SAN FRANCISCO – Feb. 12, 2024 – Visit California has announced that Bospar, the “politely pushy” PR and marketing firm renowned for putting tech companies on the map, has been selected as a finalist for the esteemed Poppy Award. Bospar is recognized in the category of Best Public Relations Campaign: Destination for its campaign on behalf of San Francisco Pride.
Hundreds of submissions were considered for the biennial Poppy Awards, which honor excellence in the travel industry. Bospar emerged as one of the standout finalists following a rigorous evaluation process by industry experts, The winners will be unveiled on Tuesday, March 12, during the Poppy Awards gala, concluding the Outlook Forum in Greater Palm Springs.
Bospar’s nomination stems from its exceptional work on the campaign titled “Don’t Get It Twisted: How Dee Snider KISSed Off SF Pride,” in collaboration with San Francisco Pride. The campaign tackled a critical moment when Dee Snider, former lead singer of Twisted Sister, engaged in a transphobic exchange on social media just hours before a scheduled performance at San Francisco Pride. Through strategic messaging and swift action, Bospar and San Francisco Pride transformed this incident into a teachable moment, sparking a global conversation about the importance of allyship and inclusivity.
Bospar’s strategy positioned SF Pride as a leading voice on trans-rights and LGBTQ+ progress, while also serving as economic ambassadors to improve San Francisco’s reputation. This approach resulted in over 500 media features prior to the SF Pride Parade and Celebration, including coverage from esteemed outlets such as Rolling Stone, NPR, and the Associated Press.
“We are honored to be named a finalist for the Visit California Poppy Award,” said Curtis Sparer, a co-founder and principal at Bospar. “This nomination underscores our commitment to delivering innovative and impactful campaigns that resonate with audiences throughout California and worldwide.”
In addition to the Poppy Award nomination, Bospar has garnered numerous industry accolades, including five North America Sabre awards, seven PRovoke Sabree Innovation awards and named to Fortune’s America’s Most Innovative Companies list – the only PR agency to receive the recognition – and Financial Times’ The Americas’ Fastest-Growing Companies 2023 list. Inc. 5000 recently recognized Bospar’s continued growth, recognizing it as one of the 2023 fastest-growing companies in America – for the third consecutive year.
Media Contact:
Carole Barrow
carole@bospar.com
