SourceCode Communications Named One of Ragan’s Top Places to Work 2021
You can tell a lot about an organization by its workplace culture, and SourceCode is excited to report that it has earned a spot on Ragan Communications’ Top Places to Work Class of 2021. The organizations who have earned this recognition offer their employees incredible benefits and provide a place where creativity, collaboration and innovation can flourish.
SourceCode is named amongst 18 other organizations across the public relations, media and marketing space. The award is part of its Employee Communications Awards, a program which recognizes organizations with great company cultures that are true to their mission and vision and provide a top working environment for each of their employees.
At SourceCode, we're driven by our culture and believe without a shadow of a doubt that investing in our people directly impacts our bottom line. Our team is hardworking, honest, smart and a bit goofy, and we’re glad to see this award cement our recognition and appreciation for our team members the same way we do. In addition to big agency benefits, profit sharing and a six-month paid parental leave policy, we offer a chance to make a difference.
Our purpose and people are everything, and we celebrated this with the recent launch of WeRaise PR, a full-service public relations agency that delivers integrated campaigns to brands while advancing working mothers in the PR industry. We have mothers on our own team and are so proud of the work they produce day in and day out.
This award comes off the back of last year’s third consecutive win for PRNew’s Top Places to Work in PR and our nomination as Best Place to Work in 2020 by PRWeek in December. We have also recently been selected as finalists for PRovoke’s North American Agencies of the Year and the 2021 North American SABRE awards.
Looking to join our team? Want to know more about SourceCode and its great culture? Drop us a line at hello@sourcecodecomms.com to learn more.
SourceCode Communications recognized as one of PRovoke Media’s North American PR Agencies of 2021
Kicking off Q2 2021, SourceCode is proud to announce it has been recognized as one of PRovoke Media’s 2021 North American PR Agencies of the Year. Honored under the category of Digital Agencies of the Year, SourceCode earns its spot next to 61 finalists across 13 categories.
We launched our Digital Strategy practice back in January 2021, continuing our evolution to become an integrated shop, as the agency begins its fourth year in business. The program goals are centered around growing SourceCode’s portfolio of digital-only brands, as well as increasing organic growth opportunities with existing clients across core consumer technology, consumer lifestyle, insights & engagement, and enterprise verticals.
The 2021 North America PR Agencies of the Year look to acknowledge and celebrate the best PR firms across the US and Canada, as a result of an exhaustive research process involving more than 150 submissions and 50 virtual meetings.
This recognition comes after recently being selected as a finalist in the 2021 North American SABRE Awards, stemming from our work with The Diversity Marketing Consortium, which launched in July 2020.
The virtual ceremony for the awards will take place May 11, 2021 and we can’t wait to tune in.
To learn more about SourceCode Communications and the great work we’re doing, drop us a line at hello@sourcecodecomms.com. We look forward to hearing from you!
Sharing Human Experiences – SourceCode Managing Partner highlights Industry Takeaways from the 2021 SABRE Awards
The SABRE Awards, produced by PRovoke Media, have traditionally been about engagement, credibility, and relationship building. In 2021, these areas of expertise are more important than ever as it’s important to understand the need to adapt, empathize and act.
SourceCode Communications’ Managing Partner, Rebecca Honeyman, recently elected to PR Council’s 2021 Board of Directors had the opportunity to judge this year’s 2021 North American SABRE Awards. Because SourceCode was founded on the ideals of telling stories that make people feel something, it warmed Honeyman’s heart to feel this was a theme throughout this year’s awards. Below, we’ve highlighted some key takeaways she learned from judging.
Dial Up The Humanity
A testament to a shifting industry, it was clear that the industry’s work is leaning more heavily on multi-layered stories with meaningful, purpose-driven campaigns. With the onset of a global pandemic, agencies and organizations alike had to nail down the validity of their ideas. Ultimately, COVID related restrictions meant that agencies couldn’t ameliorate a weaker brand promise with a fun experience, especially not on top of financial limitations and societal unease.
The campaigns that got it right kept it simple. The ones who understood that you don’t need a sizable budget or new-wave experiential marketing to master the idea that your purpose is everything. Recognizing that everyone has shared experiences, and breaking down your ideas to a granular, authentic level resonates with every audience and it was a common factor for many of the frontrunner entries.
But it’s also important to realize that one size doesn’t fit all — many campaigns broke it down and spoke to specific, key audiences through their campaigns, showing a level of care and attention that has not been as evident in previous years. Connecting with your consumers, customers and clients means the world beyond just sales and clicks.
A Moment of Change
As important as it is to keep it simple, agencies also need to keep it authentic. This year, it was evident that brands were digging into their purpose, into why they were there and what they stood for. There was an industry shift, acknowledging a future in which provocative campaigns aren’t just a band-aid to stick to your brand in order to present progressive front. Instead, they’re a real moment of open authenticity that aligns with your mission and day-to-day values.
And consumers are keeping track. There’s no longer an opportunity to cover up and say your brand is anything it’s not. Consumers are wise, and have been paying attention to what is happening in the world around us. They increasingly buy based on purpose, because they agree with what you're selling and they feel connected to your brand’s morals and mission.
The future is always unknown, but if the 2021 awards left us with one thing, it was optimism. Optimism presented by brands understanding and utilizing the weight of responsibility they carry daily. Optimism fueled by the pressure of getting it wrong, but the possibility of change by getting it right. Optimism powered by shared human experiences.
From this moment forward, agencies and organizations will continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible with PR, and the power of storytelling. You’re not going to want to miss this unveiling.
The winners of the 2021 North American SABRE Awards will be announced May 11, 2021 through a virtual ceremony. Tune in, and share a moment.
SourceCode Communications selected as a finalist in the 2021 North American SABRE Awards
SourceCode is excited to share that we have been selected as a finalist in the 2021 North American SABRE Awards for the PR Agency Citizenship category for our work with the Diversity Marketing Consortium. Recognizing superior achievement in branding reputation and engagement, the 2021 SABRE Awards includes 350 campaigns on its shortlist, selected from among more than 2,000 entries.
This recognition comes off the tail end of a successful 2020 awards season for the agency, with 15+ wins, including PR News Best Places to Work 2020 and America’s Best PR Agencies in 2021 by Forbes, over the course of the year.
The virtual ceremony for the awards will take place May 11, 2021. We’re extremely proud to be named amongst all the other fantastic finalists, and cannot wait to tune in.
To learn more about SourceCode Communications and the great work we’re doing, drop us a line at hello@sourcecodecomms.com. We look forward to hearing from you!
SourceCode Communications highlights three female tech innovators this Women’s History Month
March marks Women’s History Month, a time for us to celebrate the contributions that both historical and contemporary women have made to impact society and the tech industry more specifically. As we wrap up the month and in honor of Women’s History Month, the SourceCode team has highlighted three women in tech whose amazing contributions to society continue to serve as great sources of inspiration for us.
Grace Hopper, “Amazing Grace” (1906-1992): Pioneer of Computer Programming
Grace was born in NYC and graduated from Vassar College, and then went on to earn her Masters Ph.D from Yale University.
She is described as “irreverent, sharp-tongued, and brilliant.” In addition to being a pioneer of computer programming, promoting COBOL (“common business-oriented language”), the first standardized general business computer language, she was an active member of the Navy. Although initially rejected because of her age and small stature, her persistence landed her in the U.S. Naval Reserve (Women’s Reserve) in December 1943.
During her life, Grace was awarded 40 honorary degrees and the National Medal of Technology by President George H.W. Bush in 1991. Her legacy lives into the present - in 2016, she posthumously received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, in recognition of her remarkable contributions to the field of computer science.
Annie J. Easley (1933-2011): The NASA Rocket Scientist
Annie J. Easley was a NASA rocket scientist, and a trailblazer for gender and racial diversity in STEM. Born in Birmingham, Alabama, she initially sought out to be a nurse but switched to pharmacy when she started high school. After two years at Xavier University, Easley returned to Birmingham and became a substitute teacher
When NASA was created in 1958, Easley applied to be a computer scientist and mathematician. At the time, she was one of only four black employees. Easley was on the front line of space research and future space missions that began with the launch of astronaut John Glenn in 1962. Throughout her career, she contributed to numerous programs as a computer scientist, tutored and inspired younger students in what would be later known as the STEM field, and broke down barriers addressing race, gender, and age discrimination as an equal employment opportunity counsellor. Easley's vital work on the Centaur rocket project while at NASA laid the foundations for space shuttle launches in the future and her legacy continues to inspire students to make an impact in the STEM field.
Dr. Fei-Fei Li (1976-): Co-director of Stanford's Human-Centered AI Institute
Dr. Fei-Fei Li is a pioneer of artificial intelligence and one of today's most influential women in technology. Dr. Li was born in Beijing, China and moved to the U.S. with her mother when she was 16. She studied physics at Princeton and received a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Caltech. Dr. Li is currently a professor at Stanford.
Dr. Li co-founded AI4ALL, a nonprofit aimed at improving diversity in the field of AI but is most known for her work on the ImageNet project, a database of over 15 million images. The database helped "train" the first computer to recognize and understand what's in a picture. Dr. Li continues to be the national leading voice for advocating diversity in STEM and AI. She was selected as a 2017 Women in Tech by the ELLE Magazine, a 2017 Awesome Women Award by Good Housekeeping, a Global Thinker of 2015 by Foreign Policy, and one of the “Great Immigrants: The Pride of America” in 2016 by the Carnegie Foundation, where past winners include Albert Einstein and Yoyo Ma.
These are just a few of the amazing women who have positively contributed to the tech industry. To learn more about what this month means, check out https://womenshistorymonth.gov/ to see more about the history of this month along with access to additional resources.
If you’re interested in learning more about SourceCode Communications, please drop us a line at hello@sourcecodecomms.com, we’d love to chat.
SourceCode Communications Shares Call to Action on Tech Inequality this Black History Month
In honor of Black History Month, SourceCode Communications is reflecting on the technology divide and highlighting Black innovators & inventors to bring awareness and provide inspiration on what we can do to affect change.
Over the past year, we have seen many shifts — both economically and culturally — due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Social isolation mandates birthed a swift shift toward remote work and school and increasing our collective dependence on technology not only to stay connected, but to sustain a liveable income. These shifts have been especially challenging for people of color. Between the virtual shift and an overall increase in racial injustice, COVID-19 brought the inaccessibility of technology for many communities to the fore.
While COVID-19 may have highlighted some of these issues, the digital divide was an issue long before 2020. In 2019, Pew Research released a study that showed that while 79 percent of white households have broadband internet, only 66 percent of Black households and 61 percent of Hispanic households do. In a report from April 2020, 53% of Americans said that the internet has been essential during the COVID-19 outbreak, but 1 in 5 households with children reported that it was at least somewhat likely their children would not be able to do their schoolwork because they did not have access to a computer at home.
Unfortunately this digital divide will only continue to grow as more jobs become remote and our reliance on digital resources expands. Big tech has made moves to help with this gap with industry leaders like Apple donating to new racial equity initiatives. But it doesn’t stop there, small businesses and mid-size companies have a responsibility to make efforts in these areas too. Between hiring diverse groups, encouraging staff to volunteer, and making donations, everyone can make a difference.
It’s the reason why SourceCode is choosing to donate laptops this year to One Laptop Per Child, an organization built with the goal of transforming education for children around the world. With less than half (40%) of U.S. middle school and high school students reporting using computers everyday at school, the growing need for access to tech especially at home is clear. Supporting organizations that improve children’s accessibility to tech at home can improve their educational experience, increase the pipeline of students in STEM, and ultimately foster workplace diversity. Studies have shown that companies with above average diversity had 19% higher innovation revenues. Additionally, companies in the top quarter for racial and ethnic diversity are 35% more likely to surpass peers. So, it’s no question how much having diversity in your workplace increases business value, but it starts by having access to technology at home.
There are several ways to help close the ethnic digital divide this Black History Month. Below are a few organizations you can support to help increase access to tech in America who are invested in reducing tech inequalities for Black Americans:
- Girls Who Code: Girls Who Code is an organization that values diversity, equity, and inclusion as essential to our mission. A nonprofit organization, Girls Who Code aims to support and increase the number of women in computer science by equipping them with the necessary skills to pursue opportunities.
- National Society of Black Engineers: With more than 500 chapters and nearly 22,000 active members in the U.S. and abroad, the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) is one of the largest student-governed organizations based in the United States. NSBE, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1975, supports and promotes the aspirations of collegiate and pre-collegiate students and technical professionals in engineering and technology. NSBE’s mission is "to increase the number of culturally responsible Black Engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally and positively impact the community."
- All Star Code: All Star Code creates economic opportunity by developing a new generation of boys and young men of color with an entrepreneurial mindset who have the tools they need to succeed in a technological world.
- Black Girls Code: Black Girls Code is an organization built to introduce programming and technology to a new generation of coders, coders who will become builders of technological innovation and of their own futures.
- Black Tech Nation: Black Tech Nation (//BTN) is a multi-faceted tech organization building a #DigitalWakanda through education, digital media, recruitment, and funding for Black technologists and entrepreneurs. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, //BTN serves as a dedicated space for Black technologists across America and beyond.
For more information on how to support the Black History Month, visit our blog here on the Black Lives Matter movement and for additional resources to continue building a society of equality where all voices can be heard.
Interested in learning more about SourceCode Communications? Please drop us a line at hello@sourcecodecomms.com.
SourceCode Communications Named Agency of Record for Heap and Speechmatics
NEW YORK—February 12, 2021—SourceCode Communications, a New York-based technology communications agency, today announced it has been named Agency of Record for Heap, a product analytics solution that helps product, marketing, and customer success teams understand their users and make data-driven decisions, and Speechmatics, the UK leading provider of any-context speech recognition technology. Both companies help enterprises more efficiently understand and serve consumers in a time when customer loyalty is more hotly contested yet critical than ever.
“Advanced tech is becoming more and more necessary to an enterprise’s tech stack, and we’re excited to partner with companies using them to bring more value to businesses,” said Sara Ajemian, Vice President of SourceCode’s Insights & Engagement practice. “Both Heap and Speechmatics are leveraging cutting-edge tech - data analytics and machine learning, respectively - to strengthen the connections between companies and their customers. We’re thrilled to help them tell these stories.”
Heap and Speechmatics are part of the agency’s budding insights and engagements practice, a group of clients using emerging technologies to better understand and deliver seamless customer experiences. They join Koa Health, a digital mental health platform that offers personalized mental health solutions backed by science, and Jane, an online boutique marketplace giving a platform to small businesses.
Founded in San Francisco, Heap automatically collects and organizes behavioral data, allowing businesses to analyze and craft exceptional digital experiences. SourceCode is helping Heap develop a compelling messaging platform that sparks engagement across earned, owned and digital channels.
“We brought SourceCode on because of their deep understanding of the analytics space, but it’s the range of insights the team has across industry sectors that’s been crucial as we expand Heap’s presence across the media landscape,” says Ben Lempert, Head of Corporate Marketing at Heap. “We’re excited to continue pushing the boundaries with them in 2021.”
Cambridge-based Speechmatics powers applications that require mission-critical, accurate speech recognition. The company works with SourceCode, their first US PR agency, to drive media relations and thought leadership efforts in the American market.
“SourceCode has been instrumental in helping us put a stake in the ground in the US,” says Georgina Robertson, Speechmatics’ Senior Campaigns and Communications Manager. “We’ve been pleased with their proactivity, creativity and thoughtfulness, and look forward to what we’ll continue to accomplish through our partnership.”
SourceCode Communications, which recently celebrated its third anniversary, has become a leading player in the technology PR scene, most recently being named PRWeek’s 2020 US Outstanding Boutique Agency and included on PR NEWS’ 2020 list of Top Places to Work in PR. In addition to its insights and engagements practice, SourceCode also houses consumer and enterprise teams, working with clients such as Clio, a provider of cloud-based legal technology; America’s Best Beverage, the leader in specialty coffee roasting and tea production; and MakeSpace, a tech-enabled, full-service storage company.
Raising Dataswift's awareness in the U.S. market
Dataswift, a UK-based company that enables ethical, compliant and privacy-preserving data usage, came to SourceCode with the goal to focus on partnerships as a way to tell the Dataswift brand narrative in the U.S. through the city of Elyria, EMITTO and Case Western Reserve University. SourceCode was tasked with highlighting both Dataswift’s story and capabilities and highlighting executive thought leadership.
WHAT WE DID
SourceCode established a PR program with a focus on proactive media outreach, executive storytelling and analyst relations. Because Dataswift was new to the US market, SourceCode had to find ways to use relevant data and executives to establish a presence. Starting the program running a consumer research study with a focus on the US government’s response to COVID-19, the goal was to launch ahead of the first presidential debate and secure relevant media coverage. With external hurdles given the newscycle including the election coverage, COVID-19 in the White House and ongoing news about the pandemic, SourceCode quickly pivoted strategy to focus on executive thought leadership and secure executive briefings with both reporters and analysts.
Through this pivoted strategy, SourceCode focused on proactive outreach and newsjacking. With ongoing conversations happening including, antitrust hearings, contact tracing, and data privacy, SourceCode focused on two Dataswift executives to tell these stories, one with a strong point of view on antitrust and another on the ethical data economy. Through this focus, SourceCode gained momentum and media interest with reporters covering antitrust legislation and big tech. Knowing that coverage was going to be hard to secure given the news landscape, SourceCode focused on building relationships with both journalists and various analysts who focused on data privacy. SourceCode advised Dataswift on how to be thought leaders and react to trending topics as a way to engage in relevant media conversations and secure earned coverage.
RESULTS
7 pieces of coverage
11 media/executive briefings
247.2MM unique monthly visitors
Over the course of the three month project with Dataswift, SourceCode secured 11 media and analyst briefings. These executive conversations were primarily centered around antitrust and big tech following various antitrust hearings, along with the ethical data economy and data privacy with analysts in the space. This strategy generated 7 pieces of organic coverage in publications including MarketWatch, Crunchbase, ZDNet, Forbes, and Security Magazine among others with exposure to more than 247.2MM unique visitors.
SourceCode Communications Managing Partner Becky Honeyman contributes to Missive’s “The Great Reset”
This week, our friends in the UK, Missive, a strategic technology PR and integrated communications consultancy put out a paper titled The Great Reset about brands confronting a new landscape. The paper highlights experts from different backgrounds spanning corporate affairs, public affairs, media and digital analytics, marketing among others to share perspectives on what lies ahead in light of the changes we’ve endured as a result of COVID-19.
SourceCode’s co-Founder and Managing Partner, Becky Honeyman, recently appointed to PR Council’s 2021 Board of Directors, contributed to this paper to share her thoughts on how boardrooms will have to shift priorities this year to focus on people and purpose at work. In her section, Becky highlights why now is the time to embrace change specifically commenting on trends we saw in the US both throughout the pandemic and towards the end of 2020.
“We have talked for years about purpose, but 2021 will demand more from marketers in the form of action. We are going to have to build businesses and brands that focus squarely on more sustainable, regenerative approaches and more circular economic models to attract and retain consumer loyalty. The US will again have the chance to lead the way in new thinking.”
To take a closer look at The Great Reset, check out Missive’s website here. To learn more about SourceCode, please drop us a line at hello@sourcecodecomms.com we’d love to chat.
Employee Spotlight: A day in the life of Naomi Sabbah, Account Manager at SourceCode Communications
This week on SourceCode’s “A Day in the Life” employee spotlight series, we are sharing a feature on Naomi Sabbah, Account Manager at SourceCode Communications. Part of our B2B team, Naomi has spent over a year at SourceCode supporting various accounts on our Enterprise and Insights and Engagement teams. In this “A Day in the Life” feature, Naomi walks us through her typical work day as an AM and does a fun Q&A on what it’s like to work at SourceCode.
7-9am: I like to start my morning with a cup of coffee as soon as I wake up to get my day started. Shortly after my first cup, I will usually do an at home workout using an on demand workout service.
9am-12pm: When I start my work day, I’ll first make a to-do list in my new notebook that our Managing Partner, Becky Honeyman, sent to me. It’s great because it helps separate out your top three priorities for the day, then list out the other items for the day and identify what can wait until tomorrow. Writing this out every morning has been really helpful for me to get my mind organized and know what I need to get ready to start the day!
12-2pm: I typically eat lunch around 12 or 12:30, and make a sandwich or a salad, depending on what I have in the fridge. Since we’re eating home every night, I’ll also use the time to think about what I might have for dinner and maybe even start to prep (yes, I always think at least one to two meals ahead!)
3-6pm: I try to wrap up my day around 6 by finishing up priority items and starting to plan for the next day. In true quarantine fashion, my evenings are typically spent sitting on the couch, watching TV or a movie or reading and eating something I’ve cooked for dinner.
To see Naomi’s Instagram takeover, check out the highlights reel on our Instagram and feel free to follow along with our employee spotlight features both on our blog and on our Instagram page. Check out part one of this series with Account Executive, Briggs Brady’s employee spotlight and part two of this series with Senior Account Executive, Willa Pearl Hahn’s employee spotlight.
To learn more about SourceCode Communications, please drop us a line at hello@sourcecodecomms.com we’d love to chat.