Sfida:
The company has no direct presence in Italy, though its products are available through the distribution channel. Products are well known and respected among GPS specialists and lovers, though not really present in the press. Research on the Italian press – print and online – done by AxiCom gave very limited results.
The goal of the communication activities was to successfully launch the new Magellan RoadMate 2200 and to highlight its unique features. The activity was also aimed at positioning Magellan as an advanced, visionary company, able to deliver cutting-edge products and to approach the market in a creative and aggressive way
Attività:
After an initial contact with the EMEA Public Relations Manager for Magellan, AxiCom drafted a proposal for the organization of the launch, suggesting format and timeframe. The objective of the company was to re-establish a presence in the Italian press as an important player in the GPS market. The company was well known to ‘GPS experts’, but it had disappeared from their radar a couple of years before when they stopped communicating. In the meantime, other companies such as Tom Tom and Garmin have acquired large portions of market share in this area. Magellan’s aim was therefore to remind press that they exist and that they are very much an important player in this market segment, with the launch of a new ‘hybrid’ GPS, the first in the market which can be used as a car navigation system, but also for hiking and other outdoor activities and in marine environments.
The launch event is being followed up with reviews of the products – starting with RoadMate 2200 to be followed by RoadMate 2250 as soon as they are available in Q1 2007. We also drafted a special Christmas version of the product announcement to target lifestyle magazines which have Christmas gift suggestions.
Risultati:
Press attendance at the event was very high. 28 journalists from a good mix of publications - PC, lifestyle, boating, travel, automotive and business - attended the briefing, compared to 21 confirmations in advance. And yes, this is the reverse of the norm in Italy too! A wide mixture of press was reached, with publications dealing with PCs, car and transportation, sailing and boating, trekking and outdoor, lifestyle and dailies.
Coverage was also very high, with a good number of clips published in the very first days. Quality coverage was also reached, with business publications such as Il Sole 24 Ore. Results were even more positive, considering that Magellan had been away from the press landscape for a long time and the press wasn’t used to considering it a top player anymore.
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