Written by Craig McGuire
Published on May 23 2005
To make sure your launch is more flash than fizzle, Craig McGuire shares some proven tips pulled from campaigns that successfully cut through the clutter
Few PR pros have the luxury of launching a unique or innovative product into a market clamoring for its release. Below are examples of agencies who found creative ways to get the job done.
Xerox
Having clawed its way back from the brink, Xerox was planning to launch two tech platforms: a new monochrome printer platform for mid- to high-end production environments and the Phaser solid ink color printer platform for the small- to midsize business market.Text 100 pitched a customer-focused event for the launch, with the theme "From blank page to breakthrough," representing the process of innovation that often starts with a blank piece of paper.
"This was more than a product announcement," says Ed Gala, Xerox's director of worldwide strategic PR. "It was a strategic CEO-level communications event designed to position the company for growth."
The PR team invited press and analysts from around the world to the launch at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom. The site was symbolic, as the venue fell into hard times in the late 1970s, only to be revived in the 1990s.
To reinforce its customer-focused messaging, Xerox invited customers from various industries. Several were even invited to join Xerox executives on stage to tell their real-world stories using Xerox technology.
For those who couldn't attend, a live webcast was set up and live satellite downlinks were broadcast in 10 US cities where Xerox executives hosted smaller events for nearly 3,000 customers.As a result, more than 1,375 journalists, analysts, and customers attended the New York event, more than 10,000 watched via a webcast, and more than 262 articles were generated.
More importantly for Xerox, the launch contributed a 5% increase in revenue within its targeted growth areas.
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