Insights for Leaders Navigating
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.
Markets aren’t limited by maps. Business growth often requires engaging audience around the globe. However, successful media relations in different countries require more than just translating a press release.
Each global region has a distinct media landscape, cultural norms and language guidelines to navigate. To conduct successful media relations abroad, PR professionals should consider these key factors:
- Media Landscape – Each country as a unique media structure, key outlets and prominent journalists that PR professionals must know. Identifying industry-specific publications and journalists ensure the right messaging reaches the right audience.
- Culture & Language – Cultural sensitivities and business etiquette vary worldwide. It’s important to adapt messaging to align with local norms and ensure translations are accurate. This kind of care can prevent miscommunications and build stronger media relationships.
- Regulations & Press Policies – Press release regulations, embargoes and advertorial content vary from country to country. Staying aware of each country’s specific practices helps prevent compliance issues and ensures smooth media interactions.
- Localization of Content – PR professionals should tailor content to resonate with local audiences rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach. Understanding regional priorities and storytelling preferences can help build trust with journalists.
- Timing & Scheduling – Coordinating across time zones, accounting for public holidays and being mindful of different working hours is critical when pitching media and scheduling interviews.
ZAPI GROUP’s PR Strategy at bauma China
ZAPI GROUP, a global leader in electrification solutions for industrial and recreational vehicles, sought to expand its media presence at bauma China, one of the world’s largest trade fairs for construction and mining machinery. Their goal was to increase brand awareness, secure media interviews and position themselves as an electrification global leader.
Understanding the complexities of conducting PR in China, CPR leveraged its global PR partnership, Public Relations Network, to collaborate with a local firm familiar with the region’s media landscape, language and business practices. This collaboration ensured a seamless approach to media relations.
Our team worked closely with ZAPI GROUP to define key objectives and develop a targeted media strategy. Together, we crafted a compelling media pitch that highlighted ZAPI GROUP’s innovations, a message that resonated with Chinese media. Specifically, we crafted messages that aligned with the focus of the trade show and positioned ZAPI GROUP as a thought leader in those topics. Our local PR partner then leveraged its relationships with journalists to secure interviews at the event.
Throughout the process, CPR facilitated communication between ZAPI GROUP and the local PR firm, ensuring that messaging and interview logistics were aligned. Our teams worked together to schedule media briefings and develop talking points. It was useful to have partners at the trade show facilitating the interviews in person. Having a trusted partner in Shanghai allowed ZAPI GROUP to maximize its media exposure and engage with local journalists.
Results & Takeaways
Our strategic collaboration secured ZAPI GROUP three in-person media interviews, leading to three published articles (see coverage below). This success reinforced the importance of leveraging local expertise to navigate regional nuances and maximize PR impact.
ZAPI GROUP’s experience at bauma China demonstrates the value of global PR partnerships. These partnerships expand brand presence and secure meaningful media coverage in international markets. Working with local experts helps businesses overcome cultural and logistical barriers, enhance messaging effectiveness and build stronger relationships with the press.
ZAPI GROUP bauma China Coverage
- Construction Times: 助力建筑行业电动化——专访ZAPI GROUP执行董事克莱斯 阿瓦舍
- gongkong: ZAPI GROUP：引领电动化潮流，驱动工程机械行业可持续发展
- Control Engineering China: 多元化的产品组合，让客户更加称心如意-智能制造频道
Winning an American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) award is more than just celebrating a project—it’s about telling a story of innovation, teamwork and positive community impacts. The Washington ACEC award for HNTB’s Lynnwood Link Extension project with Sound Transit highlighted the team’s remarkable engineering achievements. It also showcased the collaboration and strategy that made HNTB’s submission shine.
The Power of Industry Recognition
Movies have the Oscars, and music boasts the Grammys, but you don’t have to be famous to earn recognition for excellence in your profession. Every industry offers its own prestigious awards, providing businesses of all sizes opportunities to gain recognition on national, regional and local platforms for their innovative contributions and achievements.
Many businesses overlook the marketing and communication power of awards. However, the benefits of recognition far outweigh the effort of submission. Awards validate an organization’s credibility, setting it apart from competitors and opening new opportunities.
For Sound Transit and HNTB, the Lynnwood Link Extension award win was more than a trophy—it was a testament to the dedication of the people behind the project. This recognition inspired pride among team members and celebrated the firm’s role in connecting communities through sustainable transit.
Awards Differentiate Your Company from Competitors
Today, standing out requires more than just a great product or service. Awards provide tangible evidence of excellence. Something as simple as adding award logos to marketing materials or referencing awards in proposals can influence how prospects perceive your company. For HNTB, the Lynnwood Link Extension win highlighted the firm’s unique approach to problem-solving and collaboration.
The Secrets to a Standout Submission
A winning award submission isn’t just a list of achievements—it’s a compelling story. A great submission has three essential parts:
- Story: The project’s journey, from challenges to triumphs, is told with a natural flow that captivates judges.
- Success: Clear evidence of objectives met or exceeded are supported by measurable results.
- Sizzle: These unique factors make the project and the team stand out from competitors.
HNTB’s submission told the story of how the Sound Transit project transformed the Puget Sound region’s transit system, weaving in visuals and testimonials to create a cohesive and compelling narrative.
The standout feature—or “sizzle”—of the Lynnwood Link Extension nomination was the extraordinary teamwork that drove the project’s success. The collaboration among all stakeholders fostered an innovative and efficient approach to overcoming complex engineering challenges. This emphasis on teamwork was effectively communicated in the nomination, making it clear how collective efforts were key to the project’s remarkable achievements.
The Pressure of Deadlines: Staying Ahead of the Clock
Tight submission deadlines for awards make time management critical. Our team broke the process into phases, assigning ownership for specific sections to avoid bottlenecks. This ensured the submission maintained high standards while meeting the deadline. Careful planning helped our team accommodate revisions, integrate feedback and polish the final product.
Collaboration: The Backbone of Success
The Lynnwood Link Extension exemplified the power of collaboration—both in its execution and its award submission. The project was a testament to teamwork, bringing together many stakeholders and innovative solutions to deliver a transformative transit system for the Puget Sound region. This collaboration carried into the ACEC award submission process.
By establishing clear workflows, holding regular check-ins and drawing from the diverse expertise of engineers, project managers and leadership, we overcame challenges and maintained momentum throughout the process. A defining element of our effort was the inclusion of testimonials from stakeholders, including the lead engineer. This perspective underscored the project’s real-world impact, adding authenticity and depth to the submission.
Crafting a Compelling Narrative
A winning submission is as much about storytelling as it is about technical excellence. For Sound Transit’s Lynnwood Link Extension, HNTB emphasized the project’s transformative impact—from reducing congestion and promoting sustainability to connecting communities. This narrative illustrated how the project improved lives and supported regional growth.
Lessons Learned: Insights for Future Success
Winning the ACEC award reinforced valuable lessons:
- Start with story: A narrative ties the project’s immediate achievements to its broader impact.
- Collaborate early and often: Diverse expertise creates a well-rounded submission.
- Emphasize uniqueness: Highlight what sets your project apart.
- Refine and polish: Treat the submission as a reflection of your organization’s quality and attention to detail.
The Final Reward: Recognition and Inspiration
The Lynnwood Link Extension award from ACEC-Washington recognized more than technical achievement. It celebrated teamwork, vision and dedication. This accolade continues to inspire HNTB’s future projects and reminds us of the impact that thoughtful, community-focused engineering can achieve.
With 2024 behind us, we’re celebrating a year filled with growth, achievements and a special milestone: Communiqué PR’s 20th anniversary.
Over the past two decades, we’ve partnered with incredible clients, tackled exciting challenges and built a team that’s second to none. The successes of 2024 were made possible by the trust of our clients and the creativity, dedication and expertise of our team.
Here’s a look back at some of the highlights that defined this extraordinary year.
Expanding Our Impact Across Industries
This year, we deepened our expertise in healthcare, technology and agriculture, delivering strategic campaigns that helped our clients connect with key audiences and achieve measurable results.
- Tideworks Technology: Communiqué PR partnered with the team to launch its Data Platform solution at the 2024 Tideworks Customer Conference. We secured coverage in outlets like WorldCargo News and Port Strategy and created engaging materials for key stakeholders highlighting Tideworks’ innovation.
- Mosaicx: Through strategic campaigns, we amplified Mosaicx’s leadership in customer experience (CX). Highlights included securing media placements in Forbes and CX Today, showcasing the enhancement of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and executing a thought leadership campaign that resulted in seven contributed articles and a podcast interview.
- Acumatica: At the Acumatica Summit 2024, we organized 20+ analyst briefings and facilitated meaningful discussions between executives, customers and analysts. These efforts reinforced Acumatica’s position as a leader in cloud ERP.
- Healthcare Sector: Our work with Cirtec Medical, TTP and MD2 showcased their thought leadership in leading industry publications such as Medical Design Outsourcing, Medical Product Outsourcing and Medical Device and Diagnostic Industry. We also secured speaking opportunities at major events, strengthening their reputations as innovators in the healthcare space.
Whether driving media relations, thought leadership, event strategy or change management, we empowered clients to share their stories on national and global stages. All of this work was enabled by the ingenuity and commitment of our incredible team.
Driving Results for Our Clients
- Our strategic and creative approach was on full display in 2024, resulting in high-impact media placements and top industry awards earned through our dedicated efforts. Carbon Robotics: Communiqué PR garnered 220+ media articles and broadcast segments and continued to drive awareness and demand for the LaserWeeder. Our work also established CEO Paul Mikesell’s position as a thought leader and Carbon Robotics as a market leader with numerous podcasts and top-tier awards.
- Blumira: We earned 75+ editorial articles and 14 award wins, enhancing its cybersecurity and thought leadership platforms for executives such as CTO and co-founder Matt Warner and CEO Jim Simpson.
- ZAPI GROUP: Our media relations efforts amplified the launch of the ZIVAN SG9 charging solution, securing 11 media placements and coordinating four interviews at The Battery Show North America.
- HNTB: We partnered with 24 offices nationwide to create communication strategies, manage media relations and promote major infrastructure projects like the Lynnwood Link Extension.
These examples illustrate how we help clients amplify their brands and achieve meaningful visibility across industries.
Strengthening Our Team
At the heart of every success is our incredible team. This year, we balanced hard work with moments of connection—team dinners, strategic offsites and even a Mariners game. Welcoming new talent alongside seasoned professionals strengthened our collaborative culture and positioned us for continued growth in 2025.
Looking Ahead
As we step into 2025, we’re ready to embrace new challenges and opportunities with the same passion and commitment that defined 2024. To our clients: Thank you for trusting us with your stories. To our team: Thank you for your dedication and for making Communiqué PR what it is today. Together, let’s make 2025 even more extraordinary!
Carbon Robotics made 2024 a landmark year. It continued to revolutionize the agricultural industry with its state-of-the-art, AI-powered LaserWeeder technology. From the U.S. heartland to Denmark’s innovative farms, Carbon Robotics’ mission to empower farmers, protect the environment and enhance crop yields captured the media’s attention.
In 2024, 228 articles featuring Carbon Robotics were published across top-tier and trade outlets. The company also hit multiple milestones, which were highlighted in press releases Communiqué PR developed and distributed.
Here’s a look back at some of 2024’s highlights.
Announcements
Last year, Carbon Robotics announced five milestones and product launches with press releases, which helped spread the word to media, customers, stakeholders and the public.
In February, Carbon Robotics announced the Track LaserWeeder, a new model of its proven LaserWeeder. It featured two software enhancements: spatial data intelligence in the Carbon Ops Center and multi-language support in the iPad operator app.
Some of the coverage garnered by the announcement includes:
- AgriTech Tomorrow, Carbon Robotics Introduces New Product Capabilities to Meet Strong Global Demand for LaserWeeder, 2/12/2024
- The Packer, Carbon Robotics unveils new LaserWeeder model, 2/12/2024
- Precision Farming Dealer, Carbon Robotics Introduces New Track LaserWeeder for Various Soil Types, 2/12/2024
- Mobile Robot Guide, Carbon Robotics launches new Track LaserWeeder system, 2/13/2024
In May, the company announced an investment from NVentures, NVIDIA’s venture capital arm, and was recognized on the 2024 CNBC Disruptor 50 list. These announcements led to a slew of coverage, including:
- The Robot Report, Carbon Robotics raises funding to destroy weeds on farms, 5/7/2024
- GeekWire, NVIDIA invests in AI-powered weed zapping ag-tech startup Carbon Robotics, 5/7/2024
- AgFunder, Carbon Robotics raises funding to destroy weeds on farms, 5/7/2024
- Puget Sound Business Journal, Ag tech startup Carbon Robotics lands Nvidia investment, 5/7/2024
- Agriculture Dive, Agtech Seedlings: Nvidia invests in weed-killing robots | Startup lands $26M for cattle methane vaccine, 5/10/2024
- Onion World, Carbon Robotics Named to the 2024 CNBC Disruptor 50 List, 5/28/2024
In June, Carbon Robotics announced a major milestone – its award-winning fleet of LaserWeeders had eliminated over 10 billion weeds across North America, Australia and Europe since its launch in 2022.
This news led to coverage in a number of publications, including:
- AgriTech Tomorrow, Carbon Robotics’ LaserWeeders Achieve Milestone: Over 10 Billion Weeds Eliminated, 6/26/2024
- AgroSpectrum, AI-powered farming solution Carbon Robotics’ LaserWeeders achieves sustainable weed elimination, 6/27/2024
- Design News, LaserWeeders Killed Billions of Weeds in the Last Two Years, 6/27/2024
- The Robot Report, LaserWeeder fleet has eliminated 10B weeds worldwide, says Carbon Robotics, 7/4/2024
Finally, in October, Carbon Robotics shared the news of its Series D funding round. The company raised $70 million to help scale Carbon Robotics’ LaserWeeder business, introduce new software and hardware products, and expand state-of-the-art manufacturing capabilities in Eastern Washington. The funding will also support the company’s growth in new markets and continue its geographic expansion into Eastern and Southern Europe, as well as the Asia-Pacific region.
The news appeared in several publications, including:
- Puget Sound Business Journal, Carbon Robotics eyes new Seattle office after $70M round, 10/21/2024
- GeekWire, Future of farming? Carbon Robotics raises $70M for AI robots that blast weeds with lasers, 10/21/2024
- The Robot Report, Carbon Robotics brings in $70M to scale LaserWeeder, 10/21/2024
- VC News Daily, Carbon Robotics Raises $70 Million Series D, 10/21/2024
- Fortune Term Sheet, Former Humana CEO Bruce Broussard joins Define Ventures as venture partner, 10/22/2024
Top-Tier Media Features
Last year, Carbon Robotics was featured in leading publications that showcased the transformative potential of AI in farming and Carbon Robotics’ continued work to revolutionize the agtech industry:
- TIME featured Carbon Robotics as one of its top GreenTech Companies of 2024.
- CBS highlighted the LaserWeeder as a leading solution that could help solve the agriculture sector’s ongoing labor challenges.
- Carbon Robotics was named to CNBC’s 12th annual Disruptor 50 list.
- Forbes listed Carbon Robotics as one of the main companies transforming farming and published an article noting the benefits of the LaserWeeder for weed control.
- Axios Pro Rata pinpointed Carbon Robotics’ recent $70 million Series D funding round as a reason for a boost in Q3 agtech deals.
Thought Leadership Podcast Appearances
In 2024, CEO and founder Paul Mikesell was welcomed as a guest on several agriculture podcasts, where he discussed Carbon Robotics’ work and innovations in the industry.
In April, he was featured on The Packer’s Tip of the Iceberg Podcast, where he discussed the future of automation and data in farming. This past June, he was part of the Future of Agriculture Podcast, where he talked about the impact of the LaserWeeder technology on farmers’ daily operations and Carbon Robotics’ journey toward an IPO.
In July, Paul was welcomed onto two podcasts: North American Ag’s What Color is Your Tractor? and the Produce Industry Podcast. During these conversations, he highlighted his journey to founding Carbon Robotics and the LaserWeeder’s impact on organic farming.
Looking Ahead
The media’s interest underscores the significance of Carbon Robotics’ mission and the impact of its innovative solutions. As 2025 continues, Communiqué PR remains committed to driving meaningful PR results as Carbon Robotics changes agriculture by equipping farmers with AI-powered tools to protect crops, soil, people and the planet.
The new year is a time for reflection. Today, we’re reflecting on one of our client’s achievements and what we’ve learned from developing campaigns, sharing company news, and staying attuned to industry evolution.
Mosaicx is a leader in the customer experience (CX). Its Conversational AI uses voice recognition and digital messaging to help customers find information and resolve issues. Mosaicx’ 2024 was filled with strategic announcements, impactful customer partnerships, and active participation in industry trade shows, podcasts and publications that reinforced its thought leadership.
We’ve had the privilege of partnering with Mosaicx for nearly four years, helping to create, amplify and share stories that showcase its growth and impact. Below is a snapshot of highlights from 2024.
Q1: The State of AI in CX
In the first quarter, we partnered with Mosaicx to share strategies for navigating the increasingly complex customer service landscape. Our pitch campaigns highlighted how companies can support customer needs and business goals through thoughtful AI integrations. Key themes included:
- Balancing Automation in Healthcare: Focusing on automation, specifically AI, to enhance but not replace human empathy and effectiveness across patient interactions.
- Supporting Retailers with Conversational AI: Demonstrating how conversational AI helps retailers juggle roles, from customer engagement to operational improvements.
- Mapping CX Success Is Not Linear: Showcasing the importance of adaptability and flexibility to meet customers across various touchpoints and channels.
As part of these campaigns, we secured coverage in The Fast Mode, Smart Customer Service, CX in the Wild and RT Insights.
Q2: Strategic Partnerships, Societal Impact and Industry Recognition
In Q2, Mosaicx showcased how technology can drive meaningful change and address both societal challenges and business needs.
- Making 988 Possible: We collaborated with Mosaicx and Vibrant Emotional Health to develop and share a case study on their partnership enhancing the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. This included a video and the written case study, Extending a Lifeline: Increasing Access to Mental Health and Crisis Care.
- Securing Industry Recognition: Mosaicx was a finalist for the 2024 CCW Excellence Awards in the Automation Solution of the Year category. At the July CCW event, Mosaicx showcased its Mosaicx360 platform, which streamlines customer interactions and enhances personalization to drive loyalty and satisfaction.
- Shaping Industry Trends: We helped Mosaicx identify industry trends and create pitch campaigns to help businesses in navigating them. This included adapting to new DOT refund policies with AI and using data for personalized CX without compromising customer trust. We helped place articles in MarTech Zone, Total Retail, AiThority and Retail Customer Experience.
Q3 & Q4: Regulatory Trends & CX Leadership
In the latter half of 2024, Mosaicx demonstrated leadership in navigating regulatory changes while growing relationships with fellow industry thought leaders and earning accolades for its own leadership in CX innovation.
- Insights on Regulatory Changes: As regulatory shifts emerged, Mosaicx guided key policies, including the FTC’s Click-to-Cancel rule and the FCC’s georouting requirements for wireless calls to the 988 Lifeline. This critical step ensures localized care for callers while maintaining their privacy.
- Growing the No Hold Time Podcast: To expand the reach and elevate thought leadership, we secured CX influencers as guests on Mosaicx’ No Hold Time podcast. Highlights included CX experts Stacy Sherman of Doing CX Right and Kristi Faltorusso of ClientSuccess, who shared actionable strategies for improving customer experiences. Watch both episodes and more on the No Hold Time YouTube Channel.
- CX Leadership Recognition: Mosaicx wrapped the year as a finalist and winner of the CX Leaders Awards, with President Rebecca Jones receiving recognition in the Women in CX category. This award honors exemplary leadership, innovation and influence in CX.
Through these milestones, we secured coverage in Forbes, CMSWire, Tech Target and CX Today.
Looking Ahead
In 2025, Mosaicx is poised to shape innovative CX strategies across retail, healthcare and other key verticals. We’re excited to build on our momentum and highlight their product advancements, company milestones and partnerships that continue to transform customer experiences.
What do niche news channels, TikTok journos and a shrinking newspaper industry have in common? Each is helping to rewrite media consumption rules faster than ever.
Staying relevant in today’s whirlwind media landscape requires more than keeping up—it demands a strategy shift. The interplay of audience preferences and emerging platforms presents communicators with an exciting opportunity to reshape PR strategies and tactics.
Navigating this transformation means understanding four key trends driving change in the media world.
1: Niche News Channels
Audiences are moving from mass-market outlets to niche publications and channels. According to a Pew Research study, nearly one-third of political news consumers now identify their primary source as a smaller, lesser-known outlet—or none at all.
This trend underscores a broader move toward hyper-focused, personalized media consumption, reflecting people’s desire for content that aligns with their interests and needs. This is partly driven by the digital age, where algorithms and search tools make it easier than ever to discover highly tailored content.
As trust in traditional mass-market outlets wanes, many people turn to smaller, more-focused platforms that feel authentic and aligned with their priorities.
2: TV Domination
Respondents to the Pew Research study who chose a political news source indicated that television was their go-to medium. Of the top 10 named news sources, seven were TV stations, five of which topped the list. In other words, roughly one-third of Americans’ primary source for political news is a TV station.
The most popular news sites for political news are:
- Fox News (13%)
- CNN (10%)
- Local TV (6%)
- ABC News (5%)
- NBC News (3%)
- NPR (3%)
- MSNBC (3%)
- The New York Times (3%)
- CBS News (3%)
- X/Twitter (2%)
3: Dwindling Newspapers
The 2024 State of Local News Report from Northwestern University examined how newspapers, public broadcasters, network websites and standalone websites have dwindled over the past year.
According to the report:
- Since 2005, one-third of all newspapers have closed. In the last year alone, 127 shuttered. There are now 5,600 newspapers nationwide, but only 1,120 are published daily.
- Five hundred of the largest newspapers lost a total of 2 million subscribers in the past year—not counting the Washington Post’s recent subscriber exodus.
- The decline in subscribers spurred an overall reduction of newsroom staff, which shrunk by 2,000 roles in the last year. Overall, fewer than 100,000 workers are employed in newspaper publishing nationwide.
- Thirty newspapers stopped print circulation and were reclassified as “digital-only” sites.
- Of the 52 new news sources that opened in 2023, 90% are digital-only.
The report also examined the homepages of 500 newspaper sites owned by the five largest holders. It found that one-third of the content came from another source, such as a newswire or a paper in a nearby area, which demonstrates that original reporting has shrunk alongside newspapers.
4: The Rise of Journo-fluencers
In 2022, a Google executive indicated that nearly 40% of Gen Z prefer to make web searches via Instagram or TikTok instead of Google. Social media’s transformation into a research tool has prompted the rise of the “journo-fluencer”—a new breed of content creators who blend traditional journalism with the influencer model.
These individuals break news, provide analysis and share updates on complex topics, often in bite-sized, accessible formats optimized for social media consumption. Their ability to directly connect with audiences in a relatable and interactive way has made them trusted sources of information that rival mainstream outlets.
What Does it All Mean for PR?
The shifting media landscape presents both challenges and opportunities for public relations professionals. As audiences gravitate toward niche news channels, PR pros must finely target their strategies. Instead of casting a wide net to mass-market outlets, they must identify and engage with specialized publications and platforms that align closely with the audience’s interests. Building relationships with these outlets requires tailored messaging and a deep understanding of the niche topics they cover. This approach improves the chances of coverage and ensures that targeted audiences are highly engaged and more likely to take action.
Television’s continued dominance of political news reinforces the importance of visual storytelling and broadcast media in PR campaigns. With stations like Fox News, CNN and local affiliates topping the list of trusted sources, PR pros should prioritize developing concise, compelling pitches that resonate with TV audiences. They should be prepared with visuals, soundbites and spokespeople who can articulate the story effectively in a broadcast format.
Meanwhile, the decline of traditional newspapers signals a need for adaptability. With fewer print outlets and shrinking newsroom staff, PR teams must navigate an increasingly digital news environment. Collaborating with digital-only platforms and embracing multimedia content like videos and infographics can help fill the void left by dwindling print publications.
Additionally, as journo-fluencers gain prominence, PR pros must think beyond traditional media outreach and engage these social media-savvy creators. By understanding their unique formats and fostering authentic collaborations, PR teams can share their clients’ stories where Gen Z and younger audiences are most active.
Our evolving media ecosystem calls for agility and precision. PR professionals who adapt to these trends and embrace innovative approaches will be well-positioned to drive meaningful impact.