Communications & New Media Nov. 2019 I Vol. 33 No. 7

THE TECHNOLOGY ISSUE

Communications strategies to grow B2B tech brands PR for SaaS companies Strategies, challenges for tech startups Managing communications through an IPO Content’s evolving role in tech Investor presentation fundamentals

How Artificial Intelligence is changing PR Tech trends for 2020 Is single-channel communications bad for B2B brands? Why PR should integrate with paid media ‘Legacy’: the dirtiest word in tech? Mindful engagement habits for PR pros

NOVEMBER 2019 | www.odwyerpr.com

Vol. 33, No. 7 Nov. 2019

EDITORIAL CONTENT’S EVOLVING ROLE IN TECH Brand storytelling and content DIVERSE WORKFORCE 6 24 marketing are now must-haves. PAYS DIVIDENDS CLAIMING PR’S SEAT Inclusive workplaces boost morale AT THE TABLE and brand engagement. 8 New technologies help PR pros 26 provide more integrated comms. 14 SOCIAL, GREEN ISSUES TOP CONCERNS OF GEN ZERS WHY AGENCY ACQUISITION Gen Z wants companies to act on DISCUSSIONS FALL APART social, environmental issues. 9 The key factors that you should 28 always take into account. MANAGING COMMS THROUGH AN IPO BREAKING THROUGH Communications strategies for THE CLUTTER companies facing IPOs. 10 How to engage the right 29 audiences with the right stories. MINDFUL ENGAGEMENT FOR DISENGAGED PR PROS ‘LEGACY,’ THE DIRTIEST How mindfulness can help handle WORD IN TECH 23 stress and settle conflicts. 12 The word that makes companies WWW.ODWYERPR.COM 30 sound status quo, not innovative. HOW AI CAN FREE PR FROM Daily, up-to-the-minute PR news MUNDANE TASKS THREE TECH TRENDS Artificial intelligence can open up FOR 2020 opportunities for the industry. 14 Developments that will affect the 31 tech world in 2020 and beyond. PR CHALLENGES FOR TECH STARTUPS THE ‘LOPSIDED’ STATE OF Tips on finding the right strategies TECH PR and tactics for tech PR programs. 16 Trade shows aren’t the only way 32 to connect with tech clients. DOES SINGLE-CHANNEL WORK FOR B2B BRANDS? TOP STRATEGIES FOR How a multi-channel strategy can TECH STARTUPS help you connect with buyers. 17 Startups need to communicate 33 their story and their successes. A COMMS STRATEGY TO GROW B2B TECH BRANDS The key initiatives to focus on PROFILES OF TECHNOLOGY when taking tech brands global. 18 34 PR FIRMS WHY DOING PR FOR SAAS RANKINGS OF TOP TECH IS SO PAINFUL PR FIRMS Ways to get media coverage for EDITORIAL CALENDAR 2019 software-as-a-service products. 20 45 January: Crisis Comms. / Buyer’s Guide WASHINGTON REPORT INVESTOR PRESENTATION March: Food & Beverage FUNDAMENTALS How startups can snag investor 48 May: PR Firm Rankings attention with their presentation. 22 COLUMNS July: Travel, Tourism & International PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT August: Financial, I.R. & Prof Services IT’S TIME TO BURST THE Fraser P. Seitel COLLEGE DEBT BUBBLE 42 October: Healthcare & Medical The admissions scandal could FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT benefit community colleges. 23 43 Richard Goldstein November: Technology & Social Media ADVERTISERS

5W Public Relations...... 3 Hotwire...... 11 Padilla...... 27 Edelman...... 5 ICR...... 7 PAN Communications...... 13 Finn Partners...... Inside front cover InkHouse...... 19 Peppercomm...... Back cover Firecracker PR...... 9 Karbo Communications...... 8 Stanton...... 15 The Hoffman Agency...... 21 LaunchSquad...... 25

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EDITORIAL Can the media be saved? t’s hard to imagine the state of the U.S. media getting worse than it currently is. And yet, something tells me we’ll find ourselves surveying new lows next year. I Partisan pandering and a polarizing political climate have left trust in the national news at EDITOR-IN-CHIEF a nadir. Fewer than a third of Americans (31 percent) trust reporting by national news outlets Kevin McCauley these days, according to a new Knight Foundation/Gallup study, and an October survey from [email protected] Morning Consult found that media organizations now account for nearly all of the companies with the biggest net favorability gaps between Democrats and Republicans (see more on pg. 8). PUBLISHER Trust and confidence in the media among Americans identifying as conservative stands at only John O’Dwyer 23 percent, according to a 2018 Poynter Institute survey. [email protected] Then there’s the fact that calling the news business an unstable enterprise in 2019 qualifies for understatement of the year. The number of newspaper newsroom employees dropped by nearly half (47 percent) between 2008 and 2018, or from about 71,000 staffers to 38,000, according to SENIOR EDITOR Jon Gingerich Pew Research numbers. A 2019 New York Post report found that job losses across the U.S. news [email protected] sector rose 28 percent in 2018 alone. Consider this year’s casualties so far. The closure of Youngstown Ohio’sThe Vindicator, which ASSOCIATE EDITOR debuted in 1869, has left that Steel Valley mainstay as the largest city in the country without a Steve Barnes daily print paper. Washington, D.C.’s Vox Media now owns New York magazine. The pending [email protected] merger of the nation’s two largest newspaper chains—GateHouse Media and Gannett—despite creating the largest U.S. media company by print circulation, may lead to the end of USA Today’s CONTRIBUTING EDITORS print version, according to rumors. Family Circle, which has been in publication since 1932 and Fraser Seitel Richard Goldstein still boasts a circulation of four million, will shutter by the end of the year. I could go on. All this consolidation and cost-cutting means smaller newsrooms, dwindling resources, fewer pages, less content. This, in turn, assures fewer future readers, which results in declining future EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS ad revenues, setting the stage for more future cuts. Our news industry is circling the drain. & RESEARCH At the same time, it deserves mentioning that online adverting is booming. Digital ad revenues Jane Landers in the U.S. surpassed TV ad spends several years ago and crossed the $100 billion threshold for Melissa Webell the first time in 2018, according to an Interactive Advertising Bureau report. Ad spending in digital video alone—via social media and streaming platforms, as well as across mobile devices Advertising Sales: and programmatic exchanges—is expected to gain 21 percent in the U.S. this year to more than John O’Dwyer $36 billion, according to new eMarketer estimates. [email protected] And yet, distrust in digital media is even higher than that for its polarizing analogue counter- part. Partisanship and the “fake news” phenomenon have rendered the Internet a playground for the misinformed, worsening the media’s ongoing trust problem. Online news outlets, regardless O’Dwyer’s is published seven times a year of whether they lean left or right, are seen as the least-trusted media brands in America, accord- for $60.00 ($7.00 a single issue) by the ing to a 2017 University of Missouri study. And a 2018 Cision report found that more than half J.R. O’Dwyer Co., Inc. of Americans (56 percent) claim fake news via the Internet has made them more skeptical of 271 Madison Ave., #600 New York, NY 10016. content produced by bona fide newsrooms. A majority of Americans (63 percent) now consider (212) 679-2471 Fae: (212) 683-2750. the fake news phenomenon to be a “major problem” in the U.S., according to a 2019 Institute for Public Relations survey, one on par with gun violence (also 63 percent) and terrorism (66 © Copyright 2019 J.R. O’Dwyer Co., Inc. percent). Everyone is a content publisher these days, but as it turns out, not everyone should be. The OTHER PUBLICATIONS: current online model also isn’t a sustainable one, and if the press is going to be saved in this country, we need to fortify a sense of trust in the only economically viable media environment www.odwyerpr.com we’re going to have left in five years. Breaking news, commentary, useful data- Consider the one area of media where some semblance of trust remains: the local news. All bases and more. things considered, trust in local media outlets remains unusually high when compared to their O’Dwyer’s Newsletter national counterparts. According to the Knight /Gallup survey, nearly half of Americans (45 A four-page weekly with general PR percent) trust reporting by their local news “a great deal,” 61 percent believe these outlets do a news, media appointments and placement good job of educating them on what’s going on in their community, and 51 percent don’t feel opportunities. these organizations have become more biased in recent years. O’Dwyer’s Directory of PR Firms Granted, the local news isn’t a service many are compelled to pay for these days (84 percent Listings of more than 1,250 PR firms of Americans admit they didn’t pay for local news coverage of any kind last year, according to a throughout the U.S. and abroad. March Pew Research report) and alas, these are the very outlets that are disappearing at blinding speed across the country. But if we found a way to instill the sense of trust Americans have for O’Dwyer’s PR Buyer’s Guide their local news with the revenue potential that’s made digital media a boon, it could be the day Products and services for the PR industry in 50 categories. we stumble upon a model that actually works. Nature abhors a vacuum; information is everywhere, but trust in that information remains jobs.odwyerpr.com in shockingly short supply. For this reason, I think a coming phase for media could be quality, O’Dwyer’s online job center has help expert-produced content on trustworthy platforms that attracts regular reading habits among an wanted ads and hosts resume postings. audience of devotees. And call me an optimist, but when that day happens, it may serve as the death knell for the web’s current proliferation of bad content. Some of us might even be willing to pay for it.  — Jon Gingerich

6 NOVEMBER 2019 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM

REPORT Diverse, inclusive workforce pays dividends

Diverse, inclusive workplaces boost employee morale and brand Brodeur Partners Senior Vice President of engagement, and are top incentives for today’s job seekers. Diversity and Inclusion Angela Hayes. The Brodeur Partners study surveyed a By Steve Barnes group of 1,592 people in July.  ostering a diverse, inclusive workforce nial respondents. can help companies in areas ranging Productivity on the job was also thought America’s partisan Ffrom recruitment to employee morale to increase in diverse workplaces. Nearly to brand engagement, a new study from three in five respondents (59 percent) said view of media widens Brodeur Partners finds. they would be more productive in a work- Respondents who said that the company force that includes people with different By Steve Barnes they worked for has “a very diverse work- backgrounds. force” were far more likely to rate employee When asked how a diverse workforce he partisan divide characterizing morale as “excellent.” More than half (56.2 happens, respondents acknowledged the Americans’ view of media companies percent) of respondents from very diverse pivotal role that company policies play. Tis getting wider, according to a new workplaces gave morale at their company a About half of those at diverse companies survey from Morning Consult. top rating, while only 23.3 percent of those (50.1 percent) said their employer actively Out of the 15 companies that showed from “somewhat, not very or not-at-di- recruits a diverse range of potential em- the biggest gap in net favorability between verse” workplaces said morale at their com- ployees. Republican and Democratic respondents panies was excellent. Diverse workforces also affect a compa- in the survey, 12 were media companies. Diversity and inclusiveness also are a ny’s business policies, with 47. 1 percent While Trump Hotels won the prize for most prime incentive for job seekers. The sur- of workers at diverse companies saying polarizing brand, with a gap of 86 percent- vey asked respondents to rate how import- that their employer designs products and age points between how respondents from ant six factors were when making a deci- services for diverse communities. Slightly the left and right viewed the company, news sion about where they would like to work. more (47.8 percent) said their employers organizations comprised almost all of the While flexible working hours were the engage diverse audiences through commu- rest of the list. most attractive incentive across the board, nications. For every media company that was part diversity came in second for many groups, “This research cements the case that cre- of the survey in 2018, that favorability gap including women, African Americans and ating a welcoming, inclusive workplace grew over the past year. CNN, number-two Hispanics, as well as for Gen Z and Millen- ultimately improves the bottom line,” said on the list, saw that divide increase by 14 points, thanks mostly to a 12-point hike in the number of Republican respondents who had a negative view of the network. The tale is similar (though the political slant is reversed) for Fox News, where the increasingly negative view of the network from Democratic respondents resulted in a favorability gap that grew by 19 points. The real story with Fox, however, is that the divide is not simply between left-leaning and right-leaning media—it’s between Fox and just about everyone else. While a broad range of companies (CNN and The New York Times as well as NBC, CBS and ABC News) were favored more by Democrats than Republicans, the brands favored by Republicans (Fox News, FOX, Fox Business and Fox Nation) all live under the same cor- porate umbrella. And despite the negative effect that in- creasing polarization may be having on the country as a whole, there’s one place where it’s reaping benefits. The study notes that viewership was up at CNN, Fox News and MSNBC, all of whom appear on the list. For the three combined, revenues have risen 36 percent since 2015, with profits up 50 per- cent. With the number of local newspapers dwindling, national companies on Morn- ing Consult’s list are gaining an ever-greater share of the public’s attention, the study re- ports. 

8 NOVEMBER 2019 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM Social, green issues top concerns of Gen Zers A recent survey discovered that an overwhelming majority of Generation Z members believe companies should take action on 80 percent saying they feel they can have an social and environmental issues. By Steve Barnes impact on issues by going online. Sharing positive opinions about a company that is vast majority of Gen Zers say that volved in working for LGBTQ rights (up doing good (85 percent) or taking an online they care about social and environ- from 65 percent in 2017). action to trigger a donation (76 percent) A mental issues—and they think com- In addition, Gen Zers want companies were two popular ways of exercising social panies should take action on them, accord- to take action, not just make statements. media’s power. ing to the 2019 Porter Novelli/Cone Gen Z Nearly all respondents (93 percent) said In fact, survey respondents believed in Purpose Study. that companies should have the appropri- social media’s power so much that 64 per- More than nine out of 10 survey respon- ate programs and policies in place to back cent of them said supporting issues online dents (91 percent) said they want compa- up their commitment to an issue. And is more effective at making a difference than nies to get involved in promoting job cre- three-quarters (74 percent) said they in- doing something in their communities. ation in the U.S., while 90 percent want to tended to do research to see if companies But perhaps the biggest priority for Gen see companies do their part to solve prob- really follow through on their statements. Zers is finding a way to bring people to- lems surrounding racial equality and sexual A company’s positions and actions can gether, with 90 percent of survey respon- harassment. Working for women’s equality have a strong effect on how attractive a dents saying they were tired of how nega- (89 percent), battling climate change (85 place it is to work, and to whether or not tive and divided the country has become, percent) and defending religious freedom Gen Zers want to buy its products. 83 per- and 94 percent citing the need for greater and tolerance (83 percent) were also prior- cent of survey respondents said they con- unity. They do see hope for the future, how- ities. sider a company’s purpose when deciding ever, with 76 percent saying progress is like- Two topics that show a big jump in in- where to work, and 72 percent said that ly to be made on important issues within terest from Gen Zers were gun control and purpose was a factor when they make a the next five years. LGBTQ rights. Eight in ten respondents purchase. The Porter Novelli/Cone Gen Z Purpose said that companies should address gun When it comes to how they can move so- Study surveyed a random sample of 1,026 control (up from 68 in the 2017 survey), cial change forward themselves, most Gen American consumers ages 14 to 22 in Au- and 74 percent said they should get in- Zers are big believers in social media, with gust. 

WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | NOVEMBER 2019 9 FEATURE Managing communications through an IPO

Communications strategy approaches to consider when your company is heading towards an IPO. By Dan O’Mahony

018 and 2017 were banner years for guidelines that apply in more situations pany’s competitive moats, the value of its IPOs in tech. DocuSign, Dropbox, than not. Here are six lessons I learned executive team and where you’re headed in 2Cloudera, Okta and many others en- working on Carbon Black’s IPO in 2018 the next ten years. That extra bit of context tered the public markets and, despite a and Okta’s IPO in 2017 (InkHouse worked could mean the difference between straight rocky six months for the market overall, with both companies as their agency of re- numbers being reported on and a business are still trading well above their opening cord through IPO): feature with a strong narrative. day prices. Be ready. If your CEO tells you an IPO is Educate reporters on your story today. On the other hand, 2019 has been a a year out, keep tabs on the timing to make If you know an IPO is coming and you’re mixed bag for technology IPOs, to say the sure it doesn’t shift. Ask to speak with the not yet in a quiet pe- least. WeWork had a shocking fall from Investor Relations team or legal team to get riod, you should be grace. The company delayed its IPO after the full download. Find out when the first thinking about how to investors showed big concerns about We- private filings, S-1 filing and roadshows get your CEO and other Work’s financials. Uber and Lyft have also are. spokespeople in front had rocky debuts as well. Even tentative dates are helpful, because of lots more reporters. All of this means it’s an incredibly chal- once the company files its S-1, you’ll enter a Nagging mispercep- lenging time if you’re an in-house commu- complete quiet period—like a lockdown— tions won’t go away nications person or team lead at a PR agen- and won’t be permitted to say anything. through an IPO, they’ll cy, and your company/client is preparing Knowing the dates well in advance will intensify; during the Dan O’Mahony to go public. Yes, there’s more market skep- help you plan as much activity as possible IPO, more reporters ticism, but the process is daunting even in before filing so no ideas or campaigns get will cover you organically than ever before. the best of times: there’s new terminology, delayed or canceled. By law, your numbers are now publicly new stakeholders and much higher stakes Be prepared to hear “no” (and to push available, free of spin or context. than ever. back). Chances are, an IPO will mean Particularly in the quiet period, when Employees can be emotional and hy- more interactions with legal teams than you won’t be able to comment on any- per-aware about the process as well, con- you’ve ever had before. The good folks on thing, your story is essenßtially out of sidering a successful IPO could mean a your legal team are your friends, and you’ll your hands. This is why you should be hy- new house, a year off, paying off debt or the want their sign-off on everything because per-aware of timing and briefing reporters beginning of a college fund for their kids. they know what can get the company into well in advance so they’re well-informed And of course, these recent negative hot water with the SEC. about your company or client’s corporate headlines only intensify things further. No That said, remember what their priorities story. company wants to be the next WeWork. are: they want to reduce risk. Saying “no” is Remember it is a moment in time, not There are also specific, legal consequenc- the easiest way to do that. Try to push back a finish line. Once an IPO is over and the es based on your decisions, with the poten- when something seems overly restrictive excitement wears off—believe it or not, it tial for compromising or delaying the IPO and you’ll know what’s flexible and what is will—you’ll be going back to the grind. if there are mistakes. This represents a ma- non-negotiable. Treat IPO day as an announcement and jor shift for most PR people in the startup Don’t overlook social. Did you know point in time—albeit a huge, much more world, who are used to pushing and shov- that if an employee posts an article about complicated and longer-term moment in ing to get attention and ask for forgiveness your company’s rumored IPO, or even time—and start thinking about what the later. likes a story on Facebook, that could mean next six months will look like. So, if your executive team lets you know a flag from the SEC? Social media is the Make sure the story you tell on IPO day going public is close, how should you ap- area with the biggest potential for employ- is one you’ll want to stick to three, six and proach it? Where do you even start? ee sprawl. Be sure to train your employees 12 months out. Afterward, some of those No two IPOs are the same. For a well- on what they can and can’t be saying. IPO-day briefings will turn into long-term known brand like Airbnb, the challenge Build a great story. For a lot of com- relationships and a chance to tell bigger, might be around explaining the company’s panies, an IPO is an opportunity to get a better stories. path to profitability. For a B2B-focused higher level of interest from a different An IPO is a huge achievement and mile- company like Databricks, the challenge is batch of reporters. It’s all the more import- stone, but it’s just that, a milestone. Build- likely more on broadening awareness with ant to have a great story, because now re- ing for the long haul and treating this as the business press so they understand what porters will cover you whether or not you the end of a chapter—as opposed to the the company actually does. pitch them. end of a race—will put your communica- Regardless, messaging, timing, media If all they have to go on is your S-1, then tions program in a great position to benefit outreach and other activities should all be that’s what the coverage will look like. Or from all the goodness and excitement from high-touch and over-communicated to dif- worse, they’ll pull messaging from an old a public exit. ferent teams and stakeholders to get buy- press release. Dan O’Mahony is Executive Vice Presi- in. Go through your numbers in great detail dent and San Francisco General Manager at That said, there are some broad-stroke to paint a better story that shows the com- InkHouse. 

10 NOVEMBER 2019 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM

FEATURE Mindful engagement for disengaged PR pros PR is difficult work, and the unresolved stress that PR professionals deal with daily necessitates a more thoughtful and systematic approach to mindful engagement practices in the workplace that can help defuse conflicts and develop order among confusion. By Doug Swanson very PR person has experienced the To be mindfully engaged is to be thought- order. Mindfulness is important for PR peo- workplace stress that develops in this ful in the present moment and take action ple now, both individually and collectively. Evolatile and unpredictable profession. in a disciplined and beneficial way. Mind- It will be essential in the future, too, as more Public relations professionals undertake fulness involves more focus on process and Generation Z workers enter the public rela- their daily responsibilities amid unprece- less on future outcomes. It does not ignore tions field. dented technological change and shifting professional obligations. It supports them. Sixty million people identified as Gen Z marketplace expectations, in a cultural era One of the leading scholars in the field, were born between the in which “truth” seems to be continually Harvard University Psychology Professor mid 1990s and early under attack. Ellen Langer, has invested decades in the 2000s. These young Recently, the University of Alabama’s study and application of mindfulness. She adults have no mem- Plank Center for Leadership in Public Re- calls it “an embodied awareness of what is ory of a time without lations Leadership Report Card was the happening in ourselves, in others, and in social media. They’re latest canary in the PR coal mine to sound our environment on a moment-to-moment tech savvy multitaskers the alarm regarding professional disengage- basis.” who are more at home ment. The Plank narrative described “sharp Mindfulness isn’t a religion or a health with a cell phone or perceptual differences” between public re- care practice, although it developed from tablet than a desktop Doug Swanson lations leadership and the rank-and-file. Asian meditative practices that’ve been used computer. Women, the findings showed, are partic- for thousands of years to calm the mind and Gen Zers tend to be optimistic for the ularly susceptible to being “less engaged, aid in healing of the body. Mindful engage- future but studies show they’re challenged less satisfied with their job, less confident in ment at work doesn’t mean lighting a candle by poor communication skills, a misunder- their work cultures, and more critical of top and banging a gong. What mindful engage- standing of business realities, poor organi- leaders.” ment does mean has been made abundant- zation and a lack of follow-through. One The Plank report followed a nationwide ly clear through numerous workplace case common observation is that Gen Zers are survey of PR professionals in 2018. That studies and examples. often hesitant to pick up a phone and “cold survey, conducted through California State Mindful engagement means: call” a client. Sometimes it’s because they’ve University-Fullerton, found extensive re- • Taking some time each day to be still not had experience doing this, and some- ports of stress, career burnout, unrespon- and quiet the mind. times it’s because they’re more comfortable sive leadership and a workplace approach of • Recognizing that the mind, a trickster, with communicating via text or instant “just going through the motions.” often makes work appear worse than it re- message. Gen Z adults are expected to suc- The unresolved stresses that PR people ally is. ceed in public relations, yet this generation deal with daily—and the challenges pre- • Expecting workplace ambiguity to be often doesn’t share the same language as our sented by the arrival of Generation Z—ne- ever-present, because even the best prob- clients. cessitate a more thoughtful and systematic lem-solver never has all the facts at hand. Recruiting, training, motivating and re- approach to the nature of PR work itself. • Being thoughtful and deliberate in de- warding a new group of employees who see That strategy is mindful engagement, an ap- cision-making, but not to the point of ob- work differently will add more stress to the proach that’s been applied throughout many session. life of the PR executive (a position already other sectors of the business workplace and • Applying compassion with even the ranked among the ten most stressful in the in many Fortune 500 corporations. Mindful most difficult coworker or client, because workplace, according to the 2019 Agility engagement is effective, on both an individ- no one ever knows the extent of another Solutions PR blog). ual and collective level, to reduce stress and person’s hidden challenges. The answer is mindful engagement. It has develop order among confusion. • Collaborating in ways that diverge from to be practiced individually and collectively Although mindfulness is rarely—if ever— the traditional top-down model, because by PR professionals at all levels of the hier- identified in a public relations context, it’s there are always other options to explore. archy. It has to be recognized and invested found throughout modern life. Professional • Seeing the organization, in the words of in by leadership. Its practice by the rank- athletes and coaches credit mindfulness as HR professional and leadership consultant and-file needs to be rewarded. Mindfulness key to getting “in the zone” for winning per- Michael Carroll, as “a web of lively relation- has to be woven throughout our daily expe- formance. Movies and television programs ships, not a series of transactions about me riences, becoming a foundation for the big document mindfulness as a life-changing and my opinions.” decisions and the little ones. experience. Entertainers, celebrities and • Stepping away from the desk and out If we can bring about a more mindful talk show hosts proclaim its calming power. of the office at regular intervals, to remind workplace, we can change the industry. We Many millions of dollars are invested ev- oneself that the work being completed, can improve collaboration with our em- ery year by Nike, General Mills, Goldman though important, is not one’s life. ployees, clients and communities in sub- Sachs, Procter & Gamble and other Fortune • Maintaining a healthy balance between stantial ways. When should we start? The 500 firms whose C-Suite executives recog- time spent in work and time invested in life. mindful individual would say—quite liter- nize that employees who aren’t mindfully Application of a strategy of mindful en- ally—there’s no time like the present. engaged lack the focus necessary to develop gagement works to calm the workplace and and implement good ideas. the workforce. It helps turn disorder into _ Continued on page 17

12 NOVEMBER 2019 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM

FEATURE AI in PR: liberty from the shackles of the mundane For years, tech trend mavens and workplace futurologists have been throwing predictions about AI around like confetti at a wedding. AI is going to do X, machine learning will reshape Y. Wrapped up in this have been fears regarding mass layoffs amid gloomy prognostications of careers automated to extinction. But are these worries warranted? By Heather Kernahan

n a sense, the future is already here. “Hu- ward making our clients thought and indus- correlations is rather like a child’s mind. It mans Still Needed,” a 2018 CIPR report try leaders. Our technological edge is help- throws up potential connections we would Ianalyzing skills and tools in the industry, ing clients gain a valuable edge of their own not set out to look for. What, if anything found that the market for AI tools in public in the highly competitive markets in which would it mean if there relations is “exploding,” with more than 120 they operate. was a spike in social such tools already available. Internally, we give our people the choice media usage just after a Doom-mongers might paint this as a bot between PC or Mac laptops but ensure our TV commercial for a fu- army at the gates. But this is really a liberat- teamwork is speedy and smooth by using neral parlor? Or an ice ing force. As the CIPR report states: “Many collaborative enterprise solutions such as cream brand? Nothing experts agree that AI will help more than Zoom, Slack and Egnyte. As you’d imagine, at all, a red herring? Or hurt white collar workers by freeing them we’re big on the cloud. something important from more mundane tasks and allowing Ensuring our people are tech savvy goes that would otherwise beyond boosting efficiency. It helps build them to concentrate on innovation and cre- have been overlooked? Heather Kernahan ativity.” understanding of our clients’ tech products, This is where the sub- And it’s a refrain taken up by PR:Tech, leading to better communication programs tlety and cultural intelligence of the human the 2019 global communications report by and results. mind comes into play. It will be about in- USC Annenberg Center for Public Rela- Those agencies that don’t adapt to em- terpreting data into valid insights and then tions, which asserts: “As the PR profession brace the opportunities brought by new applying market knowledge and creative adopts new technology, PR professionals technologies will be left behind yet it’s clear chops to come up with killer strategies and will need to adopt new skills. Machines may many agency managers have yet to grasp the content. do the analysis, but intelligent humans will significance of what’s going on. Research for The need for this subtlety and imagina- be required to translate data into actionable the USC Annenberg Center report men- tion is growing fast because the march of AI insights. Those insights will be expressed vi- tioned above found that only 18 percent of is gathering momentum. As the New York sually, which increases the need for produc- PR professionals believe AI will be “very Times reported earlier this year under the tion and design capabilities.” important” in PR work. headline “The Rise of the Robot Reporter,” That aligns with our thinking in Hotwire. Yet when the same question was put to some form of automated technology is used AI is not only a boon for our tech clients, it’s PR students, a majority (53 percent) agreed. in around a third of the content published great for our business too. The generation soon to enter the workforce by Bloomberg News. That translates into We don’t want bright minds in our busi- is more aware then those making decisions thousands of articles on company earnings ness to feel frustrated and on the path to today that will set the direction of the agen- reports each quarter. burnout because of tedious hours staring at cies of the future. “In addition to covering company earn- spreadsheets. Rather, technology is revolu- This brings me to what we look for in our ings for Bloomberg,” the newspaper noted, tionizing the way we work and generating new hires. Creativity is a must. As LinkedIn “robot reporters have been prolific produc- new opportunities at a dizzying rate. research shows, it is the most in-demand ers of articles on minor league baseball for Investing in the best technology will in- soft skill of 2019. Its rise is no surprise. Back The Associated Press, high school football creasingly free our people from dreary, in 2016, the World Economic Forum’s influ- for The Washington Post and earthquakes repetitive tasks, allowing them to provide ential “The Future of Jobs” report projected for The Los Angeles Times.” real value by devoting their time to strategy, that creativity would leap from 10th place to Meanwhile, the AI-powered content man- creativity and delivering amazing client ser- 3rd most important skill in the workplace agement system at Forbes is playfully named vice. I say “increasingly” because for us the between 2015 and 2020. Bertie in honor of the magazine’s visionary journey has already begun. However, creativity must be accompanied Founder Bertie Charles Forbes, who once What makes this possible is our “tech by data knowhow. In the next five to 10 said: “If you don’t drive your business, you stack,” a collection of tools and services years, we will need to teach every employee will be driven out of business.” How true. that provide our people with insights, data how and when to use data. We will all be- We’re looking to technology and AI in and analytics. We evaluate every tool in our come some degree of data scientist. More particular to drive our business forward, stack yearly to make sure we are using “best and more, our business will hinge on taking because our intention is to carry on grow- in industry.” data and converting it into something cre- ing rather than being driven into oblivion. These tools vary from the expected such ative or strategic. And we all can learn from each other as we as media monitoring to the more advanced AI will do the data crunch heavy lifting. build our own tech stacks and integrate AI behavioral analytics, influencer identifi- Yet we must be mindful of the saying that into our organizations. Read everything, cation and predictive PR responses. We’ve while a robot can do the work of 50 people, talk about this everywhere, try new tech moved away from the outdated mentality at the same time, 50 robots can’t do what and processes. All of this will keep us from that for decades held sway in communica- one person does. the shackles of the mundane. tions planning and measurement to become Not only will AI be able to rattle through Heather Kernahan is President North more proactive, data-driven and geared to- large data sets, its openness to patterns and America and Australia, Hotwire. 

14 NOVEMBER 2019 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM

FEATURE PR challenges for tech startups Applying the right strategies and tactics for your tech PR programs depends, in large part, on knowing how to utilize different approaches depending on the company in question. Namely, whether it’s a newer venture or a well-known, established brand. By Bob Geller hen I joined my agency as a Inevitably it gets to games of defense vs. create more PR damage than windfall. We young recruit back in the day, offense. saw this recently with the WeWork IPO WI took on clients ranging from Defense vs. offense flameout, when CEO Adam Neumann was data storage and software startups to Swed- The tech leaders have much working regarded as a hero, until he wasn’t. ish telecom giant Ericsson. for them, such as recognition and market The startup with the unknown executive Each had their challenges, but one was power. Their business challenges typical- team needs to work notably different. The pitches for the start- ly involve defending turf, growing market hard to earn attention ups required a great deal of trial and error. share and conquering new areas. PR needs and build a brand for After banging my head against a wall, I’d to support each of these. its leaders. This can shift gears to Ericsson. Phone conversa- The programs should focus on reputa- involve thought lead- tions with reporters felt more like ban- tion, crisis management—when neces- ership programs, espe- ter with old friends (once we got past the sary—and news about business progress cially in the B2B sector. awkward “Oh, you’re a PR guy” stage). A and product and business lines. In short, The PR teams at typical response was: “Right, Ericsson, let it’s primarily a defensive game and needs larger companies me try to fit you in.” Chasing stories down to heed vulnerabilities such as any baggage should understand the Bob Geller for other clients made me feel more like an related to their brand or space (think of strengths and weak- annoying bill collector. cable companies and customer service, or nesses of the public faces and do their best This was a long time ago, and much has social media platforms and consumer pri- to mitigate problems by counseling on changed in the technology and public rela- vacy). talking points, when to engage the media, tions worlds. One thing remains the same, The PR team should explore tactics to when to shun the spotlight or sometimes, however: success hinges on very different counter these issues. This could mean find- the best way to apologize. playbooks for established brands versus ing ways to rebuff unwanted media inqui- Don’t fear the techlash startups. Below, I’ll explain how this plays ries for certain topics and pursuing those It’s hard to ignore the growing technolo- out and how to stack the deck—or stack that are more strategic. gy backlash, or techlash. People fret about the tech—depending on which side your Startups face different challenges and habit-forming apps and social media, and company or client falls out on. need to play offense. This means taking news and algorithmic bias and manipula- The power of brand risks and being bold to fight for attention. tion. Governments around the world are Technology dominates our lives and the New can mean newsworthy. Disruption, clamping down to fight against monopo- headlines. Nine out of 10 companies in the taking on the giants: these are appealing lies and protect consumer privacy. Report- NASDAQ 100 are in tech, from old school storylines. Plus, there’s an affinity for the ers are editorializing with harsher tones in vendors like Microsoft and Intel to relative entrepreneur, and a natural rooting for the their articles. newcomers like Facebook and Amazon. underdog. How to respond? Again, this can vary Unicorns—young, private companies val- The new ventures, the lesser-known based on the type of company. Big tech is ued at over $1 billion—dominate their sec- competitors should launch communica- taking the brunt of the criticism, especial- tors and command outsize attention. tions aimed at the weaknesses of the lead- ly the FANGs (Facebook, Amazon, Netflix It’s a winner take all world in business, ers to get coverage. A tried and true tactic and Google). Their PR teams are doing and this applies to media coverage too. in technology is sowing FUD: fear, uncer- their best to fight the fires, but many of Big news about recognized companies and tainty and doubt. the problems they endure are systemic and brands still ranks the highest on the press In addition to taking more risks, start- won’t go away overnight. attention scale. ups can use their small size to advantage. This doesn’t mean that smaller compa- So, if you’re a big tech brand, you’re all For example, they can be nimbler when nies get a free pass. They can get dinged set, right? And startups should just pack responding to news and marketplace de- too. One of our startup clients was called their bags and go home? velopments. Big brands can be constrained out as a violator of consumer privacy by Not at all. The primacy of brand is a by bureaucracy and disclosure regulations TechCrunch, and several other publica- double-edged sword. Well-known brands governing public companies. tions ran articles quoting the TechCrunch come with associations, sometimes, less Executive branding article. We felt the company was unfairly than glowing. There can be baggage that There are parallels between the challeng- singled out, as others offer similar func- needs to be overcome, and this isn’t neces- es and opportunities of big brands and the tionality which can, in fact, expose person- sarily easy, given the inertia. Think of how profiles of their leadership. Indeed, it can al information, if implemented incorrectly. hard it is for a large ship to shift course. be hard to separate a well-known leader On the other hand, the TechCrunch piece A large brand can be a major target for a from the company brand. Think Larry El- positioned our client as de facto leaders in looming crisis. lison at Oracle, Marc Benioff at Salesforce, the space and thrust the company onto the The startup’s brand can be viewed as a and Elon Musk at Tesla. world stage. We took it as an opportunity blank canvas, waiting to be filled in. Their Having a celebrity CEO can seem to be to go on the offensive, and issued a state- challenge is to overcome the initial reluc- an unfair advantage. And this may be true, ment that countered the inaccuracies in tance and natural skepticism about some- depending on the personal brand of the thing new and unproven. executive. Some are loose cannons that _ Continued on next page

16 NOVEMBER 2019 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM Is single-channel comms bad for B2B brands? How a multi-channel strategy can help you connect with buyers in the right place and at the right time. By Amy Fisher Work with people not only within your communication team but also from other f you asked tourists in Times Square how landscape can offer to reach buyers. This teams or departments to map out the an- they got to New York, you’d probably hear includes opportunities to reach buyers at swers to these questions. Itales of trains, planes and automobiles. different times in their journey and to reach Customize your messages One person might describe flying from different types of buyers. Just like you can’t always rely on the same Sydney to Hong Kong to New York over an So, how do you deploy a multi-chan- channel, you also can’t always rely on the exhausting 24 hours. Another might men- nel communication approach? With a same message. tion a far less eventful trip, like a morning rock-solid understanding of your commu- Certainly, your high-level story should train ride from Boston to Penn Station. nication goals and your target market and be consistent. But your key messages and And yet, another might tell you they took a well-crafted strategy for moving your proof points should be the subway from New Jersey. buyers through the awareness-to-adoption personalized to differ- When we make travel plans like these, continuum. You can do this by following ent buyers. They should our thinking is pragmatic. We decide what five steps: be tailored, for exam- it is we want to do—in this case, visit New Define your goals ple, to resonate with a York—and pick the transportation mode You won’t know if your communication is buyer’s habits and be- that works best for us. successful unless you define up front what liefs. They should also Unfortunately, we don’t always apply this success looks like. acknowledge the chal- kind of thinking to B2B communication. Start with some of the basics: What do we lenges the buyer faces. Rather than using the channels or modes do? Why do we do it? And they should clearly that work best for reaching buyers, too of- Then, go deeper to identify what it is articulate what the buy- Amy Fisher ten we limit ourselves to just one channel. you’re trying to achieve with your com- er will get by taking the And just like taking the train won’t work munication. Where is our business now? action that you offer them. for every visitor to New York, one commu- Where do we want it to go? How and when Map paths for buyers nication channel won’t work for reaching do we get there? What’s standing in our Visitors to New York have different paths every buyer. way? and schedules for getting there. Similarly, Change the channel Get to know your buyers buyers have different channels for different In the B2B world, you spend your days We can pretty quickly identify the best outcomes. trying to reach audiences that have long transportation method for getting to New Look at your buyers’ personas. Do they and complex buyer’s journeys. Using only York. But understanding our customers get news and information in different ways one channel limits how and where you can and the motivators that inspire them to act and at different times? This can help you meet them in those journeys. isn’t as easy. decide which communication channel you With a multi-channel approach, you can Ask questions like: Who do we need to should use—and when you should use it— capitalize on the opportunities that the reach? What do we want them to do? What to reach them. If buyers are looking to in- many channels in today’s complex media are their trusted sources of information? fluencers on social media, for example, you should be on that medium trying to reach them, perhaps with a campaign that in- PR CHALLENGES FOR TECH STARTUPS MINDFUL ENGAGEMENT FOR PR PROS volves those influencers. _ Continued from page 16 _ Continued from page 12 Test messages and channels Barring some dramatic change to trans- the article. Several outlets published it ver- portation, a tourist from Australia will nev- batim. Here are three excellent sources to assist er veer from using an airline to get to New The PR team went out with a pitch about in developing mindful engagement at work: York. But that doesn’t mean you should the problem and explained the benefits of • Awakening Compassion at Work: The never change up the messaging or channels the technology. The client’s CEO was eager Quiet Power that Elevates People and Orga- you use to reach buyers. to get out there and educate about their nizations, Monica Worline and Jane Dutton This is where measurement is crucial. technology, damn the torpedoes. This ag- (Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2017) If you can track your efforts against your gressive approach resulted in interviews • Fearless at Work: Timeless Teachings for goals, then you can continually evaluate, and coverage with many top-tier outlets. Awakening Confidence, Resilience, and Cre- adjust and optimize your communication. A larger company might not have been ativity in the Face of Life’s Demands, Michael Take the wheel able to respond as quickly or be as eager to Carroll (2012, Shambhala Press) Once you’ve gone through these steps, go on the offensive about such a sensitive • Growing Up Mindful: Essential Practices you’ll gain a new appreciation for how dif- issue. to Help Children, Teens, and Families Find ferent your buyers can be and the different Despite the techlash, I feel that tech PR Balance, Calm, and Resilience, Christopher paths they can take on their buyer’s jour- is still a great place to be and will be for Ward (2016, Sounds True Press) ney. And you’ll see why leaning on a sin- years to come. You just need to apply the Doug Swanson is Professor of Communi- gle-channel approach makes about as much right tactics for the type of company and cations at California State University, Fuller- sense as asking everyone visiting New York technology. ton, where he’s Founder and Director of the to arrive by bus. Bob Geller is President of Fusion Public student-run PR agency PRactical ADvantage Amy Fisher is a Vice President in Padilla’s Relations.  Communications.  Technology Practice. 

WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | NOVEMBER 2019 17 FEATURE The right comms strategy to grow B2B tech brands

Awareness strategies, messaging, positioning and key initiatives to focus on when taking your tech offering global. By Katie Blair

rowing a technology business is no national growth journey: To avoid this, engage with local part- easy feat. Taking that business to in- Build a listening and monitoring plat- ners to help carry the brand forward. This Gternational markets is even more of a form to evaluate key brands, overall mar- can range from distributors to hiring local challenge. From laws and regulations that ket positioning and competitive voices managers that know the regional culture. vary by country to variances in payment driving the conversation. In order to in- It’s important to ensure that you have the methods, going global brings a whole new sert your footprint into this new market, right infrastructure in place to support set of considerations that shouldn’t be tak- you need to understand it entirely. Market- your VoC efforts. en lightly. ers have access to tools like Trendkite and Measure global- In fact, a study conducted by Harvard Netbase, designed to monitor your brand’s ly. You can no longer Business Review of 20,000 businesses in 30 earned and social media presence in rela- look at your share of countries showed that, “companies selling tion to your top competitors. With today’s voice across a single abroad had an average Return on Assets of technology, there’s no excuse for ignorance. market. Make sure minus one percent as long as five years after Activate appropriate awareness strate- you are including the their move.” gies based on your findings. Keep in mind, changes you’ve made Now, layer in the challenges of develop- this isn’t a one-size fits all model. After all, to your messaging— ing the right communications strategy for localization is the key for globalization, personalization, tone, building awareness in your new market. and this includes ensuring that your valued style—and measure Katie Blair Several factors come into play, including marketing assets—mainly your website— that impact through a messaging and positioning, leveraging key are tailored for each local audience and that global lens. Monitor the influence—or lack spokespeople, carrying customer voices your content utilizes appropriate language. thereof—that your subject matter experts into a new market and establishing trust It’s also important to think about your have made on building awareness in the re- with an entirely new audience. new customer base and what makes them gion, but also on a global scale. Remember It takes guts, determination and a clear tick. Is your new target market already fa- to compare your successes to that of your business plan to initiate global expansion miliar with your technology, brand and competitors in each market. How are your and tap into benefits such as new revenue, service offerings? If not, it’s best to start at programs performing? Be ready to adjust access to fresh talent and foreign invest- the ground level with general education on by country but prepared to look at a unified ment opportunities. When making the leap your technology’s value. Ask yourself: how view of the brand globally. abroad and into new regions, the coordina- does the need to educate your audience im- While there’s no simple formula or one- tion of a global marketing and communi- pact your side of the buyer’s journey? The size fits all model for scaling a B2B tech cations plan should be first and foremost to answer is the development of strategic, top communications strategy into a new ter- maximize business impact. of funnel content like news releases, social ritory, doing your diligence to understand Getting to know the local landscape sharables and blog posts that familiarize the market at hand can aid in setting you up It goes without saying that opening your them with your brand and its value prop- for success. Strive to set yourself apart from brand to international markets means osition. your competitors in all markets with local- opening the gates to new competition. To Select key spokespeople who will de- ized messaging, culture-specific awareness begin, do your research and study your velop and support a thought leadership strategies and a customer experience mod- competition in each of your new regions. program. Expanding to a new region el that resonates with all customers. Over The brands that you’ve come to know and means re-establishing the same trust and time, your audience will begin to recognize compete with in the United States may be credibility that you built in your original your brand as an international mark of suc- entirely different than your competition in market. Thought leadership initiatives such cess. APAC. This is especially true for emerg- as speaking opportunities, bylined articles Katie Blair is Vice President and General ing growth businesses looking to make a and events are ideal for framing your brand Manager at PAN Communications.  name for themselves in new regions that as a credible resource as you expand inter- are brimming with well-established brands. nationally. PR news brief There is a certain an “underdog mentali- Create a VoC program that can scale Sard Verbinnen & Co. handles ty” that comes with entering a new region. globally. Customer experience must be top Virgin Galactic’s NYSE ‘lift off’ You’re no longer the hometown team. Will of mind throughout your expansion jour- Sard Verbinnen & Co. handled investor relations buyers, customers and potential employees ney, or you’ll risk retention of current cus- for the New York Stock Exchange “lift-off” of Richard respond positively to your brand? Dedicate tomers and fail to attract new ones. Buyers Branson’s Virgin Galactic Holdings as it became the time to understand the local power play- expect that their experience will be highly first publicly held space tourism company. The stock opened at $12.34. ers, research trends and offerings specific tailored and when conducting business in- The company says it has reservations for more to that market and outline your brand’s key ternationally, this includes varying cultur- than 600 people from 60 nations who have forked differentiators. al norms. According to Microsoft’s State over deposits of $80 million and represent potential The B2B tech space is crowded, there’s no of Customer Service Report, 61 percent of revenue topping $120 million. way around it. Leveraging the research that respondents indicated that they’ve stopped Founded by Branson in 2004 VGH trades under the SPCE symbol. you’ve done about the local market, consid- conducting business with a brand due to FTI Consulting handles media for VGH. er these five steps as you begin your inter- poor customer service.

18 NOVEMBER 2019 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM

FEATURE Why doing PR for SaaS is so painful

Tactics for getting successful media coverage for software-as-a-service products. By Edward M. Yang

et’s be honest. In today’s age of content Even if you feel it’s an unremarkable ora of content publishers, there’s a media saturation, it’s getting harder to stand product—say, project management—iden- outlet that’s right for every cloud service. Lout from the crowd through public re- tify one key thing that makes you stand out Each industry has their own magazines, lations. Spamming press releases and pitch- and is also memorable. Yes, SaaS may seem bloggers, email newsletters and influenc- es to reporters have all but made it impos- boring and unglamorous. But figure your ers. They have their own trade association sible for most companies to get legitimate One Thing: slick user interface, integrated groups, trade shows and press coverage. chat, killer APIs. meet ups. They likely That trend is converßging with another Focus on benefits by telling a story have LinkedIn Groups trend: the growth of software-as-a-ser- This is also Marketing 101, but it’s amaz- where discussions oc- vice, commonly referred to as SaaS. In fact, ing how often press releases and pitches cur, or even sub-Red- SaaS—or the cloud, as it’s also sometimes seem to be taken directly from sales col- dits where like-mind- referred to—has now become so much of lateral. You’re not going to move a reporter ed professionals our work and personal life that we don’t re- with speeds and feeds. Instead, tell a story. interact. Check Quora ally think much about it any longer. Reporters are there to tell stories to their and see if prospects Moore’s law, or the notion that the num- readers, so it would make sense that your are asking questions ber of transistors in a processor doubles ev- chance of success goes up if you tell a story related to your field. Edward M. Yang ery two years, has been broadened to also to the reporter. Stories bring home the ben- Seek out YouTube in- include the impact of continued growth of efit of your SaaS product in a real way. fluencers. “Media” today is wherever your cheaper storage, faster networks and more The story can be about how you came up prospects are. Meet them there. technological adoption of devices such with the idea for your SaaS product, or how Successful PR for SaaS companies is pos- as smartphones. All this means that SaaS your clients transformed their lives or busi- sible, but it does take more effort and cre- products continue to explode, both for con- nesses by using your product (i.e., use cas- ativity. Done right though, the long-term sumers and businesses. Gartner predicts es). Every SaaS project started with the goal payoff can be enormous, making media that SaaS revenues will reach $85 billion in of improving on something. Start there and relations a worthy component of any SaaS 2019, with total cloud revenue hitting $278 brainstorm all the benefits. Make it a habit marketing plan. billion. to write press releases or pitch emails that Edward M. Yang is Managing Partner of SaaS companies often run into a problem tell stories with a structure of framing the Firecracker PR, an agency that specializes in when they launch a new product or unveil problem, how you came up with the solu- helping technology companies rapidly scale features: they find out the hard way that it’s tion, and finally, what the concrete results awareness through their proven “Ignites” much more difficult to get press coverage were. Be sure to back up your assertion process. Yang is author of “RepGold: A Step- than they thought. This is due to the nature with data wherever possible. by-Step Guide to Successfully Repair and of SaaS products. By definition, it’s basical- Rely heavily on thought leadership Build Your Online Reputation.”  ly software that’s delivered over the cloud. Because SaaS is so intangible, one PR tac- And frankly, software isn’t that exciting. tic that works particularly well is thought PR news brief It’s also intangible. Unlike a physical prod- leadership. Thought leadership includes ac- Platinum Equity shells out $2.7B uct, SaaS lives here, there and everywhere. tivities such as contributed articles—some- Physical products can be held, examined, times referred to as guest posts—question for Cision tested and reviewed. They can be photo- and answer interviews, radio or podcast Platinum Equity, which has $19 billion in assets graphed from different angles, or in differ- interviews, award submissions, speaking under management, is acquiring Cision for $2.7 bil- ent use cases. SaaS, on the other hand, can engagements and analyst relations. lion in cash. The $10-per share offer is a 34 percent premium over the 60-day closing stock price for the show only screenshots. Basically, the idea is to elevate your CEO, period ended Oct. 21. Through trial and error over the years, founder or executives as thought leaders The PR services firm posted a $7.7 million loss on we’ve learned what works best when trying in whatever space you’re in. Topics could $190.4 million in Q2 revenues. Its stock has traded in to get media coverage for SaaS products. include controversial industry discussions, the $6.02 to $15.76 range during the past 52 weeks. Figure out your “one thing” Cision’s board and GTCR, which owns a 34 percent educational material, how-tos or anything stake in the company, approved the deal, which has Anyone who’s studied branding will tell else that your target market is concerned a “go-shop” provision to seek offers through Nov. 21. you that in order to stick in the minds of about at the moment. Teach them instead “This transaction will provide shareholders with your prospect, you need to hone your posi- of selling to them, and they’ll come to view immediate and substantial cash value, while also tioning. In one of Seth Godin’s earlier sem- you as a trusted thought leader. providing us with a partner that shares in our com- Expand your media opportunities mitment to customers and employees,” said Cision inal books, Purple Cow, Godin touts one CEO Kevin Akeroyd in a statement. simple message for success: be remarkable. Sure, everyone wants to be featured in As a private company, Cision “will be able to make Similarly, as it relates to SaaS, don’t fire a list BusinessWeek or the Wall Street Journal. strategic investments for sustainable and profitable of bullet points to a reporter and think that The unfortunate reality is, due to the nature growth, while remaining agile and focused on oper- ational excellence, said PE Partner Jacob Kotzubei. will get your message across. Instead, focus of SaaS that’s probably not going to happen The deal is expected to close during the first quar- on the One Thing that you want them to re- unless you’re going public or some other ter of 2020. member about your product. earth shattering news. But with the pleth-

20 NOVEMBER 2019 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM

FEATURE Investor presentation fundamentals Tips for how startups can deliver the kind of presentation that grabs investors’ attention. By Tim Johnson new points that supplement your story. Practicing your delivery will ensure you ocking down VC funding is the life- tation are typically limited to four or five don’t make statements that lead you down blood of most startups. Yet many start- minutes, so it’s important to know your a path you don’t want to go. Memorize the Lup CEOs make basic mistakes when audience’s understanding of your market. first minute of your presentation. That gives putting together what could be their most Avoid wasting time explaining the basics you time to scan the audience and get com- important presentation. Given the com- of your technology if the audience is made fortable with your surroundings. As part petition for funding and the ever-present up of software engineers, for example, who of practicing, also time sense of skepticism in place since the dot- know at least as much about your basic your presentation. You com bubble, there’s little or no room for er- technology as you do. often get just five min- ror during these presentations. Spend two-three slides max on finan- utes or so to make your Here are a few tips that will go a long way cials. Discuss pricing and margins, include presentation, running to making your investor presentation a suc- a P&L on a three-to-five-year timeline. If out of time demon- cess. relevant, outline potential ARR (annual re- strates a lack of prepa- Begin with a very clear, quantified curring revenue) and also include your exit ration. problem statement. Neuroscientists claim strategy. If you have more that people tend to focus on just one or Frame your market realistically. If your than one person pre- Tim Johnson two numbers when evaluating a product. solution is focused on the insurance indus- senting, have a clear In cameras, it’s pixels, in cars it’s horsepow- try, your addressable market is not the $900 reason for the additional person/people. er. Find a stat that describes the issue your billion health insurance market, but a slice If your role is to drive sales and you need startup solves and lead with that. reflecting the problem/issue you address. the CTO on stage to explain how your Continue with a brief, concise state- Create a unique presentation for each technology is disruptive, and she can do ment of your solution—what it does ver- investor audience. Take the time to create it better than you, fine. But, simply having sus what it is. Briefly highlight what your a unique presentation for each investor au- another person on stage wastes time in the solution is and quickly move into how your dience. Never use your 80-slide sales deck handoffs between the two of you, and that solution addresses the problem and why and simply flip through for the slides that matters when you have just a few minutes. it’s superior to previous efforts to solve the are relevant to an investor audience. This Every situation, investor audience and problem. Include in this why you’ll succeed sends the terrible message that you couldn’t startup requires the need for a unique pre- while others have tried but failed. bother to adequately prepare. And, spend sentation, but among the presentations that Build on this by highlighting your key a few bucks to have a professional design- receive kudos from investors, all have in- differentiators. Be concrete and specific, er improve the look of your slides. Nothing cluded the elements outlined above. mention patents or IP that’s proprietary. says “amateur” like poor use of color and As President and Founder of UPRAISE If you have an MVP (minimum viable graphics. Marketing + Public Relations, Tim serves product), show a very brief demo to add Wear decent clothes. It shouldn’t matter, a wide range of clients, earning outsized credibility to your pitch. Video is useful but it does. You may be asking investors results. For more than 30 years, Tim has here to also break up the presentation a bit. for millions of dollars and to take a chance helped companies ranging from startups to Highlight your go-to-market strategy. on your company, so you need to do ev- the Fortune 500 in various industries as di- Bringing a new product to market is ex- erything you can to inspire confidence. A verse as consumer electronics, financial ser- pensive, outline whether you’ll go it alone, T-shirt and cargo shorts don’t inspire con- vices, many shades of tech and more.  white label through partners, distribute fidence. Putting aside social commentary, through channel partners, etc. Focus par- most investor audiences today are still old- PR news brief ticularly on your plan to gain market trac- er and populated largely by men. Adjust tion versus larger, established competitors. your attire to your audience. Gladstone works Hughes’ facelift Ideally, have this strategy already in place; Have a clear “ask,” are you looking for Gladstone Place Partners is working the restructur- i.e., online or brick and mortar retailers investment, strategy advice, something ing of The Howard Hughes Corp., redeveloper of New York’s South Street Seaport District, as it installs new that will carry your product or partners else? Be specific about the intended use of leadership, shifts headquarters from Dallas to Hous- that have already signed on. funds, plans to execute on advice provided, ton, slashes overhead and unloads $2 billion in “non- List your team and their qualifications, etc. core assets.” make sure your team aligns with your Anticipate investor questions and work Paul Layne, president of HHC’s central region and a 35-year veteran of the real estate development, company’s direction and goals. If your them into the pitch. After you’ve presented steps into the CEO role, replacing David Weinreb. solution relies on new technology to solve a few times, you can adjust your presenta- Most recently, the eight-year HHC veteran led the a problem, highlight your CTO and de- tion to answer in advance the questions that development of 110 North Wacker, a 56-story tower velopment team, for example. If you’re in come up repeatedly. Proactively addressing in Chicago slated to open in October 2020. a market dominated by large players that investor questions and potential concerns Layne will oversee HHC’s transformation plan to become a more focused, profitable, and you plan to disrupt, creating an advisory positions you as an experienced CEO and free-cash-flow-generative company focused on its board of industry experts can go a long way will help boost investor confidence in you. master-planned communities and the Seaport District. to convincing investors you have a strong Practice and vet your presentation. You HHC expects the asset sale will be carried out over probability of success. have between four and five minutes to tell the next 12 to 18 months and result in a $600 million Know your audience. Investor presen- your story. Don’t read your slides, make cash windfall..

22 NOVEMBER 2019 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM It’s time to burst the college debt bubble Why the admissions scandal offers community colleges’ best PR or enter the military was on that piece of paper. My high school considered only col- opportunity since The Great Recession. lege attendance as worthy of acclaim to the By Dustin Siggins rest of the student body. n the surface, The Great Recession encounter such ‘scandals’ when it comes to That’s an insult to my classmates who and Operation Varsity Blues have lit- enrollment,” said Northern Virginia Com- served our country as active duty service Otle in common. However, both offer munity College Annandale Campus Gov- members. It’s an insult to people like Jen- community colleges the same crisis-borne ernment Affairs Director Dana Kauffman. nifer Lannon, a master opportunity to show how they provide high Most Americans view community colleges plumber in Massachu- value, low cost, successful futures for mid- as “settling” for a junior-level education. But setts who partnered dle-class Americans. are you settling, as NVCC’s commercial se- with her father to build Community college attendance peaked in ries points out, for getting a cyber-security a company. Jennifer 2010, according to a study from The Amer- or nursing degree for a fraction of the price isn’t a quarter-century ican Association of Community Colleges, of other schools? And are you “settling” by old, but she’s a master which examined attendance from 2000- taking advantage of near-automatic accep- of her craft and a suc- 2017. That drop was caused by the worst tance at a four-year school if you’re a com- cessful business owner. recession in 80 years and the loss of $16 munity college graduate with a qualifying Service members, Dustin Siggins trillion in assets. Educational opportuni- GPA? Nope. All you’re doing is getting an entrepreneurs and ties today exist for the lawbreaking super affordable education with the socially re- blue-collar workers all make “outside-the- wealthy, corruption at “elite” schools and quired “stamp of approval.” box” choices that provide them with finan- dozens of court cases which made it clear According to my calculations, the com- cial and professional opportunities. that middle-class Americans simply can’t munity college savings under this strategy Thinking inside the box is financially afford to bribe or borrow their way into in Maryland and Virginia amount to more insecure “elite” schools. than $32,000. That’s before counting inter- Problem-solving and critical thinking Americans owe $1.56 trillion in college est on college loans. have been traditionally learned in the col- debt, $500 billion more than our sum total There’s no relationship between school lege environment. Some still do that, put- credit card debt. This is a crisis for families attended and success ting education over the college “experi- which fear that massive debt, the lawbreak- In most fields, there’s no relationship be- ence.” But for many middle-class and poor ing super-wealthy and corrupt officials at tween school attended and high levels of parents, college is simply out of reach, even “elite” schools, and a possible recession will success. The University of Wisconsin beat more so in light of huge debt, Operation keep them down forever. out Harvard and Cornell to produce the Varsity Blues and a possible recession. But every crisis has its opportunities. As most Fortune 500 CEOs of any college or Non-traditional professional and edu- families seek to better the next generation, university last year. cational choices should show parents that alternative professional and educational The student and the quality of education instead of putting themselves and their options have an opening to brand them- lead to success, not the name on the degree. children into debt, most parents can easi- selves as viable options. My alma mater—Plymouth State Universi- ly invest in their children’s future, radically Going to college? Start in your community ty in New Hampshire—has taken big steps changing their future and the future of their “Community colleges are flexible and to negate the Yale and Harvard alumni net- children. relevant to today’s economy” because they work advantages. Plymouth State recently Here’s how to turn today’s high-school se- “design programs to match local labor mar- launched the PSUnite alumni/student net- nior into a multi-millionaire. Properly in- ket conditions,” said John Rainone, Ed.D., working platform. It’s the first online net- vesting $5,000 in retirement funds during President of Dabney S. Lancaster Com- working program which directly connects each of a student’s four years in school costs munity College in southwest Virginia. Ac- current students to established alumni in $20,000, a lot less than most students’ debt. cording to Rainone, his school and others their fields anywhere in the world. The 43 Properly invested, this money will turn into in Virginia “are adding programs that take percent of Plymouth State students who over $2.6 million by the time today’s high only weeks or months to complete, not are the first person in their family to attend school senior turns 67 and over $5.5 mil- semesters or years,” to accommodate the college now have the same opportunities as lion when the teen turns 74. “fewer individuals [who] are pursuing a people at Yale and Harvard who have fami- That’s just the start. If a 23-year-old in- typical college degree.” ly and other connections. vests just $100 per month in their retire- Community colleges are a fantastic start PSU also has an integrated cluster model ment account at the average annual rate of to a financially successful future. In the of learning which Vice President of Com- return of 11 percent until they’re 65 years 2017-2018 school year, community colleges munications Marlin Collingwood said gets old, they’ll earn another $959,000. tuition and fees were 36 percent the price of students “real-world experience” in provid- Former Chicago Mayor and Obama White in-state tuition and fees, according to the ing “hands-on opportunities to use what House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel said to American Association of Community Col- they learned in the classroom.” “never let a crisis go to waste.” With the col- leges. In Maryland and Virginia, commu- You don’t have to go to college lege admissions scandal rocking so-called nity college costs are about one-fifth of the One of the most insulting memories I have “elite” schools, the time couldn’t be better costs of in-state four-year schools. of high school involves a piece of paper on for community colleges to use this crisis to Second, most community colleges have the guidance counselors’ door. Each student make their case to middle-class Americans. easy in-and-out policies. Open enrollment who was accepted at a college or university Dustin Siggins is CEO of Proven Media policies on the front end mean almost any was named on that piece of paper. Solutions and a business columnist. He was high school senior will be accepted at a com- Not a single person who chose to open a previously Director of Communications for a munity college. Because of this, “we do not business, become a blue-collar apprentice national trade association. 

WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | NOVEMBER 2019 23 FEATURE Content’s evolving role in tech Brand storytelling and content marketing strategy development are essential parts of any successful technology brand’s communications plan, and PR professionals play a critical role in helping their clients adapt and grow in this new era. By Courtney Stack

eading brands today understand they These reports also find that B2B com- We orchestrate and lead events aren’t just jockeying with direct com- panies are ramping up spend on content Events are an excellent opportunity to Lpetitors for people’s time and attention creation and 83 percent of B2C companies generate timely content. PR teams secure online; they’re competing with all the In- plan to increase spend or continue allo- speaking opportunities and coordinate ternet has to offer. cating budget towards content marketing. companies’ participation in events; we’re The brand-consumer power dynamic has Still, more than half of B2C companies sur- perfectly poised to help clients capitalize shifted: consumers now have more control veyed have a small or one-person market- on their event partic- over the content they consume and when ing team to serve their entire organization; ipation by producing and how they consume it. approximately half of B2C marketers out- content around the To reach and memorably connect with source content creation activities. event. today’s enlightened and empowered con- This represents an enormous opportuni- Live stream the event, sumer, brands must deliver real user-cen- ty for PR professionals to deliver new client live tweet and utilize tered value, not by selling or promoting, solutions. relevant hashtags. Or but by being informative, entertaining and In fact, PR experts might just be the best take it a step further purposeful. To win their attention, brands people for the job. The core tactics and by doing on-the-spot must deliver content that’s worthy of their principles of content marketing—educat- interviews with event attention. ing and informing, aligning brands with attendees. Courtney Stack Brands everywhere are rising to the chal- topics of public interest, infusing brand Create shareable lenge, and as a result, what it means to be a identities with purpose and meaning—are graphics from informative tidbits and share brand is changing in profound ways. the very same principals the PR industry on social media. Today’s most successful brands are more was built on. Capture learnings in an informative blog than providers of products and services. PR pros understand the bigger picture post and cross promote with other attendee They’re activists with a heightened sense As PR professionals, we’re acutely aware companies that are value aligned to maxi- of social consciousness and responsibility. of trends, movements and rapid develop- mize reach and connect with new audienc- They’re entertainment studios, producing ments across industries. Brand storytelling es. video shorts and scripted series focused and content development can’t happen in a We shape brand identities not on selling, but on engaging audienc- vacuum. To achieve relevance and traction The best brand content is relevant to the es. They’re publishers and journalists, with it must be tied to the broader landscape. brand not because it speaks to its products influential blogs and sponsored articles au- PR teams can play a critical part in the and services, but because it speaks to the thored for nearly every major media outlet content marketing strategy development brand’s heart and soul. PR teams under- from the New York Times to the Washing- process by bringing a broader perspective stand that it’s not about what you’re sell- ton Post. to the table. ing, it’s about why it exists. We specialize Content marketing is nothing new, but We represent the public’s perspective in crafting brands’ core messaging frame- the extent to which companies are invest- A common content marketing pitfall is work. ing and discovering value in it is. A 2016 creating brand content that’s focused on We’re starting to see a shift from mis- Nielson study found that branded content the company’s agenda, rather than what’s sion and vision statements towards con- generated 86 percent brand recall among genuinely valuable to their audiences. PR crete purpose statements comprised of viewers, compared with 65 percent from teams are already tasked with the respon- actionable principals and outlined values. traditional pre-roll ads. Branded content sibility of understanding and managing Establishing these tenets during the brand also outperformed traditional ads across public perception and representing that messaging development phase serves as a key performance indicators including af- perspective in important conversations foundational basis for future content strat- finity, recommendation intent and pur- with clients. egies. chase intent. By involving PR teams in the content cre- Content marketing is an essential part It’s no surprise that recent reports from ation and review process companies can of any successful brand’s communications the Content Marketing Institute reveal that avoid this pitfall. plan. As content marketing strategies be- B2B and B2C content marketing efforts are To ensure that all content is valuable to come increasingly integrated and sophisti- expanding. 93 percent of the most success- the consumer, PR teams should be review- cated, PR teams have an opportunity to help ful B2B and B2C content marketers report ing content with the following questions in clients adapt and grow, building meaning- that their organization is extremely com- mind: ful customer relationships, achieving new mitted to content marketing, with 90 per- • Is it high quality? levels of relevance and redefining brands’ cent of top B2B content marketers putting • Is this entertaining? role in society for the better. their audience’s informational and enter- • Is this informative? Courtney Stack is Head of Content and tainment needs ahead of their company’s • Is the primary objective to inform or Digital Marketing at Karbo Communica- promotional message. entertain? Or is it to sell/promote? tions in San Francisco. 

24 NOVEMBER 2019 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM

FEATURE Claiming PR’s seat at the table PR technology offers valuable audience data and insights for marketers and advertisers, allowing communicators the ability to provide a more integrated communications strategy that can be applied to earned and owned media audiences and then retargeted for paid media campaigns. By Brendon O’Donovan or anyone with a career in communica- that tap into ad-networks to better under- Because you understand the content that tions and PR, the fabled “seat at the ta- stand the real validated readership of your these audiences have interacted with, you Fble” has been prophesized by speakers, placements. can deliver highly relevant and timely con- vendors and thought leaders for decades How does this technology work? Nearly tent and messaging. Ci- now. However, these past few years have every publication uses ads for survival. By sion clients using this pushed communicators, particularly PR tapping into this network, communicators method of targeting professionals, back into the spotlight. can get a real look at the unique visitors, earned media audienc- This isn’t because of some new social views and demographic profiles of earned es have already seen media network or fad, but from actual so- media content. It gets even more extensive between five and 20 cietal change. Consumers today are weary; though. Using the ad-network attribution times an increase in the they’ve been overly targeted, bombarded methods, this technology can also prove effectiveness of their ad with poorly targeted messages and duped the downstream effects of your media cov- spend. Pretty compel- by bad actors. Where marketers used to erage. ling, right? pour endless dollars into advertising and We have the ability to see how exposed You see, that seat at Brendon personalization, the trends are shifting to audiences convert to site traffic in the most that table is now beg- O’Donovan integrated storytelling and brand cam- granular ways, from the number of home ging for you to sit down. paigns. page views to actual purchases. This, finally, Communicators have always been about Luis Di Como, Head of Global Media can be incorporated into internal attribu- delivering the right message, to the right for Unilever, said it best in a recent AdEx- tion models and put a real value on earned people, at the right time. The missing link changer article, “We have an issue in the media and its contribution to your organi- was measuring and activating those ex- [advertising] industry around lack of trust zation’s strategic goals. posed audiences. By combining the super- and lack of transparency,” Di Como said. As The second puzzle piece is identifying powers of brand equity, trusted earned me- a response, he said, “We are moving away and then activating contextual audienc- dia and technology, communicators now from an interruptive model to one that en- es with integrated campaigns. Contextual have a powerful asset that answers the call compasses brand integration and branded targeting—or advertising to users based of a changing, increasingly privacy-con- content around consumer passion points.” on the context of the site—is the original cerned world. That, at the highest level, is the integration integration of paid and earned. Since con- Earned media is no longer the supple- of paid, earned, shared and owned media. textual targeting is all about what content ment to the larger campaign; it’s the center- So, how does this integration work? It is being consumed and not personal data, piece and the future of a better relationship starts with understanding how audiences it’s more privacy friendly and less intrusive. between you, your customers and society. are consuming media. After collecting that Using the same ad-network based technol- Brendon O’Donovan is the Head of Global intelligence, teams should create unified ogy, communicators can identify and create Product Marketing at Cision. He was pre- content that can be applied to earned and target audiences based on their earned me- viously the Director of Product, Brand and owned media. Once those narratives and dia consumption. The magic is in the preci- Content Marketing at TrendKite before the strategies are finally in place, marketers and sion and its all-around media placements, company was acquired by Cision in 2019.  communicators can use paid advertising to monitoring and reporting: the core compe- promote and target audiences that’s contex- tencies of communicators. PR news brief tually relevant to them and their interests. An example might be a resort in Austin, Kekst CNC adds PR sparkle to The first part of the puzzle involves get- TX that can now identify and target people ting a deeper understanding of how media who are reading articles about traveling or LVMH’s bid for Tiffany coverage is being consumed and measuring events in Austin. This contextual audience Kekst CNC is handling the $14.5 billion all-cash bid its success. It’s no secret that PR has tra- is much more relevant and targeted com- of LVMH Moet Hennessy-Louis Vuitton, the world’s ditionally been about reporting potential pared to the old method in which busi- No. 1 luxury goods group, for Tiffany & Co. The $120 per-share offer represents a 22 percent reach, whether that’s potential impressions, nesses might simply target single, 18-to- premium to Tiffany’s Oct. 25 closing price. circulation or ad-equivalency. 35-year-olds with disposable income. Paris-based LVMH says it had preliminary discus- The problem with that is those metrics Additionally, this contextual audience data sions with Tiffany but gives no assurance that a take- don’t tell you how many people were actu- won’t be reliant on personal information. over may result from the talks. Tiffany confirms receipt of “an unsolicited, ally exposed to your earned media, and just The final piece of the puzzle is using non-binding bid from LVMH,” which it is reviewing. tells you estimations about a publication’s these audiences and your understanding of The New York retailer chalked up $4.4 billion in readership. We know however that not ev- them as the basis of your campaigns. The sales last year. ery visitor of that outlet will read the arti- best part about contextual audiences is that James Fingeroth, Molly Morse, and Anntal Silver cle you worked so hard to get placed. Until marketers and communicators no longer of Kekst CNC, which is part of Publicis Groupe, are handling U.S. media for LVMH. recently, this was the best way to measure have to guess the interest of that audience, Publicis Consultants and DGM Conseil are working success. Now, we’ve developed modern or use overly broad interest categories to the media in France. communications measurement programs base their targeting.

26 NOVEMBER 2019 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM

FEATURE Why PR agency acquisition discussions fall apart Whether you’re actively considering acquiring another PR agency or wondering what you’d do if someone makes you an offer, there are numerous key factors you should always take into account.

By Art Stevens

ringing two agencies together, wheth- selling are in addition to an acceptable pur- sitions prefer to acquire 100 percent of sell- er large or small, is a significant un- chase price. er agencies. However, private equity firms Bdertaking. The art of acquisition takes If the seller starts the initial discussion may prefer acquiring a majority of owner- not only a high degree of patience and fo- by saying he’s interviewing other buyers ship rather than 100 percent. It’s incumbent cus but also a special set of skills and a great as well. This wouldn’t be the ideal way to upon a seller to weigh deal of strategic planning. begin discussions with a desired buyer. Be- the merits of selling In addition, whether or not your agency ing standoffish sends a negative signal to 100 percent or partial acquisition experience is seamless depends a buyer who will feel he may have wasted equity. Each situation on crucial aspects surrounding company his time meeting with this particular seller. needs to be appraised culture, personnel dynamics and collabora- My advice is to be in the moment and get carefully because each tion, as well as the blending of best practic- to know the person you’re breaking bread has pluses and minuses. es of each firm. with. Don’t put on airs or play hard to get. If the seller disclos- From my experience helping hundreds If the seller reveals they don’t run their es financial reversals of agencies through this process for more business to make huge profits. Nothing during the previous Art Stevens than 13 years, I’ve realized there are many can turn off a buyer more than a PR firm two years. Let’s say reasons why PR agency acquisition discus- that’s in it for the wrong reasons or under- your cultures match perfectly and you’ve sions tend to fall apart. performs mid-transaction. It’s important planned out how you’ll work together in To avoid this scenario, here are some to realize most buyers enter the acquisition the coming years, but you’ve based all of critical red flags to be aware of during the process with the hopes that the businesses these plans on financial results from the process: will perform consistently and will be worth previous two to three years and year to If the seller doesn’t enter discussions the projected value when the ink dries. date. The seller will have a tough decision with the right attitude. If the selling agen- If the seller reveals that he/she wants to to make. Should he sell now and settle for cy’s leadership takes an approach of “I’m leave the business right after the sale. Get a lower price than he might’ve gotten two here to listen, but you really need to sell clarification from the seller’s leadership that years ago? Or should he have faith in what me,” then err with caution. When a buyer you’ll be able to retain them and continue he and the buyer can achieve together in and seller enter acquisition discussions, to tap into their expertise following the ac- the coming years? It just may be well worth there should always be a mutual exchange quisition. Proceed cautiously if you uncov- the risk with the right buyer. of information and positive attitudes re- er any concerns from managers or senior Don’t go it alone garding what lies ahead. employees that they don’t want to be part of It’s important to note that not every ac- If there’s no chemistry between the sell- the larger organization following the sale. quisition in the PR industry dissolves in the er and the buyer. When considering an If the buyer reveals that they plan to eleventh hour. In fact, the vast majority of acquisition, ensure a good cultural match. absorb the seller’s firm into their own. transactions proceed relatively seamlessly Strive for positive chemistry among lead- It’s always a possibility that a buyer will opt thanks to positive, collaborative relation- ership on both sides, a shared business to preserve a practice as a wholly owned, ships and strategic, careful coordination philosophy and compatibility among team standalone operation. However, in my ex- between buyers, sellers and their trusted members. Both parties should be precondi- perience, I can confidently say it’s more advisors. tioned, as well as guided, on how to have likely that a firm is being purchased as a In today’s competitive environment, an initial conversation. Enlisting the help strategic investment because of everything it’s critical to strategically prepare for and of an experienced facilitator can help make it can bring to the table, ultimately comple- closely manage the due diligence process in things go smoothly. menting the buyer’s firm. It’s critical during a potential PR agency acquisition. Yet, even If the seller hasn’t carefully considered the discussions phase that the seller makes with the closest attention to details, issues what a combination with a larger firm can expectations clear to the buyer—both ver- can arise that will cause discussions to fall do for his/her business. When it comes to bally and in writing—to ensure a true apart. reaping maximum rewards, it’s vital to re- “meeting of the minds.” To avoid this scenario, strive to maintain alize that an educated seller is a wise seller. If the seller says they want equity in ongoing dialogue between seller and buy- Do your due diligence and consider every the buyer’s firm. The likelihood of a buyer er to avoid last-minute lines drawn in the factor. The decision to relinquish owner- considering selling or making equity part sand. Focus on how a deal will be beneficial ship of a firm isn’t one to be made in haste. of any deal is nil, except if your discussions to both parties. If the seller hasn’t considered the rea- are with a private equity firm that wants its The bottom line: if you believe that the fu- sons he wants to sell his firm. Does the sellers to retain skin in the game. But PR ture of you and your firm will be beneficial seller wish to exit the business upon its agency buyers are reluctant to part with if you’re acquired by the right organization, sale? Does he wish to continue working equity in their organizations and prefer to then engage, engage, engage. You’ll have throughout the three to five year earn out? purchase 100 percent of each seller’s equity. many options in the marketplace to con- Does he wish to become a senior executive If the buyer says that he/she wants to ac- nect with the right buyer. within the buyer’s larger organization? A quire only 51 percent of the seller’s firm. Art Stevens is Managing Partner of The seller needs to be clear what the reasons for Most PR agencies in the market for acqui- Stevens Group. 

28 NOVEMBER 2019 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM Breaking through the clutter Generating marketing insights begins with engaging the right audiences with the right story.

By Brian Sinderson eaching the right audience with your to reflect the times, the sector, the audience buyers is critical. Adding compelling statis- message can be daunting in a world or the channel, compelling storytelling will tics, endorsements from customers, busi- Rwhere more than 188 million emails, never go out of style. But, understanding ness benefits, and results tell a better story. 18 million texts and 511,000 tweets get sent how to capture someone’s attention and Incorporating wit and short, snappy prose every minute. hold it long enough to deliver that “aha” will get a buyer’s attention and draw them And those numbers represent just a frac- moment is an art form that marketers and in. tion of the advertising, digital and print PR professionals need to continue to em- Backing up your claims with factual detail content that entices audiences to buy a brace and perfect. and proof points will product or service. It’s also the reason leading-edge technol- help drive engagement. Regardless of whether you’re trying to ogy companies value public relations as a In today’s world, it’s reach a B2B or B2C audience, people are marketing tool to craft stories that get at- challenging to convey more distracted by the abundance of mes- tention, relate to industry news or trends or unique differentiators sages across multiple channels than ever. convey unique customer value. that get the attention of Before we can leverage the data and insights Because audiences get inundated with a business buyer. Sto- that marketers value, people first need to multiple content choices, we need to lever- ries that help frame the engage with the content communicators age our storytelling craft to engage them at value of a technology disseminate. the onset. The elements of good storytelling product or service are It’s up to savvy PR professionals to con- haven’t changed that much over the years. often the most complex Brian Sinderson nect with audiences through impactful sto- However, they often are forgotten or not and challenging to tell, ries that break through the clutter. considered, especially in the tech world but when done well, they can engage audi- As communicators, we have access to a where speeds and feeds can get in the way ences to take action. variety of tools to help us understand if our of good marketing. In an age where more products vie for messages are reaching specific audiences to The stories that tech PR pros tell need to user attention and dollars, conveying the influence buying decisions. The analytics be relatable, personable, creative, genuine, right story can make all the difference, so generated help us better understand many visual and authentic. They need to be based marketers can get the data and insights they of the demographic and psychographic de- on facts and not fake. need to drive sales. tails of our target audiences. When they get Communicators should be curious and Brian Sinderson is Senior Partner and East translated into specific insights, they can do their research to understand the best Coast Tech Practice Lead at Finn Partners.  also help us know how and when to reach way to engage the audiences they’re trying buyers with the information they need to to reach. For inspiration, consider TED PR news brief make informed decisions. Talks. The best TED Talks incorporate all These insights are especially helpful on the elements of good storytelling to de- Falls acquires Wyse Advertising the B2B front, where corporate technol- liver some of the most powerful speeches Falls Communications has acquired Cleve- ogy buyers are often more digitally savvy on topics that drive people to take action. land-based brand management and advertising and self-directed in the way they search for Who can forget Bill Gates’ speech on ma- agency Wyse Advertising. Financial terms of the ac- quisition were not made publicly available. information. According to Forrester, the laria, where he released mosquitos—not One of Ohio’s largest independent full-service corporate buyer is more in control of pur- infected—into the audience? He knew how agencies, Wyse was founded in 1951 by Marcus chasing decisions than ever. Three-quarters to get their attention, but backed it up with “Marc” Wyse and then-wife Lois Wyse. The duo be- of buyers use social media to learn about a compelling story based on facts and his came ad industry legends, coining famous taglines personal experience. such as “With a name like Smucker’s, it has to be different vendors, while 68 percent conduct good” for then-unknown client the J. M. Smucker Co. research online to inform purchasing deci- Creativity is essential and authenticity is Wyse was also behind the classic “Ask Sherwin-Wil- sions. crucial. Companies that oversell themselves liams” phrase. More and more, the business buyer wants run the risk of failure before they’ve even In light of the acquisition, the agency will hence- specific information about the products begun. The days of “fake it until you make forth be known as Wyse, a Falls company. The new- ly-combined organization will count more than 80 and services that interest them, so they can it” are gone. On the flip side, brands that are staffers. understand the benefits and value of what too modest may not express the benefits of Falls president and CEO Rob Falls now assumes they’re buying. their new technology, product or service leadership of both entities. Wyse CEO Michael Mari- The focus on customer benefit isn’t a new clearly or in a manner compelling enough no, meanwhile, plans to retire. to get the attention of a buyer. Falls president and CEO Rob Falls told O’Dwyer’s concept, but it can be challenging to imple- that the new combined entity will offer clients a ment across each marketing channel. Com- Also, some companies fail to understand broader array of products and services as well as municators are driving more integrated that storylines can become marginalized shared resources and expertise to help clients better efforts to deliver consistent messages and through a management-by-committee ap- connect with consumers and customers. proof points to customers. proach that overuses tech jargon and strips “By bringing Wyse into the Falls family, we are gaining decades of expertise building top brands While data and insights provide value in out creativity. while expanding our services to include advertising, understanding why audiences make pur- Because more business buyers lean on media buying and expanded creative capabilities,” chasing decisions, we can’t lose sight of how their research to make purchasing deci- Falls told O’Dwyer’s. we communicate. Although it may change sions, getting the right content in front of

WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | NOVEMBER 2019 29 FEATURE ‘Legacy,’ the dirtiest word in tech Too many entrepreneurs make missteps when talking about their business, often using words and phrases that have the effect of making their company sound more status quo than innovative. One term in particular has become the ultimate tech company takedown, and it’s time we talk about it. By Curtis Sparrer media contact once referred to one well, everyone. step is to recruit influencers, contacts and of her clients as a “legacy” company, So, when you’re running a tech company, customers who love your business and turn A intending it as a compliment. But “legacy” is the last word you ever want to them into brand champions. that’s not how I took it. My response was, be associated with. The whole idea behind This works even for companies seen as “Oh, no. That’s the worst thing you could technology is to invent something new, to “legacy.” After mak- say in tech!” disrupt an industry or develop a life-chang- ing major updates or “Really?” she said. “I’d love to know more ing innovation. The absolute worst way to building a new sys- about that.” position yourself is to make your product tem, you can get the That’s when I started my research. But I sound dated and old. word out through was surprised to discover there’s very little The way you articulate your vision is these guerilla tactics. information available to explain how “leg- everything People who have tried acy” became such a dirty word in the tech When you’re a founder or CEO, you’re your revolutionized world. the first person to describe your company. platform will post that You don’t want to be seen as a legacy And if you’re not doing it in a way that cap- you’re now “cutting Curtis Sparrer company tures the market’s attention and proves that edge,” if you get the In all other contexts, legacy describes you’re the new best thing, no one’s going to message right. something or someone iconic, an unforget- feel excited about you. No one is going to When in doubt, focus on your strengths table classic. It can also refer to what some- invest in you. And, definitely, no one is go- With so many companies vying for the one is remembered for, such as the legacy ing to buy you. title of most innovative or disruptive, it can left behind by a national hero. In tech, how- You need to articulate a compelling vi- be hard to stand out. These are the right ever, it’s a nice way of saying obsolete. sion, and then you need to get other peo- kinds of words, but they aren’t the only A legacy system is a digital tool or ap- ple to agree with it. You must communi- words you can use to position your com- plication that’s reached its expiration date. cate what your company does and how it’s pany as a leader. Describing your specific Generally, these platforms are clunky and going to change the world in a way that strengths is always a good idea. inefficient compared to newer solutions. drums up momentum. In other words, you Any entrepreneur or C-level executive But people are stuck using them because must communicate a clear, repeatable and needs to do this exercise to find the right it’s too expensive and time-consuming to unique message. message. How can you position yourself switch to something better. You see this all It takes a village against the competition and make sure you the time in enterprise and government set- If you’re the only one calling your com- win? It takes some tinkering to land on the tings. It’s why many organizations still rely pany awesome and disruptive, few people right answer. But once you have it, it’s an on fax machines, much to the chagrin of … will believe you. So, the next recommended amazing lever to propel your company for- ward. Brand-produced video gets good press Your message matters Today, every company is a tech company in some respect. Fortune 500 companies all By Steve Barnes in-house spokesperson than a third-party have an IT department and want to build expert. The reason for that: 83 percent of the next big digital thing, if they can stay rand-produced video has become a those surveyed said in-house spokespeople ahead of the scrappy startups on their heels. key component in garnering posi- make brands appear more authentic, while Competition is fierce in industries across Btive media coverage, according to a only 44 percent thought that a third-party the board. new study from D S Simon Media. expert added to a brand’s credibility. The bottom line is that you need a strong, The “DS Simon Brand Visibility 2020” re- Making CEOs available to the media was consistent message to get ahead of the pack. port, which surveyed 366 journalists, found seen as an effective way of boosting the ap- As a leader, you have to be thoughtful about that media platforms across the board want pearance of brand authenticity by 76 per- how you describe your company. And you to use brand video. The appetite for brand cent of survey respondents. need a clear strategy to elevate that message. video is strongest among blogs—with 85 And for those afraid that the messages Dirty words like “legacy” can hurt your percent saying they use it—and television they get into the media may be drowned business in more ways than you may think. stations, which come in close behind at 84 out in a tidal wave of political news cover- It’s hard to change perceptions once people percent. age over the next year, the study finds cause have an idea about you. It’s possible, but About two-thirds of radio station web for optimism. you’re far better off positioning yourself sites (66 percent) say they use brand video, Only 12 percent of TV news stations sur- correctly from the beginning. as do 54 percent of print media outlets. veyed said more than half of their news So, think about that one thing you want to In-house spokespeople are more popular coverage would be political in nature, with be known for. Your world-changing legacy, with journalists than are outside sources. 67 percent saying that political subject so to speak. Just don’t call it that out loud. Almost nine out of 10 respondents (87 per- matter would fill 25 percent or less of their Curtis Sparrer is Co-Founder and Princi- cent) said they would rather interview an air time.  pal at Bospar in San Francisco. 

30 NOVEMBER 2019 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM Three tech trends for 2020 Why immersive social platforms, storytelling engineers and an evolving model for media trust are now taking the stage as the top trends to shake up the technology world in 2020 and beyond. By Robin Kim ommunications experts have written about experiences. For the new generation its broader societal responsibility. previously about the changing IPO of teens, it’s about one’s status in a digital Smart storytellers must also be respon- Clandscape, smarter analytics, political world, a world that is as important as the sible for vetting insights provided by engi- and social activism, techlash, regulation, physical one, with teens seeing their online neers, versus simply deferring to them. This advances in health tech and the impact of friendships as equally important as their includes engineers who are CEOs, whose emerging technologies such as AI, block- offline ones. Future-forward consumer numbers are growing. The best perform- chain, voice and more. brands are looking beyond bridging the an- ing CEOs are now more At our agency, we’re witnessing three new alog and digital world. They’re embracing a likely to have engineer- emerging trends that we believe will impact fully digital world as one where a growing ing degrees than MBAs, our tech sector clients in 2020 and beyond. number of teens feel most at home. according to Harvard Video games and immersive platforms Engineers who can communicate sim- Business Review. Mar- will be the new social channels, ascend- ply and authentically will be the new keters may want to fol- ing at a time when social status among the monarchs. Technology’s sophistication, low suit. children of Millennials—known as Genera- scale and interdependence has created a The media model of tion Alpha—is increasingly being driven by level of complexity so great that even the the future will be trust- their status in the digital versus the physi- engineers that create it don’t understand ed reporting with deep cal world. This isn’t just because gaming is it, a point that scientist and author Samuel expertise. This trend is Robin Kim dominating online chatter, or because more Arbesman called out in Overcomplicated: accelerating as audienc- than four in 10 Americans own a video Technology at the Limits of Comprehension. es convene in smaller, closed communities game console (with an equal percentage of This complexity is only increasing with and independent platforms. There are a adults playing them, by the way). the rise of machine learning, AI, quantum number of reasons for this, but one of the The breakout success of Fortnite, a free computing and cloud. more critical is related to trust and current game, made a history-setting $2.4 billion The challenge and risk this presents for perceptions of the media as polarizing. in 2018 from a revenue model based en- brands can’t be underestimated: when “The stakes are high as the media’s credi- tirely on microtransactions: most notably, stakeholders don’t understand how com- bility is being attacked, which is why it’s so costumes—known as skins—which players plex technologies function, they question important that the media make the right buy to enhance their online persona. Mi- the motives behind those technologies, and choices on what to cover and why,” said Jes- necraft is another indicator: its multiplayer the company’s ability to manage it. Today’s sica Lessin, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of community of 91 million players worldwide techlash against Silicon Valley illustrates in The Information, at her recent Subscriber was a driving factor in its $2.5 billion acqui- some part the consequences of this failure. Summit. sition by Microsoft in 2014. The net worth Complexity is the enemy of trust. It’s a trust equity that audiences are will- of YouTuber Joseph Garret, who makes It’s no longer enough for an organization’s ing to pay for, whether the editorial is or- Minecraft videos for his nine million sub- narrative to focus on what it does and why ganic or brand supported. The success of scribers under the name Stampylonghead, it does it. It’s critical to detail transparent- unbundled, highly tailored subscription is $14 million. ly, from the start, how it does it, along with media models is evidence of this. This trend comes amid shifts regarding how it’s mitigating against the unintended With the source of our information under what defines social status. For Baby Boom- consequences of its results. In other words, unprecedented scrutiny, the conversation ers and Gen X it was based on what you good technology isn’t good enough: the around fake news will also shift beyond owned, wore, or drove. For Millennials, it’s company must show how it is living up to Facebook and Twitter bashing toward hold- ing individuals accountable for ensuring Facebook closes UK books on data hack scandal the validity behind what they repost, like and share. For CEOs, the expectation goes acebook on Oct. 30 agreed to pay “Protecting people’s information and further as employees expect their leaders to $643,000 to Britain’s information com- privacy is a top priority for FB, and we are take a stand on major social and political Fmissioner’s office for its suspected continuing to build new controls to help issues. In a world where everyone is a con- failure to comply with UK data protection people protect and manage their informa- tent publisher and distributor, our reputa- principles covering lawful processing of tion,” he said in a statement. tion will be inseparably linked to our role as data and security. Kinmouth said FC will continue to co- shared stewards of the conversation. Even if The ICO in 2017 opened its investigation operate with the ICO’s wider and ongoing indirectly, we’re sources too. of FB allowing political data firm Cam- probe into the use of data analytics for po- Robin Kim is Practice Head, Global Tech- bridge Analytica to gain access to users’ litical purposes. nology & Innovation, at Ruder Finn, and data. In settling with the ICO, FB admitted James Dipple-Johnstone, ICO Deputy leads Ruder Finn’s global technology & in- no wrongdoing. Commissioner, is pleased to hear that “FB novation practice. Robin is a 20+ year se- Harry Kinmouth, FB’s Associate General has taken, and will continue to take, signif- nior technology veteran who has lived and Counsel, said the company wished it had icant steps to comply with the fundamental worked across 9 cities in the U.S., Europe and done more to investigate claims about CA principles of data protection.” the Middle East. She’s based in San Francis- in 2015. FB faces 11 privacy probes in Ireland.  co. 

WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | NOVEMBER 2019 31 FEATURE The ‘lopsided’ state of tech PR Tech companies are throwing unprecedented dollars at trade shows as a way to conduct PR, curry favor with prospective customers and grab as many sales leads as possible. But what about other stakeholders? Are you effectively telling them about how important your company and technology is to keep your stock value healthy? By Dan Garza roadly speaking, tech PR encompass- trade shows. He/she rounds up editors and Setting the stage means using contribut- es a long list of marketing activities, reporters as best as possible for interviews ed bylines to discuss customer challenges Bfrom product datasheets and briefs at the company’s booth. However, due to and issues that your company’s upcoming on up to trade shows. Media relations and busy editor schedules, lack of a conducive new products or tech- content marketing are sandwiched some- interviewing environment and ill prepared nologies will resolve. where in between. In most instances, Sil- company spokespersons, those scheduled Those new products icon Valley tech companies follow long interviews usually go awry, or at the least, and technologies are standing traditions when it comes to pro- prove ineffective. Certainly, your company the ones targeted to be moting and showing off their products and can get ink, but is it the right kind of ink? the big showstoppers at technologies. That practice is placing the What’s a PR pro to do? your next trade show. lion’s share of their marketing dollars and With all the attention on trade shows and Get your act together assets on trade shows and major events in the huge dollar outlays, what happens to This means organiz- an attempt to generate sales leads and sati- tech PR operations? What is the PR pro to ing a cadre of technol- ate the appetite for closing customer sales. do to get more management attention and ogy and product Subject Dan Garza Thousands upon thousands of dollars effectively get the word out? How do you Matter Experts to pro- are thrown at the most extravagant trade connect to key influencers such as: vide the necessary product and technology show booths. The bigger the event, the Prospective customers who don’t have information as the basis for those articles. more dollars are thrown at it. Silicon Valley travel budgets to attend tradeshows? Also, execs should be involved in such is fraught with major trade shows, and the Top tech executives who have a say in the a program to provide some very critical harried trade show manager for any given buying process but don’t have the time to thought leadership. tech company finishes one trade show and go to tradeshows? This is where you—the PR pro adept at immediately sets forth on making arrange- Engineering staffs that don’t attend trade- effective content marketing writing—steps ments for the next one (or two or three). shows, but are on the verge of transitioning in to orchestrate the overall program. As Generally, there’s virtually nothing else from one generation of a technology to the we say, this PR content marketing program in the arena of technology public relations, newer ones you’re launching? sets the stage for upcoming trade shows. but trade shows and a few periodic press re- What happens to the importance of com- You do that by creating your strategy and leases. Therein lies the state of lopsided tech municating a company’s detailed technolo- defining your article topics. Each and ev- PR. Or put another way, a large number of a gy story to all the influential stakeholders, ery one of those topics discusses custom- tech company’s influencers and stakehold- like investors, financial analysts, market er challenges and issues and lays out a few ers fail to get the word and are virtually left analysts, the technical press, the business solutions with the pros and cons of each. in the dark. From a business perspective, press? What happens or can happen? Executive thought leadership articles, that’s a bad place to keep them. In short, a tech company’s critical tech- meanwhile, are inextricably intertwined It’s also important to point out that lop- nology message that should be going in the with this on-going technology contributed sided PR is more in tune with company-ori- press goes into a black hole. But also, savvy article campaign to further fuel the solid ented marketing than customer-oriented. competitors see your absence and exploit barrage of marketing content being deliv- Some tech companies relish in hyping their it by using the trade press to one up your ered to customers and potential customers. products as a way to get their PR messaging technology approach to gain greater mar- In effect, these twin barrels of PR market- across to customers with little understand- ket favor. ing content educate the market and gener- ing that the customer wants technical an- You can be strategic about tradeshows if ate even greater customer interest, as well swers to his/her pressing new product and your top management wakes up to certain as convey an aura of technology leadership engineering design issues. opportunities. However, you have to gen- to other key influencers. Most stakeholders make it a point to at- tly nudge those top captains and do a show Your potential customers read your con- tend trade shows to learn about the most and tell regarding how an effective PR and tributed articles in print and online publi- recent product and technology trends. Un- content marketing program can pay big cations to learn more about the technical fortunately for them, in many instances dividends at those trade shows. It’s called product issues they face. If they don’t get a they’re not getting the full story. The reason being strategic with your PR operations. chance to read your articles, they’ll readily is because, generally speaking, attendees If you’re going to throw big bucks at one, find them on Google, Bing or some other get a shallow sales and marketing pitch to two or three major trade shows annually, search engine. By taking this route, you in- get the best customer leads possible. Often, complement that herculean marketing ef- crease your chances of making your trade sales and marketing pitches are right off a fort with a modest budget for a sustained show a greater success because attendees data sheet with a litany of product benefits. PR and content marketing program fo- will have read your articles and have a bet- However, those pitches are generally emp- cused on contributed byline technical ar- ter understanding of how you’ll be helping ty of in-depth system application details or ticles in the trade press. Not just random him/her to resolve their next generation technical applications tutorial. byline articles, but strategically developed technology issues. Certainly, the PR pro shores up that ones that set the stage for more effective Dan Garza is a marketing PR professional shortfall by playing a supplemental role at trade shows. and veteran observer of Silicon Valley PR. 

32 NOVEMBER 2019 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM Top strategies for tech startups In order to increase visibility among key audiences and maximize ROI, technology startups require a comprehensive PR strategy that adequately communicates the company’s story and success. By Cindi Goodsell ew things can put a tech startup on months for an article to be published. applications and highlights how the com- the map more effectively than credible Earned media requires patience from firms pany’s products and services are differen- Fearned media resulting from a concert- who may be used to the instant gratifica- tiated. The company can also help prove ed public relations program. tion paid advertising brings. claims by providing interesting statistics In today’s competitive business environ- Communicators need time to put a strat- and working with customers to make them ment, startups can fail because not enough egy in place to market the company’s sto- advocates. investors and customers know about them ry and to find success with both long- and Nurture affinity groups and what they bring to the marketplace. short-lead targets. PR teams have to be Startups can rely on Finding the right communications strategy crystal clear with C-level executives re- their communications can help a startup build press-worthy news garding the overall message and course of partners to actively en- that increases visibility among many key action. gage trade and meet-up audiences, distinguishes its brand in the Cast a wide net groups that can help put marketplace, attracts investors and spurs Sure, tech startups are focused on them on the map and subsequent growth. the New York Times, TechCrunch and oth- spread the word. There While a story in the right media outlet er A-list media outlets. But pitching the are plenty of opportu- can certainly be a great benefit, it’s not what broadest reach publications without ap- nities for startups to makes a brand. Reputation takes time and proaching those that speak directly to the develop new business investment—and comes with repetition— company’s buying audience isn’t strategic partnerships, and culti- Cindi Goodsell which is why the right strategy is key. thinking. vating relationships is an To maximize ROI on their communica- A robust program includes not just busi- effective way to expand their footprint and tions investment, startups need a strategy ness media outlets focusing on the big pic- engage with like-minded people. that encompasses media relations, thought ture of the technology, but also technology PR brings a 360-degree perspective to leadership, social and digital media, stra- verticals that focus on more granular cov- startups and helps them communicate their tegic messaging and content marketing. erage of solutions, niche web sites con- way to success. It usually won’t begin with It’s hard work and—as many startups have centrating on emerging technologies and a feature in the Wall Street Journal. By ex- learned—it’s not a simple, do-it-yourself markets, and even influential bloggers who ploring all media channels and using them effort. are able to introduce the brand to a much appropriately, startups can steadily build With that in mind, here are a few things wider audience. toward major media coverage. technology startups should consider to en- Demonstrate real-world impact This takes alignment, trust, inclusion, sure they add value: Earlier-stage companies without brand- partnership, investment and patience on Set realistic expectations name investors or meaningful visibility are both sides of the client-agency relationship. Expecting immediate returns on in- easily overlooked. To increase the odds of Cindi Goodsell is a Director at Harden vestment can be an occupational hazard. success, it’s crucial they rely on commu- Communications Partners, a Stanton Agen- Sometimes it takes many tries to capture nications expertise to help them develop cy, where she’s focused on technology and a reporter’s attention, as well as weeks or messaging that explains their real-world healthcare clients.  Amazon gains in U.S. search ad revenues

Google’s share of the U.S. search ad market is expected to shrink in percent of the U.S. search ad market (or the coming years, while number-two search ad platform Amazon’s about $7.09 billion). share is expected to grow, according to eMarketer figures. eMarketer predicts Amazon search rev- enue share will continue to climb, gaining By Jon Gingerich an additional 30 percent in 2020 (to $9.27 oogle dominates the U.S. search ad expected to account for 73.1 percent of that billion) and 26 percent in 2021 (to $11.70 market, but the search giant’s current total, or about $40.33 billion. billion). Gshare of search ad revenues is expect- Google’s share of the U.S. digital ad mar- The Internet’s largest retailer, which is ed to dip within the coming years while ket is slipping, however. The search giant currently the number-two search ad plat- Amazon’s will rise, according to the latest is expected to take 37.2 percent of all U.S. form, surpassed Microsoft last year, which ad spending forecast by digital market re- digital ad spends this year (or about $48.05 now ranks number-three for search, with search company eMarketer. billion) representing a dip from 2018’s 38.2 about 6.5 percent of the market. Verizon Overall, the U.S. search ad market will percent. Google’s overwhelming share of Media ranks number-four with two per- grow nearly 18 percent this year to total the paid-search market is also expected to cent. Yelp rounds out the top five at 1.8 more than $55 billion, according to eMar- drop, slipping to an estimated 70.5 percent percent. keter’s report, which includes search ad by 2021. Amazon in July was ranked the top dig- spending on desktop and laptop comput- Amazon, meanwhile, will see its search ital media platform in terms of perceived ers, as well as mobile phones, table and oth- ad revenues grow nearly 30 percent this ROI among advertisers, according to data er Internet-connected devices. Google is year from 2018, accounting for nearly 13 from Pivotal Research Group. 

WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | NOVEMBER 2019 33 O’Dwyer’s guide to TECHNOLOGY COMMUNICATIONS

5W PUBLIC Allison+Partners’ approach to technology evolves as quickly as RELATIONS the industry itself. Our strategies based on years of experience are 230 Park Ave., 32nd Floor coupled with the ever-changing New York, NY 10169 212/999-5585 landscape of media and influence Fax: 646/328-1711 to ensure our clients capture mind- [email protected] share and own their categories. As www.5wpr.com part of our early YouTube work, we helped create the very notion of Ronn D. Torossian, President & online influence, and in the years CEO Dara Busch, Matthew Caiola, since, our global tech teams remain Executive Vice Presidents at the forefront of the influence ecosystem supporting the likes of Since 2003, New York City- Google, Amazon, Autodesk, Tera- based 5W Public Relations (5WPR) data and Visa. has worked with widely known and Technology shapes culture, and emerging brands, corporations and in turn, culture impacts how we high-profile individuals. We have a use both established and emerging 360-degree approach to PR, social technologies. Our efforts are in- media, branding and digital mar- formed by today’s trends, coupled keting that delivers game-changing with real-time research, that allow results to our clients. us to drive impactful business re- Our Tech Practice, whose clients sults. Whether an established con- range from unicorns and Fortune sumer brand, a B2B powerhouse 50’s across all verticals including or an ingredient brand looking to ARPR’s Sr. Leadership Team: SVP of Analytics & Digital Marketing Renee FinTech, eCommerce, AdTech, break new ground, our team has Spurlin, SVP of Client Service Evan Goldberg, CEO & Founder Anna Ruth HRTech, B2C and B2B SAAS, is been there before and can lend Williams, and Chief Operations and People Officer Blair Broussard. grounded in an entrepreneurial, ag- deep expertise to guarantee mea- ile, high-octane culture, an ideal fit surable and meaningful success. sistently lands us on national and better world. for technology companies seeking local Best Places to Work lists. Our team of senior communi- visibility and relevance in today’s cation consultants has experience fast growing digital world. ARPR BEEHIVE working with national and regional The core of our success is our technology brands like Microsoft, unmatched ability to distill the 675 Ponce de Leon Ave. NE STRATEGIC Fit Bit and Davenport Group. complexities of a client’s offering Suite 9800 COMMUNICATION and convey it in ways that are both Atlanta, GA 30308 BERLINROSEN comprehensible and compelling 855/300-8209 [email protected] 1021 Bandana Blvd East — creating messages that resonate 15 Maiden Lane, Suite 1600 with all stakeholders. We under- www.arpr.com Suite 226 Saint Paul, MN 55108 New York, NY 10038 stand that the technology doesn’t Anna Ruth Williams, CEO 651/789-2232 always drive the story and build Blair Broussard, Chief People & [email protected] Jonathan Rosen, Principal and programs that integrate corporate Operations Officer Co-Founder positioning and profiling, fund- Renee Spurlin, Senior Vice Lisa Hannum, President & CEO Valerie Berlin, Principal and Co- raising announcements, product President, Analytics & Digital Nicki Gibbs, EVP, Strategy Founder Marketing Becky McNamara, CFO Mike Rabinowitz, Managing launches, C-Suite visibility pro- Director grams, industry and analyst com- Evan Goldberg, Senior Vice Ayme Zemke, SVP, Client Services President, Client Service Dan Levitan, Executive Vice munications, speaking opportuni- Beehive Strategic Communica- President ties, digital/performance marketing ARPR is an award-winning tech tion is an independent, strategic Heather Resnicoff, Senior Vice and issues/crisis PR management. communication firm, a certified B President Clients include: The Trade Desk, PR agency representing cybersecu- Shruti Sehgal, Vice President rity, FinTech, cloud and HealthIT Corporation and Women’s Busi- N26, AvidXchange, ironSource, ness Enterprise. Our clients trust Zeta Global, Xaxis, Captify, Un- brands. From Day 1 we’ve existed Named the #1 most powerful PR to fill a deep void in specialized us to solve complex business chal- firm in the nation by the Observer, dertone, CareerBuilder, Airhelp, lenges using the power of commu- Avant and Payoneer. subject matter expertise and to BerlinRosen is a full-service stra- bring consistency to the integration nication to get better results. tegic communications firm. With ALLISON+ of media relations, content market- Beehive’s services range from offices across NY, DC and LA, ing, social media and demand gen- workplace culture and employee the firm’s burgeoning technology PARTNERS eration. As such, ARPR is unique- engagement to brand positioning, and innovation practice represents ly built to strategize and execute earned media and digital market- some of the biggest newsmakers 40 Gold Street multi-channel marketing commu- ing, to crisis and issues manage- defining the future of technology, San Francisco, CA 94133 nication campaigns that make our ment. We work nationally and finance, work, education, environ- www.allisonpr.com client reputations thrive and their globally with leading brands in ment and urban innovation. sales pipelines prosper. Driving our technology, health care, financial BerlinRosen’s client portfolio Jordan Fischler, Managing Panorama Approach is our team, services, education and retail, as includes leading global brands Director, Consumer Technology well as others who are committed Karyn Barr, Managing Director, aka the Army of Awesome, whose Samsung, Bloomberg Media, Al- B2B Technology collective energy and passion con- to building better businesses for a phabet’s Sidewalk Labs, Lyft, Citi

3434 APRILNOVEMBER 2015 2019 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | ADVERTISING | ADVERTISING SECTION SECTION 34 NOVEMBER 2019 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM w Profiles of Technology PR Firms monBond, Arcadia Power, EVgo, bradfordgroup.com BROWNSTEIN Convene, URBAN-X, Motivate, [email protected] Storyful, Coord and Eaze. GROUP Jeff Bradford, CEO BOSPAR Gina Gallup, EVP & COO 215 South Broad Street Philadelphia, PA 19107 215/735-3470 Locations in San Francisco, LA, Tech firms in the Heartland turn brownsteingroup.com Orange County, Chicago and the to the Bradford Group for public [email protected] Washington, D.C. area. relations services. We understand

415/913-7528 the unique challenges faced by Marc Brownstein, President and [email protected] non-coastal tech firms – such as CEO @BosparPR being taken seriously by national Erin Allsman, Managing Director Chris Boehlke, Curtis Sparrer, technology and business journal- Tom Carpenter, Principals ists and having access to “smart” At Brownstein Group, our tech Tricia Heinrich, Chief Content capital that understands and sup- PR practice is strategic yet diver- Officer ports technology business models. sified, with a comprehensive un- We specialize in translating be- derstanding of technology trends Hey — can we talk to you for a tween old and new worldviews and and a changing media landscape. second? drawing national attention to tech- Our outcome-driven approach— Yeah — you — the person read- nological advances from often-ig- supported by an integrated team ing these descriptions. nored parts of the country. Our tech spanning traditional and digital Is it us or does this copy all seem industry expertise spans bio-tech- channels—has delivered meaning- the same? nology, healthcare technology, le- ful results for technology clients We bet nearly every agen- gal technology, fintech, artificial in AEC, fintech, transportation, cy description says “we’re intelligence, eCommerce tools, materials sciences and beyond. award winning” and “tech analytics, encryption tools and Whether our clients are launching a blah, blah, blah” and you’re more. For these clients we provide product, hosting a brand activation, left wondering: who do I pick? a wide range of public relations or looking to better communicate Jeff Bradford, CEO of the Bradford Here’s our advice: pick an agency and marketing services, including their story, we work to generate Group. that is the right size to care about publicity, thought leadership, con- big headlines and meet ambitious you passionately with the right tent creation, SEO, social media, growth objectives. Our expertise team to get it done. inbound marketing and more. To and Virgin Hyperloop One, mis- spans category leaders including We of course think that’s us! get the attention your tech business sion-driven organizations General Lyft, Saint-Gobain, DuPont Soro- Bospar was named PRWeek’s Out- deserves, get the Bradford Group. na, ACI Speedpay and more. Assembly and Per Scholas; start- standing Boutique agency for the ups and incubators New Lab and second year in a row, because we URBAN-X and dozens of others. offer the best of big and small. Drawing from its political roots, Like a big agency, Bospar has BerlinRosen brings a unique cam- seasoned professionals across the paign-style approach to strategic country, based in San Francisco, communications and public rela- Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, tions for clients in the technology Orange County, San Diego, New space, combining nimble expert York, and Washington, D.C. Its strategy and execution with the content department provides blog creativity, agility and speed of a posts, case studies, ghost-written startup. articles, messaging, positioning, Technology expertise areas in- press releases, social media con- clude: tent, website copy, infographics, • Corporate strategy and narra- research projects and videos. tive development But like a boutique, you will get • Crisis management attention from the most senior staff • New market entries and indus- and a team of people who have try recategorization worked together for years. • Executive thought leadership, Bospar’s staff includes journal- speech-writing and message devel- ists who know how to reverse-en- opment gineer media coverage from a cli- • B2C and B2B product and ser- ent’s needs and provide intensive vice launches media training with an insider’s • Fundraising milestones and an- perspective. Bospar supports its nouncements media efforts with analyst and in- • Conferences, Tradeshows and fluencer relations, customer and Events third-party relations, case histo- • High-impact media relations ries and speaking and awards pro- across all major technology mar- grams. The agency’s specialty is kets in the U.S. driving coverage from the likes of • Digital, creative, social and ABC to the Wall Street Journal. other paid media or advertising services Technology clients include Sam- THE BRADFORD sung, Citi, Alphabet’s Sidewalk GROUP Labs, Bloomberg Media, Lyft, Cor- nell Tech, Barnard College, Virgin 2115 Yeaman Place, #210 Hyperloop One, Intersection, Gen- Nashville, TN 37206 Bospar’s team of professionals are where you need them: San Francisco, eral Assembly, Per Scholas, Com- 615/515-4888 Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and San Diego.

ADVERTISING SECTION | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | NOVEMBER 2019 35 WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | NOVEMBER 2019 35 Profiles of Technology/ PR Firms Through a pledge to “think wider,” Henry Feintuch, President the agency skillfully blends the au- Doug Wright, Senior Account thenticity of a public relations firm, Director the creativity of an advertising agency and the accountability of a We “heart” tech PR. We’ve been digital shop to innovate, influence doing it for decades and all with an and achieve as one agency for an eye towards delivering business re- enviable portfolio of technology sults. and B2B clients. Our buyer-centric Our senior-led team helps start- approach delivers impact-centered ups, rapidly growing firms and campaigns through a deep under- established enterprises to have standing of our clients and their conversations with marketplace in- customers, and the triggers that fluencers, customers and prospects cause the need for client products about their products, services and and services. Fahlgren Mortine corporate values. We do that with delivers the full range of services journalistic sensibilities and solid required for success in today’s business experience. multi-channel world, including Preparing to launch a break- branding, public and analyst rela- through ad technology? Planning tions, media planning and buying, the introduction of advanced tech- content marketing, social media nologies for e-commerce? Looking strategy and management, adver- to get industry analyst feedback on Fahlgren Mortine’s annual B2B Peer Summit engages clients and indus- tising and digital development. an enterprise mobile app? Or ex- try thought leaders on forward-looking trends and topics. Core areas of technology experi- plain to shareholders or prospective ence: logistics, data center, soft- investors why a security technolo- ware. gy, biotech development, retail tech CATAPULT PR EDELMAN enhancement or fintech algorithm

may impact the market or change 6560 Gunpark Dr., Suite C 250 Hudson St., 16th Flr. FEINTUCH the world? Is your new green tech- Boulder, CO 80301 New York, NY 10013 nology gearing up to challenge the 212/768-0550 303/581-7760 COMMUNICATIONS status quo? Are you aiming to ex- Fax: 303/581-7762 Fax: 212/704-0117 www.edelman.com pand your marketing to a global [email protected] 245 Park Ave., 39th Fl. www.catapultpr-ir.com stage? Sanjay Nair, Global Tech Chair New York, NY 10167 We thrive on helping organi- 212/808-4901 Terri Douglas, Co-Founder & zations to address their business Edelman is a leading global [email protected] Principal www.feintuchcommunications.com communications challenges and communications marketing firm www.PRWorldAlliance.com position themselves to succeed in Catapult PR blends strategy, that partners with many of the industry knowledge, execution world’s largest and emerging busi- and strategic narrative building to nesses and organizations, helping help B2B technology companies them evolve, promote and protect drive market-leading positions. their brands and reputations. Edel- Catapult’s formalized approach man owns specialty firms Edelman incorporates its proven Strategic Intelligence (research) and United Narrative Marketing framework, Entertainment Group (entertain- combines positioning and messag- ment, sports, experiential), a joint ing, aggressive media and industry venture with United Talent Agen- analyst relations, social media and cy. content marketing into a compre- hensive strategy designed to help FAHLGREN companies become true market leaders. Its Strategic Narrative MORTINE Marketing process begins with a full-day workshop and provides 4030 Easton Station tech firms with the tools to define Suite 300 and own new or existing market Columbus, OH 43219 categories. The firm is expert at co- www.fahlgrenmortine.com [email protected] ordinating and executing high-im- 614/383-1500 pact company/product launches. Twitter: @FahlgrenMortine Catapult has deep knowledge in all major vertical markets, including Aaron Brown, EVP, B2B extensive experience in DevOps, [email protected] agile software development, ap- 614/383-1608 plication development, cloud, big Dennis Brown, SVP, Technology data, commercial wireless and [email protected] 614.383.1609 enterprise platforms that disrupt Julie Exner, SVP, Technology market norms. Catapult’s success [email protected] stems from its personal and pro- 614.383.1632 fessional service, along with part- ner-level account involvement and Fahlgren Mortine is one of the In October 2019, Feintuch Communications helped produce a global strategy. It is the preferred agency nation’s largest integrated commu- webinar as part of the Virtual Island Summit for its cleantech client, for technology companies looking nications companies, ranking #17 ­Leclanché. Thousands of participants from Island nations worldwide for both strategy and execution. on O’Dwyer’s list of U.S. PR firms. participated.

36 NOVEMBER 2019 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | ADVERTISING SECTION 36 NOVEMBER 2019 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM Profiles of Technology PR Firms the marketplace. Our programs are FIRECRACKER PR lot, Pantech, PanAmSat, Oovoo, HIGHWIRE PR designed to deliver business ROI, Clicktale, Lucent, Mellanox, Nice not just press clippings and status 1800 E Lambert Rd., Suite 106 Systems, Hospital IQ, BlockSafe, San Francisco Office: reports. We welcome the oppor- Brea, CA 92821 Xpertdoc, and Rollins College. 727 Sansome St., Suite 100 tunity to partner with you to grow 888/317-4687 Fusion has solid relationships with San Francisco, CA 94111 your business. www.firecrackerpr.com VCs; Jerusalem Venture Partners [email protected] [email protected] is among the firms that regular- www.highwirepr.com FINN PARTNERS ly bring our team their portfolio Firecracker PR helps you get companies. 10 W. Hubbard St. known, period. We are relentlessly Chicago IL 60654 301 East 57th St. focused on getting you media cov- New York, NY 10022 erage. Our proven 5-step process GREENOUGH 8 W. 38th St., Suite 1200 212/715-1600 New York, NY 10018 www.finnpartners.com — “Ignites” — has helped numer- BRAND ous technology companies rapidly 142 Berkeley Street, 4th Floor Brian Sinderson, Senior Partner scale their awareness from Day 1. STORYTELLERS Boston, MA 02116 New York/East Coast Benefit from our team’s experi- 415/963-4174 Brian.Sinderson@FinnPartners. ence in blending PR, SEO, social One Brook Street com Watertown, MA 02472 media and content marketing into 617/275-6500 Emily Borders, Carol Carrubba, Margaret Hoerster, Senior Partner one powerful campaign. Kathleen Gratehouse, Principals Chicago/Midwest www.greenough.biz Companies we have worked [email protected] Margaret.Hoerster@FinnPartners. Established in 2008, Highwire com with include Fujitsu, SRI Inter- national, Boeing, HP, Microsoft, Phil Greenough, CEO PR is a tech communications Jeff Seedman, Senior Partner agency built on the promise of San Francisco/West Coast D-Link, TP-LINK, Beyond Lim- Scott Bauman, EVP/GM [email protected] its, Sparkcentral and many others. delivering creative, results-ori- Flora Haslam, Managing Partner Today, technology buyers are ented communications programs London/Europe moved by stories about what they for companies ranging from For- [email protected] FUSION PUBLIC can do with technology, not tech- tune-50 corporations to mid-size Goel Jasper, Managing Partner RELATIONS nical specs. For two decades since tech leaders and innovative start- Jerusalem/Israel our founding, Greenough has per- ups. Our team, which now includes [email protected] fected brand storytelling, leading Inner Circle Labs, is composed of Yin Ching Yeap, Managing Partner 1177 6th Ave., 5th Floor New York, NY 10036 with the what and why behind veteran communicators and former Singapore/Asia Pacific enterprise solutions, mobile appli- [email protected] 212/651-4200 journalists with technology indus- [email protected] cations, IT security, robotics and try knowledge spanning enterprise, With more than 150 profession- https://www.fusionpr.com/ more. consumer, digital health, financial als across three continents, Finn Whether a decision-maker with- technology and security across of- Partners is the third-largest tech- Jordan Chanofsky, Founder and in an enterprise is considering fices in San Francisco, Chicago, nology agency in the world. With CEO technology for marketing analyt- New York and Boston. Bob Geller, President ics, HR or financial operations or a senior technology professionals Olga Shmuklyer, Senior Vice Having recently completed our in the U.S., Europe, and Asia, the President consumer is researching a device, 10th year, Highwire’s mission has firm enjoys strong global growth it’s always the story that drives an persevered: to deliver creative, re- and thrives as the agency’s largest Fusion Public Relations is a action. sults-oriented PR programs and practice area. bi-coastal boutique public rela- We use brand journalism to un- establish a nurturing environment Today’s technology trends are tions agency that specializes in cover and deliver compelling sto- for individuals to grow their ca- disrupting and altering the way we B2C and B2B tech. Founded in ries across earned, owned and paid reers. To partner with a company, engage in the world of business, 2000 and headquartered in New channels. As designated reporters we must have a passion for the completely changing the dynam- York City, Fusion PR stands out for your brand, we bring stories to business, relevant experience in ics across all verticals. We support for its unusual and eclectic team life by sifting through the market- the market, and excitement for the our clients to address trends like comprising people with back- ing hype to extract what’s authen- story. We build on this strong foun- 5G connectivity, artificial intelli- grounds in engineering and soft- tic and most compelling to quali- dation by involving senior level PR gence, industry 4.0, the gig econo- ware as well as the sciences, sales, fied buyers. experts in everything from strategy my, virtual and augmented reality, journalism, and business. Our “reporting” uncovers cli- to tactical implementation. machine learning, robotic process The Fusion PR team understands ent stories and perspectives that automation, and blockchain. complex industries and products are routinely featured where their THE HOFFMAN The technology revolution im- and turns dense tech and techni- buyers go for education and vali- pacts every single company — cre- cal content into compelling sto- dation: CIO, TechTarget, Venture- AGENCY ating the TechEffect. The TechEf- ries that earn online attention and Beat and other technology trades fect impacts big technology giants media coverage. Some of the tech as well as vertical publications. 325 S. First St.,Third Floor that need to transform and articu- segments served include cyber- We turn client spokespeople into San Jose, CA 95113 late their relevance. It touches hot security, telecommunications, in- credible sources who appear regu- 408/286-2611 new startups that must demonstrate surance, fintech, adtech, proptech, larly in national, trade, vertical and [email protected] [email protected] their potential, establish credibil- web/e-commerce, mobile, CE, en- local media. Our campaigns go beyond Twitter: @DailyBrew ity, and communicate a new value tertainment, blockchain, medtech, www.Hoffman.com/tech-pr/ proposition. The TechEffect also and femtech. earned media, delivering clients’ www.storytelling-techniques.com impacts non-tech companies that In the last several years, the unique value propositions through need to act like technology brands agency provided PR support owned and paid media as well. Lou Hoffman, CEO by sharing unique stories that un- that helped more than 20 clients If, for example, we successfully Syreeta Mussante, Mng. Dir. North derscore how they use technology achieve successful exits; two cli- “newsjack” a client expert into a America Caroline Hsu, Mng. Dir., Asia in new, innovative ways. ents have remained with the firm business feature, we’ll also turn those insights into a contributed Pacific No matter the type of company, to this day despite new ownership Mark Pinsent, Mng. Dir., Europe you need world-class, seasoned (Valen Analytics which sold to In- piece and promote through tar- Lydia Lau, VP of Global Operations communications professionals who surity and Plarium which was ac- geted social. From story to inter- have the ability to grasp the tech- quired by Aristocrat for $500M). est and interest to affinity, we tell With expertise that spans digi- nology landscape and deliver da- Other clients have included Pana- brand stories that move audiences ta-driven business impact. sonic, Motorola, Amdocs, Al- to act. _ Continued on page 38

ADVERTISING SECTION | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | NOVEMBER 2019 37 Profiles of Technology PR Firms tional focus on the financial side — ICR security and IoT. ICR maintains THE HOFFMAN AGENCY measuring account people based offices in New York, Connecticut, _Continued from page 37 on their “billability” — the firm 685 Third Ave Boston, Baltimore, San Diego, San adheres to the belief that if you New York, NY 10017 Francisco and Beijing. deliver great work to the client, 646-277-1200 Clients: HARMAN (wholly financial performance will follow. [email protected] owned subsidiary of Samsung Elec- tal, content marketing, and thought This fosters a culture of personal www.icrinc.com tronics), Mobileye (an Intel Com- leadership as well as traditional PR, accountability and ownership, and pany), Acoustic, (formerly IBM The Hoffman Agency knows how an environment in which everyone Bo Park, Partner & Head of Watson Marketing), Cardlytics, to differentiate brands and deliv- is valued for their contribution. Technology PR FLEETCOR Technologies, Zoom, er air cover for sales. With a her- Kevin McLaughlin, Managing Dynatrace, OSRAM, TechStyle itage in the tech sector, the firm’s Director Fashion Group and ZoomInfo. HOTWIRE Matt Lindberg, Senior Vice award-winning work today pushes President the boundaries of B2B and con- Katie Creaser, Senior Vice sumer communications. 45 East 20th Street IDEA GROVE 10th Floor President For clients with global needs, the Alexis Blais, Vice President New York, NY 10003 14800 Quorum Dr., #320 company operates its own offices in 646/738-8960 Asia Pacific, Europe and the United ICR brings equal parts business Dallas, TX 75254 States. Unlike traditional agencies acumen, technology expertise and 972/235-3439 222 Kearny Street 844/235-3439 handicapped by their siloed struc- Suite 400 media savvy to every account, [email protected] ture, The Hoffman Agency applies San Francisco, CA 94108 for clients spanning all business www.ideagrove.com a collaborative approach to imple- 415/840-2790 stages – from startups seeking to menting multi-country campaigns, raise additional capital, growth Scott Baradell, Founder & CEO leveraging content and thinking Barbara Bates, Global CEO companies with IPOs on the hori- Heather Kernahan, President, John Lacy, President & COO across geographies with a sin- North America & Australia zon, organizations investing in Etta Goss, CFO gle-point-contact for clients. Built Andy West, Group Chief M&A, businesses in the throws of Katie Long, VP/Account Service on the firm’s cultural foundation of Development Officer digital transformation, and pub- Liz Cies, VP/Public Relations teamwork and trust, this approach lic companies seeking to elevate Megan Chesterton, Creative consistently generates better re- Hotwire, the global communica- their brands. Comprised of for- Director tions agency, helps CMOs better Jarrett Rush, Content Director sults. mer Wall Street analysts working Brittany McLaughlin, Traci Scott, While campaigns vary by client engage and connect with their cus- alongside seasoned PR agency and Account Directors and industry, all share one theme: tomers. From Sydney to San Fran- in-house communications experts, Britt Ervin, Social Media Director the creation of content that reflects cisco, we operate with a border- ICR offers a unique combination the key tenets of storytelling. This less mind-set across 33 locations of experience, contacts, and skills As a PR and marketing firm in means developing narratives that including North America (US and that helps technology companies Dallas, Texas, with an international prompt journalists to write and tar- Mexico), UK, France, Germany, generate the types of stories that roster of B2B technology clients, get audiences to read — a far cry Spain, Italy and Australia, togeth- both capture mind share and grow Idea Grove specializes in building from the “corporate speak” that er with exclusive partners Yellow market share. Embracing a roll-up authority for your brand in ways satisfies internal stakeholders. The Communications in the Nether- your sleeves approach from senior that other agencies don’t. We bring firm also conducts storytelling lands and Belgium, Active DMC members to associates, the team together every form of third-party workshops that orient Hoffman in the Middle East and VIANEWS delivers results for clients across validation — including media cov- employees and client stakeholders in Brazil, as well as other affiliate a range of sectors, including Ar- erage, word of mouth, case studies, around this shared goal. partners. We also have an exclu- tificial Intelligence, Automotive customer reviews, search author- Even on the operations side, The sive partnership with The Hoffman Technology, Digital Payments & ity, paid editorial and influencer Hoffman Agency walks to a differ- Agency to collaborate in eight cit- Ecommerce, Fintech, Martech & endorsement — to propel your ent drummer. Eschewing the tradi- ies across Asia. Adtech, Data & Analytics, Cyber- company’s narrative and establish your market reputation. Then, we transform that brand authority into industry leadership through highly focused amplification to your cus- tomers, prospects and other key audiences. Idea Grove takes the time to understand your business, your competition and—most impor- tantly—your buyers. We use this foundation to create PR campaigns that generate buzz, websites that attract eyeballs, and marketing programs that deliver measurable ROI. We execute our innovative, comprehensive programs utilizing our unique blend of award-win- ning capabilities, including an experienced account team, B2B tech content specialists, in-house multimedia development, in-house video production and more. Idea Grove exclusively focus- es on B2B technology clients. We We’re connected via email, chat and phone every day, but we really appreciate collaborating face-to-face. And have experience in industries rang- what better excuse for a coffee run than when colleagues from Hoffman’s Washington office come down to HQ ing from hyperconverged infra- in San Jose? structure to marketing technology,

38 NOVEMBER 2019 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | ADVERTISING SECTION 38 NOVEMBER 2019 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM Profiles of Technology PR Firms AI, blockchain, augmented reality Our average client engagement and communications. is 6+ years, reflecting Ketner The Karbo Com team has Group’s ability to build lasting worked extensively with both B2B client relationships and exceed ex- and consumer tech companies, pectations. including Apple, eBay Advertis- Writers at our core, we create ing, NerdWallet, TIBCO, The IoT content and manage media rela- World Conference, Equinix, Cisco, tions to ensure consistent organic AppDynamics, Defense.Net, Go- pickup. And because we’re experts Daddy, Fox Digital apps, Airbnb, in storytelling, we’re able to create 8th Wall, Oracle, Hootsuite and In- angles and individualized pitches tel. Our clients range from stealth that editors love, driving cover- startups to billion-dollar global age for our clients as a result. The brands. When it’s make or break, Ketner team is connected to key you want the best. You want a team media, analysts and influencers, that’s seen it all, yet knows the lat- who consistently open doors for est and greatest trends, technolo- our clients. We are fearless, cre- gies and tools. At Karbo Com, we ative and proud to be an extension have a track record of delivering of our clients’ teams, helping their revenues, industry-leading stature, efforts to differentiate themselves partners and funding. in the market, support sales cycles The Karbo Com Content Studio team filming a customer case study video Current Clients: Logitech, TIB- and generate brand awareness. showcasing a client’s work in Ang Lee’s film, Gemini Man. CO, Hootsuite, Penguin Comput- Ketner Group is headquartered ing, 500 Startups, Clearsurance, in Austin, with offices in New UC to RPA, smart speakers to 3D move innovation and culture for- Pigeon, Megaport, The Tylt, RTI York and Nashville. A selection of printing, PaaS to IoT. This domain ward. We were founded in 2007 (Real-Time Innovations), TDK, Ketner Group clients includes Ad- expertise has enabled us to develop and are one of the fastest growing Harmony Helper, TicketSocket, lucent, Mercatus, Kibo, Theatro, a highly specialized offering that agencies in the country. Find us in NTT and Project Text. Shopgate, Symphony RetailAI, spans all of the things we do. the real world in Boston, New York GK Software, NGC, and Elo. Clients Include: Amazon, Bri- and San Francisco, and in the digi- erley+Partners, Chrome River, tal one at www.inkhouse.com. KETNER GROUP Compass Datacenters, Digital De- Client shortlist: Bain Capital COMMUNICATIONS KIVVIT fense, DreamHost, K2View, NEC, Ventures, Blume Global, Carbon Nimbix, Pivot3, Reflect Systems, Black, Cockroach Labs, Confluent, 222 W. Merchandise Mart Plaza 3737 Executive Center Drive Suite 2400 Sabre, Stanford University, Vertex- Datto, Forter, Fuze, Nutanix, Okta, Suite 210 Chicago, IL 60654 One and WorkFusion Raytheon, Recorded Future, Sales- Austin, TX 78731 312/664-0153 force, Talespin, TransferWise and ketnergroup.com www.kivvit.com Xerox @KetnerGroupPR [email protected] INKHOUSE 512/794-8876 Jeff Ketner, CEO Maggie Moran, Eric Sedler, 260 Charles St., Suite 200 KARBO [email protected] Managing Partners Waltham, MA 02453 COMMUNICATIONS Catherine Seeds, President 781/966-4100 [email protected] Kivvit is a nationally recognized 157 Columbus Avenue, Suite 512 data-driven strategic communica- 550 Montgomery Street 601 Fourth St., Suite 204 New York, NY 10023 tions and public affairs firm with Suite 450 San Francisco, CA 94107 Adrienne Newcomb, Director, offices in Chicago, New York, San Francisco, CA 94111 415/255-6510 New York New Jersey, Miami, Boston, and 415/299-6600 [email protected] www.karbocom.com [email protected] Washington, D.C.. Kivvit prides itself on being a strategic advisor 199 Water Street Additional offices in New York City, 901 Woodland St., Suite 104 Floor 34 to organizations with big ideas and Los Angeles, Seattle and Redwood Nashville, TN 37206 complex challenges. New York, NY 10038 City Kirsty Goodlett, Director, 646/975-5142 Nashville Kivvit is defining the agency of www.inkhouse.com Julie Karbo, Founder & CEO [email protected] the future. We don’t have silos. We Twitter: @InkHousePR integrate our full suite of data-driv- [email protected] Karbo Communications is a top- Our clients are reshaping the en advertising and strategic com- ranked technology PR and digital world we live in—using technolo- munications capabilities across Beth Monaghan, CEO & Co- teams. Our holistic approach com- Founder, [email protected] marketing agency that delivers gy to solve real business challeng- Jason Morris, President, sales and market leadership. With es—and they trust Ketner Group to bines analytics, technology, and [email protected] Karbo Com, you don’t get bench tell their stories. Founded 30 years content to produce hyper-targeted Alison Morra, EVP & General players. You get the industry’s top ago, Ketner Group Communica- campaign plans that shape public Manager, Boston, marketing and PR teams working tions is nationally recognized as opinion, impact public policy, and [email protected] with you every day, whether it’s the trusted PR firm for attractive enhance business outcomes. Our Nicole Bestard, EVP & General developing compelling position- B2B2C technology companies that relentless focus on measurement Manager, New York, ing, placing your company in top have the potential for market lead- means that our work maximizes [email protected] ership. Core capabilities include results and achieves tangible goals Dan O’Mahony, EVP & General media, producing influential con- Manager, San Francisco, dan@ tent, growing an active influencer strategy and messaging, public for our clients. inkhouse.com and social media base or creating relations, content development Kivvit’s culture is marked by an viral videos. We’ve pioneered and digital content marketing. The entrepreneurial spirit and an insa- InkHouse is an integrated PR marketing and PR efforts across company is known for its deep and tiable curiosity to master our client agency for innovative thinkers, categories and industries, such as expansive relationships with key sectors and constantly find inno- creators and leaders who believe in cloud/SaaS, mobile, the IIoT/IoT, media contacts across industry vative solutions. No campaign is the power of stories to effect posi- social, data, analytics, apps, mar- verticals including Retail, Grocery, exactly the same; each is tailored tive change. We translate complex keting and advertising tech, secu- Hospitality, FinTech, MarTech, to our clients’ needs. That’s what ideas into accessible stories that rity, high performance computing, AdTech and more. sets Kivvit apart. ADVERTISING SECTION | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | NOVEMBER 2019 39 º

Profiles of Technology PR Firms LAUNCHSQUAD Ours is a unique “under one-roof” model comprised of in-house re- 340 Pine St. searchers, content specialists, sea- Suite 100 soned PR pros, and social media San Francisco, CA 94104 experts. Our Consumer Innovation 415/625-8555 Group’s shop within a shop struc- [email protected] ture enables our dedicated team of www.launchsquad.com consumer brand planners, strate- gists and social media authorities LaunchSquad is an independent to tap into the knowledge of the content marketing and public re- technology experts that make up lations agency with offices in San our broader team. Francisco, New York, Boston and Notable clients include: Affecti- Chicago. va, Dynatrace, Pitney Bowes, Na- Since 2000, we’ve been pas- tional Grid, Neurala, and Sophos, sionately helping companies build among others. brands and gain market traction through innovative communi- cations programs. Our expertise MERRITT GROUP spans both consumer-facing and 8251 Greensboro Drive, Suite 600 B2B clients in a variety of indus- McLean, VA 22102 tries including consumer technol- 703/390-1500 ogy, enterprise software, fashion, [email protected] retail, media, e-commerce, gam- www.merrittgrp.com ing, education, finance, energy and more. Alisa Valudes Whyte, CEO, We work with our clients to un- Senior Partner Thomas Rice, Executive Vice derstand, shape and expand upon President, Partner their stories and then connect with John Conrad, Executive Vice audiences to build lasting engage- President, Partner Martin Jones and Cheryl Gale, co-Founders of March Communications. ment. Our holistic approach to Jayson Schkloven, Executive communications takes advantage Vice President, Partner Clients: Varonis, IOActive, Iron- stories. Clients include enterprise of all of the ways stories can be Shahed Ahmed, Senior Vice Net Cybersecurity, Remediant, hardware, software and services, shared through owned, earned and President, Partner PAS Global, Lexis-Nexis, Lastline, AI, cloud, IoT, big data/analytics, mobility, blockchain, networking paid media. Merritt Group is an award-win- Arctic Wolf Networks, Nok Nok and security, engineering and ma- Current clients include American ning, women-owned agency Labs, CalAmp, Cybrary, North- terials science organizations. Pa- Giant, Bonobos, Boxed, Corner- specializing in Public Relations, ern Virginia Technology Council, dilla’s Technology team consists of stone OnDemand, Getty Images, Content Marketing, Performance Menlo Security, and Mo. experts helping tech companies sell Nuro, Poshmark, Rothy’s, Sim- Marketing and Creative Services. into verticals such as retail, hospi- pliSafe, Uber Freight and Visible We live at the intersection of mar- PADILLA tality and CX, health care, educa- among many other fast growth pri- ket expertise and technical pro- tion, finance, marketing, industrial, vate and public companies. ficiency to help our clients drive 1101 West River Parkway agriculture and transportation. growth and dominate their mar- Suite 400 (Headquarters) We service clients of all sizes MARCH kets. Our philosophy starts with Minneapolis, MN 55415 such as 3M, HealthPrize, Rockwell understanding our clients’ target 612/455-1700 COMMUNICATIONS Automation, Conservis, Direct audiences and markets, and leads PadillaCo.com Source and Outlier AI. to the development of powerful 226 Causeway St., 4th Floor Scott Davila, Senior Vice Padilla is an AVENIR GLOBAL messages and creative programs Boston, MA 02114 President/Technology Lead company and a founding member that drive awareness around their 617/960-9875 Amy Fisher, Vice President/ of the Worldcom Public Relations innovations. We pride ourselves [email protected] Technology Lead Group, a partnership of 132 inde- www.marchcomms.com on delivering insightful, strategic pendently owned partner offices in communications and integrated Padilla is an independently op- 115 cities on six continents. Con- Martin Jones, CEO marketing campaigns that help erated, globally resourced public nect with purpose at PadillaCo. Cheryl Gale, President the world’s most inspiring govern- relations and communication com- Jodi Petrie, Executive Vice com. ment, healthcare, emerging tech- pany with offices across the United President States. The agency builds, grows Juliana Allen, Senior Vice nology and security companies PAN President raise awareness, engage audiences and protects brands and reputations COMMUNICATIONS and accelerate sales. worldwide by creating purposeful March Communications is a With offices in D.C. and San connections with the people who technology PR agency connecting Francisco, our team of 50+ pro- matter most through public rela- 255 State St., 8th Flr. tions, advertising, digital and social Boston, MA 02109 innovation and people. We are a fessionals works hand-in-hand 617/502-4300 multi-award winning agency de- with clients ranging from For- marketing, investor relations and [email protected] livering creative, integrated PR tune 500 industry leaders to ear- brand strategy. Padilla includes the www.pancommunications.com programs to a diverse portfolio of ly-stage technology startups to brand consultancy of Joe Smith, the Boston | San Francisco | New York emerging and established tech and deliver measurable, high-impact food and nutrition experts at Food- | Orlando | London consumer brands from across the campaigns that reach, influence Minds, and the research authorities U.S. and around the world. and activate decision-makers. We at SMS Research Advisors. Philip A. Nardone, President & Our insights-first methodology pride ourselves on delivering in- Padilla’s Technology Practice CEO helps complex B2B technology Mark Nardone, Executive Vice fuels our work crafting brand nar- sightful, strategic communications President, ratives and outcomes-oriented PR approaches that help the world’s brands reach and influence pro- Elizabeth Famiglietti, Executive campaigns that bring our clients’ most inspiring companies get peo- spective buyers and customers, Vice President, Human Resources innovative stories to life, deliv- ple talking and keep their audienc- partners, investors and employees Darlene Doyle, Executive Vice ering value to brands and buyers. es engaged. through targeted, compelling brand President, Client Relations

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Profiles of Technology PR Firms

Gary Torpey, Executive Vice President, Finance Lisa Astor, Senior Vice President & Managing Director, North America Gene Carozza, Senior Vice President Dan Martin, Senior Vice President Nikki Festa O’Brien, Senior Vice President Megan Kessler, Senior Vice President Gareth Thomas, Managing Director, UK PAN Communications is a lead- ing integrated marketing and PR agency servicing B2B tech and healthcare brands. With office lo- cations in Boston, San Francisco, New York, Orlando and London, PAN supports customer growth journeys and helps B2B brands effectively scale by moving ideas that create compelling stories, drive intent and influence markets across all forms of media. Touchdown PR team in Austin headquarters. PAN’s acquisition of UK-based Capella PR in July 2019 has al- moting, protecting and connecting pects into customers with aligned al-world impact technology has on lowed the firm to expand its inter- clients in a fast-changing market- sales and marketing strategies. business success. This is why cloud- national presence, while continuing place. We have been successful at driv- based, SaaS platforms, enterprise, to offer the agility and personal- Corporate purpose continues to ing growth through demand gen- and AI tech businesses turn to Stan- ized service of a mid-sized agency. be a buzzword in communications eration, account-based marketing, ton. We excel at helping innovators With a staff of 150+ strong, PAN with many brands taking a stand digital advertising, SEO, and sales grow their businesses by raising strives to help today’s modern mar- on societal issues to drive mar- and marketing alignment. company profiles, building reputa- keters by integrating a combination keting programs. Peppercomm’s We provide an integrated ap- tions and capturing mindshare. of services to better engage with STANDSMART Purpose Stress proach that delivers bottom-line With offices in New York and target audiences and move markets Test evaluates brands’ business results through powerful marketing the San Francisco Bay Area, Stan- for brands such as SAP, AppDirect, practices to ensure credibility and strategies. Our team acts as a trust- ton is a full-service agency that 8x8, Radial, MediaMath, Actian, authenticity to stand behind their ed partner and our services span supports our clients across a vari- Cogito and Maestro Health. corporate purpose. Peppercomm’s strategic counsel to implementation ety of communications disciplines Connected Content — Creative Employee Engagement helps support. We help our clients under- including media relations, brand Storytelling — Results that Matter! Chief Human Resource Officers stand their prospects and their path messaging, content development develop insight-led communica- to purchase and develop strategies and marketing, executive visibili- tions programs to attract and re- and tactics that impact them at ev- ty, thought leadership, digital and PEPPERCOMM tain talent, ensure employees are ery stage of the buying process. In traditional marketing, reputation informed and engaged, and create addition to customer acquisition, & change management, executive 470 Park Ave. South, 5th Flr. North we help our clients improve reten- counsel, and social media. Our New York, NY 10016 workplaces with genuine two-way 212/931-6100 dialogue. tion and reduce churn through im- senior professionals spend the ma- [email protected] Visit www.peppercomm.com or proved customer experience. jority of their time on client work, www.peppercomm.com find us @Peppercomm. ask tough questions, challenge as- STANTON sumptions, and suggest bold solu- Steve Cody, CEO and Founder tions. Clients find a home at our Ann Barlow, Senior Partner & STANDING firm because we deliver a unique President, West Coast 880 Third Ave. PARTNERSHIP New York, NY 10022 blend of smart strategy, strong rela- Jacqueline Kolek, Senior Partner tionships, innovative thinking, and & General Manager, NY Office 212/366-5300 Maggie O’Neill, Senior Partner & 1610 Des Peres Rd., Suite 200 Fax: 212/366-5301 first-class execution that produces Chief Client Officer St. Louis, MO 63131 [email protected] business-changing results. Tara Lilien, Partner & Chief Talent 314/469-3500 www.stantonprm.com Officer www.standingpartnership.com @standingteam | Standing Alex Stanton, CEO TOUCHDOWN PR Peppercomm is an award-win- Partnership - LinkedIn Tom Faust, Charlyn Lusk, Melissa Lackey, President and Managing Directors 7600 Burnet Road, Suite 270 ning strategic, integrated commu- CEO Liam Collopy, Katrin Lieberwirth, Austin, TX 78757 nications and marketing agency Ashlyn Brewer, Vice President Mike Goodwin, SVPs 512/373-8500 headquartered in New York City [email protected] with offices in San Francisco and Today, technology companies in Stanton works with a wide va- www.touchdownpr.com London. The firm combines 25 the B2B space face an uphill battle riety of emerging and established James Carter, Founder and CEO award-winning years of expertise selling to buyers with multiple de- technology firms across verticals Emma Carter, Founder and serving blue chip and breakout cision makers. Understanding the including financial services, pro- Finance Director clients with forward-thinking new buyer’s priorities and aligning the fessional services, healthcare and Emily Gallagher, Executive Vice service offerings and the freshness product’s value to the prospect’s insurance. Our client roster also in- President of a start-up. This unique mix of needs can be a daunting task for cludes the companies that technolo- Touchdown PR is an internation- experience and energy attracts and marketing and sales teams. gy firms want to sell to so we have al agency focused on helping B2B empowers teams with a creative Standing Partnership helps busi- a deep understanding of customer edge, drive and a passion for pro- nesses in the tech space turn pros- pain points, motivations, and the re- _ Continued on page 42

ADVERTISING SECTION | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | NOVEMBER 2019 41 WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | NOVEMBER 2019 41 w Profiles of Technology PR Firms of service — public relations, dig- Will Kruisbrink, SVP of Public the world about why technology is TOUCHDOWN PR ital/social marketing, demand gen- Relations, West Coast important. But that world changed. _Continued from page 41 eration and creative services, align B2B brands power the world, but Technology is now pervasive in with what it believes are the most their story isn’t always heard. Too every facet of our lives and deep technology clients raise awareness relevant services today, new mar- often, companies play it safe with in every industry. The communi- of their brand, value proposition kets of focus are gaining increased corporate speak and uninspiring cations challenge is no longer to and differentiators in order to in- traction — Disruptive Forces, Cat- campaigns that don’t reflect their explain how technology works, or crease sales and achieve success- egory Pioneers, Stealth Leaders and true innovation or help them reach even why it’s relevant —but rather ful exits. With co-headquarters Wonder Women. For companies their full potential. to manage the impact of innovation, in Austin, TX and Farnham, UK, whose leadership aligns with one of We get it. Running a business is in all its various forms, in all its var- and several offices across Europe, these markets of focus, the agency hard enough; building a brand that ious engagements. the agency has 50+ employees demonstrates a unique understand- inspires can seem next to impossi- That requires a dynamic team specializing in the mobility, secu- ing of the company’s personality ble. of the best subject matter experts rity, data protection, artificial in- and mission that’s increasing its But at Walker Sands, we also across technology, media, em- telligence, machine learning and ability to close and grow business. know that B2B marketing can be ployees, public affairs, analytics, storage industries. Clients turn to In its repositioning, the firm in- bigger, better and smarter. That’s strategy and creative to engage au- Touchdown to deliver integrated, troduced a more outcome-driven why we build unique, customized diences with communications that multi-region PR, analyst relations, philosophy with emphasis on four programs that challenge the status drive value. It requires teams who thought leadership and social me- strategic outcomes — Reputation, quo and help companies break out understand the complex and chal- dia influencer programs. They stay Engagement, Adoption and Advo- of the mold. lenging environment that surrounds with Touchdown because we de- cacy. It achieves these outcomes We are a full-service B2B mar- technology and technology compa- liver solid results, true partnership through its Mind-Share methodol- keting agency with core capabil- nies and how that changes — from and unmatched service. ogy, which begins with Mind-Set, ities in public relations, demand Silicon Valley to London, from Sin- We have well established me- Journey Mapping and Mind-Share. generation, branding, creative, gapore to Sydney, and everywhere dia relationships in the industries Mind-Share taps into five media marketing strategy and web. Our in between. where we focus, including busi- channels — earned, owned, shared, integrated approach to marketing Weber Shandwick’s Global ness, technology, verticals and paid and mixed media. drives awareness, credibility and Technology practice is uniquely channel, and know how to uncov- Coming off of one of its best conversions for 100+ clients around qualified to deliver this kind of er stories and deliver content that years, including a #2 ranking in the world. value because we see the whole will drive key audiences to action. Atlanta, as well as nine #1, #2 or picture. We start with the problems We enjoy working with innova- #3 industry rankings, the firm is on WEBER our clients want to solve and ap- tive technology brands — from track in 2019 with another strong ply a strategic rigor to position for VC-funded start-ups to large, pub- year of growth and retention. SHANDWICK long-term success. We understand licly listed enterprises — that are how technology’s role in society 909 Third Avenue is changing and we understand changing the status quo. WALKER SANDS New York, NY 10022 www.webershandwick.com how communications is changing TREVELINO/KELLER thanks to technology. We see the Chicago / Seattle / San Francisco We are on a mission to help our link between storytelling and how www.walkersands.com 981 Joseph Lowery Boulevard clients navigate a more complex to drive action from your most Suite 100 312/648-6015 | sales@ walkersands.com future. And to deliver the next-gen- trusted audiences. And we know Atlanta, GA 30318 eration solutions clients need to win the value that data and analytics 404/214-0722 X106 and X105 [email protected] Ken Gaebler, Founder and CEO in this complex, prove-it-works can add to the lifecycle of every [email protected] Ellen Hanson, Founder and COO world, we’ve been transforming campaign, from inception to con- www.trevelinokeller.com Mike Santoro, President and our agency — investing in the pow- clusion.mpanies embracing this era www.groovy-studios.com Principal er trio of data, innovation and tech- of change — from automotive to Andrew Cross, SVP of Public nology. fintech to healthcare and, of course, As Atlanta continues to establish Relations Our role as communicators and technology — work with Weber itself as one of the country’s tech- Dave Parro, SVP of Client Services John Fairley, SVP of Digital storytellers in the technology sector Shandwick because we know how nology growth sectors, Trevelino/ used to be straightforward: educate to make change happen.  Keller continues to leverage its Services depth with emerging and middle market brands and its strategic part- nerships with organizations such as Atlanta Tech Village, Atlanta Tech Angels, TechAlpharetta, Raise Fo- rum, LaunchPad FN and Keiretsu Forum. Not limited by geography, its emerging, middle market and national technology clients can be found across the country. Trevelino/Keller’s long-standing pedigree in technology continues to be its economic engine. It’s pow- ered in part by its cross fertilization across its seven other practices, yielding a powerful vertical prow- ess in areas such as Fin-Tech, Con- sumer-Tech, Clean- Tech, Food- Tech, Fashion-Tech, Ag-Tech and Ed-Tech. Highlights include rep- resenting the AgTech Conference of the South and Fintech South in Walker Sands’ Chicago team sports new t-shirts to celebrate the company’s rebrand in September – a big mile- recent years. While it’s four areas stone for their banner year in 2019.

42 NOVEMBER 2019 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | ADVERTISING SECTION 42 NOVEMBER 2019 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM

PEOPLE IN PR People in PR mark. Deutsche Bank hires Finn gets Farnham Derryberry co-man- aged A&R’s flagship Prosek’s Hunter from Porter Novelli Adobe account while counseling clients such aniel Hunter has been named Man- yle Farnham, who led Porter Novelli’s as Xerox/XSoft, Sie- aging Director, Head of Communi- New York and Chicago outposts, has mens, iRobot, Citrix Dcations for the Kjoined Finn Partners as its first Con- and Palm. Americas at Deutsche sumer Practice Chief. At Edelman, he main- John Derryberry Bank. Peter Finn considers tained the Adobe rela- Hunter comes to the consumer group, tionship and advised Deutsche Bank from which has annual fees Bosch, Verifone, Lending Club and Western Prosek Partners, where of $12 million, a major Union.  he was a Managing Di- growth market for the rector in the New York independent firm. office, advising global Prior to Porter Novel- Litigation PR pro banks, private equity Daniel Hunter li, Farnham led BCW’s funds and hedge funds. US consumer market- Kyle Farnham McCaleb to Mercury He previously worked ing practice. He also in London as Head of Corporate Commu- was responsible for the an McCaleb, who led Hogan Lovells’ liti- nications, EMEA for Nomura and Head WPP unit’s integrated marketing commu- gation communications and crisis group of External Communications, Personal nications team. Iand chaired Levick’s legal advisory prac- & Corporate banking at Barclays. Before Farnham joined BCW from MSL, where tice, has joined Mercury entering banking, he was an Associate Di- he spent 16 years, including a 10-year stint as Managing Director. rector at Gavin Anderson & Company and as managing director in Atlanta.  He did a stint as Se- worked at Burson-Marsteller. nior Spokesperson at In his new post, Hunter has full respon- the criminal division sibility for the Americas region, and will Pfizer’s Mastrojohn of the Justice Dept. be responsible globally for Deutsche Bank’s and served as the sole Investment Bank business, which includes takes Y&R PR job media consultant for equity capital markets, debt capital mar- the multi-agency task kets, M&A, sales and trading.  ean Mastrojohn, who formerly led force created to assess Ian McCaleb global media relations at Pfizer, has damage from the leak Dcome on board at Y&R PR, where he of classified data to Amazon vet Berman will serve as Senior VP, Integrated Media. WikiLeaks.org. Before coming to Pfizer, he was Com- McCaleb worked as reporter and produc- joins LivePerson munications Director, North America at er at Fox News, CNN, UPI and McClatchy Reckitt Benckiser and specializing in legal affairs, law enforce- raig Berman, who was VP-Global Corporate Media Rela- ment, politics, legislation, terrorism and Communications at Amazon, has tions Manager, North conflict and the U.S. defense/intelligence Cjoined AI-powered conversational America at Unilever. establishment.  platform LivePerson, Inc. as Senior Vice He was also Corpo- President, Global Communications. rate Communications At Amazon, where he worked from 2004 Manager at KPMG and Olson of Fingerpaint until 2018, Berman an Account Supervisor most recently led PR at MWWPR. elected PRSA chair for Amazon Entertain- In his new post, Mas- Dean Mastrojohn ment. He previously trojohn will lead scien- ichelle Olson was elected 2021 advised Amazon CEO tific and corporate media relations across PRSA Nation- Jeff Bezos on corporate accounts and work to grow the Y&R PR Mal Chair at the and crisis communi- integrated media team.  2019 PRSA Leadership cations, led consumer Assembly in San Diego. PR for Amazon’s retail Olson, who runs the business and oversaw Craig Berman Hill+Knowlton adds Scottsdale, AZ office of communications for its New York-based Fin- fulfillment network. tech pro Derryberry gerpaint, has served Before coming to Amazon, Berman was PRSA as a Director, Michelle Olson a Senior vice President at MWWPR. He ohn Derryberry, who helped build representing the organi- has also run and advised congressional and Edelman into a Silicon Valley pow- zation’s western district, legislative campaigns. Berman began his Jerhouse, has joined Hill+Knowlton since 2017. She will be Chair-Elect in 2020, career working for John Kasich when he Strategies as Managing Director of the U.S. succeeding Children’s Hospital of Alabama represented Michigan’s 12th District in the technology group. Chief Communications Officer T. Garland House of Representatives. He joined Edelman in 2006 following its Stansell, who will serve as Chair. At Live Person, he will lead the compa- acquisition of tech specialist A&R Partners, Previously, Olson founded and led Olson ny’s internal and external communications where Derryberry worked for 15 years, Communications, which was acquired by strategy.  guiding it to the $16 million annual revenue Fingerpaint in 2014. 

44 NOVEMBER 2019 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM O’DWYER’STOP TECHNOLOGY RANKINGS PR FIRMS Firm Net Fees (2018) Firm Net Fees (2018) 1. Edelman, New York, NY $280,260,000 38. Jackson Spalding, Atlanta, GA $2,059,544 2. Hotwire, New York, NY 36,879,576 39. Karbo Communications, San Francisco, CA 2,012,737 3. Finn Partners, New York, NY 27,476,000 40. Singer Associates, Inc., San Francisco, CA 1,804,510 4. Zeno Group, New York, NY 25,303,770 41. Caliber Corporate Advisers, New York, NY 1,501,330 5. ICR, New York, NY 18,291,753 42. Trevelino/Keller, Atlanta, GA 1,450,000 6. Highwire PR, San Francisco, CA 17,901,420 43. Lambert, Grand Rapids, MI 1,416,000 7. PAN Communications, Boston, MA 17,307,546 44. Pierpont Communications, Houston, TX 1,212,060 8. Racepoint Global, Boston, MA 16,712,708 45. Brownstein Group, Philadelphia, PA 1,165,032 9. LaunchSquad, San Francisco, CA 16,273,000 46. Tunheim, Minneapolis, MN 1,063,518 10. Bateman Group, San Francisco, CA 14,499,420 47. CommCentric Solutions, Inc., Tampa, FL 995,796 11. Walker Sands Communications, Chicago, IL 14,116,410 48. Feintuch Communications, New York, NY 984,452 12. Hoffman Agency, The, San Jose, CA 13,665,000 49. Bianchi Public Relations, Troy, MI 810,529 13. MWWPR, New York, NY 13,253,751 50. Prosek Partners, New York, NY 607,455 14. APCO Worldwide, Washington, DC 10,889,600 51. rbb Communications, Miami, FL 601,490 15. Fahlgren Mortine, Columbus, OH 10,809,347 52. Standing Partnership, St. Louis, MO 600,682 16. W2O Group, San Francisco, CA 9,398,000 53. 360PR+, Boston, MA 486,947 17. Inkhouse, Waltham, MA 9,084,293 54. Greentarget Global LLC, Chicago, IL 356,100 18. 5W Public Relations, New York, NY 8,900,000 55. Landis Communications, San Francisco, CA 340,000 19. Padilla, Minneapolis, MN 8,290,343 56. Bellmont Partners, Minneapolis, MN 337,669 20. Matter Communications, Newburyport, MA 8,229,872 57. WordWrite Communications LLC, Pittsburgh, PA 336,025 21. Merritt Group, McLean, VA 7,569,251 58. French | West | Vaughan, Raleigh, NC 298,104 22. Kivvit , Chicago, IL 6,051,241 59. O’Malley Hansen Communications, Chicago, IL 295,750 23. Havas Formula, New York, NY 5,060,125 60. Bradford Group, The, Nashville, TN 285,197 24. G&S Business Communications, New York, NY 4,856,039 61. Konnect Agency, Los Angeles, CA 264,893 25. March Communications, Boston, MA 4,168,379 62. Weiss PR, Inc., Baltimore, MD 235,128 26. MP&F Strategic Communications, Nashville, TN 4,145,326 63. Kohnstamm Communications, Inc., St. Paul, MN 198,363 27. Touchdown PR, Austin, TX 4,100,995 64. Hollywood Agency, Hingham, MA 167,000 28. Citizen Relations, Los Angeles, CA 3,870,596 65. BoardroomPR, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 100,000 29. Rasky Partners, Inc., Boston, MA 3,444,452 66. Maccabee, Minneapolis, MN 98,891 30. North 6th Agency, Inc., New York, NY 3,145,851 67. Judge Public Relations, LLC, Tampa, FL 82,846 31. Raffetto Herman Strategic Comms, Seattle, WA 2,915,484 68. BLAZE, Santa Monica, CA 74,618 32. Idea Grove, Dallas, TX 2,901,468 69. Fish Consulting , Fort Lauderdale, FL 70,000 33. Hunter PR, New York, NY 2,800,000 70. Buchanan Public Relations, Bryn Mawr, PA 58,208 34. Coyne PR, Parsippany, NJ 2,500,000 71. Public Communications Inc., Chicago, IL 54,840 35. Crenshaw Communications, New York, NY 2,280,188 72. Champion Management Group, Dallas, TX 27,000 36. ARPR, Atlanta, GA 2,262,442 73. Stuntman PR, New York, NY 13,318 37. Gregory FCA, Ardmore, PA 2,100,000 74. Beehive Strategic Communication, St. Paul, MN 11,715

© Copyright 2019 The J.R. O’Dwyer Co. OPINION Professional Development LeBron and the limits of social responsibility By Fraser P. Seitel hen both Rush Limbaugh and the on social issues get involved anyway?” the unintended consequences of suddenly New York Times go after you for “And what about organizations? Should abandoning one’s business purpose for so- Wthe same infraction, you must be they spring to involve themselves in social cial betterment. When Benioff announced doing something right! issues that have little bearing on their busi- on CNBC that the time had come for the The poor shnook who found himself this ness?” business to focus on “making the world a month in the cross It’s fashionable these days to say that better place” and that “capitalism as we hairs of the right corporations have a responsibility to take know it is dead,” Salesforce’s previously wing commen- action on important social issues, and if high-flying stock was immediately pound- tator and the left they don’t, customers—particularly Mil- ed and has yet to recover. wing newspaper lennials—will forsake them, meaning The point is that if there’s no direct con- was none other companies that don’t get involved in issues nection between the social issue confronted than the greatest like immigration, climate change and gun and the purpose of the enterprise, you’ve NBA basketball control will pay a penalty. Stated another got to ask yourself whether it’s really worth player on the plan- way, the “cause marketing” of the 2000s taking the risk. et, LeBron James. has morphed into the “socially responsible Which brings us back to LeBron James, The transgression marketing” of the 2010s. the NBA and the Hong Kong protestors. that so enraged Of course it’s true that organizations The point, my dear Shaquille, is not Fraser P. Seitel has Mr. Limbaugh directly affected by social issues have no whether Daryl Morey had the right to say been a communications consultant, author and and the Times in- choice but to take a stand. That’s why Dick’s what he tweeted. Of course he did; in the teacher for more than volved Mr. James’ Sporting Goods was right to stop selling land of the free, we’re all privileged with the 30 years. He is the au- criticism of Twit- automatic weapons and raise the age to right to say virtually anything we want. thor of the Prentice-Hall ter comments by purchase firearms in its stores. It’s why CVS But the more crucial questions are: Should text, The Practice of Houston Rockets’ showed great courage in eliminating the he have said it? Was the outcome he hoped Public Relations. general manager sale of cigarettes in its stores. And it’s why to achieve worth the risk of taking a public Daryl Morey, who Facebook took the right step this month to stand? in October tweeted his support for the re- contribute $1 billion for California to build And the answers to those questions, as cent protests in Hong Kong. affordable housing, after criticisms that LeBron and NBA Commissioner Adam Sil- Mr. James argued that Mr. Morey proba- highly-paid technology workers have exac- ver and all those thousands of merchandise bly should’ve stayed out of the Hong Kong erbated the state’s housing problem. sellers and sneaker makers and sports chan- dispute with China because the Rockets’ These companies correctly stepped up to nel employees now worried about their live- executive was “misinformed or not real- confront social issues with direct bearing lihood will attest, is an unequivocal “no.” ly educated” on the issue. In other words, on their business. In doing so, they demon- And if you still aren’t convinced, go ask contended Mr. James, Mr. Morey, as they strated when it makes sense for organiza- Daryl Morey whether he still thinks it was say in court, “lacked standing” to offer his tions to lead on social issues. a good idea. That is, if you can find him. two cents on the conflict. And because the But that’s a lot different than involving Morey tweet—which he quickly deleted— the organization in controversial issues far PR news brief resulted in an enraged China reconsider- removed from the firm’s business, which ing its many financial relationships with can—and have—redounded to the spon- Finsbury Guides Thoma Bravo’s the NBA, James worried that the errant sor’s detriment. For instance: $4B Sophos Deal tweet would inadvertently cost lots of peo- When Chik-fil-A founder Dan Cathay ple who depended on the NBA-China rela- railed against same-sex marriage in 2012, Finsbury is working Thoma Bravo investment firm’s tionship lots of money. his stores, employees and business part- $3.9 billion offer for Sophos Group, the UK-based cy- ber and network security software developer. So, James felt Morey should’ve kept his ners became lightning rods for criticism, The San Francisco equity outfit’s $7.40 per-share mouth shut, or in this case, his thumb still. so much so that a month later, Chik-fil-A offer represents a 37 percent premium over Sophos’ Mr. Limbaugh, the New York Times and announced to the world, "Going forward, closing last week on the London Stock Exchange. social justice warriors throughout the our intent is to leave the policy debate over TB ranks among the most active private equity firms in the software space, making more than 200 fruited plain were revulsed by James’ lack same-sex marriage to the government and deals with an aggregate over $50 billion in enterprise of empathy for the persecuted Hong Kong political arena.” value. throng. In near-universal rejection of his Three years later, when Starbucks’ Seth Boro, Managing Director, said TB is looking cold-heartedness, James’ critics responded do-gooding founder Howard Schultz an- forward to partnering with Sophos’ management with a full-throated, Greta Thunbergian nounced his “Race Together” campaign, team and employees to further develop the company as a “best-in-class software franchise and nextgen “How dare you!” in which baristas would henceforth en- security leader.” Today, as James reverts back to his more gage customers in “a national conversation He believes TBs “expertise, operational framework familiar hardwood playground, his accus- about race relations,” it was an unmitigat- and experience” can accelerate Sophos’ evolution ers return to their nonstop impeachment ed—and thankfully short-lived—disaster. and growth. Finsbury’s Edward Simpkins and Faeth Birch repre- wrangling and Morey remains very much Most recently, it was Salesforce CEO sent TB, while Tulchan Communications’ Matt Low, off the radar screen, the questions remain. Marc Benioff—a model business leader Harry Cameron, Sunni Chauhan and James Macey “Was LeBron wrong?” both in contributing philanthropically and White handle Sophos. “Should individuals who lack knowledge rewarding his shareholders—who learned

46 NOVEMBER 2019 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM Financial Management New revenue recognition standards for 2019 By Richard Goldstein should account for, among other factors, could be useful. arely have I written in this column variable consideration, a significant com- Section 529 plans allow you to contribute anything concerning accounting. ponent or a noncash component (barter as to an account that can be used to pay for RRecently, however, Buchbinder pub- an example). a student’s qualified education expenses. lished information for our clients regard- Allocate the transaction price to the Different states and state agencies offer the ing new revenue recognition standards that performance obligation in the contract. plans. (There are also prepaid tuition plans. may impact pri- If the contract includes more than one per- Contact your tax advisor for more informa- vate companies. formance obligation, the transaction price tion.) Because most PR should be based on the relative stand-alone The benefit of the 529 plan is amounts can firms are private price of each … service. grow tax-deferred, so long as a few require- companies and Recognize revenue when (or as) the ments are met. The money must be used not public, these firm satisfies the performance obligation to cover qualified educational expenses new rules will be by transferring the promised … service to for the beneficiary. While the contribution important for fi- the customer. When the organization satis- is not deductible for federal tax purposes, nancial reporting fies the performance obligation over time, some states, such as New York, do allow a by PR agencies, it can measure its progress in one of two deduction. both public and ways. The first method is not attributable Through 2017, only postsecondary edu- Richard Goldstein is private. to a PR firm however. The second method cation expenses qualified. With the passage a partner at Buchbind- Who will these recognizes revenue by measuring value to if the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, tuition at el- er Tunick & Company rules impact? the customer of the …services transferred. ementary or secondary schools also may LLP, New York, Certified The FinancialThis could be measured by identifying the qualify, subject to a $10,000 per student per Public Accountants. Accounting Stan- milestones reached. year limit. dards Board’s new If you’re required to use GAAP, the new For post-secondary education, qualified revenue recognition standards will affect revenue recognition standards will likely expenses include not only tuition but also not only public companies, but also many affect your firm’s financial statements, tax required fees, computer technology, books private companies whose lenders or inves- obligations and loan agreements. They also and, generally, room and board. tors require them to follow Generally Ac- may require changes to your firm’s account- Contributions to 529 plans are limited cepted Accounting Principles. If your PR ing processes and IT systems. You CPA can to the extent that they cannot exceed the firm is one of them and has a calendar year help identify the changes needed and offer amount necessary to provide the beneficia- end, these standards became effective be- guidance on implementing them. ry’s qualified expense, but there is no spe- ginning in 2019 and can very well impact Something extra cific dollar amount cutoff under the federal your financial reporting. I have some room to give something ex- law. What’s behind the new standards? A tra this month. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Your CPA can help you determine the primary goal was to shift away from the changes some educational benefits. Ac- best ways for you to save for your child’s or previous rules-based approach to revenue cordingly, I’ll briefly discuss how 529 plans grandchild’s education.  recognition, which varied by industry, and toward a principles-based approach which applies more broadly. Therefore, the new Innovation ‘halo’ bolsters brands standards apply to most customer contracts By Steve Barnes across numerous sectors. eing perceived as innovative gives pear innovative, the survey respondents A fundamental principle behind the stan- brands a boost in today’s market- said. More than a quarter of them (26 dards is that organizations should recognize Bplace—and tech plays a big role in percent) thought that using augmented revenue to “depict the transfer of promised creating that perception, according to a reality makes a company look more inno- goods or services … in an amount that re- new report from Diffusion. vative, while artificial intelligence came in flects the consideration to which the entity About one of five consumers surveyed second (19 percent) and facial recognition expects to be entitled in an exchange for for Diffusion’s “Everything Is Tech” 2019 technology (18 percent) was close behind. those goods or services.” report (19 percent) said that they would be Chatbots (6 percent) and cryptocurrency The FASB has outlined a five-step process more likely to give their business to a brand (4 percent) lagged behind. for applying this principle: that they thought of as innovative, rather As regards what consumers expect ad- Ensure parties can identify the payment than to a competing brand. vanced technologies to do for them, 44 terms. Several criteria must be met for a A significant number of people were also percent said they want the technologies contract to exist. Among others, the parties interested in learning more about innova- to facilitate shopping experiences, while must have approved the contract, and they tive brands, with 21 percent saying there 33 percent want them implemented to must be able to identify the payment terms. was a greater chance that they would open improve customer service and 30 percent Ensure parties can identify the per- an email from an innovative brand, and wanted such technologies as drones and formance obligation(s) in the contract. 29 percent saying they were more likely to warehouse organization to be employed A performance obligation is a promise to seek out and read news articles about an in- in an effort to make deliveries more con- deliver a good or service to the customer. novative brand. venient. (FYI, all your “clients” are your customers.) Some emerging technologies had a larger The online study of 1,236 adults was con- Determine the transaction price. This effect than others on making a brand ap- ducted in April. 

WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | NOVEMBER 2019 47 WASHINGTON REPORT Tech trade groups get high marks in Washington

rade groups representing the U.S. technology sector were ranked as the most effective-performing lobbying sector for Tachieving results on Capitol Hill, according to a research study of Washington policy leaders released by APCO Worldwide. The study surveyed U.S. executive branch officials, congressio- nal staff and private sector executives and asked them to identify what associations they believe are the most effective in delivering policy results for their members, measuring perceived perfor- mance and effectiveness across 15 separate effective public policy characteristics. A half-dozen specific associations were identified as top per- hiring is a “done deal.” A possible hurdle to Sayegh’s return to DC: formers in this year’s study. Half of those were groups represent- Trump’s unwillingness to delegate impeachment communications ing the tech industry. The top-rated group for the most categories duties. was electric company association the Edison Electric Institute, As Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, which won for local impact, member representation, membership Sayegh handled communications in support of mobilization, self-regulation and for providing a unified voice. Trump’s tax cut. He also worked closely with Consumer technology group the Consumer Technology Associa- Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kush- tion won for events and social media. The American Wind Energy ner, on the childcare tax credit. Association won for media relations. Prior to joining the Treasury, Sayegh was Healthcare groups rounded out the rest of the wins. Medical de- Executive VP at Jamestown Assocs, a political vice trade association AdvaMed won in three categories: for mul- consulting and advertising shop that placed tilateral impact, bipartisanship and for serving a top information ads for the Trump election campaign. Tony Sayegh resource. PhRMA won for lobbying. He also was a Fox News contributor.  The only non-tech or healthcare group to appear on the list was the National Federation of Independent Business, which won for grassroots work, coalition building and for being an industry rep- MSL alum Smith to pilot utation steward. It’s the second year in a row that the APCO TradeMarks study Invariant’s PR push gave trade associations representing the tech sector the most wins for effectively-viewed specific advocacy area characteristics. Pre- tephanie Smith, who was Global Client and Business Devel- vious studies found that healthcare groups were most often con- opment Officer at MSL, has landed at Invariant to spearhead sidered the top-performing lobbying sector in the most areas. Sthe government affairs/PA shop’s push into strategic commu- Overall, however, healthcare groups remain perceived as the top nications. sector-specific advocacy area on Capitol Hill. Technology comes At the Publicis Groupe unit, Smith also served as Global Account in sixth overall, above lobbying associations representing food/ Lead for the agency’s Netflix business, which included overseeing beverage and retail and immediately below financial services, its work on the streaming platform’s simultaneous launch in over manufacturing, and energy/extraction groups. 130 countries. The study also found that, collectively, trade associations re- Before joining MSL in 2004, Smith was a Producer at ABC News, main highly-regarded among Beltway insiders for their ability to working on such programs as “Good Morning America,” “Night- successfully advocate public policy in Washington. The 50 trade line” and “World News Tonight with Peter Jennings.”  groups assessed by policy leaders recorded the highest aggregate score since APCO’s survey began in 2013, an especially impressive feat considering today’s uncertain policy landscape. Express Scripts’ Katz Catches APCO’s sixth annual TradeMarks study surveyed 321 Washing- ton policy leaders, which included congressional staff, executive on at BCW branch officials and private sector executives. Research was con- ducted by the agency’s in-house research team, APCO Insight.  mily Katz, who was senior director of government affairs at Express Scripts, has joined BCW’s public affairs and crisis Epractice in Washington. She reports to Teneo’s Sayegh to return to Licy Do Canto, Executive VP and Managing Director of the group. team Trump Express Scripts, which is part of Cigna, is the pharmacy management giant, with more than ony Sayegh, Spokesperson for Treasury Secretary Steve 100 million members. Mnuchin who joined Teneo last month as Managing Di- Prior to joining ES in 2015, Katz worked as Trector, is expected to return to the Trump administration to Senior Health Policy Advisor to California handle communications surrounding impeachment. Senator Barbara Boxer. Emily Katz He will be responsible for communications strategy, messaging She also did stints as health policy director and recruit surrogates to support the president. for Colorado Congresswoman Diana DeGette A White House administration official told Politico that Sayegh’s and Legislative Assistant for Oregon Senator Ron Wyden. 

48 NOVEMBER 2019 | WWW.ODWYERPR.COM International PR News

Ballard pulls plug on indicted Herndon, VA-based client. Levick says it is “without knowledge” that any foreign government Turkish bank or political party controls, directs, finances or subsidizes its client, a subsidiary of China Telecom Corporation Ltd., a joint-stock limited allard Partners, which has ties with President Trump, termi- company incorporated in the People’s Republic of China. nated its relationship with Turkey’s Halkbank on Oct. 16, the That effort began Oct. 9 and runs through Dec. 31. The PA cam- Bday after the U.S. Justice Dept. filed fraud and money-laun- paign auto-renews for another three months unless China Telecom dering charges against the country’s No. 2 state-owned bank. Americas notifies Levick in writing by Dec. 15. The charges stem from the U.S. District Court for the Southern CTA markets integrated communications and information tech- District of New York investigation into whether Halkbank helped nology services from offices in Herndon, New York, Chicago, Dallas Iran dodge US sanctions. and Los Angeles.  BP began providing strategic communications and advisory ser- vices to Halkbank in August 2017 under a one-year contract worth $1.5 million. BGR joins Russian sanctions fight The firm of Brian Ballard, who was President Trump’s chief fund- raiser in Florida, was already working for the Republic of Turkey GR Government Affairs represents Allseas Nederland, Dutch at the time under a one-year $1.5 million contract that went into energy services company that’s laying pipe under the Baltic effect in May 2017. That relationship lasted until November 2018. BSea for the controversial Nord Stream 2 project. Halkbank signed a three-month extension with BP on Aug. 21 at Fifty-percent owned by Russia’s Gazprom, the 760-mile NS2 pipe- $40,000 a-month.  line would transport natural gas from eastern Russian to Germany. Royal Dutch Shell and Germany’s BASF are among Gazprom’s part- ners in the project. China Telecom dials Levick for Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) have intro- duced a bill that would slap sanctions on “certain vessels involved in PA, crisis work the construction of Russian energy export pipelines.” Allseas is using BGR for strategic guidance and counsel regarding hina Telecom’s US unit has hired Levick Strategic Commu- issues and legislation regarding European energy security. nications for a public affairs campaign and crisis commu- BGR founding partner Haley Barbour (former Chairman of the Cnications counsel/support/services on an as-needed basis, Republican National Committee and Governor of Mississippi) according to the Washington-based firm’s agreement with the heads the lobbying team.  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.

DLA Piper LLP (US), Washington, D.C., registered Oct. 9, 2019 for Azerbaijan Railways CJSC, Republic of Azerbaijan, regarding assistance related to US sanctions on Iran that affect the transport of oil, gas and other petrochemical products that originate in third countries and that transit through Iran. GR Pro, LLC, Oklahoma City, OK, registered Oct. 8, 2019 for Prosperity Today, Ontario, Canada, regarding education of Canadian citizens about free-enterprise and market-based solutions for growth. Sanitas International, Inc., Washington, D.C., registered Oct. 17, 2019 for Nicaraguans for Security & Prosperity, Chicago, IL, regarding creation of a media and outreach campaign that highlights the need for free and fair elections in Nicaragua. Husch Blackwell Strategies, LLC, Washington, D.C., registered Oct. 2, 2019 for China National Forest Product Industry Association, Beijing, China, regarding issues involving the importation of plywood from China into the US and possible Congressional action. Holly Strategies Inc., Washington, D.C., registered Oct. 4, 2019 for Hong Kong Exchnages and Clearing Limited (HKEX), Hong Kong, regarding communication with US government officials concerning the proposal by HKEX to bid to purchase the London Stock Exchange and the impacts it may have on the American economy. 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.

Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz/The Daschle Group, Washington, D.C., registered Oct. 24, 2019 for International Olympic Com- mittee, Lausanne, Switzerland, regarding athletics, foreign policy, health issues, environment, communications/broadcasting, immigration and human rights issues related to international sports and the Olympic Games. 38 North Solutions, LLC, Washington, D.C., registered Oct. 21, 2019 for Coalition for Green Capital Action Fund, Washington, D.C., regarding National Climate Bank Act of 2019 designed to support achievement of the climate goals of the Green New Deal. ACG Analytics, Washington, D.C., registered Oct. 21, 2019 for American Trade Association for Cannabis & Hemp, Washington, D.C., regarding cannabis/hemp issues and the banking industry. The KPM Group DC LLC, Washington, D.C., registered Oct. 23, 2019 for Opiant Pharmaceuticals, Santa Monica, CA, regarding issues related to opioid addiction. Jamison and Sullivan, Inc., Washington, D.C., registered Oct. 21, 2019 for Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation, New Market, VA, regarding preserving and protecting civial war battle sites.

WWW.ODWYERPR.COM | NOVEMBER 2019 49