New Services Maximize Media Opportunities at Fall 2009 Market

High Point, North Carolina, August 26, 2009—The High Point Market Authority is introducing new services designed to assist Market exhibitors with connecting to the media.

This season, High Point Market exhibitors are invited to promote new product introductions nationally, via PR Newswire, using custom packages of PR Newswire services. These packages are offered at cost-effective rates available only through the High Point Market Authority thanks to a new program developed by the High Point Market Authority and PR Newswire.

Each Market, according to Brian D. Casey, president and chief executive officer of the High Point Market Authority, the High Point Market Media Center—newly located in a permanent space on the plaza level of SHOWPLACE West, at the corner of Main and High Streets—hosts some 350 editorial media representatives from at least 200 different publications from around the country and across the world and provides press kit distribution for the Market’s exhibitors. “All High Point Market exhibitors are invited to send press kits to the Media Center and there is no charge for press kit distribution,” he says. 

 “One of our goals is to promote coverage of the High Point Market, our exhibitors and the thousands of new products that they introduce here every season,” says Casey. “We’ve selected PR Newswire as our communications partner to help disseminate information about the Market and new products debuting here this Fall, and to provide specialized communications packages for our exhibitors.”

As part of the new program, High Point Market exhibitors can distribute press releases and photographs to thousands of media outlets including print, radio and television via PR Newswire’s vast distribution network and to reporters and bloggers from more than 27,000 news organizations through PR Newswire’s media-only website and PR Newswire for Journalists. PR Newswire will also host a special online news center dedicated specifically to the Fall 2009 High Point Market, with links to all news releases that have been transmitted by PR Newswire in conjunction with the Market. The News Center will be available from www.highpointmarket.org, www.eventnewscenter.com, www.prnewswire.com, and www.prnewswire.com/media.

In addition to reaching reporters and bloggers directly, PR Newswire’s distribution services also include online news distribution to more than 5,000 website and news portals, social media tagging, enabling viral sharing of the content in networks such as del.icico.us, Digg and Twitter, and measurement reports for each release. Sites include Yahoo, MarketWatch, ABC Affiliates and the LA Times. Photos are even sent to Times Square for display on the Reuters digital display board, the largest digital sign in the world.
 
“In conjunction with the PR Newswire agreement, we are also offering an electronic press kit option on PR Newswire at a special HPMA rate,” Casey relates. “Designed to serve as both a press kit and a virtual booth all in one, electronic press kits include a national news advisory announcing the kit, storage of up to 20 files, an appointment booking feature and more.”

All electronic press kits will be available in the High Point Market Online Press Center at www.highpointmarket.org along with breaking news releases from PR Newswire.

All High Point Market exhibitors are also invited to post press releases about their new product introductions, along with appropriate product photography, to the High Point Market’s Online Press Center for journalists. The online press center, located at www.highpointmarket.org/presscenter/presscenter.aspx further promotes press coverage of the High Point Market during Market time, and enables media representatives who cannot attend the Market to access information in real time. 

For more information about these cost-effective packages of newswire services, contact Shannon Kennedy, director of marketing, at (336) 869-1000 ext. 230.