PR in Chile

Today, we released Todoist for Apple Watch! The whole process was very different from usual product announcements because our iOS team was never actually able to test Todoist on the Apple Watch before the watch began shipping to customers. 

But, it all worked out in the end, because after issuing our official statement (that we would only release the app after thoroughly testing it), it seems that the results were very much worth the wait. Reviews are in and they’ve been phenomenal! 

Here are some of the best from the day:

Kevin Tofel from ZDNet: Overall, I'm impressed. The Todoist team could have quickly put out a poorly designed, first version Apple Watch app to get in on the app gold rush. It didn't. Instead, Todoist for Apple Watch feels like a second or third generation app, even though this is version one. I was already happy with Todoist on my phones and computers -- the app supports multiple platforms -- and now I can easily manage tasks with a handset in my pocket and a watch on my wrist.

Federico Viticci from Mac Stories: I depend on Todoist and I genuinely like the service because it's focused on doing, not fiddling. Today, that focus is becoming even more apparent with a new app for the Apple Watch and an updated extension that makes it even easier to save new tasks from anywhere on iOS.

Dave Caolo from Apple World Today: After a month of waiting for Todoist for Apple Watch, I'm quite pleased with it. The app's developers weren't the first productivity app to hit Apple's latest device, but theirs is the one I was glad to wait for. I'm happy to say my patience paid off.

Ally Kazmucha from iMore: Developers have to pick and choose carefully what information is worth presenting on the Watch and what is better left on the iPhone. When it comes to productivity and efficiency, Todoist for Apple Watch succeeds in making all the right choices.

Additional coverage also came from 9to5 Mac, Mac Rumors, AppAdvice, iClarified, iDownload Blog, and Apple Insider. Kudos to my fantastic team for creating a truly outstanding product!! For more details about Todoist for Apple Watch check out our blog post.

And the cherry on top of today? Seeing the Todoist logo front and center during the Google I/O keynote!! So proud :D

This is turning out to be an amazing week! I’m one proud gal :)

Ayer salí entrevistada en El Mercurio con otros cuatro genios del ecosistema de emprendimiento chileno. Me gustó mucho contestar las preguntas que nos envió Pablo Tirado, el periodista, así que aquí voy a publicar mi entrevista entera :) Creo que siempre es bueno reflejar sobre las experiencias en la vida. 

[Link a la nota en El Mercurio]

1. Un poco de tu background, estudios, profesión, etc.

Mi nombre es Brenna, soy de Colorado (USA), y tengo un Bachelor of Arts en Comunicaciones y dos minor degrees en Negocios y Publicidad de Gonzaga University. Hago relaciones públicas, comunicaciones y marketing para startups de tecnología. Actualmente soy la Gerente de Marketing de Todoist y parte del Board of Directors de Girls in Tech Chile.

2. Cómo llegaste a Chile? Por qué?

Llegué a Chile en enero de 2009 para hacer un voluntariado en una ONG que se llama Hábitat para la Humanidad (parecido a Un Techo para Chile). Cuando me gradué de la universidad a los 22 años, tenía muchas ganas de hacer un proyecto social y pocas ganas de entrar al tiro a un trabajo formal. Así que me vine a Chile por un plazo inicial de seis meses…

3. Que has hecho en el país? Por que decidiste quedarte?

No quería volver a Estados Unidos después de mi voluntariado, así que me puse a buscar trabajo. Trabajé primero en una radio como locutora y después en un hotel, cuando en Julio de 2010 me presentó la oportunidad de sumarme a un nuevo proyecto del gobierno que se llamaba Start-Up Chile. Buscaban alguien con inglés nativo y con experiencia en el área de comunicaciones– fui la segunda persona contratada para trabajar en ese programa. En ese entonces nadie sabía de qué se trataba Start-Up Chile; nos encontramos con muchas barreras y muchos desafíos, pero poco a poco lo logramos echar a andar. Me sentí tremendamente realizada en ese trabajo– sentí que lo que estaba haciendo iba a tener un gran impacto en este país que tanto me encantaba. Mi experiencia en Start-Up Chile formó por completo mi camino laboral y estoy infinitamente agradecida por haber tenido esa oportunidad tan única en la vida. 

4. En que estás hoy y cuales son tus planes?

En 2012 me salí de Start-Up Chile para formar mi propia agencia de comunicaciones y relaciones públicas para startups. Gestionamos las comunicaciones de más de 30 empresas– desde startups que estaban recién empezando hasta un par de empresas que tienen más de 100 millones de usuarios. Uno de los clientes que tuve desde el principio, Todoist, creció tanto durante ese tiempo que a mediados del año pasado terminé contratada full-time por ellos para liderar su área de marketing y comunicaciones. Mi plan ahora es convertir Todoist al software de productividad más grande del mundo– ya vamos en camino con más de 4 de millones usuarios. Además, desde 2012 he sido parte del Board of Directors de Girls in Tech Chile, una ONG que busca identificar y promover las mujeres que trabajan en TIC.

5. Que opinas del ecosistema emprendedor chileno?

Siento mucho orgullo por el estado del emprendimiento nacional, ya que cuando partí trabajando en Start-Up Chile no había ni un décimo de la actividad que hoy existe. Ha avanzado muchísimo.

Some of the great publications about the new Todoist launch include: 

The Verge: http://www.theverge.com/2015/3/31/8314489/todoist-ios-smart-task-add-new-design

Lifehacker: http://lifehacker.com/todoist-for-iphone-and-ipad-adds-themes-intelligent-in-1694637201

The Next Web: http://thenextweb.com/insider/2015/03/31/huge-todoist-for-ios-update-adds-smarter-task-creation-new-gestures-and-themes/

Engadget: http://www.engadget.com/2015/04/01/todoist-redesign-ios-app-v10/

Mac Stories: http://www.macstories.net/reviews/todoist-10-brings-intelligent-input-themes-and-new-gestures/

ZDnet: http://www.zdnet.com/article/hands-on-with-todoist-for-ios-improved-task-management/

Apple Insider: http://appleinsider.com/articles/15/03/31/todoist-for-ios-gets-major-upgrades-new-york-times-creates-one-sentence-stories-for-apple-watch

iMore: http://www.imore.com/todoist-iphone-and-ipad-updates-faster-task-creation-themes-and-more

Last week, we announced that Todoist Karma, our beloved (and colorful!) productivity tracking feature was coming to mobile– and our users couldn't have been more excited! Top tech blogs also couldn't get enough of the announcement :) The news was published in many different outlets including: 

Lifehacker

Lifehacker Australia

Android Community

Android Authority

The Next Web

148apps.com

Android Central

Mobile Syrup

iMore

Truecaller is one of the most amazing apps I've used in a long time. It's so simple, but so effective. Basically, what it does is block unwanted calls (finally getting rid of you after four years of spam calls, Banco Santander!!) and help identify missed calls from people with whom you actually want to communicate. They have more than 75 million users worldwide (they're based in Sweden) and have raised nearly $20M from Sequoia Capital, one of the most important VC firms in the world. We could not be more excited to be working with them in their Latin American expansion!! 

Above, Truecaller in El Mercurio [full article here]. And, below, in Las Ultimas Noticias [article here]. 

Todoist's New File Support in the News

During March and April, we had the pleasure of working with Miguel and Marco from Yo.Comunico, a startup originally from Italy that lets users report problems like potholes and burned out street lights directly to municipalities. In fact, in Italy, their system has helped solve nearly 7,000 problems in the via pública. We immediately loved the idea and were thrilled to partner with them in their quest to expand throughout the region.

As part of Start-Up Chile, they’re working on implementing their software and apps here in LatAm– starting with Chile and Colombia. With the help of my friend and PR pro, Katherine in Colombia, we did a two-month press campaign focused on publications that funcionarios públicos and people interested in technology tend to read.

Among others, we made the front page of both Dinero.com and EMOL, two of the most important news sites in Colombia and Chile, respectively:

We also secured coverage twice in Chile's El Mercurio (first in section B, then in section A) and in Colombia's El Tiempo:

In January, we started working with allGreenup, a startup founded by two Chilean cousins that seeks to help people lead more sustainable lives. Who wouldn’t want to get on board?!

The app, free for iOS and Android, awards you points for doing things like recycling (they have the largest database of recycling spots in Chile), riding your bike (they’re integrated with Runkeeper), sharing your car, and reading “green” news. You can exchange your points at really cool local stores like Arte Cultivo, the Retro Vision store or Clementina (yum!), or doing activities like rafting or skiing (they have a discount with Valle Nevado).

Their energy is infectious and is so characteristic of a startup :) They have millions of ideas and it’s so fun to see them develop and take form (stay tuned– this week they’re launching a video game alongside Reforest Patagonia, a former client of ours).

Our press campaign originally began to help position them both in the tech and sustainability crowds here in Chile. It didn’t take long for the media to latch on– the app has a great UX, it’s enticing to use as it gamifies your green activities, and is so necessary for Chile, where a culture focused on sustainability is still extremely nascent. Recycling isn’t massive here by any means… yet. And in walks allGreenup :)

They’ve been featured, among many others, in the likes of:

El Mercurio + EMOL

La Tercera

Radio Rock and Pop

La Hora

CNN Chile

El Definido

Noticias 24 Horas

Radio Molecula (Cocaví)

Though it’s written in most of our press materials, I’m not sure many people know that Todoist has been in the making since 2007. The calculated and steady ascension of the software and apps to fame and serious user-loyalty has been driven by a consistent dedication to outstanding design, impeccable functionality, and significant technological depth– traits that I tend to see lacking in many of today’s startups.

Maintaining a strong vision, since day one, of your company’s backbone, how the software/products should look and feel, and how the company should be presented both internally and externally is certainly not easy. It is something I hands-down, wholeheartedly commend Amir, Todoist’s founder, for excelling at day by day– and with a team that spans five continents! So many startups and founders get distracted by superfluous trends that come and go and let the vision of their company/products/service slip through their hands when accepting and taking to heart errant or misguided advice from people who claim to know the best for the company.

When the trend (and even startup societal pressure) is to pivot and to iterate to seemingly no end, how can you maintain the core vision of your company? It’s a business-esque balance beam from which, unfortunately, many founders tend to fall.

That’s why, I have to say, it is so inspiring to be a part of Doist (Todoist’s umbrella company). When you and your team can feel a company’s mission and vision ingrained in everything you do, it’s a true inspiration. This, I believe, allows for people– founders, developers, employees, etc– to excel further in their endeavors and create products that have far more profound meaning. That is why I think Todoist has become such an outstanding software that so many people cannot live without (including yours truly). And, consequently, why the press is so receptive to our announcements. One journalist I contacted during our campaign for Todoist Next had a Todoist Premium account until, like, 2060. She’s trusting everything she does to our software for another half century! Just amazing!

It’s not easy to create products and services (especially in the ever evolving tech scene!) that will last, well, even ten years. Twenty? Thirty? The chances get slimmer. But I have faith that Todoist could be one of those companies standing the test of time.

Without further adieu, here’s a small selection of English-speaking press outlets that covered Todoist Next this last week:

Cult of Mac | Engadget | LifeHacker | Android Authority | GigaOM | TechCrunch | Appadvice

And I just couldn’t resist making another…

We’ve been working with Seahorse, a new application for iPhone and Android created by Daniel and Oskar, the founders of Needish/Clandescuento (and therefore Groupon LatAm), since December and, I gotta say, it’s been our most EPIC press campaign yet!

I’ve only posted the Las Ultimas Noticias article that came out in December because we’ve been going so full-steam and keep getting bomb.com coverage all over Latin America– I was too antsy-pants to upload more news about the campaign to the blog. But, man, it’s truly been awesome.

From the Diario Financiero, to 24 Horas (airing tonight!), Publimetro, FayerWayer, El Mercurio, and The Next Web, Seahorse has literally been unstoppable since their launch in Chile in December (37 publications and counting in less than two months!). Journalists and readers have been very anxious to hear about what Daniel and Oskar have been up to since Groupon– they’re basically entrepreneurial stars around these parts :) It’s been a great experience to work with them and to have them motivating us during these last two months to seriously dominate all headlines around the continent.

Without further adieu, this is the first GIF I’ve created in my short, yet emphatically GIF-obsessed life. Look who’s going to be unstoppable now. #sorrynotsorry