BIG FISH PR

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Marketing Manager of American Robotics

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

American Robotics enables energy companies and other enterprises with outdoor equipment to improve uptime and lower costs by monitoring facilities and equipment with the first fully FAA-approved autonomous drone system.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire BIG FISH PR to accomplish?

• Increase brand awareness through media coverage and press
• Appear in two major mainstream news

SOLUTION

How did you find BIG FISH PR?

Online Search

Why did you select BIG FISH PR over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from BIG FISH PR were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

BIG FISH began working with American Robotics in 2020 with the goal of launching the company and building awareness around the Scout System to mainstream business, technology, drone trade and industry press such as oil and gas and agriculture. 

In early 2021, BIG FISH executed on the announcement of American Robotics' being the first fully automated commercial drone approved for flight by the FAA where we secured top tier coverage in publications including the Wall Street Journal. BIG FISH represented American Robotics from its launch through its acquisition by Ondas Holdings and beyond.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Media coverage was often times used as a measurement of success. The more trade outlets that picked up our stories, the better the success of the project. this is because we weren't looking to increase leads and was only looking to increase brand awareness. Web traffic increased every time we completed a project with BIG FISH.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

We were appointed an account manager that kept every task on track for success. There was never one project that missed a deadline with the process that was put in place by the BIGFISH team. Often times they weren't given a fair turnaround time and still managed to pull through under pressure.

What was your primary form of communication with BIG FISH PR?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Their ability to be flexible with our unique needs. BIG FISH and every member that was appointed to our account went above and beyond to make sure all of our needs were met. There were times where some of our requests were not a part of the original scope of work, but were still willing to do what it took to complete the task. 

The whole BIG FISH team always took extra time to focus in on the goals and understanding of the industries we were approaching. This allowed everyone involved to be fully educated to the best of their abilities before heading into any project.

Are there any areas for improvement or something BIG FISH PR could have done differently?

There were no areas of improvement that would have impacted our relationship for the better.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of PR for a software company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with BIGfish PR?

We wanted to drive awareness about our company, products, and services in the US as we grew our business. Our team engaged BIGfish because of that. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

One of our priorities was to establish our executives as thought leaders in the marketing technology and audience engagement space. Given that, BIGfish helped us develop ideas to establish our CMO as a thought leader in our industry. The team looked into industry trends and matched those with our CMO’s insights about how the industry would develop and what strategies could be used by brands and practitioners. 

Moreover, BIGfish helped us craft compelling stories, which they placed in industry trade publications. They secured interviews with relevant reporters and speaking opportunities at industry events. 

Over the last year, our CMO has published many stories about various marketing topics, and we continue working with BIGfish. 

What is the team composition?

About four people from BIGfish work with us. 

How did you come to work with BIGfish PR?

BIGfish was a PR agency in Boston, and before I moved to an in-house role, I worked at agencies in that area. I’d been aware of BIGfish for years and always admired their work, though I never had the chance to work with or for them. Given that, they were one of the first companies on my list when our company was looking for agency support. 

I had a few other options, but I was happy that BIGfish was chosen. They had plenty of industry expertise. I also had great conversations with their team. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested around $100,000–$250,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in April 2022, and the engagement is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

We’ve won 100% of our awards submissions, and that’s a testament to BIGfish’s ability to translate our products and services into compelling submissions. This has been a huge success for us; it’s great to be recognized through important industry awards.  

Moreover, we’ve seen our highest level of media coverage and thought leadership opportunities across the board. Our company has been around for 10 years, and this is the first time we’ve implemented a PR strategy. While our team hasn’t had incredibly high expectations, BIGfish has truly helped us accelerate our success and drive results immediately in terms of media coverage and overall reach. 

How did BIGfish PR perform from a project management standpoint?

BIGfish is thorough and detail-oriented. They bring creative ideas to the table and act as an extension of our team. I can share ideas with them, and they share ideas with me — there’s no latency there, and we always get immediate responses. 

Having open lines of communication makes everything easy for us, especially since we’re trying to establish thought leadership. On top of that, they always deliver projects on time and within our budget. Overall, I’m satisfied across the board. 

In terms of tools, we use Asana for project management, though we mostly operate on Google Workspace. We have biweekly video calls on Google Meet, but Slack is our main communication tool. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I truly admire the expertise and responsiveness of the team. When bringing in a third-party agency, we want them to feel like a true extension of our team — that’s the gold standard, and it’s how our partnership with BIGfish feels. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there aren’t any. We’ve had a great experience working with them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of communications and services at an airline company. We operate in around 30 destinations in Europe and North America.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with BIGfish PR? 

We worked with BIGfish PR to create awareness about our US operations. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We did our first ticket launch in the US in December 2021, and BIGfish PR worked on creating awareness for that launch. 

At present, we continue working with them as we launch in other US destinations. They handle our day-to-day PR efforts and aim to get us mentioned across various media outlets. The team connects us with journalists and sends press releases to be published in the media.

What is the team composition?

We’re in contact with around four people composed of PR specialists and an account manager.

How did you come to work with BIGfish PR?

BIGfish PR was a recommendation to us. We reached out to them and immediately decided to work with them. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with BIGfish PR in November 2021, and the partnership is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

We’re truly happy with them. Our team has worked with a lot of providers around the world, and BIGfish PR is one of the best. They’re organized and consistent and have met our expectations. 

How did BIGfish PR perform from a project management standpoint?

Everything has been delivered on time, and the team always responds to us. To communicate, we use emails; we have meetings on Teams and Google Meet every other week. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

BIGfish PR sends out great reports on what they’ve been doing and the goals they’ve reached. As a result, it’s always easy for us to see if the job has been done.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there aren’t any. We’re truly happy with them. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you want to create awareness for your company, BIGfish PR is the right team. Connect with them. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder and CEO of Coils to Locs. We’re a social impact, for-profit business that addresses a hitherto unseen health care disparity, as we provide curly wig options for people losing hair due to medical reasons.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with BIGfish Communications?

We’re a new company that only launched in May 2019. We needed help raising our brand awareness and making sure people understood our mission. We also wanted to develop partnerships with hospitals and medical institutions so we can offer to make our wigs available at their facilities. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We work with an account team from BIGfish Communications, and they've done everything from raising awareness to helping streamline our messaging based on our objectives. They also write and publish press releases and engage on our behalf with different media outlets. They've been working to increase our visibility through national publications, television networks, podcasts, and speaking engagements.

What is the team composition?

We are working with 4–6 people. 

How did you come to work with BIGfish Communications?

The owner of BIGfish Communications reached out to me and shared information about their company. We instantly clicked, since we went to the same university. I also liked that they were very engaged with our story, and they talked about our company and mission and how they could help in a way that other companies were not able to. 

BIGfish Communications displayed a personal passion about our message and what they could do for us in terms of exposure — that ultimately led us to hire their team.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in July 2020, and it’s ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

Based on our validation, BIGfish Communications’ work increased our media attention by 54%; in terms of hospital partnerships, we saw a 36% increase. Despite the difficulties from the COVID-19 pandemic, our revenue increased by a little over 300%.

Because of their efforts, we've been featured on a national TV program, various publications, and podcasts. They successfully got us a significant amount of media exposure.

How did BIGfish Communications perform from a project management standpoint?

They're incredible in project management. First of all, they listen really well and ask a lot of good questions, since this is a niche that they weren't necessarily familiar with. Well, a lot of people aren't familiar with our cause, and that is why this is a health care problem. 

BIGfish Communications does their homework and they implement very well, as they are very organized. We meet bi-weekly with their team and they're always prepared with a progress report and an analysis of our engagements. They're very attentive and detailed. There's never been a problem, issue, or concern. 

We communicate mostly through email, and we meet through Google Meets. We also use Google Docs frequently, that way, whenever there are updates or changes to metrics that they're tracking, we are able to immediately see them. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

BIGfish Communications is the first PR provider we’ve worked with, and I’m impressed that they took the time to really know our company. We had discussions for 4–6 weeks before they even started their media outreach. They asked us questions and understood our business, and later formulated their strategy, before they reached out to media outlets. They were really thoughtful about the process. The end result showed that they understood every aspect of our business. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I honestly can’t think of any. It seems they've done everything right, and we didn’t encounter any problems or issues. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

When you're assessing a vendor, ask questions about their learning process about your company, brand, and mission. Ask them at what point do they feel comfortable representing your company and building your brand. Some companies might feel impatient since they’re spending money and it’s been three or four weeks and BIGfish Communications hasn’t done anything yet. However, if you give them the time to learn about your business and its messaging, then I think you’re going to get a better result, because they've really looked under every rock and crossed every T before representing you with their media connection. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of communications for a 3-D printing company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with BIGfish Communications?

We needed to increase media and press awareness. We also wanted relevant mentions in relevant industry publications as well.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We rely on BIGfish communications to get our name out in relevant media. They also make relationships with journalists so that we get coverage.

What is the team composition?

We have one account manager and 2–3 account coordinators.

How much have you invested with them?

We spend $15,000 on a monthly basis.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in August 2019, and our work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

We’ve seen about a 5%–10% increase in our share of voice. We’ve continued to grow with branded traffic at about 30% YoY. There has also been an increase in the amount and variety of publications that have included us.

How did BIGfish Communications perform from a project management standpoint?

They really excel in project management. They haven’t dropped the ball at all and they perform better than competitors.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re very detail-oriented and proactive about making the projects that we’ve entrusted to them. They really understand the media landscape as it relates to our market.

Are there any areas they could improve?

As they grow, I’d like to see them grow into a more strategic counseling role.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Sharing your brand messaging, goals, and personas helps BIGfish do the best work.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a turbine engineering firm. We do research and design of small engines. Initially, we were only talking about utilizing them for drones. Instead, we discovered a significant market for ground and auxiliary power applications as well.

Our product is a very small turbine engine. Turbine engines fly commercial airliners and can be used for military applications for smaller drones. Small turbines are reliable and quiet. There are a plethora of reasons why they’re better than reciprocating and motorcycle engines. We have a considerable market niche, and it’s what we’re trying to exploit right now.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with BIGfish Communications?

It was a question of introducing our technology to the marketplace. People are familiar with turbine engines but not small turbine engines.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Upon engagement, our team told BIGfish we would have a series of events that were going to be newsworthy. We needed the opportunity to introduce our technology in a fairly significant manner to the marketplace. We spent the first six months preparing for those events, and then BIGfish rolled out the PR pretty quickly.

In August 2019, we flew one of our engines for the first time. They handled the video production that documented the flight as well as the press that came afterward, both written and interviews. Then, we had two other significant announcements and demonstrations and BIGfish was there to shepherd us through. They handled the process of preparing the press releases but also made sure they got an enormous reach when the releases did hit the press.

What is the team composition?

There were about four people on the team. Whenever we needed incremental help, there were individuals who were ready and available as well.

How did you come to work with BIGfish Communications?

Our company had run up against another company that was getting great publicity but with an inferior product. Quite frankly, it was annoying. I wondered how people knew about this company and what set them apart. We figured out that BIGfish was their PR firm and the driving force that set them apart, so we approached BIGfish.

What is the status of this engagement?

The engagement lasted from January 2019–March 2020. Again, our mission was to get market awareness and to get people to understand what our technology is all about. Naturally, we have more things to bring to the market, but this doesn’t happen on a regular basis.

The plan was always to take a pause so we could catch up from a tech standpoint and have something relevant to go back to the market with. It just so happened that it coincided with COVD-19. We’ll definitely reengage with BIGfish in the future.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

BIGfish made an enormous effort, even though they’re not engineers or technologists, to understand our business. They learned about our tech and what was newsworthy about it so they could truly represent us.

To do this, we gave them a lot of information, literature, and market information. Their team comprehended it, and that came across through their commitment to our project. They had a good awareness of what our messaging needed to be as well as why it was so special and unique. BIGfish dug in deep and made an effort to analyze how to reach our target audience.

Every time we had a press release, we’d receive information on how many impressions there were. Over the six-month period when we were really active, we had 100 million impressions for potential reach — it was a big deal. My wife’s cousin’s husband reached out and said he had seen me in a print publication. I have no idea where he would’ve seen it. But this goes to show how enormous the reach was.

How did BIGfish Communications perform from a project management standpoint?

BIGfish kept us on task, and we had weekly phone calls. I’m always very busy and often don’t have time for a call. However, they made sure I was on it; that’s exactly what I needed. I’m paying them a bunch of money to get results. They know that if they don’t get results, I don’t want to hear it was my fault because I didn’t show up on a call. BIGfish did a good job of keeping us accountable and making sure these calls took place.

What did you find most impressive about them?

BIGfish has experience, success, and knows what is or isn’t going to work. When I first met with them, I quickly sensed that this was ho-hum for them. There was a sense of confidence they all exuded.  They’ve helped companies just like ours before and knew they’d deliver results. Their team knows who to talk to, when to talk to them, and how to go about it. At the end of the day, the high-quality results speak for themselves.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there was nothing lacking or anything I would’ve changed. Overall, they were very professional and competent. Because the same individuals were assigned to us, there was a familiarity and comfort level present. If we said something, they’d understand and nothing was ever misconstrued. We had no issues, and they provided minutes of every meeting so there was a clear understanding of takeaways.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Give them all the information and details you possibly can about your product. BIGfish are generalists and you can’t expect them to be subject matter experts on your company; that part is incumbent upon you. They’re subject matter experts on getting you publicity, it’s that simple.

Their team has a very discreet discipline, and they’re good at it. Everybody needs to stick to their knitting. You certainly have to inform them of what you have and why it’s unique. That’s not a criticism, that’s just reality.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a former professional athlete, working on a campaign to improve cannabis policies and research within the sports world.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with BIGfish Communications?

I was looking to create change within the sports community by advocating for legalization and research regarding the use of cannabis. I needed a partner that could help spearhead the campaign and provide some branding work to help effectively spread the word. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

BIGfish managed a policy reform and PR campaign, providing branding collateral that included marketing materials, a logo, and tagline. They also oversaw all incoming media requests for radio, TV, live interviews, and other speaking engagements.

What is the team composition?

I worked directly with David (Founder & CEO, BIGfish Communications) and Meredith (VP of Accounts & Partner, BIGfish Communications), as well as a few others as needed. 

How did you come to work with BIGfish Communications?

Business partners and friends of mine had recommended them.

How much have you invested with them?

I invested around $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from the Fall of 2016 to the end of 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Although BIGfish constructed a campaign that reached millions of people, they, more importantly, helped create a lot of change within the community I was looking to effect. They did a great job of navigating a completely new space, helping me successfully get my message across in a way that's started a big conversation and had a real impact. 

How did BIGfish Communications perform from a project management standpoint?

They were extremely responsive, easy to work with, and very flexible when it came to working around my busy schedule. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Considering the fact that the campaign was unchartered territory for everyone involved, I'm very impressed by the strategic approach their team took. I don't know how it could've been done better. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

It's hard to say since this type of campaign had never been done before, but perhaps they could've filtered some of the media requests we received a little better. On the other hand, it's hard to know which media inquiries would've had more of an impact than others. Overall, it was a great experience working with them, and I don't have any complaints. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Clearly articulate your mission and be actively involved in the campaign, staying on top of the plan they lay out to achieve your goals. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

FarmedHere is a leading indoor vertical farm. We grow produce organically using hydroponic technology. We're based in Bedford Park, Illinois.

What is your position?

I am the Chief Executive Officer of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with BIGfish?

We wanted to expose our brand nationally. In the world of indoor farming, everything is done at a local level. Produce is consumed within the community. We wanted to gain some exposure across the nation and educate the world on what indoor farming really is.

SOLUTION

How did you come to work with BIGfish?

I was referred to them by a mutual friend. I've worked with a number of PR firms in the past for previous businesses that I started, and felt that I had the right insight in order to find the skillsets I was looking for. Not only was BIGfish the most talented out of all the firms we talked to, but they also had a particular knowledge base around the topic of sustainability.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

This is confidential.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in July of 2015. We had a six month agreement which was not renewed due to internal operation changes in my company. We plan to start working with them again towards the end of 2016.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

PR is only as good as the hits a company receives. It's fine if I get on the cover of The Des Moines Tribune, but I'd rather get featured in The Wall Street Journal or The New York Times. Specifically speaking, BIGfish actually got us into The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times. There are a number of other publications in which we were featured, but those two are the most prominent.

What distinguishes BIGfish from other providers?

They were almost more prideful, bullish, and excited about our business than we were, as a team. Seeing how energetic and excited they were helped to fire us up too. BIGfish gave the impression of being part of our team and that our business was theirs as well.

Is there anything BIGfish could have improved or done differently?

I think they were amazing from a communication perspective and nailed every part of what we were trying to do. They didn't accomplish much on a social standpoint, but we didn't really ask them to do anything in that respect.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

TarDisk LLC offers the first plug-and-play storage drive for MacBook computers. We sell a hardware product that is plugged on the side of a modern-day MacBook for increasing storage space.

What is your position?

I am the Chief Executive Officer of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with BIGfish?

We were in an interesting position. As a startup, we had built a spectacular product, for which we could raise money to advertise instead of actually building it, or figuring out an alternative way to get ourselves known. We wanted to tell the world about the product we'd built. We reached out to many different magazines and other venues, to a quite poor reception. We decided to seek professional help for this problem.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in greater detail.

Under their guidance, we ended up shutting down our website and stopped taking sales for a couple of weeks. We did a coordinated launch, which wound up being spectacular. I remember that, right before the press was set to go live, their owner called me and said they were about to make it rain on our website. Within minutes, noon struck, our timer reached zero, and the hits started coming in.

BIGfish were able to give us a coordinated PR [Public Relations] launch, through articles and other efforts. Everything went live at the same time, and drove an enormous amount of traffic. It was the forward momentum that we needed in order to get the PR machine moving. This had clear implications on our business' bottom line. What BIGfish did, drove all of our traffic and, ultimately, all our sales.

How did you come to work with BIGfish?

We heard varying experiences regarding PR firms. We interviewed different people and found our way to BIGfish.

We described what we wanted to do within the first meeting, and their owner actually used one of our devices on his computer. He was committed and interested in seeing how it functioned. Working with them has exceeded our expectations.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

That is confidential.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in mid-October of 2015.

The industry average is to switch PR firms every 2-3 months. At this time, we have no intention of doing that. They've learned our product, and, if we can continue to work with them, we definitely will.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

After they put their magic or spin on our story, perceptions change. The placements we received before were all local. With BIGfish, we penetrated the national tech venues and magazines that are commonly known. I don't think we would have gotten the time of day without them. I had been emailing a magazine in particular for months. I wasn't able to get anything published. BIGfish has had our second article published with them last week.

What distinguishes BIGfish from other providers?

David himself, the owner, is the most distinguishing aspect. He has a simple way of interpreting what you're actually offering, and getting to the heart of what you're trying to communicate. There's an elegance that comes with that simplicity.

Is there anything BIGfish could have improved or done differently?

As an engineer, everything for me is about numbers and being able to quantify things. Their team is largely liberal arts based. I would love for them to apply clear, quantifiable metrics on the things that they try to do.