Last month I swapped my London desk for the vibrant streets of New York and its dynamic technology PR scene. And what a great trip it was.
Global PR agency
With an increasing number of international clients using GingerMay’s technology PR services across global markets, many of my accounts span North America as well as Europe. So joining our New York team for a week seemed like the perfect way to catch up with various U.S. based clients in person, as well as getting valuable face time with the journalists I usually connect with over emails and phone.
Strategic support for clients
The trip got off to a busy start with our Silicon Alley-based client Sourcepoint closing a $16 million round in series B funding, bringing the total raised since the company’s 2015 launch to $26 million. The funding will further accelerate the development of its platform and subscription offering, with Pär-Jörgen Pärson, General Partner at Northzone, joining its Board of Directors.
This announcement inevitably sparked wide media interest and it was refreshing to see journalists taking a multimedia approach to their content, using broadcast opportunities as well as editorial pieces to spread the message. It was interesting to sit behind the scenes as Sourcepoint’s Founder and CEO, Ben Barokas, was interviewed for the AdExchanger Talks podcast – you can listen here.
Media relations in New York
Much of my week was spent networking with journalists – including Shannon Bond at the Financial Times, Ashley Rodriguez at Quartz, AdExchanger’s Sarah Sluis and TechCrunch’s Anthony Ha – who were all incredibly receptive to catching up and hearing about the clients we are working with. In a world where everyone is so busy, this week has reminded me how valuable it is to pre-plan and schedule face-to-face media intro meetings, even if it’s just a quick coffee to catch up – this type of PR media tour builds momentum in a way that contact over the phone or via email will never achieve.
Of course I found time to meet up with the lovely GingerMay team at our midtown office on 42nd Street, but I also enjoyed working out of the ultra-hip lobby at the New York Ace Hotel – a co-working space for tech entrepreneurs, start-up businesses, and freelancers.
Whistle-stop tour
A busy schedule of meetings didn’t leave a lot of time for sightseeing – other than a quick look around Grand Central Station and a trip to the Rockefeller Centre – but I did catch a Broadway show, and a glimpse of that famous Manhattan skyline as I flew into JFK.
For now it’s goodbye New York City, hello London – but I’m sure I’ll be back soon!
Read more about GingerMay’s international services here
By Jade Page, Senior Account Manager