It’s a complex question, but one I intend to (try to) tackle here.
Welcome to the first edition of what I hope becomes your go-to resource for navigating the messy, expensive, often soul-crushing world of breaking into the US market as a consumer tech company.
I’m Jackson Wightman, founder of Proper Propaganda and author of The Tech PR Playbook. For the past 15+ years, I’ve watched brilliant companies from around the world burn through millions trying to crack America. Some make it. Most don’t. The difference usually isn’t product quality or market timing – it’s understanding how to actually communicate in a country that’s drowning in noise.
At Proper, I lead a team that has helped international companies like Keychron, Hover Air and HOTO Tools become household names and category leaders in the US. The tens of millions we have helped build in revenue have come with hard lessons and mistakes aplenty. I intend to share those with you.
We believe in the power of data to drive market entry strategy. To this end, we recently completed a major research initiative on US consumers. Our research found weird and amazing things such as:
- Trump voters actually think the global economy has had a great impact on availability, quality and price or consumer tech.
- Americans trust products made in (certain) other countries more than they do products made in the US.
- The most trusted media source for tech recommendations in America is not The New York Times, Marques Brownlee, or the Wall Street Journal. It is a stodgy, old outlet no client has ever asked us to put them in called Consumer Reports.
This is the tip of the iceberg. A taste of what you will get here.
The problem with most US market entry advice
Here’s what typically happens: You hire a consultant who gives you a 47-slide deck about “cultural considerations” and “go-to-market strategies.” They tell you to “think different” (thanks, Apple) and “tell your story.” You spend $200K on a launch campaign that gets you precisely zero traction because you fundamentally misunderstood how American media, consumers, and business actually work.
The advice industry loves complexity because complexity justifies fees. But breaking into the US market isn’t rocket science – it involves data-backed strategy, some pattern recognition plus execution.
Periodically, I’ll share:
- Real data on what’s working (and what isn’t) for tech companies entering the US market
- Tactical breakdowns of successful (and failed) US launches from consumer tech companies
- Media landscape updates because American tech journalism changes faster than TikTok trends
- Practical frameworks you can actually use
Use what you like. It will all stem from real experience used in the real world and data (for a bit more on the latter see this briefing note about how US companies feel about tech manufactured in China. I throw this in as a bonus and teaser of what is to come).
Why now?
We’ve never seen this before: Tariffs, a President who seems to change his mind with the winds, increased risk on performance marketing spends due to tech companies. Consumer tech companies face rising customer acquisition costs, a fractured media landscape, and a regulatory nightmare. Get this wrong, and you’re fucked.
It’s harder than ever to do business in the US as a consumer tech company. Expertise is needed. I am happy to share mine and that of my firm Proper Propaganda.
The stakes are real. Companies that navigate these shifts will win market share. Those that don’t will join the graveyard of “promising international startups” that couldn’t figure out America.