Just before the pandemic hit, our client Back Market got a big boost from investors to the tune of $120 million. This milestone announcement was one we were excited to release but because of the shut down around COVID-19, we decided to hold off for a few weeks. The waiting paid off. Wired Island worked with Back Market's international PR teams to coordinate the latest funding round announcement, this one led by global icons Goldman Sachs, Aglaé Venture and Eurazeo Growth. We saw this as a major endorsement of Back Market's hard work and dedication to supporting the circular economy model and a big opportunity to communicate Back Market's vision. We helped develop a strategic communication plan for the announcement, which included emphasizing the fact that Back Market was seeing exponential growth in part due to COVID-19 related demand. This double whammy of triple-digit funding and triple-digit growth during Covid-19 provided a great hook to reach top tier outlets and secure quality coverage.

While the large funding number and investor names helped to catch the eye of many journalists, we found that Back Market's growth trends we're equally, if not more, interesting to the press. As many people shifted to working and learning from home, the marketplace saw a spike in demand for laptops and other electronics. This led to some interesting discussion points around how COVID-19 has disrupted the tech device industry, and how we can do better post-pandemic. Like many PR pros, we have been thoughtfully and strategically navigating our outreach during this COVID-19 dominated news cycle. Fortunately, in addition to this significant news we could also offer our client as an important solution and thoughtful leader.

Wired Island managed press outreach and interviews in the US and beyond, while coordinating overlap in contacts and key outlets with the international team. We secured coverage in key tech and start-up outlets such as VentureBeat, Sifted, and TechCrunch, and top business publications including Business Insider and Fortune. Additionally, a few trade publications took interest such as Retail Tech Innovation Hub and BusinessGreen. The announcement also presented an opportunity for Back Market to discuss their larger issues around fair tech with outlets like Cheddar and Medium's OneZero. Finally, we were psyched to see Back Market's reach further syndicated in highly engaged newsletters The Hustle, Inside Venture Capital, and Business Insider's 10 things in tech you need to know today.