When Canyon Bicycles launched its first custom bike program through a PR.co-driven virtual press event, invitees were in for an exciting ride.
The MyCanyon event, hosted in February 2025, gave over 70 journalists and influencers from the U.S. and Asia an exclusive first look at the customizable Aeroad CFR—days before its public release. PR.co’s software simplified the entire process.
In this article, Global Communications Manager, Ben Hillsdon, shares what the much-talked-about event entailed—and how PR.co assisted.
Challenge: Wildfires Necessitate a Virtual Approach
When the Canyon team started planning the MyCanyon launch, an in-person event in Los Angeles made sense. However, out-of-control wildfires in the California area forced them to rethink their plans.
At the time, Ben and his team had some experience hosting informal virtual events via platforms like Microsoft Teams. But this critical launch required a more polished approach. Plus, the team wanted to masterfully showcase Canyon’s boutique customization offer.
As the Canyon team started planning the virtual event, a few challenges emerged:
- They wanted the event to be 100% in step with the creativity of the MyCanyon concept. The team was set on using multi-camera setups, pre-recorded video segments, and live presentations. However, this approach required expertise they didn’t have in-house.
- Hiring a professional live-streaming company turned out to be prohibitively expensive.
- They struggled to find a way to maintain complete control over the presentation flow while keeping journalists engaged and entertained.
The hunt for a platform that could meet their precise needs began.
Solution: Virtual Events Feature Within PR.co Newsroom
When Ben’s team realized that the PR.co platform, which already hosted the Canyon newsroom, incorporated an all-in-one virtual event solution that addressed their challenges, they knew they’d found the ideal solution.
“We wanted a mix of live presentations and pre-recorded segments in a format that was more professional than Teams,” Ben says.
With PR.co’s Virtual Events feature, Canyon could host the launch directly within their branded newsroom and achieve a consistent visual identity across all their marketing and event collateral. The newsroom could also act as a hub for all the event-related materials, including registration links and access details.
“We liked that the newsroom environment would be familiar to the journalists. After all, we’ve used PR.co for our media content for the last three years,” Ben says. “We realized that hosting the event within this branded space would ensure consistency and professionalism.”
End-to-End Support from PR.co
As the two teams started collaborating, PR.co worked on a solution to seamlessly integrate Vimeo for multi-camera setups and pre-recorded content playback. The goal was to smooth transitions between Canyon’s live and recorded segments.
PR.co’s CEO, Jeroen Bos, provided hands-on coaching for integrating Vimeo with the PR.co platform and managing complex technical elements like automated timelines and manual segment transitions.
“We figured out how to sequence all the elements seamlessly, automating transitions where needed and manually controlling others, ensuring everything worked perfectly during the live event,” Ben recalls.
To ensure a flawless execution on launch day, the PR.co team organized rehearsals with the Canyon crew to familiarize them with the platform and troubleshoot potential issues in advance.
“PR.co held our hands all the way through the process,” Ben recalls. “They were somewhat of a coach, somewhat of a technical guru, offering creative solutions and technical expertise our team lacked.”
Execution: Two Sessions, Two Time Zones
The MyCanyon virtual press event featured two sessions tailored to different time zones—one for Asian journalists in the morning and another for U.S.-based attendees in the evening.
The 40-minute presentations included:
- A mix of live presentations by Canyon representatives and pre-recorded videos featuring triathlon legend Jan Frodeno and cycling presenter Laura Meseguer.
- Multi-camera setups showcasing product details like customizable paintwork and design collections.
- Interactive Q&A sessions managed by Canyon staff using PR.co’s live chat functionality.
PR.co’s platform enabled seamless coordination between these elements.
Results and Impact: Positive Feedback
The virtual press event was a resounding success, thanks to meticulous planning, a robust technical environment, and excellent support before, during, and after the event.
By hosting the event within the PR.co-driven newsroom rather than relying on external platforms like YouTube or Zoom, Canyon retained complete control over its branding while driving traffic to its own content.
Additionally, PR.co’s attendance tracking tools provided real-time data on journalist participation across both sessions, helping Canyon measure engagement levels and refine its approach for future events.
Why PR.co Stood Out
PR.co simplified the logistics of this key event, turning it into a truly memorable experience.
The following features made the decision to go the PR.co route easy for the Canyon team:
- Ease of use: The PR.co platform streamlined every aspect of event management—from drafting invitations to hosting interactive Q&A sessions—allowing Canyon to focus on content rather than technical details.
- Customizable branding: Canyon ensured brand consistency across all touchpoints by hosting the event within their existing PR.co-driven newsroom.
- Exceptional support: The PR.co team went the extra mile to guide Canyon through unfamiliar territory, providing technical expertise and creative solutions along the way.
Key Takeaways
The MyCanyon virtual product launch demonstrates how PR.co can transform logistical challenges into strong brand opportunities.
For PR teams looking to streamline their workflows—from drafting and distributing press releases to hosting virtual events—PR.co offers an all-in-one solution.
Ready to elevate your next virtual event? Let’s chat.
About MyCanyon
MyCanyon is Canyon’s first-ever custom bike program, allowing customers to design their dream Aeroad CFR road bike with tailored fit, functionality, and striking aesthetics.
The program features a curated selection of premium components, including groupsets, wheels, saddles, and stem lengths, ensuring riders achieve optimal performance and comfort.
A standout feature is the hand-painted frames, showcasing intricate designs from three exclusive artwork collections—Fabrio, Mano, and Opus—with contributions from renowned artists Felipe Pantone and Elena Salmistraro.
Visit www.canyon.com/en-us/my-canyon-custom-bike for more info.
