Team PR -- Case Studies
For
a small company with a major medical breakthrough product and zero name
recognition, we worked with its marketing agency to bring the product to
national attention. A
well-known marketing and design agency brought in Team PR to help launch
and promote a global product with the potential of saving many thousands
of lives lost to traumatic bleeding each year – but on a shoestring
budget. We leaped at the opportunity to join the client in its efforts to
‘make a difference’ in the world. Working closely with the client, the
agency and the product co-development team in the US armed forces, we
leveraged the importance of the product in the current military and
security climate to launch it to other target markets – including
emergency first responders, outdoors, home and first aid. Within only a
few months of the initial media campaign the product was featured in
numerous key trade publications in support of the client’s and
agency’s trade show exhibit strategy. In addition, major consumer
magazines highlighted the product’s breakthrough status, creating a
groundswell of interest in all markets – as well as direct sales. Of
particular significance: the client was interviewed on a CNN channel, the
product won a 2002 Best of What’s New award from Popular Science
magazine with seven million readers, and was featured in a new products
round-up in Outdoor Life magazine with more than 1.5 million subscribers.
Team PR maximized coverage of the Popular Science award by providing the
magazine’s PR department with additional information and a special
demonstration obtained through the marketing agency so that the product
was included in its satellite media tour and other publicity efforts.
For
a newly-funded start-up technology venture headed by a seasoned
entrepreneur, we developed a PR launch that quickly established interest
& credibility within its target market – the retail oil &
propane industry. Traditional
industries are often skeptical of new technologies – particularly if
provided by industry outsiders. Therefore it was critical for us to
educate the market about how our client’s new
hardware/software/consulting solution contributes to the customer’s
bottom line. In addition, we stressed the client’s roots in the industry
and management’s industry expertise. The key media targets for the
first-year campaign were the industry’s trade press, the local media in
our client’s customers’ geographic territories. Team PR succeeded in
placing numerous items and feature stories in oil and propane
publications, provided support at trade shows and publicized the customers
as they introduced the new technology at the retail level. We also kept
our client and its successes in front of the venture capital media as they
pursued second round funding.
For
a fast-growing staffing company in major regional markets we built name
awareness -- fast!!
Entering new markets at a rapid clip required a cost-effective way to
build name recognition. Publicity in local market and national media was
the strategy of choice. Within eight months we achieved dozens of local
placements about company happenings, contracts, awards -- the meat and
potatoes of any business. And, we placed major feature stories in the
client’s key regional and national media. These included a national
Associated Press story that appeared in scores of major newspapers
nationwide, a front-of-section story in the Hartford Courant, and two
features in The New York Times in regional sections. And our CEO was
quoted extensively in a New York Times front-page story!!
For
an investment advisory firm serving high net worth individuals, families
and foundations, we first provided positioning and developed key messages
that communicated the firm’s differentiation – a critical marketing
element with which the principals had been struggling. In
conjunction with this key effort, we suggested the client participate in
Bloomberg Manager’s annual ranking of advisory firms – on which it
ranked within the top 30 firms nationwide. We also established a basic
press release program to keep the company in front of the business
communities of New York, Philadelphia and Boston. Team PR also introduced
one of our Web development resources to the client for help revamping and
updating its Web site, while Team PR provided the content for a
capabilities brochure and the Web – using the new company messages.
For
a national executive search franchise company with 100 offices throughout
the US, we helped level the marketing playing field for them to help them
compete with much larger, publicly traded recruiting companies.
A second strategy was to build franchisee value and leverage the national
marketing budget. We achieved objectives through: the commissioning and
branding of an annual tracking study on Workforce Issues and Attitudes and
a local markets strategy that converted national press releases to
localized ones distributed to owners’ industry focus trade press and
hometown business media. The compelling survey information garnered
repeated print and online coverage by major media such as the Wall Street
Journal, the New York Times, the Philadelphia Inquirer, BusinessWeek,
Industry Week, USA Today and many top national trade publications like
Employment Review and AdWeek. The localized releases gained visibility for
owners as they matched job candidates with opportunities in client
companies and sought qualified recruiters to work with their own offices.
For
a promotional marketing agency with Fortune 100 clients and a desire to be
acquired, we provided an ongoing media program focused on keeping industry
professionals aware of its creative and effective account activities.
We targeted specific trade and consumer editors to establish the client as
a leader in developing and implementing innovative promotional campaigns
-- an effective, as well as cost-effective, way to promote the promoters
and build their business. High-visibility feature stories appeared in such
important media as Promo Magazine, AdWeek, Ad Age, B to B, Brand Week,
Creative and DM News. The bottom line of all this activity was the
client’s acquisition by a major advertising agency.
For
a prestigious start-up firm in the training industry, developed through
the technology transfer department of an Ivy League University, we first
developed and implemented ground-up marketing communications strategy, and
then proved that publicity breeds more publicity – sometimes even book
deals.
Our initial campaign to help this client introduce its unique training
programs to the corporate market was a three-day product pre-launch
“summit” that attracted key human resources executives from Fortune
100 companies. In conjunction with that effort, we facilitated an
interview that resulted in early product exposure in a Forbes Magazine article -- perfect and hard-to-get -- publicity for
a brand new company. Soon, a small product announcement in a major human
resources trade magazine resulted in the client’s first Fortune 100
customer. Over the ensuing years, Team PR implemented rollouts to
additional markets and designed a number of winning communications
strategies for this client, including an informative enewsletter for
customers and prospects. We also achieved major feature story placements
in such publications as the Harvard Business Review, Employment Business
Weekly (now Dow Jones’s Career Journal), Human Resource Executive and
Fast Company – twice! The second time was a charm, attracting the
attention of a Random House editor and leading to the publication of a
book about its program. Team PR also publicized the book.
For
a leading firm that helps US manufacturers export and market their
products around the globe, we helped them better define and position their
diverse, multi-industry services for clearer marketing communications and
better market differentiation.
Once the key messages were identified, we communicated them in press
materials and releases, in authored articles on a new media area of their
Web site and in joint marketing projects with their clients. The latter
was part of our work to help them add value to client export programs.
For
a not-for-profit organization providing food, shelter and a continuum of
services for the homeless, we planned and executed an integrated 18-month
awareness campaign in conjunction with a major capital campaign.
In leading up to the fund-raising piece of the campaign, which would be
used to buy and maintain permanent affordable housing, we first needed to
raise and broaden community and corporate awareness of the positive work
accomplished by the organization. This included a program of monthly news
releases that resulted in continuous coverage, significant media
placements, and radio and TV interviews. The plan also incorporated
community events that helped forge personal relationships and created
further opportunities for publicity. The positive publicity helped the
organization exceed its goal for its annual holiday fund-raising effort
and accelerated pre-launch fund-raising, leading to a capital campaign
kick-off and completion months ahead of schedule. A highlight of the
program was a rare nonprofit story we placed in Business Week about
homelessness in affluent suburbs. The national coverage created further
local pride in the organization that translated into increased
contributions.
For
a major U.S. corporation we provided public affairs planning, media
relations and corporate communications in conjunction with the closing of
a large manufacturing facility.
As part of this project, the United States Department of Labor
commissioned a case study report that it continues to use today as a model
for effective plant closing programs.
For
a multi-divisional custom home building firm, we created awareness of
their expansion – both geographically and into new services for
homeowners.
The advertising agency for this firm called in Team PR to support various
marketing efforts with a public relations program. We launched a new,
upscale franchise division providing home maintenance services and
publicized the kick-off event for their new Connecticut headquarters and
remodeling showroom. We garnered major publicity for the firm’s
expansion into the affluent Greenwich market with an interesting tie-in to
the company’s 50th Anniversary celebration – accomplishing
two PR objectives with one successful campaign. In executing the
client’s PR program, we worked closely with its architectural and real
estate brokerage firms, and contributed to a presentation for financial
investors.
For
a not-for-profit – a major entertainment and tourism destination – we
developed a PR program to create awareness of the organization’s less
well-known educational mission and to support its annual scholarship
fundraising event. Team
PR was brought in for the event’s second year, since it had received
little attention in year one, despite great success and patronage from
celebrities. On behalf of this client, Team PR combined its experience in
publicizing not-for-profit development efforts and special events. We
achieved steady media coverage of “progress reports” and information
about the client’s educational programs and the event’s honorees and
sponsors in the months leading up to the fundraiser. The print and
broadcast media coverage expanded beyond the client’s traditional media.
This helped widen the support base and participation. Team PR helped the
client surpass its fund-raising goals and established the event as a
“Must” invitation for ensuing years.
For
a client in commercial moving, contract furniture, regional transportation
and logistics who formed an alliance with a computer systems company and a
telephone cabling firm to provide value added services in the area of
technology relocation, we came up with an on and off-Web strategy that was
a true example of how to use the power of the Web to enhance traditional
public relations.
First we announced the formation of the alliance and raised the subject of
Technology Relocation as a business-critical issue when companies move.
Working with the partners, we developed a long list of Technology
Relocation Tips to be posted on their individual company Web sites and an
accompanying positioning statement establishing the need for special
attention to this issue. Next, we wrote a news release offering several of
the tips as a “teaser” and directing readers to the Web sites for more
tips and information. Editors were happy to have a short piece that
provided useful information to their readers – with the potential for
more. We achieved broad pick-up of both releases by industry and business
media. A requested authored article -- which we ghost wrote for the
partners – gave them a credibility-building reprint for all to use in
other marketing efforts. The campaign drove traffic to each partner’s
Web site, positioned the partners as leaders in their fields – and
helped solidify their alliance.
For
a dynamic and growing New York City-based social service agency providing
an array of services from substance abuse treatment to development of
affordable supportive housing, we used the opportunity of creating a new
Web site to help its management better tell its compelling story.
When called in
to spearhead development of and write the content for this client’s
second generation Web site, Team PR put on its strategic consulting hat to
make sure that the new Web site reflected the agency’s strategic
objectives and communicated consistent messages. We first helped the group
determine who would be likely Web site visitors and users, as well as how
to address the information needs of these diverse audiences. Through an
extensive interviewing process, we developed a thorough understanding
of the agency’s history, services, programs and partnerships. We then
told the story in human terms that gave impact to all communications –
regardless of audience – and augmented the more fact-oriented approach
of the agency’s original Web site. Team PR worked closely with the
client’s design and technology consultants to ensure that public
relations extended to the look and feel and navigability of the site. Key
strategic additions to the new Web site included an on-line contributions
area, a separate menu tab devoted to its growing housing development
initiative, a history of the organization and information specifically
targeted toward funders.
For
a physician services organization with a new approach, we first helped
them to define their strategic communications and are now helping them to
educate their market.
Often, it’s hard to be first with a new idea -- particularly in the
constantly changing area of managed care and physician practice
integration. The market isn’t necessarily waiting with open arms. For
this client, it was important to clarify their differences from earlier
failed business models before we could begin to convince the media that
they represented the next wave. We quickly brought this client to the
attention of the key professional healthcare publications -- the ones that
the national press monitors for early warning on new trends and issues.
Equally important, these publications reach the client’s most coveted
target audience. We are currently talking with several major news
organizations on their behalf.
For
a new extended care facility affiliated with a major regional hospital we
helped establish its reputation among the medical and consumer communities
as a provider of the highest quality long and short term care and
rehabilitative services.
In order to attract patients in a community where there were already
similar facilities, it was critical to garner the trust of referring
physicians, other hospitals and people in the community. Through a variety
of community and professional outreach programs, supported by extensive
media coverage, we brought the target audiences into contact with the
facility and its people. Once inside, they were so impressed with the
caring attitudes, technology and range of treatment that today the
facility is the premier one of its kind in the region.
For
two merging commercial mortgage brokerage firms, we created a two-tiered
campaign that communicated it was a merger of equals -- not another big
firm swallowing a small one.
In our initial meetings we learned that the two companies had been
collaborating for years and, in fact, were about to close a $450 million
financing of a high profile Washington, DC building. We publicized that
cooperative effort first -- locally and nationally. When we announced the
merger a month later, the same business editors accepted the merger as a
logical and sound business move.
For
a physician contract management services organization we developed
comprehensive public relations and innovative two-way communications
programs. In addition
to reaching physicians through editorial placement of company news and
articles, we created personal and direct communications with physician
practices. These were meant to establish a dialogue to educate practice
groups about the business side of the rapidly changing healthcare
environment. They served the dual role of obtaining feedback about
physician practice needs that improved client service and satisfaction –
and brought in new business. An innovative two-way newsletter -- or
communiqué – called Dialogues
was re-purposed for the Internet and was the precursor of a chat area.
For a fast-growing telecommunications solutions provider, we leveraged recognition of their growth by the Connecticut Technology Council and Deloitte & Touche to build awareness of the client, as well as the benefits of the new LAN-Telephony technology they offer. This client brought us on board to publicize being named to the Technology Fast 50 – the 50 fastest growing technology companies in its market – and to help them keep moving towards an aggressive further growth objective. We used the recognition as an opportunity to educate the client’s markets and to position them as a good company to work for as they compete for personnel to support the growth. In addition to a number of media profiles and announcements, we helped them to reach key audiences through a series of seminars and marketing promotions. We also worked on their total re-branding effort, including an introduction to a top quality resource for re-vamping their corporate identity.
For
an independent bank we underscored that its market differentiation was not
only its 125-year history, but also the underlying flexibility to meet the
changing needs of its customers and the community over that period.
Press materials intertwined information about the bank’s deep roots in
the community with stories about the positive impact of innovative new
services and programs. PR also supported expanded marketing efforts in
print, broadcast and outdoor media and contributed to record earnings.
For
a Canadian retail and manufacturing firm we launched and problem-solved
their entrees into a number of major United States markets.
From creating name recognition to coordinating a groundbreaking ceremony
with the Governor’s office of a northeastern state to mutually promote
business development, we provided a key communications liaison between our
international client and key U.S. business and retail media. In one
market, a successful launch was stalled when consumers confused our client
with a defunct -- and shady -- company that had once used the same name.
We created an appropriate editorial response supported by advertising to
reverse an unfortunate misperception.
The result was an immediate upswing in consumer acceptance.
For
an information technology-consulting firm we got national recognition,
which skyrocketed its credibility in its regional market.
This client markets to the CFOs of mid-size to large corporations in New
York, New Jersey and Connecticut. We obtained a speaking engagement for
the CEO at a national conference for CFOs sponsored by their professional
organization -- which also publishes the trade ‘bible.’ The topic of
our client’s talk was provocative. We successfully sold the editor on
the idea of letting us turn the talk into an authored article for the
benefit of the organization’s entire membership. The reprint of the
4-page article bearing our client’s byline became a very inexpensive and
powerful marketing piece. Had we bought the pages as advertising space the
one-time rate would have been $21,000.
For
an international buying group and marketing organization for independent
retail jewelers, we developed and executed a pull-through strategy to aid
membership development and retention.
This client was well known in the trades but had little visibility to
consumers. We created a turnkey PR program for members to use in their
local markets. These featured what we termed Ready-to-go Releases, which
the members tailored to themselves by filling in blanks. Each release
included information about the local jeweler’s affiliation with our
client and the benefits it brought to consumers. In addition we launched
national campaigns to consumer media that netted -- among many other
stories -- a nationally syndicated column that claims 50 million readers
weekly, a 4 1/2 minute TV spot on Bloomberg Small Business which aired
nationally over USA network, and a series of three 2-minute interviews on
CBS News Radio. Members nationwide reported increased customer awareness
of their affiliation with our client.
For
a regional wholesale/retail baking company we created cause-related
marketing programs that established them in their markets as a role model
for community involvement.
The programs also showcased their products in a low-key fashion. One
project involved the company’s wholesale customers and shone a positive
value-added spotlight on them. These campaigns resulted in more than a
baker’s dozen of page one and section cover stories, radio and TV
interviews and much other coverage.
For a niche travel company we used PR to suggest -- and test -- a new strategic marketing direction. This client had developed a unique market niche creating heritage tours of ancestral towns and villages in Europe, which they marketed direct to organized family associations. When they expanded their product line with general interest tours, we agreed with them that they could market these through the consumer travel press. We also suggested they begin marketing through travel agents by publicizing the tours in the travel trades. The client was unconvinced until our releases were picked up by the two industry bibles. Travel Week did a two-page photo feature and ASTA Agency Management quoted our client prominently throughout a five-page article on heritage travel. Calls from travel agents began pouring in and the client found a new market.