CHALLENGE
Startups experience many hurdles. But in the mobile app space a company can be made—or rendered antiquated—overnight. We had to move quickly; creating our strategy for outreach even before the app was approved by the app stores (such as Google and Apple.) Once approved, we would need to approach media in a truly compelling way that would make them ignore the pile of other new app emails that filled their inbox. We also had to walk carefully with the positioning of the app that was centered around safety. We needed to approach media with a pitch about personal safety that seemed upbeat and not overly alarmist or the product wouldn’t be taken seriously by the media.

OPPORTUNITY
Put a face to a name. After testing the media response locally in Seattle, we set our sights on national media to create buzz. We focused on womens' interest publications, health and wellness, and travel. We invited key editors to coffee and lunch through a series of desk-side meetings in New York City, where a majority of lifestyle publications are headquartered. We used pre-exisiting relationships and an arsenal of newly-developed storylines with each media interaction. At the two day media tour, React Mobile’s founder walked them through the app and answered questions in person.

RESULTS
The one-on-one facetime with editors paid off a million times over - seven million impressions to be exact. With placements such as Travel + Leisure, Shape, Self, Women’s Health, Cosmopolitan and others. The magazine coverage resulted in a warm reception by the blogosphere who posted about the articles and the product, and kept news of the app launch buzzing.