy and story development, many organizations-in-between. 415/625-8555 Communications today encompass working. squad@launchsquad .com marketing and communications The Karbo Com team has www .launchsquad .com strategy, content strategy and de- an incredible variety of services, worked extensively with both B2B velopment, extensive media rela- from strategy development and and consumer tech companies, in- LaunchSquad is a public re- tions and thought leadership work, traditional media relations, to so- cluding Apple, eBay Advertising, lations, content marketing and creative production and social and cial media and content marketing the IoT World conference, Logi- creative communications agency digital campaigns. efforts, and as a fully integrated tech, Real Time Innovations, Equi- with offices in San Francisco, New agency, we are prepared to help nix, Cisco, Defense.Net, NerdWal- York, Boston and Seattle. We also MARKETING our clients with it all. Our tenacious let, GoDaddy, Fox Digital apps, a have several senior team leaders approach is derived from more National Geographic App, Oracle located in other major U.S, mar- MAVEN­ than three decades of experience and Intel. When it’s make or break, kets including Chicago, Atlanta, working with startups and industry 1460 Broadway, 1st Floor leaders, including Cisco, Lowepro, you want the best. You want a team Denver and Portland. New York, NY 10036 that’s seen it all, yet knows the lat- Since 2000, we’ve been pas- 212/967-5510 Mellanox, Open Networking Foun- est and greatest trends, technolo- sionately helping companies build www .MarketingMaven .com dation, SanDisk, TiVo and Voda- gies and tools. At Karbo Com, we brands and market traction through lindsey@marketingmaven .com fone. As the Silicon Valley partner have a track record of delivering innovative communications pro- natalie@marketingmaven .com of the Worldcom Public Relations revenues, industry leading stature, grams Our expertise spans both Group, we’ve been able to develop Los Angeles Headquarters and deliver highly effective global partners and funding. consumer-facing and B2B clients 310/994-7380 Clients: Open Fog Consortium/ in a variety of industries including communications programs for nu- Lindsey Carnett, CEO & merous clients via our 100+ offices President worldwide. Natalie Rucker, Director of Business Development MERRITT GROUP Marketing Maven combines traditional media relations and 8251 Greensboro Dr . cutting-edge digital strategies Suite 600 for consumer technology clients. McLean, VA 22102 This fusion of online and offline 703/390-1500 marketing helps our team develop Fax: 703/860-2080 product launch campaigns that are info@merrittgrp .com results-driven and measurable. By www .merrittgrp .com aligning with our clients’ goals, identifying and engaging with 220 Montgomery St . their key influencers and adapting Suite 640 San Francisco, CA 94104 to emerging trends, we produce 415/247-1660 award-winning campaigns. From national app launches Alisa Valudes Whyte, Sr . Partner to children’s software or mobile & CEO Lindsey Carnett, CEO and President of Marketing Maven at a restaurant charging devices, Marketing Ma- Thomas Rice, Jayson Schkloven in Hell’s Kitchen launching new consumer technology product, Pi SOLO. ven executes worldwide PR stunts, and John Conrad, Exec. VPs &

36 NOVEMBER 2017 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | ADVERTISING SECTION 36 NOVEMBER 2017 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM Profiles of Technology PR Firms analysts, and other influencers who PAN drive the market conversation. We create original research, events and COMMUNICATIONS partnerships to give our clients the edge they need to succeed. 255 State St ., 8th Floor Companies choose MWWPR Boston, MA 02109 because of our proven track record 617/502-4300 info@pancomm .com of combining industry knowledge, www .pancommunications .com influencer relationships, creative ideas and execution of the media to Boston | San Francisco | New York drive measurable results for their | Orlando businesses. Our practice melds left-brained technology with right- Philip A. Nardone, President & brained content for a well-rounded CEO offering you won’t find anywhere Mark Nardone, Executive Vice else. We build and maintain mean- President Elizabeth Famiglietti, EVP, ingful relationships with media, Human Resources analysts and other influencers who Phil Carpenter, EVP & Managing drive the market conversation. We Director also work with influencers to cre- Gary Torpey, EVP, Finance ate our own communities, original Lisa Astor, Senior Vice President research, events, and partnerships Gene Carozza, Senior Vice that give our clients the edge they President Kate Walker, SVP and Partner at McGrath/Power and Jonathan Bloom, need. Darlene Doyle, Senior Vice CEO and Founding Partner President PADILLA PAN Communications is a da- Partners Technology Council, Innovation ta-focused integrated marketing & Shahed Ahmed, Senior VP & Health, Telos, Monster Federal, PR agency servicing B2B technol- Partner MAXIMUS and ServiceNow Fed- 1101 West River Pkwy . Suite 400 ogy and healthcare brands. With eral. Minneapolis, MN 55415 offices in Boston, San Francisco, Merritt Group lives at the inter- New York and Orlando, PAN de- section of market expertise and 612/455-1700 MWWPR PadillaCo .com livers insight-driven, measurable technical proficiency to help our public relations programs for lead- clients reach their goals and dom- 304 Park Avenue South Scott Davila, Senior Vice ing and emerging brands nationally inate their markets. Our client ros- President/Technology Lead and globally such as SAP, RSA, ter includes organizations ranging New York, NY 10010 212/704-9727 MediaMath, Maestro Health and from large, industry-leading enter- www .mww .com Padilla is a top 10 independent Fuze, to name a few. prises to emerging, venture-backed public relations and communica- With a staff of 100+ profession- innovators. Our philosophy starts 8 California Street tions company comprised of 240 als, PAN offers the agility and with understanding our clients’ San Francisco, CA 94111 employee-owners. Padilla builds, personalized service of a mid-size target audiences and markets, and 415/464-6422 grows and protects brands world- agency while leveraging nation- leads to the development of power- wide by creating purposeful con- Karen Clyne, National Technology al and international relationships ful messages and creative programs nections with the people who mat- to manage large scale commu- that drive awareness around their Practice Lead and General ter most through public relations, Manager, San Francisco nications programs. The agency innovations. We pride ourselves advertising, digital and social mar- continues to experience impres- on delivering insightful, strategic kclyne@mww .com Tara Naughton, Executive Vice keting, investor relations and brand sive growth and provides today’s communications approaches that President, Consumer Marketing strategy. Padilla includes the brand modern marketers with impactful help the world’s most inspiring tnaughton@mww .com consultancy of Joe Smith, the food communications, influencer rela- companies get people talking and and nutrition experts at FoodMin- tions, social media and digital ser- keep their audiences engaged. MWWPR is a leading glob- ds and the research authorities at vices that continue to expand on its We have built our business on the al independent communications SMS. brand equity. expertise of our people, procuring agency. Since our founding days, Padilla’s Technology Practice is and developing the industry’s best national and international brands wired into B2B technology and re- talent. We foster innovation and have turned to MWWPR for our lated market trends, including en- PEPPERCOMM, experimentation that allows our extensive experience in the tech- terprise software and hardware, IT INC. employees to develop their careers nology industry — from start-ups services and solutions, engineer- and reach their fullest potential, to tech giants to global innovators, ing, materials science and cloud 470 Park Ave . South, 4th Floor N . while delivering incredible service we’ve worked with them all. Our computing services. Our technolo- New York, NY 10016 and value to our clients throughout team of professionals live and gy team works with clients around 212/931-6100 the process. Merritt is dedicated to breathe the tech space, and bring the globe to turn their complex hello@peppercomm com. fostering a culture that employees a century of collective experience. stories into compelling IT commu- www .peppercomm .com love working in, from being rec- Constant innovation. Fierce nications that achieve real business Steve Cody, Co-CEO and Co- ognized by Washingtonian Maga- competition. Technology indus- results. Founder zine and the Washington Business tries move fast. We stay ahead of Clients in the technology sectors Ed Moed, Co-CEO & Co-Founder Journal, to promoting health and the trends to make sure we move include 3M, Element Fleet Man- Ted Birkhahn, Partner & President wellness among staff and giving Ann Barlow, Partner & President, faster. Our core teams deliver true agement, Proto Labs and Rockwell West Coast back to the community through subject matter expertise ranging Automation. Deborah Brown, Partner & programs such as its “Merry Week from semi-conductor technolo- Padilla is a founding member of Managing Director of Giving.” gy and data security to consumer The Worldcom Public Relations Jacqueline Kolek, Partner & Clients: Varonis, IOActive, PAS electronics, apps, computer soft- Group, a partnership of 143 inde- Managing Director Global, Authentic8, DMI, Gigam- ware and entertainment for fully pendently owned partner offices in Maggie O’Neill, Partner & on, Databricks, Teradata, CalAmp, integrated solutions. We build true 115 cities on six continents. Make GoodData, Northern Virginia working relationships with media, a connection at PadillaCo.com. _ Continued on page 38

ADVERTISING SECTION | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | NOVEMBER 2017 37 WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | NOVEMBER 2017 37 w Profiles of Technology PR Firms erything to be bigger, better and ROGERS & COWAN nologies, videogame platforms and PEPPERCOMM, INC. bolder. They also want access to peripherals, app developers, con- _Continued from page 37 the brightest minds at all times. 1840 Century Park E ., 18th Floor tent creators and producers, OTT We have the necessary DNA to do Los Angeles, CA 90067 and social and digital media com- both. 310/854-8132 panies to provide consistent cover- At Racepoint, we challenge our age of their products and services Managing Director 909 Third Ave ., 9th Floor Mike Friedin, Chief Digital Officer clients to do more to stay ahead New York, NY 10022 to the trade, business and entertain- and demand that they challenge us 212/878 .5501 ment communities. Peppercomm is an award-win- to be accountable. We drive com- Fax: 212/878-5117 Representative clients/projects: ning strategic, integrated commu- munications that are strategically inquiries@rogersandcowan .com YouTube, Hasbro, Kabam, 505 nications and marketing agency sound and strive to forge personal www .rogersandcowan .com Games, 3Black Dot, Sonos, Ama- headquartered in New York City relationships, breakthrough results Instagram: @rogersandcowan zon Studios, Microsoft, Kinect for with offices in San Francisco and and lasting impact. Twitter: @rogersandcowan Xbox 360, IMAX, 3D Entertain- London. The firm connects brands, Racepoint’s strength and ability Facebook: @rogersandcowan ment Summits, Game Marketing messages and people through da- to deliver are predicated on its un- Summit, NVIDIA and Razer. ta-driven insights, cross-channel derstanding of technology, which Mark Owens, CEO is central to its own DNA. Today, communications and brilliant cus- Technology is disrupting busi- RUDER FINN tomer experience. Employing an every company — at its roots — is a tech company, whether it be ness and life as we know it every omni-channel approach, the com- day, and driving one of the greatest 425 East 53rd Street pany uses customer insights to an auto company inventing a new New York, NY 10022 self-driving car, a power company periods of innovation the world has determine the right mix of tools ever known. From big data to AI, 212-593-6400 and platforms to help clients reach, delivering clean energy or an ag- www.ruderfinn.com riculture company inventing new wearables, and immersive technol- engage and influence customers ogies such as AR and VR, to inte- along their path to purchase. ways to extract higher yield. Be- Kathy Bloomgarden, CEO cause of our technology DNA, we grated DMP systems to make sense Robin Kim, Head of Global Founded in 1995, Peppercomm of it all, technology touches every has received numerous accolades, are better positioned to understand Technology & Innovation these dynamics and act on them in aspect of our lives. including The Holmes Report’s Ruder Finn’s technology practice ways that make our clients leaders. At Rogers & Cowan, we work North American Corporate/B2B with tech companies from the start- supports transformative brands, as Agency of the Year and Bulldog up to the established to help build well as brands in transformation Reporter’s Midsized Agency of the RASKY their brands and reputation. We across all sectors of technology. Year. The agency has been listed also help non-tech companies nav- We work with some of the world’s as one of Fortune’s 10 Best Work- PARTNERS igate technology in an increasingly most innovative startups and im- places in Advertising and Mar- technological world. pactful enterprises. Our work has keting, 100 Best Workplaces for 70 Franklin St ., 3rd Flr . Our team leverages the power been recognized with awards such Women, 50 Best Small and Medi- Boston, MA 02110 617/443-9933 of owned, earned and paid media as Bulldog Reporter’s “Tech PR um Workplaces and 50 Best Work- to ensure its tech clients are rele- Agency of the Year” as well as places for New College Grads. vant and part of the cultural con- “Global Tech Campaign of the Services include Branding, Con- 555 11th Street, NW, Suite 401 Washington, DC 20004 versation. We harness the power Year” for our work with Nokia, and tent Strategy & Development, Cre- 202/530-7700 of technology, influencers, talent, “Consumer Tech PR Campaign of ative Services, Crisis Management, content, brands and media to pro- the Year” for our work with Pola- Digital Solutions, Experiential, In- Rasky Partners is a nationally actively develop the narratives that roid Swing, among other awards. sights & Strategy, Licensing, Pub- recognized public and government shape pop culture and the technol- We are leading in emerging tech- lic Relations & Social Media and relations firm with nearly three de- ogy landscape. Our expert digital nologies like AI, VR and IoT and Research & Measurement. cades of experience providing ex- team has exceptional media buying have driven media’s interest in The For more information, visit ceptional client service to technol- and community management ca- Future of Work and Digital Trans- www.peppercomm.com. ogy companies that operate at the pabilities and works closely with formation. In addition to pure tech- intersection of business, politics our team of over 100 publicists to nology, we work with companies at RACEPOINT and media. ensure that we’re not just on top of the intersection of technology and GLOBAL With offices in Boston and Wash- what’s trending, authentic and hot other industries and help hone their ington, D.C., Rasky Partners offers right now — we’re creating and positioning, an imperative as tech- 53 State Street, 4th Floor a comprehensive range of services maximizing it in all forms of media. nology becomes a key narrative Boston, MA 02109 including media strategy and pub- We’re the agency that generated in every industry. We’re also the 617/624-3200 lic relations, government relations, unprecedented coverage for NVID- agency that turned an AI start-up www .racepointglobal .com reputation management, crisis IA’s launch of the most advanced into the world’s most sought-after Larry Weber, Chairman & Founder communication and digital media GPU ever created. We regular- platform, created the world’s first Peter Prodromou, President & to tech clients looking to launch ly generate coverage for our app ever live streamed virtual reality Chief Executive Officer new technologies, grow market clients among mainstream and concert, introduced Google lens Ani Jigarjian, VP, Global share and manage the considerable entertainment media where tech to the healthcare world, launched Marketing & Business regulatory challenges they encoun- coverage is limited and, our team the first-ever partnership between Development ter along the way. of technology experts get a seat at AWS and a Fortune 500 software As an independent firm, Rasky the table and provide on-going stra- multinational and helped global Racepoint combines the power Partners has the flexibility and re- tegic counsel to one of the biggest corporate leaders digitize entire of worldwide reach with personal sources to address complex com- telecomm and OTT brands in the countries. We tell stories about attention. Our clients expect ev- munications challenges with a world. technology’s impact on the world commitment to serve our clients’ Many of our clients sit at the today and tomorrow. Our technol- The December issue of O’Dwyer’s interests first. We are dedicated intersection of technology, enter- ogy team works cross-functionally will profile Entertainment & Sports to providing consistent, strategic tainment, digital content and brand with our healthcare, corporate and PR firms. If you would like to be hands-on engagement at all levels, marketing. Our dedicated team of digital teams using integrated mar- profiled, contact Editor as each client team — including specialists has in-depth knowledge keting communications strategies Jon Gingerich at 646/843-2080 or the senior professionals — is high- and experience working with con- to uncover what’s next as technol- ly engaged, from the beginning to sumer electronics hardware and ogy transforms and disrupts the [email protected] the end of each client engagement. devices, embedded and core tech- world as we know it.

38 NOVEMBER 2017 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | ADVERTISING SECTION 38 NOVEMBER 2017 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM

Profiles of Technology PR Firms more relevant and valuable to your Volume is unlike any tech agen- ­audience. cy you’ve ever worked with. In The truth is most of the data out fact, Volume is different from ev- there is just noise. The right data ery agency in the US. How? For is the kind that tells you who your starters, because we are going to audience really is, what matters to boil the basis for selecting your PR them, and where your brand fits in partner down to one simple point. their lives. It leads us to insights Yes, we’ve worked with hun- that we can use to transform your dreds of technology start-ups to brand story, experiences — and established brands, won awards, even your offering. And it gives us secured national media coverage, the clearest measurement of how increased thought leadership, and our work is performing and how to other great reasons you probably optimize it. look at when hiring an agency. The W2O network includes Yes, we could list off the launches WCG, Twist, Pure, Sentient and SourceCode founders Mondshein and Honeyman build campaigns that we’ve created, the great media re- Marketeching. For more informa- fuse innovative technology with a human touch to drive growth and ROI. sults we’ve yielded, or the brands tion, please visit www.w2ogroup. we’ve led to acquisitions — which com. in the Southeast, Trevelino/Keller’s includes our last telecom client ac- quisition for $230 million in ’16. WEBER SOURCECODE long-standing pedigree in technol- ogy continues to be its economic And sure, we could fill you in on SHANDWICK engine. Contributing to its success our tech client portfolio including COMMUNICATIONS is its ability to cross fertilize across brands like Level(3). BUT! That isn’t what sets us 909 Third Avenue 135 Madison Ave, Floor 8 its six other practices to yield a New York, NY 10022 New York, NY 10016 unique degree of vertical prowess apart the most. In fact, those are www .webershandwick com. 352/246-5532 in areas such as Fin-Tech, Consum- just the details of our company that GlobalTech@webershandwick com. https://www . er-Tech, Clean-Tech, Food-Tech, show who we are on paper. sourcecodecommunications .com Fashion-Tech and more recently So, what is different about Vol- Our role as communicators and [email protected] Ag-Tech. While it’s four areas of ume compared to other agencies? storytellers in the technology sector service — public relations, digital/ The difference is YOU. Volume used to be straightforward: educate Greg Mondshein, Co-Founder & social marketing, demand gener- makes YOU feel differently than the world about why technology is Managing Partner any other agency you could work important. But that world changed. Becky Honeyman, Co-Founder & ation and creative services, align Managing Partner with what it believes are the most with, and we translate that feeling Technology is now pervasive in relevant services today, new mar- to every message we create. Vol- every facet of our lives and deep Founded in September 2017 kets of focus are gaining increased ume communication and strategy in every industry. The communi- by former Hotwire Senior Vice traction — Disruptive Forces, Cat- is all based in psychology and new cations challenge is no longer to Presidents Greg Mondshein and egory Pioneers, Unknown Leaders neuroscience research. You get bet- explain how technology works, or Becky Honeyman, SourceCode and Wonder Women. For compa- ter outcomes because we go deeper even why it’s relevant – but rather Communications is a tech-focused, nies whose leadership aligns with into looking at human behavior and to manage the impact of innova- human-centered PR agency head- one of these markets of focus, the how the mind works to win over tion, in all its various forms, in all quartered in New York City. agency demonstrates a unique un- your audiences. This means you its various engagements. The agency caters to high-growth derstanding of the company’s per- always look different. Sound dif- That requires a dynamic team of clients in the consumer and life- sonality and mission that’s increas- ferent. And achieve greater levels the best experts from media, analyt- style technology, fintech, mobile, ing its ability to close and grow of success. ics, strategy and creative to engage adtech, and enterprise technology business. audiences with communications sectors. Engagements with clients In an early 2017 repositioning, W2O GROUP that drive value. It requires teams are fully bespoke -with an unwav- the firm also introduced its Out- who understand today’s unique en- ering focus on key business metrics come-Driven position with empha- 50 Francisco Street vironment, from Silicon Valley to and reverse engineering a commu- sis on four strategic outcomes it San Francisco, CA 94133 London, from Singapore to Sydney, 415/362-5018 nications strategy accordingly. In pursues on behalf of its clients — and everywhere in between. www .w2ogroup .com Weber Shandwick’s Global Tech- just a few months of operation, the Growth, Value, Engagement and info@w2ogroup .com agency has already signed several Leadership. Each outcome comes Twitter: @W2OGroup nology practice is uniquely qual- AOR relationships and partnered with its own path of customized ified to deliver this kind of value with a premier marketing confer- programming. Rounding out the Jim Weiss, CEO & Founder because we see the whole picture. ence brand as its official communi- firm’s capabilities is its Groovy We start with the problems our cli- cations partner. Studios brand, made up of in-house W2O is a privately-held integrat- ents want to solve and apply a stra- specialists that deliver graphic de- ed marketing communications firm tegic rigor to position for long-term TREVELINO/ sign, dynamic content, brand iden- built on something we call insight success. We deeply understand the tity and web services. integration. It’s a strategic ap- shift from publishers to platforms KELLER proach based on unearthing trans- and how this affects what content VOLUME PUBLIC formative insights your competi- your customers see. We see the link 949 W . Marietta St . tion can’t see and integrating them between storytelling and how to Suite X-106 RELATIONS into of all the work we do — across drive action from your most trusted Atlanta, GA 30318 all marcom disciplines — for our audiences. And we know the value 6312 South Fiddlers Green Circle 404/214-0722 X106 and X105 clients’ brands. We’ve grown from of data and analytics to the lifecycle dtrevelino@trevelinokeller .com Suite 400N Greenwood Village, CO 80111 our inception in 2001 to over 550 of every campaign, from inception gkeller@trevelinokeller com. to conclusion. www .trevelinokeller com. 720/529-4850 people in 12 offices across the U.S www .groovy-studios com. Twitter: @VolumePR and Europe. Companies embracing this era www .volumepr .com We build unfair advantages of change — from automotive to Coming off a highly successful edwards@volumepr .com for brands. How? By following fintech to healthcare — see Weber Shandwick as a critical partner to year as the 10th fastest growing Elizabeth Edwards, Founder and the right data to get to the point. firm nationally and second fastest President That’s where your brand becomes navigating it. 

40 NOVEMBER 2017 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | ADVERTISING SECTION 40 NOVEMBER 2017 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM O’DWYER’STOP TECHNOLOGY RANKINGS PR FIRMS Firm Net Fees (2016) Firm Net Fees (2016)

1. Edelman, New York, NY $265,316,000 36. North 6th Agency (N6A), New York, NY $1,018,321 2. Racepoint Global, Boston, MA 23,713,740 37. Feintuch Communications, New York, NY 862,100 3. Finn Partners, New York, NY 20,344,000 38. Pierpont Communications, Houston, TX 832,960 4. W2O Group, San Francisco, CA 19,515,000 39. 360PR+, Boston, MA 802,608 5. Highwire PR, San Francisco, CA 14,032,125 40. Verasolve, Potomac, MD 802,000 6. Spark, San Francisco, CA 14,021,737 41. Standing Partnership, St. Louis, MO 771,017 7. Hotwire, New York, NY 13,247,420 42. Makovsky, New York, NY 657,000 8. ICR, New York, NY 12,735,776 43. CooperKatz & Co., New York, NY 485,060 9. PAN Communications, Boston, MA 11,704,377 44. Marketing Maven Public Relations, Camarillo, CA 454,793 10. Hoffman Agency, The, San Jose, CA 11,340,000 45. Konnect Agency, Los Angeles, CA 319,290 11. Merritt Group, McLean, VA 11,078,745 46. French | West | Vaughan, Raleigh, NC 310,275 12. APCO Worldwide, Washington, DC 10,733,500 47. Power Group, The, Dallas, TX 266,962 13. Bateman Group, San Francisco, CA 10,482,117 48. Hunter PR, New York, NY 250,000 14. Inkhouse Media + Marketing, Waltham, MA 10,375,200 49. McNeely Pigott & Fox Public Relations, Nashville, TN 242,524 15. Padilla, Minneapolis, MN 9,898,630 50. Moore Communications Group, Tallahassee, FL 236,885 16. LaunchSquad, San Francisco, CA 9,400,000 51. WordWrite Communications LLC, Pittsburgh, PA 233,300 17. Walker Sands Communications, Chicago, IL 8,052,898 52. BLAZE, Santa Monica, CA 230,000 18. Fahlgren Mortine, Columbus, OH 7,955,463 53. Maccabee, Minneapolis, MN 193,886 19. 5W Public Relations, New York, NY 5,300,000 54. O’Malley Hansen Communications, Chicago, IL 191,000 20. Airfoil Public Relations, Royal Oak, MI 4,767,140 55. Dale Curtis Communications LLC, Washington, DC 186,933 21. Jackson Spalding, Atlanta, GA 4,407,649 56. Red Sky PR, Boise, ID 162,198 22. Havas Formula, New York, NY 4,253,000 57. BoardroomPR, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 150,000 23. Peppercomm, New York, NY 4,082,143 58. Public Communications Inc., Chicago, IL 133,841 24. Rasky Partners, Inc., Boston, MA 2,964,147 59. Champion Management Group, Dallas, TX 129,815 25. G&S Business Communications, New York, NY 2,831,159 60. Schneider Associates, Boston, MA 124,500 26. Coyne, Parsippany, NJ 2,400,000 61. BizCom Associates, Plano, TX 110,000 27. Idea Grove, Dallas, TX 2,298,518 62. Beehive Strategic Communication, St. Paul, MN 108,641 28. Gregory FCA, Ardmore, PA 2,000,000 63. Bob Gold & Associates, Redondo Beach, CA 70,937 29. Prosek Partners, New York, NY 1,910,000 64. Landis Communications, San Francisco, CA 60,000 30. Greenough, Boston, MA 1,350,349 65. Rosica Communications, Paramus, NJ 54,000 31. ARPR, Atlanta, GA 1,340,397 66. SPM Communications, Dallas, TX 41,040 32. Trevelino/Keller, Atlanta, GA 1,300,000 67. Greentarget Global LLC, Chicago, IL 40,000 33. Karbo Communications, San Francisco, CA 1,240,061 68. Lovell Communications, Nashville, TN 29,039 34. Lambert, Edwards & Associates, Grand Rapids, MI 1,175,000 69. The Buzz Agency, Delray Beach, FL 5,700º 35. IW Group, Inc., West Hollywood, CA 1,053,000

© Copyright 2017 The J.R. O’Dwyer Co. OPINION Professional Development chose to parse Weinstein’s failings, describ- Would you work for Weinstein? ing him as “deeply bothered by some of his vey “Oink Oink” in the first place. emotional responses and temper … and cha- By Fraser P. Seitel Bloom’s dramatic public demise provides grined the issue still plagues him.” epending on where you sit, Harvey a cautionary lesson for any public rela- Every time she opened her mouth to de- Weinstein is either a sick, troubled tions counselor tempted to go to work for a fend Mr. Weinstein’s indefensible, dec­ades- Dpig or just a pig. The disgraced former deep-pocketed but ethically-suspect client. old treatment of women, she pounded his movie mogul is now despised by just about While any miscreant is guaranteed by — and her own — reputation further into everybody (with the apparent exception of the U.S. Constitution the right to a lawyer, the ground. NBC News). there’s no such similar guarantee for a public Second, Bloom’s representation of Wein- But what’s lost relations counselor. In PR, you don’t have to stein was irreparably tainted. Not only was in the daily revela- work for anybody you don’t want to repre- she paid extravagantly to represent him pub- tions of new Har- sent. For in public relations, as in life, you’re licly, but Weinstein had earlier agreed to pro- vey sexual victims judged by the company you keep. And if you duce a mini-series based on a book Bloom and Weinstein choose to go to work for O. J. Simpson or had written. Company indig- Bashar el Assad or Nelly or Harvey Wein- All of this might have been just peachy nities is the other stein or another of that ilk, you are judged had it not flown in the face of Bloom’s entire related, rapid fall accordingly. career. Up until she signed up with a serial from grace that was Which is precisely what happened to Lisa sexual harasser, Bloom had earned a repu- nearly as precipi- Bloom, whose public relations representa- tation as an outspoken defender of sexually tous as Harvey’s. tion of Mr. Weinstein was doomed from the harassed women. Fraser P. Seitel has Lisa Bloom, cru- start. And so, mercifully, after a week in the been a communications sading daughter of First, she’s a lawyer, not a public relations Weinstein saddle — and no doubt suffi- consultant, author and ciently shoved by her aghast mother — Ms. teacher for more than crusading mother professional. And just as hedge fund manag- 30 years. He is the au- Gloria Allred, pub- er Anthony Scaramucci proved unqualified Bloom resigned. But the damage to her rep- thor of the Prentice-Hall licity-seeker par ex- to handle PR, so, too, did Lisa Bloom. utation and her business was done. What text, The Practice of cellence and eager self-respecting woman claiming harassment Public Relations. A PR professional confronted with Wein- Harvey Weinstein stein’s transgressions would have immedi- would ever again hire the woman who de- public relations ately acknowledged them publicly, asked for fended Harvey Weinstein? spokeswoman, resigned in shame after be- understanding and moved on to a course of As further proof of the dangers in repre- ing pilloried for agreeing to speak for Har- remediation. But Bloom, the lawyer, instead senting the Weinsteins of the world, in the wake of Bloom’s resignation, one of Harvey’s other public relations counselors, Lanny Da- vis, surreptitiously slunk away as well. Davis, of course, was the Bill Clinton law- yer-apologist, who morphed into a self-ac- knowledged public relations expert. Among the erstwhile lawyer’s more prominent pub- lic relations clients were the former president of the Ivory Coast, who was jailed for crimes against humanity, and the former President of Equatorial Guinea, who was charged with torturing opponents as well as stiffing Lanny on his consulting bill. At least Lanny shouldn’t have similar problems collecting from Harvey Weinstein. 

PR news brief DowDuPont parks specialty group at Glover DowDuPont has tapped WPP’s Glover Park Group to handle the specialty products division of the $73 billion combine created by the “merger of equals” an- nounced in 2015 and finalized Aug. 31, 2017. Based in Wilmington, the SPD includes businesses in segments such as electronics & imaging, industrial biosciences, nutrition & health, safety & construction, sustainable solutions and transportation & advanced polymers. GPP’s team includes Jack Krumholz, founder of Microsoft’s government relations office; Grant Les- lie, legislative aide to former Sen. Tom Daschle and ex-Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack; and Joel Left- wich, ex-Republican majority staff director for Sen. Pat Roberts on the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry.

42 NOVEMBER 2017 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM Financial Management Talking taxes in 2017 By Richard Goldstein Generally, higher income taxpayers item- ness — there are many PR firms that are ize deductions for the most part. This is considered “small business” — so they can ill tax reform happen in 2017 due, in part, to mortgage interest and tax- better compete with the rest of the world, or 2018? I don’t believe anyone es paid (income and real estate taxes as an boosting both jobs and higher wages. Ac- Wknows for sure. According to the example). Higher earning individuals also cordingly, the framework puts corporate Trump administration, a new framework tend to make larger tax deductible charita- tax rates below the average of other indus- will deliver a 21st century tax code that’s ble contributions that are not made by low- trialized countries and promotes greater built for growth, er- and moderate-income families. investment in American manufacturing. I supports mid- The framework, to simplify the current support this concept 1000 percent! dle-class families, code, proposes to eliminate most item- The maximum tax rates under the frame- defends workers, ized deductions, but retains tax incentives work, to be applied to small and family protects Ameri- for home mortgage interest and charita- owned businesses conducted as sole pro- can jobs and puts ble contributions. This, in my view, helps prietorships, partnerships and S corpora- America first. It middle-income taxpayers in addition to tions, will be 25 percent. The framework is proposes to deliv- higher-income families. However, I believe aware that wealthy individuals may adopt er fiscally respon- there will be pushback on eliminating the measures to recharacterize personal in- sible tax reform deduction for state and local income taxes. come into business income to avoiding by broadening My solution is to allow a deduction for paying higher tax rates. Richard Goldstein is the tax base, clos- real estate taxes. This will help all taxpayers Tax rates for corporations will be reduced a partner at Buchbind- ing loopholes and regardless of the income level. Of course, to 20 percent. In addition, it aims to elim- er Tunick & Company growing the econ- those living in high tax states — New York, inate the corporate AMT and the impact LLP, New York, Certified omy. It includes California and New Jersey as an example on “double” taxation of corporate earnings. Public Accountants. the following: — will object to this as well. I believe, how- Businesses will also be able to write-off • Tax relief for ever, that this deduction will be legislated the cost of new investment in depreciable middle class fami- out! property other than structurers (real prop- lies. The framework retains tax benefits that erty) for at least five years. However, the • Postcard tax filing for the vast majority encourage work, higher education and re- deduction for net interest expense may be of Americans. tirement security. Tax reform will look to partially eliminated for corporations. In- • Tax relief for business, especially small maintain or raise retirement plan partici- terest paid by non-corporate taxpayers will business. pation of workers and resources available also be reviewed. • Ending incentives to move jobs, capital, for retirement. No mention of social se- Certain tax credits such as the research and revenue overseas. curity however. A difficult benefit to play and development credit the low-income • Broadening the tax base and providing with, in my view. housing credit will be retained. greater fairness for all Americans by clos- Tax reform will provide for an enhanced I’ll keep you informed as further details ing special interest tax breaks and loop- child tax credit and middle class tax relief. develop!  holes. The framework will repeal the personal Wow, almost sounds too good to be true! exemption for dependents and increase The unified framework the child tax credit. Additionally, a new On September 27, 2017, Republicans in non-refundable credit of $500 for non- PR news brief Congress and the Trump administration child dependents to help defray the cost Credit reporting giant TransUnion released their “Unified Framework” for tax of caring for dependents. (Non-refundable taps CGCN Group reform to accomplish the above goals. The meaning if you have no tax liability the document is meant to be the foundation $500 will not be refunded.) TransUnion, the Big Three credit reporting service, Congress will use to put forth legislation The “hated” alternative minimum tax hired Republican advocacy shop CGCN Group for is- sues related to data security, privacy and cybersecu- for middle income tax cuts, a simpler and will be eliminated. According to the frame- rity that may come before Congress in the aftermath fairer tax code, competitive tax rates aimed work, it no longer serves its purpose and of the massive Equifax hacking scandal. at helping US companies create more jobs, requires taxpayers to, in effect, do their tax- Principals Steve Clark, one-time top lobbyist at give workers a pay raise and grow the econ- es twice: once under the regular system and regional phone company Ameritech; Sam Geduldig omy as enumerated above. once under the alternative system. (aide to Congressman John Boehner before he be- came Speaker of the House); Jay Crawford (ex-policy Rates and individual changes The framework will repeal the death tax advisor to Boehner); and Mike Nielsen (legislative Under the current tax code, taxable in- (estate tax) and the generation-skipping aide to former Utah Senator Robert Bennett) anchor come is subject to seven tax brackets. The transfer tax. If this is repealed, I am curious TransUnion’s nine-member lobbying team. framework will consolidate the current what the states will do. Most states are not Chicago-based TransUnion shuffled its lobbying line-up this year, terminating American Defense In- seven tax brackets into three brackets of able to eliminate estate and/or inheritances ternational and Roberti Global, while Thompson Co- 12 percent, 25 percent and 35 percent (35 taxes. In my view, I don’t believe there will burn has been inactive. percent being the current top tax bracket). be a wholesale elimination of the estate tax Eris Group ($24,000 quarterly retainer) and There may be an additional top tax brack- because it impacts only our wealthiest citi- long-time lobbyist Kate Moss ($20,000) remain on et to ensure that the reformed tax code is zens. Time will tell. TransUnion’s payroll. Equifax in September revealed its data breach that at least as progressive as the existing code Impact on business occurred earlier this year affects 145 million Amer- and does not shift the tax burden form Small business drives our economy and icans. It turned to Edelman for crisis management high-income to lower- and middle-income increases employment. The framework work. taxpayers. creates a new tax structure for small busi-

WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | NOVEMBER 2017 43 WASHINGTON REPORT Pyramid law pits legal group against multilevel marketers

egal services provider LegalShield has tapped law firm Kelley Drye & Warren in response to a series of bills making their Lway through Capitol Hill that could weaken consumer protec- tions against pyramid schemes and similarly deceptive direct sales initiatives often billed as “multilevel marketing” programs. Pyramid schemes typically employ a business model wherein non-salaried members are recruited with the promise of financial returns in exchange for investing in a company’s products or ser- vices and then selling them directly to consumers in exchange for a commission. Many times, however, those sellers, now burdened with loads of unmovable inventory, are required to recruit addi- tional sellers beneath them in order to make their initial invest- ment back, let alone make a profit. Podesta uses Levinson Group Last year, the Federal Trade Commission secured settlement agreements with two multilevel marketing companies totaling for communications support nearly $210 million: weight loss and nutritional supplement giant Herbalife and now-defunct retail services and products seller For- he Podesta Group, under investigation by Special Counsel tune Hi-Tech Marketing. Robert Mueller as part of his probe of potential collusion be- LegalShield has retained KD&W to combat H.R.3409, or the Ttween the Trump campaign and Russia into meddling in the Anti-Pyramid Promotional Scheme Act. That consumer protec- presidential election, is using crisis/litigation shop The Levinson tion bill, introduced in July by Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Group for communications support. seeks to amend the Federal Trade Commission Act, ostensibly to PG founder Tony Podesta stepped down Oct. 30, telling his staff help would-be MLM investors avoid scams by providing the first he plans to fight any charges, and doesn’t want the firm to fight federal definition of an illegal pyramid scheme. them, according to Politico. The firm is now under the operational However, critics say that deceptively titled bill would actually and financial control of CEO Kimberly Fritts. limit the FTC’s ability to enforce actions against those companies, Molly Levinson, who launched The Levinson Group in 2014, because it redefines MLM and pyramid promotional practices in joined CNN as a Producer in 2001, rose to Political Director in such a way that it allows many companies widely considered pyr- 2006, left for the Political Director spot at CBS News and then re- amid schemes to evade that definition, effectively granting them turned to CNN as a politics and elections consultant. immunity from the government agency. Between April 2012 and June 2014, Podesta repped Brussels-based Critics also charge that much of the bill’s text was crafted by MLM nongovernmental group the European Centre for a Modern trade group the Direct Selling Association. Herbalife, FHTM and Ukraine, work allegedly done under the guidance of former Trump energy drink seller Vemma Nutrition Company, all of whom were campaign manager Paul Manafort and his deputy Rick Gates. subject to recent FTC lawsuits, are DSA member companies. PG says it fully disclosed its ties to ECFMU and complied with In addition to H.R.3409, the FY 2018 Financial Services and FARA filing regulations five years ago within weeks of starting its General Government Appropriations bill, which was drafted by work. “Any insinuation to the contrary is false,” said PG.  the House Appropriations Committee this summer, now contains a provision introduced by Rep. John Moolenaar (R-MI), stating that no funding for the Treasury Department, the Judiciary, the Animal Rights groups launch Small Business Administration, Securities and Exchange Com- mission or any other agencies for the fiscal year can be spent on lobbying salvo for cosmetics bill enforcement actions against pyramid operations. The DSA has endorsed the Moolenaar amendment, with Pres- nimal protection and advocacy group Cruelty Free Interna- ident Joseph N. Mariano in July penning an editorial in The Hill tional has retained Blue Marble Strategy for representation where he said the proposed amendment would “make clear that Aon animal and science issues in Washington. direct sellers buying products for their own personal use is a legit- CFI has retained Blue Marble to lobby in support of H.R. 2790, imate business practice.” the “Humane Cosmetics Act,” which would prohibit animal testing Ada, OK-based LegalShield, which develops and markets legal for any cosmetic products in the U.S. after one year and prohibit the protection plans for individuals, families and small businesses sale of all cosmetic products tested on animals within three years. through a network of about 7,000 independent provider attorneys The use of animal testing to demonstrate the safety of products is across North America, added direct sales to its sales force in 1984 not required by the Food and Drug Administration or the Product and was formerly a member of the DSA. LegalShield left the orga- Safety Commission. The practice is already banned in Israel, India nization earlier this year, however, with CEO Jeff Bell resigning his and every nation in the European Union. board of director position. In a blistering press release published Blue Marble Strategy is the nation’s first private government af- on LegalShield’s site in March, Bell leveled a series of criticisms at fairs and consulting firm dedicated to animal and environmental the trade group, citing “concerns about the lack of enforcement protection, as well as wildlife conservation. The animal rights lob- of the DSA’s Code of Ethics for its members” as reasons for Le- bying group inked a similar pact earlier this year with the Beagle galShield’s exit, and claiming that “LegalShield feels the DSA does Freedom Project, a coalition run by Los Angeles-based non-profit not stand up for or strictly enforce its Code of Ethics … therefore Animal Rescue, Media, and Education, to advocate its support of weakening the direct selling industry as a whole.”  H.R. 2790 on Capitol Hill. 

44 NOVEMBER 2017 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM International PR News

UAE media agency makes Persian Gulf nation in recent years include Kemp Goldberg Part- ners, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld and DLA Piper. anti-terror PR push Project Associates, which was founded in 1997, maintains an additional office in Brussels as well as teams in Paris, Berlin and he UAE National Media Council, an independent body of the Bern.  United Arab Emirates’ government that oversees, regulates Tand promotes that country’s media sector, has inked a pact with London-based Project Associates UK for global PR services. Thailand DOT taps Quinn The international communications consultancy was retained to raise awareness about state-sponsored terrorism in the Middle hailand’s official tourism development agency, the Tour- East and to create and promote counter-narratives that discourage ism Authority of Thailand, has hired travel and lifestyle firm young people from taking up Islamist extremist causes. TQuinn for PR efforts to boost awareness of the Thailand brand The firm will also work to raise awareness of the Arab world’s as a top Southeast Asia travel destination in New York and Los An- positive contributions to regional dynamics and policy achieve- geles travel markets. ments and will also promote greater collaboration between the US Quinn’s work for the TAT account will include driving awareness and UAE on counter-terrorism efforts. of Thailand through top-tier U.S. broadcast, online and print me- The UAE, along with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and five other dia features, as well as social media exposure; and creating branded Gulf states, have been locked in a months-long diplomatic squab- content to be disseminated through interactive digital, blog and so- ble with neighboring Qatar, home of Arab satellite TV channel al cial platforms. Jazeera. Those countries in June broke diplomatic ties with Qatar, The agency will also support TAT’s tourism marketing concept, imposing an economic and political boycott against the country “Open to the New Shades campaign,” a global effort aimed at deep- in response to its alleged support and funding of Islamist terrorist ening the unique local experiences of Thailand on the world stage; groups. and will execute three 360-degree campaigns in a bid to engage tar- Project Associates' two-month contract with the UAE media get audiences. agency brings the firm $250,000. The campaign’s ultimate goal is for Thailand to exceed a million The UAE has maintained a long-running communications pact U.S. visitors by the end of next year. with Washington-based government and corporate PR shop the The contract, which began in October, continues until September Harbour Group. Other firms to perform lobbying work for the 30, 2018 and brings the agency a base fee of $8,000 per month. 

FARA News  NEW FOREIGN AGENTS REGISTRATION ACT FILINGS Below is a list of select companies that have registered with the U.S. Department of Justice, FARA Registration Unit, Washington, D.C., in order to comply with the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938, regarding their consulting and communications work on behalf of foreign principals, including governments, political parties, organizations, and individuals. For a complete list of filings, visit www.fara.gov.

White House Writers Group, Inc ., Washington, D .C ., registered Oct. 24, 2017 for Polish National Foundation, Warsaw, Poland, to provide consult- ing services to the Foundation (composed of seventeen commercial corporations, government-owned, in whole or in part) to advance public understand- ing and support for the five cardinal points of the “fairness agenda” that guides the Foundation’s work program in the US and in NATO Europe.

Husch Blackwell, LLP, Washington, D .C ., registered Oct. 16, 2017 for China National Forest Products Industry Association, Beijing, China, to educate Congress on issues involving the importation of plywood from China to the US .

Aristotle International, Inc., Washington, D .C ., registered Sep. 27, 2017 for NASA (National Super Alliance), Nairobi, Kenya, regarding US Govern- ment support for a fair and transparent election in Kenya .

Lobbying News G NEW LOBBYING DISCLOSURE ACT FILINGS Below is a list of select companies that have registered with the Secretary of the Senate, Office of Public Records, and the Clerk of the House of Representatives, Legislative Resource Center, Washington, D.C., in order to comply with the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995. For a complete list of filings, visit www.senate.gov.

Franklin Square Group, LLC, Washington, D .C ., registered Oct. 21, 2017 for X (Google Inc.), Mountain View, CA, regarding issues related to innova- tion, science and technology for the company that is developing “moonshot” technologies such as balloon-powered Internet and self-driving cars .

American Defense International, Inc., Washington, D .C ., registered Oct. 20, 2017 for EagleEye Intelligence, Boca Raton, FL, regarding incident management and aerial platform solutions .

Boyagian Consulting, LLC, Arlington, VA, registered Oct. 25, 2017 for U.S. Tolling Coalition, Arlington, VA, regarding the elimination of existing federal restriction on states to toll the US interstates .

Frinzi & Associates, Austin, TX, registered Oct. 26, 2017 for Crisis Prevention Institute, Milwaukee, WI, regarding cyber bullying .

Guide Consulting Services, Inc., registered Oct. 23, 2017 for Schizophrenia and Related Disorders Alliance of America, Houston, TX, regarding issues pertaining to the reclassification of schizophrenia as a neurological disorder.

WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | NOVEMBER 2017 45