A Steady Drumbeat of Coverage

Philadelphia is home to some of the most innovative minds in the world – dreamers and doers from all walks of life dedicated to disrupting the status quo and impacting change. So when the creators of the B. PHL Innovation Festival came up with the idea to highlight innovation throughout the region, we jumped at the opportunity to support it.

With more than 200 sessions and 400 speakers discussing education to healthcare and technology to the arts, B. PHL was designed to spark dialogue and drive impact.

Working with client partners at B. PHL, a paid and earned media strategy blanketed the regional market resulting in strong media coverage from The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Philadelphia Business Journal, Philly Mag, iHeartMedia and more.

Questlove, an award-winning musician, producer, author, culinary entrepreneur and Philadelphia native, joined us at The Curtis Institute of Music where he discussed his inspiration and signed copies of his latest book, Mixtape Potluck.

Michelle Histand, executive director of B. PHL, welcomed guests to the first-ever B. PHL Innovation Festival.

Our CEO Brian Tierney interviewed Steve Schwarzman, CEO of the Blackstone Group, at the Fitler Club on October 15. The two discussed Schwarzman’s humble roots in Philadelphia, how he built Blackstone from the ground up and the importance of education and a positive corporate culture.

Coffee visionary Todd Carmichael imparted wisdom on B. PHL guests at three different events where he discussed innovation and how he finds inspiration and creativity in his line of work.

Bill Marimow, current senior advisor at Brian Communications and two-time Pulitzer Prize recipient, interviews Josh Kopelman on his experiences as a serial entrepreneur, investor and innovator.

Big Names for a Big Event

To draw significant attendance and help make B. PHL’s inaugural year a success, headline speakers would be key to generate excitement and create that attention-grabbing wow factor. In order to achieve this, we worked collaboratively with our client to secure several of B. PHL’s featured speakers including Philadelphia’s own beloved musician, author and innovator Questlove; Stephen Schwarzman, chairman, CEO and co-founder of Blackstone, a leading investment firm with $545 billion assets under management; and our friend Josh Kopelman, serial entrepreneur and founder of First Round Capital, who took a leap and was an early investor in companies like Uber, Blue Apron and Warby Parker. These nationally known names with Philadelphia ties complemented the B. PHL lineup perfectly and helped put the festival in the spotlight.

In the end, our client achieved success and we were pleased to play a role in helping B. PHL Innovation Festival attract more than 4,500 attendees from across the region—and the country. The takeaway from the conference was clear: Move over Silicon Valley, Austin and Boston — Philly is the new hub for big ideas, imaginative vision, and disruptive thought leadership.