The Hoffman Agency
The Hoffman Agency is a global public relations and marketing consultancy focused primarily on business-to-business technology companies.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
The Hoffman Agency is a privately held public relations and marketing consultancy headquartered in San Jose, California. Founded in December 1987 by Lou Hoffman, the firm was established to provide communications support to technology companies, including Hewlett-Packard, and has retained a strong specialization in business-to-business technology throughout its development. Its work combines public relations, marketing communications, content, digital channels and strategic consulting rather than selling consumer products under its own name. The agency's service portfolio includes earned media relations, content marketing, social media, earned-search programs, crisis communications, corporate communications, media and communications training, branding and design, and employee branding and communications. It has also developed specialist practices for public affairs and technology issues. In October 2022, it introduced Techplomacy, a practice designed to advise technology companies on technology-related public affairs in the Asia-Pacific region. The Hoffman Agency expanded internationally in stages. It began its Asian operations with a Singapore office in 1996 and added offices in several Asian markets between 1996 and 2000. The opening of its Beijing office in 2000 made the agency, according to its published history, the first Silicon Valley technology public relations firm to enter mainland China. European expansion followed with a London office in 2001. The agency later added or developed operations in Shanghai, South Korea, Indonesia and Taiwan, alongside offices and teams in Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia and other markets. In Southeast Asia, it operates an integrated regional model known as #OneSEA, bringing together teams across Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. The firm has worked on technology launches, corporate positioning, public affairs, crisis and issue communications, and business-to-business media programs for clients including Hewlett-Packard, Alcatel-Lucent, Nokia, NXP Semiconductors, Zscaler, Synaptics, Sony, Trellix, Nautilus, Lightship, Invisalign Singapore and the City of Fremont. Its campaigns have addressed subjects ranging from semiconductor and networking technologies to cybersecurity, electric vehicles, home fitness, digital health and municipal economic development. The agency has received hundreds of industry recognitions. Its cited distinctions include Silver Anvil recognition for work supporting the launch of Hewlett-Packard's Kittyhawk miniature disk drive, technology-agency and technology-consultancy honors from Holmes Report and PRovoke SABRE programs, and campaign awards for product launches, content marketing, search optimization, health communications and earned media. It was recognized as PRovoke's Global Technology PR Agency of the Year in 2023 and was included among PRWeek's Best Places to Work for midsize agencies in 2025. Organizational leadership has evolved as the business expanded. Lou Hoffman remains chief executive officer while Gerard LaFond became managing director of North America in 2024. Dominique Rose Van-Winther became managing director for Asia Pacific in 2023, while her predecessor Caroline Hsu moved into the chief global officer role. Jenny Fieldgate became managing director of Europe in 2024. The company strengthened its European presence through the 2022 acquisition of Munich-based Eloquenza and its 2025 acquisition of London technology public relations firm CCGroup. The latter transaction brought CCGroup leaders Richard Fogg and Paul Nolan into co-managing-director roles reporting to Fieldgate. The Hoffman Agency's current positioning is that of an international, technology-focused communications partner capable of connecting technical expertise with mainstream storytelling, stakeholder engagement and business outcomes. Its geographic network spans North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, while its work remains centered on helping technology companies explain complex products, manage reputation and build visibility among business, investor, policy, employee and consumer audiences.
History
The Hoffman Agency was established in the United States in December 1987 by Lou Hoffman. Its original purpose was to provide communications services to technology companies, and Hewlett-Packard was among its early clients. The agency developed in Silicon Valley while building a practice around technical storytelling, earned media and business-to-business communications. A significant early recognition came in 1993, when the firm won a Silver Anvil Award for work supporting Hewlett-Packard's launch of the Kittyhawk miniature disk drive. In 1994, it conducted its first global campaign, supporting the European and Asia-Pacific launch of Hyundai's MPEG-2 chip, later associated with Hynix. These projects helped establish a model that combined technical product communications with international media outreach. The agency began its Asia-Pacific expansion in 1996 with the opening of a Singapore office. It added further regional operations between 1996 and 2000, including Beijing, Hong Kong and Tokyo. Its Beijing opening in 2000 was described as the first entry into mainland China by a Silicon Valley technology public relations firm. The company expanded into Europe in 2001 through a London office and also opened an office in Korea that year. Later geographic growth included Shanghai in 2010, Jakarta in 2017 and Taiwan in 2018. The firm subsequently organized Southeast Asian operations through a #OneSEA model intended to integrate work across Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. Over time, The Hoffman Agency broadened its offering beyond conventional media relations. Its services came to include content marketing, social media, earned search, crisis communications, corporate communications, training, branding and design, and employee communications. Its client work covered semiconductors, networking, cybersecurity, consumer electronics, electric mobility, fitness, healthcare and public-sector economic development. Campaigns for Alcatel-Lucent's Bell Labs, the City of Fremont, Invisalign Singapore, Lightship, Nokia, NXP Semiconductors, Trellix, Sony, Synaptics and Zscaler illustrate the range of sectors and communications challenges handled by the agency. The company received increasing recognition from industry award programs. It was a finalist for technology agency of the year in the United States in 2014, 2015 and 2016, and was named technology consultancy of the year in Asia in 2018. It was later recognized as PRovoke SABRE Awards' Asia-Pacific Tech Agency of the Year in 2021, 2022 and 2023, and as PRovoke's Global Technology PR Agency of the Year in 2023. In 2025, PRWeek included the agency among its Best Places to Work for midsize agencies. In April 2019, the agency formed an exclusive partnership with Hotwire. The arrangement involved collaboration between Hotwire and Hoffman's offices in Singapore, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Korea and Indonesia. In October 2022, Hoffman introduced Techplomacy, a practice focused on technology-related public affairs consulting in Asia-Pacific. That year it also acquired Eloquenza, a Munich public relations firm specializing in communications strategies for business-to-business technology clients such as Workday and Confluent. The transaction led to the creation of The Hoffman Agency GmbH and increased the firm's European employee base. The agency continued to formalize its social-impact and leadership initiatives in 2023. It announced an inaugural scholarship intended to help a California Community College student study communications at a historically Black college or university, with two years of tuition and fees covered. Dominique Rose Van-Winther became managing director for Asia Pacific, while Caroline Hsu moved to chief global officer. Leadership changes continued in 2024. Gerard LaFond was promoted to managing director of North America, succeeding Lou Hoffman in that operating role while Hoffman remained chief executive officer. Jenny Fieldgate became managing director of Europe, succeeding Mark Pinsent, who stayed with the company as a senior consultant. In 2025, Hoffman acquired CCGroup in London, bringing its senior leaders Richard Fogg and Paul Nolan into co-managing-director positions reporting to Fieldgate. These moves extended the agency's European technology communications capabilities while preserving its international, specialist positioning.
- 2025
CCGroup acquisition
[1]Hoffman acquires London technology marketing firm CCGroup and appoints its senior leaders as co-managing directors.
- 2022
Techplomacy practice and Eloquenza acquisition
[1]The agency launches its Techplomacy public affairs practice and acquires Munich-based Eloquenza.
- 2019
Exclusive partnership with Hotwire
[1]Hoffman and Hotwire establish an exclusive collaboration covering several Asia-Pacific markets.
- 2001
European and Korean expansion
[1]The agency opens a London office and expands into Korea.
- 2000
Entry into mainland China
[1]The opening of the Beijing office marks the agency's entry into mainland China.
- 1996
Singapore office opens
[1]The agency begins its Asia-Pacific office expansion with a Singapore location.
- 1993
Silver Anvil recognition for Hewlett-Packard campaign
[1]The agency receives a Silver Anvil Award for communications work supporting Hewlett-Packard's Kittyhawk miniature disk drive launch.
- 1987
The Hoffman Agency is founded
[1]Lou Hoffman establishes the agency in the United States to provide communications services to technology companies.
Products and positioning
An international, technology-specialist public relations and marketing consultancy serving business-to-business companies and technology organizations.
Public relations · 1987
Technology public relations
The agency's core offering helps technology companies explain products, research and corporate developments to trade, business and mainstream media. Programs can include media strategy, analyst and influencer engagement, launch communications, executive visibility and ongoing thought leadership.
Marketing communications
Content marketing and digital communications
Hoffman develops editorial content, digital experiences, social programs and earned-search initiatives designed to make complex technology topics discoverable and understandable. Its Sony High-Res Audio work is an example of a content and search program aimed at increasing engagement with a technology product line.
Strategic communications
Crisis, corporate and employee communications
These services support reputation management, organizational change, sensitive issues, corporate positioning and communications with employees. The agency also provides training and develops employee branding and internal communications programs.
Public affairs · 2022
Techplomacy
Introduced in 2022, Techplomacy is a technology-specific public affairs practice for Asia-Pacific. It is intended to help technology organizations address policy, government, geopolitical and societal issues that affect their markets and reputation.
Marketing campaigns
- 2023Lightship L1 launch
United States
Hoffman led communications for Lightship's launch of the L1, described as the company's flagship battery-powered recreational trailer.
Outcome. Coverage appeared in TechCrunch, The Verge and Inside EVs, and the campaign received Platinum MarCom and Platinum dotCOMM awards.
- 2020Invisalign Singapore Zoom Phenomenon campaign
Singapore
Hoffman and Invisalign Singapore used research about increased self-consciousness during video calls to explain clear-aligner treatment as a healthcare procedure during the COVID-19 period.
Outcome. The campaign gained coverage across Singaporean and regional lifestyle, parenting, dental and health publications and won a PRCA APAC health and wellbeing award.
- 2020Trellix election cybersecurity research campaign
United States
During the 2020 U.S. presidential election, Hoffman helped communicate Trellix Advanced Research Center findings about malicious emails targeting county election organizations and the human impact of cyber threats on poll workers.
Outcome. The campaign received coverage from The Associated Press, TIME, The Washington Post, CyberScoop, Nextgov and The Register.
- 2019Fremont Tesla police vehicle launch
United States
Hoffman helped the Fremont Police Department announce a customized Tesla Model S patrol vehicle through a rapid, 24-hour communications effort.
Outcome. The initiative generated 116 original and syndicated articles and received a PRNEWS Award.
- 2018Nokia networking technology communications
International
Following Nokia's acquisition of Alcatel-Lucent, Hoffman supported communications for networking businesses and product announcements, including the Photonic Service Engine 3 chipset and a media visit to Nokia's Future X Lab.
Outcome. The work generated coverage in technology, telecommunications and business media, including The Wall Street Journal, Network World and VentureBeat.
- 2018Zscaler IPO communications
United States
Hoffman helped prepare cloud-security company Zscaler for its initial public offering through communications targeting mainstream, local, financial and security media.
Outcome. Coverage included TechCrunch, Barron's, the Financial Times and Business Insider.
- 2017Sony High-Res Audio content program
International
The agency created a content marketing and search-engine-optimization program for Sony's High-Res Audio website and product line, with a focus on reaching millennial audiences.
Outcome. The program doubled page views and won PR News Agency Elite Awards in content marketing and search optimization.
- 2017NXP CES product communications
United States · International
Hoffman handled media relations for NXP Semiconductors' product announcements at CES 2017.
Outcome. The work received finalist recognition in the trade shows and awards category at the 2018 North America IN2 SABRE Awards.
- 2014Big Bang Bash
United States · International
For Bell Labs, the agency developed communications around an event commemorating research that provided tangible evidence for the Big Bang theory. The campaign generated more than 220 million online impressions and coverage in outlets including NPR, Scientific American and the Huffington Post.
Outcome. The work received an In2 SABRE Award in the innovative print and digital media category.
- 2012Think Silicon Valley
United States
Hoffman supported the City of Fremont, California, in promoting its economic-development identity. The Think Silicon Valley website served as a central platform for communicating the city's strengths in advanced manufacturing, clean technology and life sciences.
Outcome. The program attracted coverage in outlets including The Associated Press, The Washington Post, Bloomberg and CNET, and received In2 SABRE recognition.
Brand decisions
2025
Acquisition of CCGroupM&ABackground
The agency continued expanding its European technology marketing and public relations platform.
Action taken
Hoffman acquired London-based CCGroup and appointed Richard Fogg and Paul Nolan as co-managing directors.
Aftermath
CCGroup's senior leaders reported to Jenny Fieldgate, managing director of Europe, integrating the acquired firm into Hoffman's European structure.
2022
Launch of Techplomacy practiceStrategyBackground
Technology companies increasingly face policy, geopolitical and public-interest issues alongside conventional market communications.
Action taken
The agency created a technology-specific public affairs practice for Asia-Pacific.
Aftermath
Techplomacy became an additional specialist capability within the agency's regional service portfolio.
2022
Acquisition of EloquenzaM&ABackground
Hoffman sought to strengthen its European technology communications capabilities.
Action taken
It acquired Munich-based Eloquenza and established The Hoffman Agency GmbH.
Aftermath
The transaction expanded the agency's European operation and brought Eloquenza's business-to-business technology communications expertise into the Hoffman network.
2019
Exclusive partnership with HotwireStrategyBackground
The agency sought to extend coordinated public relations capabilities across its Asia-Pacific network.
Action taken
It formed an exclusive partnership under which Hotwire collaborated with Hoffman offices in Singapore, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Korea and Indonesia.
Aftermath
The partnership expanded the agencies' ability to deliver regional communications services across Asia-Pacific.
Recent events
- 2025
The Hoffman Agency acquires CCGroup[1]
M&A · Leadership change
The agency acquired London-based CCGroup, a technology marketing firm led by Richard Fogg and Paul Nolan, who became co-managing directors reporting to Jenny Fieldgate.
- 2024
The Hoffman Agency appoints North American and European managing directors[1]
Leadership change
Gerard LaFond became managing director of North America and Jenny Fieldgate became managing director of Europe. Lou Hoffman remained chief executive officer, while Mark Pinsent continued as a senior consultant.
- 2023
The Hoffman Agency announces inaugural communications scholarship[1]
Other
The agency announced a scholarship for a California Community College student covering two years of tuition and fees for communications study at a historically Black college or university.
- 2023
The Hoffman Agency changes Asia-Pacific leadership[1]
Leadership change
Dominique Rose Van-Winther was appointed managing director for Asia Pacific, while Caroline Hsu moved into the chief global officer position.
- 2022
The Hoffman Agency launches Techplomacy practice[1]
Other
The agency introduced a technology-focused public affairs practice serving Asia-Pacific clients and issues.
- 2022
The Hoffman Agency acquires Eloquenza[1]
M&A
The agency acquired Munich-based Eloquenza, a public relations firm specializing in communications strategy for business-to-business technology companies, and established The Hoffman Agency GmbH.
- 2019
The Hoffman Agency forms an exclusive partnership with Hotwire[1]
M&A
The agency entered an exclusive partnership with global communications firm Hotwire for public relations support involving Hoffman's offices across several Asia-Pacific markets.
Sources1 sources
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