Presto

The restaurant industry was crowded with automation solutions that all promised efficiency and cost savings. Standing out required more than just superior technology — it demanded capturing imaginations through creative public relations that spoke to our target media outlets.

The PR challenge:

• Make AI feel human: In an industry obsessed with reducing labor costs, show how automation could enhance rather than replace human connection.
• Create holiday magic: Launch a strategic PR campaign during the holiday season with messaging that felt celebratory, not corporate.
• Establish category leadership: Employ public relations and marketing to position the client as the innovative leader in an increasingly competitive market.

We had compelling data to work with: The client’s internal research showed that 68% of consumers aged 18 to 44 were more likely to visit a drive-thru if it featured a celebrity voice taking orders. But data alone wouldn’t capture hearts and headlines.

Three weeks before Christmas, Bospar crafted a strategy and employed our strategic communication process and PR pros to turn a product feature into a cultural phenomenon.

Bospar’s approach centered on our “politely pushy” philosophy: persistent, strategic outreach combined with respectful relationship-building. We knew that landing one major placement could trigger a syndication avalanche.

Phase 1: Build the Foundation: We started with strategic embargo outreach to key technology and industry reporters. Rather than blast the announcement broadly, we collaborated with the client to write press releases, used the news to craft compelling pitches and reached out to the key journalists we knew would understand the story’s potential.

Key pre-launch activities included:

• Michael Wolf (reporter, The Spoon): Secured exclusive embargo acceptance
• Kristen Hawley (founder, Expedite newsletter): Engaged with strategic questions about celebrity partnerships
• Rob Enderle (analyst, Enderle Group): Conducted technical briefing Dec. 14
• Jon Springer (reporter, AdAge): Scheduled exclusive briefing for Dec. 16

Phase 2: The Perfect Hook: The Santa angle wasn’t just cute — it was strategic. Holiday timing gave us natural newsworthiness, while the celebrity voice feature demonstrated serious technological capability. We crafted messaging that balanced whimsy with business impact.

Phase 3: Amplification Strategy: We planned for both immediate media coverage and sustained follow-up. The announcement would be just the beginning, with Phase II media outreach extending into January, identifying contributed content opportunities and crafting articles to support them, and securing industry analysts briefings to build long-term credibility.

The breaking nature of restaurant automation technology demanded agility in our media strategy. We approached each target media segment – technology, hospitality, business – with customized narratives that spoke to each particular audience.

Bospar’s successful PR campaign secured coverage from TechCrunch and 17+ syndicated outlets in the first wave, with a reach that most restaurant technology companies only dream of.

The results speak for themselves:

Tier-1 Breakthrough:

• TechCrunch, Christine Hall reporting

Massive Syndication Network, including: 

• MSN
• Yahoo! (TechCrunch syndication to multiple verticals): Main, Lifestyle, Entertainment

Industry Trade Coverage:

• Hospitality Technology
• SalesTechStar
• The Spoon (Michael Wolf reporting)