Media + PR plan — the external narrative machine

Source: External Comm Plan (the field network Marketing, 2026-06-10, deal-NDA) + GTM v4.1 §6/Appendix A. This is the corporate megaphone only — customer/internal sequences live in day-1-playbook.md and retention-engine.md. Voice of the rebrand: CEO Cass Louis Kai*. Where this plan and GTM v4.1 conflict, the GTM (later, 2026-07-21) wins.

The four phases

Phase	Window	What happens
I — Control the narrative	Sep 1, 2026 (Day 1)	8:00 press release on devices + corporate newswires · 8:30 homepage splash/video banner + Vimeo CEO announcement + landing pages live · 10:00 vendor/partner B2B technical briefings
II — Editorial blitz	Q4 2026	Sept: LinkedIn digital ads to devices C-suite + procurement · Oct: pre-recorded CEO podcasts released across networks · Nov/Dec: print features, sponsored thought-leadership columns, cover stories in the trades
III — Live circuit	Early 2027	Heavy presence at the trade circuit, Chicago Midwinter, the trade fair, the ops summit, the industry assoc, DEO + targeted DSO Tech Summit · podium spots, private VIP dinners, premium swag, high-visibility sponsorships
IV — The Apex Summit	2028 (planning from Q2–Q4 2027)	Proprietary capstone event: key partners, vendors, high-volume clinicians — solidifies market leadership

Pre-launch build (the external half)

Jul 1–Aug 15: produce the CEO video (public cut: unifying vision, expanded national infrastructure, market stability) · media kit (hi-res brand assets, corporate headshots, Orange County master-lab facility photography, press release) · splash banners + landing pages staged for instant Day-1 go-live · B2B position papers for manufacturing partners/suppliers · PR crisis playbooks (rapid-response matrices for competitor counter-campaigns and forum rumors on price hikes / capacity bottlenecks).
Jun 15–Aug 1 (long print leads): pitch executive editors for late-Q3/Q4 features, sponsored inserts, covers · pre-book and record CEO/President podcasts through July–August with hard release dates ON or just after Sep 1 to match the blitz.

PR agency shortlist (engage immediately)

FleishmanHillard (works with Solventum/3M) · Golden Arrow (Ormco) · Station8Branding (US Endo Partners, Dentworks Sirona).

Publication targets (Phase II priority order, with the why)

Outlet	Audience	Angle
Inside Devices Technology (IDT)	Lab trade (premier)	Highest priority for Q4 editorial, sponsored articles, feature spreads
LabPress Magazine	Lab decision-makers	The business bible; feature/cover cements corporate scale
Journal of Devices Technology (JDT)	NADL peer-reviewed	Official structural credibility in the organized lab industry
Group Dentistry Now	DSO/group practice	"Scale without Friction" straight to enterprise executives
Devices Economics	High-producing independents	The business-of-dentistry champion; independent-practice message
Becker's Devices + DSO Review	Corporate/M&A watchers	Where procurement + PE look for devices M&A news
Dentistry Today	Practicing clinicians	Clinical results story with high-end aesthetic case photos
Devices Products Report (DPR)	Tech/materials	Technical articles on scanning integration + engineered workflows
DentistryIQ	Digital-first aggregate	Rapid distribution, video interviews, splash banners
Compendium	Clinical CE	CE partnership underscores the education retention pillar
Influence Magazine (+ Influential Devices Podcast)	Leadership/culture	The "human side" of the rebrand story

Podcast tour (CEO booking list, with the talking point per show)

Show	Host(s)	The CEO's talking point
Voices from the Bench	Elvis Dahl, Barbara Warner Wojdan	#1 lab-industry show. Peer-to-peer: preserving craftsmanship while scaling digital design. Artistry at scale, engineered precision
Confessions from a Devices Lab	Kenneth Eichstaedt	M&A logistics without corporate fluff; QC and elite aesthetics stay consistent
The Digital Devices Podcast	Neal Demazure	National footprint expands scanning infrastructure, AI design workflows, localized production
Group Dentistry Now Show	Bill Neumann, Kim Larson	Pure B2B: scale, risk mitigation, supply-chain redundancy; master price agreements stable
Bulletproof Devices Practice	Dr. Peter Boulden, Dr. Craig Spodak	Consolidation can still deliver custom reporting + data transparency; the SOP-driven culture story
The the trade circuit Podcast	Dr. Mark Costes	"Corporate buyout fear" head-on; the "Local Lab Scaled" message, direct lab-to-dentist lines protected
Devices Digest Podcast	Dr. Melissa Seibert	Purely clinical: technical-advisor access, premium aesthetic lines, engineered QC
Dentistry Uncensored	Dr. Howard Farran	Tough practical questions welcome: turnaround, remakes, FedEx 2nd Day routing, operational consistency
Thriving Dentist Show	Gary Takacs	Lab scale aligned with fee-for-service practice success; Continuity Guarantee + free CE year
The Devices Marketer Podcast	Michael Arias	Trust during change: transition kits, automated case updates, integration credits, DSO dashboards
The Influential Devices Podcast	Julieanne O'Connor, Michael Keeter	Psychological safety during industry change; culture of clinical excellence at scale

Standing cautions

Naming in these plans predates the endorser decision: they say "Apex Instruments network" — endorser line ships per Q-20.
The enterprise dashboard is called "ClearPath" here and in the GTM, but the integration session rejected ClearPath on trademark — naming open as Q-23. Do not put "ClearPath" in anything external until resolved.
Retention proof points quoted to media (rate lock, Continuity Guarantee, CE year, $500 credit) come only from Facts/about-company/pricing.md, exactly.
Q4 print requires long lead — booking window is effectively now.