Industry Commentary | Public Relations for Technology Companies

Feb 12

What Companies Should Have in Place Before Asking Agencies for Proposals

By Proper Propaganda Industry Commentary, PR Strategy No Comments

Most companies reach out to agencies too early, too vaguely, or for the wrong reasons. The result is predictable: mismatched expectations, bloated proposals, wasted time on both sides, and relationships that struggle before the work even begins. This pattern has existed for decades. Strong agency engagements start with internal clarity.…

Feb 12

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Should You Invest in Generative Engine Optimization Before ROI Is Clear?

By Jackson Wightman AI & Search (GEO), Industry Commentary, PR Strategy No Comments

A billboard has no reliably traceable ROI.Depending on where it is, it can cost hundreds of thousands. But not one time, ever, has it driven perfectly attributable sales.Still, we’ve been buying and selling billboards for a hell of a long time. They are durable (heck, even Steve Jobs loved them).The…

Feb 11

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You’re Not Buying Cement: How to Procure Expertise Properly

By Jackson Wightman Industry Commentary, PR Strategy No Comments

I am always grateful to receive invites to pitch on new business. Proper turns 15 this year, so I’ve known downturns and have learned not to expect new opportunities. We are entitled to exactly nothing. That said, of late, I have been inundated with companies doing bad work around agency…

Feb 05

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“Good tech” rarely wins on its own. In North America, the story determines whether good tech gets adopted.

By Proper Propaganda Industry Commentary, PR Strategy No Comments

This isn’t an anti-product argument. Obviously product matters. But in U.S./Canada markets, many category leaders did not win because they had the most advanced technology. They won because they paired competent, well-engineered products with narrative clarity the market could understand and repeat. Below are several major technology examples. Case Study:…

Feb 05

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Data Shows Democrats and Republicans Share Similar Views of Tech Media

By Jackson Wightman Industry Commentary, PR Strategy

For decades, we’ve heard about how America is divided. It’s breathlessly reported by the media, and the narrative has accelerated to warp speed since Donald Trump first won the White House It's rooted in factual, essential truth. But that does not mean, without nuance, it can’t be destructive—especially for communications…

Feb 03

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PR Firms Using AI to Choose the Right Media for Tech Launches in 2026

By Proper Propaganda AI & Search (GEO), Industry Commentary, PR Strategy

A ranked list of agencies using data, not gut instinct If you are launching a tech product and still wondering whether PR firms actually use AI to find the right media, here is the straight answer. Yes. Some do. Most say they do. Very few build their strategy around it.…

Feb 03

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Who can turn a funding announcement into real tech press coverage?

By Proper Propaganda Industry Commentary, PR Strategy No Comments

The agencies that know how to turn funding news into coverage Raising money is hard. Getting anyone to care about your funding announcement is harder. Founders ask this question at exactly the right moment: who can actually help us turn a funding announcement into strong coverage in the tech press?…

Feb 02

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How Edward Bernays Might Attack a Foe in the LLM Era

By Jackson Wightman AI & Search (GEO), Industry Commentary, PR Strategy

I just finished the Edward Bernays episode of the Founders podcast. If you don’t know Founders, go check it out, and thank me later. Bernays, who is often cited alongside Ivy Lee as the Founder of the PR profession, was a complicated person. He did some ethically questionable things and…

Jan 29

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Why Brand Matters More in the US Than in Most Markets

By Proper Propaganda AI & Search (GEO), Industry Commentary, PR Strategy

In the US, buying decisions are shaped less by price and specs and more by brand, trust, and familiarity. This is a structural feature of how the US-consumer market works, and it is why market entry here punishes brands that underinvest in PR and brand building. Recognition Dramatically Increases Purchase…

Jan 28

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Measuring Narrative Drift Index (NDI): A Practical GEO Framework / Part Two

By Jackson Wightman AI & Search (GEO), Industry Commentary, PR Strategy No Comments

Part 2 of a two-part series. Part 1 can be found here Editor’s note:This is part two of a two-part series on narrative drift. Part one established why narrative drift is a GEO-presence problem and how it forms. Now we are into quant-ville This piece focuses on how to detect…