2018 BCA PROFILES: COVET PR, STARTUP AGENCY OF THE YEAR

Founded in 2014 with a specialization in food, beverage, beauty and lifestyle brands in the health and wellness industry, Covet PR establishes brands through innovative tactics, such as executing experiential events and initiating influencer relationships.

As this year’s Startup Agency of the Year, Covet boasts premium clients including Annie’s Homegrown and Chameleon Cold-Brew with countless successful campaign executions under their belt. A desired partner across the country, Covet PR was able to expand from San Diego to the East Coast recently with the opening a second office in New York City.

The BCA judges were enamored with Covet PR’s motto, “We create news, we don’t follow it.” The Startup Agency of the Year award goes to an agency that stays buzzworthy.

How does it feel to win Startup Agency of the Year? How is your team going to celebrate?

It feels incredible! Our team has worked very hard to create an outstanding culture infused with relentless hustle, creative tension, and a commitment to the best employee experience and we are honored to receive this accolade.

As a new agency, what are your goals for the rest of 2018?

Our goals for the rest of 2018 are to keep raising the bar for what a PR agency can do in terms of happy clients and even happier employees. Our brand new office in Soho is buzzing with great talent and we have a wave of fantastic new clients coming in that we are excited to announce in the coming weeks!

What is your team most excited about right now in terms of industry trends, campaigns you are working on, etc.?

We’re excited about seeing the positive impact that the brands we work with are having on the environment. One of our clients, Epic Bar, is working with the Savory Institute on holistic land management practices to provide consumers with the healthiest snacks possible while helping the environment in the process.

Is there anything new you are trying with your clients in terms of influencers, social media and/or technology?

We’ve seen a huge success with influencers when everything from the pitch to the creative mailer is highly-personalized – it’s critical to make sure it’s clear the amount of thought that is put in for each and every influencer. In terms of something new, we’ve been setting up “Lunch & Learns” with some of the top influencers in the health & wellness space. This has allowed us to learn extremely valuable insights for our clients and how to adjust our approach for influencer and social programs moving forward. For example, influencers are launching podcasts by the second, which will allow us to work with them in a new way beyond social media.

This industry changes almost on a daily basis and it is absolutely crucial to stay on top of everything to ensure our relevancy.

How do you make sure to stay current in the industry?

Reading anything and everything we can get our hands on and leveraging the media and influencer relationships we have to understand what works. This industry changes almost on a daily basis and it is absolutely crucial to stay on top of everything to ensure our relevancy. Our team devotes a lot of time and energy in staying ahead of the trends and getting a deep-rooted understanding of the practices that are doing good for the planet and society, as well as the initiatives that really move the needle for CPG brands.

What has been your proudest moment as an agency thus far?

Our proudest moment as of late would have to be the opening of our New York office! As someone who moved to San Diego from the NYC PR market, it’s always been a dream of mine to open an office in NYC so Covet could truly be a bi-coastal agency.

If we looked inside your purse/work bag right now, what PR survival must-haves would we find?

Pink Trident, Lip Smackers (the Dr. Pepper flavor is the best lip color on the market…I know, I know!), a Core water bottle, a GoMacro bar and Dang coconut chips! Other vital essentials are a stack of business cards to have handy, a notebook and pen, and an extra cell phone charger – you never know when a client will need something on the fly and since we are plugged in all day long, we can’t afford to run on anything below 25%.

In a few sentences, tell us what you think we can expect from PR agencies/practitioners in the future.

As the traditional world of media continues to evolve, specifically as magazines close or move solely to digital platforms, new media will likely trump traditional media. Platforms like YouTube and Instagram are just two examples of additional vehicles for brands to share messaging, mission and values. In terms of the continued rise of social influencers, PR firms will continue to seek tools like Fohr Card and People Map to stay in the know.