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Visibility, Credibility, and Growth.

From media strategy to reputation management, we explore the trends shaping public perception and share the approaches that drive measurable results for growing brands.

Publication Spotlight: Fast Company

In the post below, and as part of our “Publication Spotlight” series, you’ll find background information on Fast Company, its readership, and its awards, along with other information. We’ve previously featured other publications, including Forbes, GeekWire and Inc. magazine, and look forward to profiling other outlets in the coming weeks and months.

Q: How long has the publication been around?

Fast Company is a relatively new publication. Alan Webber and Bill Taylor, editors of the Harvard Business Review, and publisher Mortimer Zuckerman introduced the magazine in November 1995. Eventually, Zuckerman sold the magazine.

 Q: Who owns the publication?

The magazine is owned and published by Mansueto Ventures, LLC, which is also the publisher of Inc magazine, which we’ve featured in this publication spotlight as well. 

Q: Who reads Fast Company?

According to the 2021 media kit, readers include C-level executives and top management. A high percentage are college graduates and are business decision-makers. They have a median household income of $194,017, a median age of 43.7 and tend to be male.

Q. What are the major sections in the magazine?

According to a statement on its website by Stephanie Mehata, editor-in-chief, “Fast Company is the only media brand dedicated to chronicling the future of business. The only title committed to covering companies and leaders who are defining where business is headed. And with technology and globalization having led to commoditization of products and services – innovation, creativity, impact and design are the only ways businesses can win in the speed economy.”

Major sections include Co. Design, Tech, Work Life, News, Impact, Podcasts, Video, and Recommender. They also have information for the Fast Company Innovation Festival, Sept. 27 through Oct. 1, attracting leaders, inventors, entrepreneurs, and others for an immersive virtual conference.

Q: What is the process for contributing content to Fast Company?

Fast Company’s editorial team is very selective in its acceptance of outside contributions. There is a wealth of information here on how to submit content.

The editors are most interested in articles that “introduce new ideas and advance conversations around topics and trends that engage our readers – think op-ed rather than content marketing.”

The editors most often accept articles for the leadership section, which focuses on “productivity, creativity, career development, hiring and recruiting, work culture, work-life issues and policies, entrepreneurship, and innovation.”

Q: What is the process for applying to Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies Award?  

The Most Innovative Companies Award is a program that Fast Company has had since 2008. To apply, visit Fast Company, create an account, and complete the application. For more details on the process and benefits of this award, please visit Fast Company’s FAQ.

Q: Does Fast Company publish an editorial calendar?

The editorial calendar is in the media kit, but here’s the 2021 lineup:

  • March / April: Most Innovative Companies
  • Summer: World Changing Ideas
  • September: Most Creative People / Best Workplaces for Innovators
  • October: Innovation by Design
  • November: Brands That Matter / Impact Council
  • Winter: Secrets of the Most Product People / Breakthrough Tech

When Fast Company makes its 2022 calendar available, we’ll provide an update.

Q: How many readers does it have?

According to its media kit, Fast Company has a rate base of 450,000. It has 1.4 million print readers and its site receives an average of 11.8 million unique visitors per month. These visitors review an average of 19.3 million page views per month.

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BlackSky Goes Public

Image credit: BlackSky Technology Inc.

BlackSky Technology Inc. (“BlackSky”), a leading technology platform providing real-time geospatial intelligence and global monitoring, recently announced the completion of its merger with Osprey Technology Acquisition Corp. and is now a publicly traded company (NYSE: “BKSY”).

To memorialize the completion of the business combination, BlackSky had the distinct pleasure of ringing the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on Monday, Sept. 13. An on-demand stream of the event can be accessed here.

BlackSky also executed a Times Square takeover providing a high-impact placement of the company’s branding. The company culminated this momentous day with a well-deserved celebration at the One World Observatory at the top of One World Trade Center. 

During the day, Communiqué PR managed a series of live media interviews for BlackSky CEO Brian E. O’Toole to discuss the significance of the announcement and explain how the company is defining a new category of real-time global intelligence. A recap of the results we secured are outlined below.

As a public company, BlackSky’s position as a leading geospatial data, analytics and monitoring services company is further strengthened. The Communiqué PR team is honored to have had the opportunity to manage BlackSky’s public relations activity since its inception in 2013. We congratulate the entire BlackSky team on this incredible accomplishment and we are excited to partner together to propel the company’s growth. Onward!

 

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Publication Spotlight: GeekWire

Our new series, “Publication Spotlight,” covers various publications of interest to our clients. In these spotlights, we’ll conduct research and develop a brief Q&A sharing details about the outlet and some of its core offerings. Check out our previous spotlights on Inc. and Forbes.

In the post below, I’ll share an overview of GeekWire and a summary of my research as of Sept. 13, 2021.

Q: How long has the publication been around?

GeekWire was launched in March 2011 and covers the people, companies and innovations emerging from and impacting the Pacific Northwest, according to Cision. In addition to daily news and tech community updates, GeekWire also offers Startup Resources, a Venture Capital Directory, tech and startup job postings, and a calendar with various events to connect, learn from, recruit, do business and have fun with people from across the tech community.

Q: Who owns the publication?

GeekWire was started and is owned by two longtime journalists, John Cook and Todd Bishop, with startup veteran and investor Jonathan Sposato, the company’s chairman. Learn more about the Executive, Business and Editorial teams here: About GeekWire.

Q: Who reads GeekWire?

Entrepreneurs, business leaders, C-level executives, tech enthusiasts and members of the general public interested in what’s next in tech in the Pacific Northwest read GeekWire. The publication caters to these groups by publishing breaking news, expert analysis and unique insights about technology companies located in Seattle and nearby regions. In general, about 20% of their audience is in Seattle and Washington state, making it their largest single market, while the other 80% is spread throughout the rest of the country and the world. GeekWire also shares on their Advertising page that 57% of their readers make over $100,000 per year, 25% are founders and CEOs, 42% are managers or executives, 83% of GeekWire readers have completed college, and over 40% have completed an advanced degree. 

Q: What is the process for contributing content to GeekWire?

GeekWire’s news team looks for stories that happen in Seattle and the Pacific Northwest that matter everywhere, stories that provide value to the Pacific Northwest tech community, and stories that happen elsewhere but are uniquely relevant in this area. GeekWire’s core values and journalistic focus guide its story selection and encourage its team to be passionate, tuned-in, competitive, smart, experimental and community-oriented team players.  If you have a Seattle-based and tech-focused story to share with the GeekWire team, here’s its contact information; make sure you check that your story matches your contact’s beat to give your pitch the best chance.  

Q: What is the process for applying to GeekWire’s lists and awards?  

GeekWire offers the Startup List, the most comprehensive list of startups in the Pacific Northwest and the GeekWire 200, a ranked index of the 200 most popular and trending startups. GeekWire updates the GeekWire 200 every month and publishes GeekWire 200 Highlights with some of the top news for these startups. To be included on the Startup List database and considered for the GeekWire 200, submit your company here, but only technology startups in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and British Columbia will be accepted.

GeekWire also hosts annual awards called the GeekWire Awards, last hosted online on May 20, 2021. The 2021 Awards had 14 categories, including Startup of the Year, Innovation of the Year, UX Design of the Year, Next Tech Titan (won by our client BitTitan in 2017) and the Geeks Give Back Award. Judges pare the nominations down to five finalists for each category and the winner is decided by public voting. Community nominations should open again in March 2022.

Q: Does GeekWire publish an editorial calendar?

No.

Q: How many readers does it have?

GeekWire has over 1.2 million unique visitors per month and over 300,000 followers on their social media channels according to their Advertising page.

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Carbon Robotics Secures $27 Million in Funding to Meet Demand for Autonomous Weeder

Image credit: Carbon Robotics

On Sept. 1, 2021, our client Carbon Robotics, an agriculture robotics company, revealed that it had secured $27 million in Series B funding to accelerate the company’s growth. The funding will be used to scale production of the company’s products, grow its engineering team, establish regional sales and support for customers across the U.S., and invest in the innovation of new products and technology.

Since the company formally announced its Autonomous Weeder, a 10,000-pound autonomous robot that utilizes high-power lasers to eradicate weeds through thermal energy, it has seen a high demand for the technology. In fact, the company has already secured a number of marquee growers and bookings that exceed $20 million. With these new customers, Carbon Robotics has sold out of its 2021 and 2022 models and has begun accepting orders for 2023.

When we supported the announcement of the Autonomous Weeder in April, we were focused on introducing the technology and describing its benefits. Many hear “a laser-shooting, self-driving robot” and think science fiction, so that announcement was focused on outlining the details of the technology and demonstrating its validity.

For this announcement, the goal was to demonstrate the momentum the company has built over the last four months and establish the market potential. We looked for key proof points to illustrate the positive reactions farmers had had to the product and outlined some of the key industry problems the robots address, especially the growing threat of herbicide-resistant weeds.

To provide reporters enough time to connect with Carbon Robotics executives and customers, we offered the announcement under embargo in advance of the publication date. We secured interviews with Fast Company, GeekWire and the Puget Sound Business Journal. Below is some of the coverage generated by this announcement.

Congratulations to the Carbon Robotics team on the recent funding!

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Publication Spotlight: Forbes

Last month, we published a blog post that inspired the team to create an ongoing series for our blog. Titled “Publication Spotlight,” the series will cover various publications of interest to our clients. In these spotlights, we’ll conduct research and develop a brief Q&A sharing details about the outlet and some of its core offerings. The first spotlight in our series was published earlier this month about Inc.

In the post below, I’ll share an overview of Forbes and a summary of my research as of Sept. 8, 2021.

Before I dive into my Q&A on Forbes, it’s important to flag that the publication announced its plans to go public through a deal with a special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC). The deal values the company at $630 million and is expected to close by the end of 2021 or early next year. Upon the closing, Forbes will merge with the SPAC, Magnum Opus Acquisition, and trade on the New York Stock Exchange as FRBS. It is not clear how this update will impact Forbes’ journalism, marketing programs, events or vertical strategies.

Q: How long has the publication been around?

Forbes was founded in 1917 and is written for corporate executives, managers, investors, and affluent business professionals, according to Cision. The publication’s mission is to give readers a competitive business edge by providing insight into the corporate world and financial markets. Forbes publishes a print magazine, digital content, and local editions covering 76 countries. In addition to its journalism focus, Forbes offers various events, marketing programs, and resources to help leaders and entrepreneurs drive change.  

 Q: Who is the publisher?

Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family own and oversee the publication of Forbes. Integrated Whale Media Investments does not have a website, but Forbes’ Wikipedia page details information about the company’s sale in 2014 and a breakdown of its ownership. For more information about the company and its leadership teams, visit Forbes’ “Who We Are” webpage.

Q: Who reads Forbes?

Entrepreneurs, business leaders, C-level executives, finance executives, managers and business professionals read Forbes. The publication caters to these groups by publishing business and strategy stories, trend features, personality profiles and management case studies. Forbes is also well known for its lists and rankings, including Forbes 30 Under 30 and Forbes Women, among many others. It also hosts several business strategy and finance events, including CIO Next Summit and Wealth Summit, and events to showcase innovations across other industries, such as the Healthcare Summit, Future of Food, etc.  

Q: What is the process for contributing content to Forbes?

Forbes accepts bylined articles and contributors. One approach to place regularly contributed content with the publication is through the Forbes Council. This program is an invitation-only organization for successful executives and entrepreneurs to publish digital articles via Forbes. Communiqué PR currently has several clients in the council.  There is no required minimum or maximum number of article publications; however, Forbes limits members to submit one article for editorial review at a time. Below are details about eligibility, benefits, and the fees to join the program.  

Membership Eligibility

  • To apply, an applicant must be a senior-level executive at a company that meets the following minimum criteria:
    • Generates a minimum of $1M USD in revenue or has a minimum of $1M USD in financing.
    • For business or nonprofit-council applicants, the minimum annual revenue requirement is $500,000.

Benefits

  • Publish articles to Forbes.com about your business for future clients, partners and investors.
  • Create a custom profile on Forbes.com, which ranks high in search results and features your professional bio, company description, areas of expertise, and links to your social media and website.
  • Connect with other Forbes Council members.
  • Access professional skills training.

 Fees

  • $2,300 for a one-year membership
  • $3,900 for a two-year membership
  • Premium services available for purchase

Q: What is the process for applying to Forbes’ lists and rankings?  

Forbes offers an extensive “lists” program. These lists and rankings cover people, companies and places. The specific application, evaluation, and selection process about each list can be found at the link shared above or visiting Forbes’ “Lists” page on its dropdown menu. However, many of the lists have a nomination form and then a more detailed application. For example, see the nomination for Forbes Next 1000. According to Forbes, this list “celebrates the ambitious sole proprietors, self-funded shops and pre-revenue startups who are redefining what it means to build and run a business today, especially in the “new normal.”  

Q: Does Forbes publish an editorial calendar?

Yes. Forbes publishes a digital editorial calendar and a print editorial calendar. The 2021 digital editorial calendar was updated on Sept. 1, 2021, and the 2021 print editorial calendar was updated on April 21, 2021.

Q: How many readers does it have?

Forbes print magazine has a circulation of 669,672. Its digital site secures 33,734,080 unique visitors per month, according to Cision.

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