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Proactive
media relations campaign overturns negative perceptions |
Background
Marconi was a provider of network technology and services that
enabled its customers to evolve narrowband networks to next
generation broadband and mobile networks through its Marconi
Multiservice Network approach. The company was a global designer,
manufacturer and supplier of telecommunications equipment and
services.
Due to well-documented financial problems, Marconi had focused
its communications on the investment community in recent years.
At the time of Wildfire’s appointment in August 2004,
Marconi had regained financial stability, consolidated its
product offering and trimmed down its operations.
The Brief
Wildfire was appointed to re-engage with the trade and technical
press and remind existing and potential customers why Marconi
is a formidable partner to help service providers build next
generation multiservice networks to reduce OPEX and support
new profitable service generation.
| Objectives |
| • |
Turn around negative perceptions of Marconi
in the trade and technical press |
| • |
Establish Marconi as an innovative next-generation network
supplier with a winning product strategy |
| • |
Maintain momentum with the press and demonstrate that
Marconi is a company that is here to stay |
| • |
Achieve internal buy-in to PR activity from publicity-averse
senior executives |
Strategy
Wildfire recommended the following strategy: |
| • |
Conduct an internal communications audit
to re-engage the senior management team and obtain ammunition
for technology and thought leadership campaigns |
| • |
Set-up a press tour to all key press to reintroduce Marconi’s
spokespeople and to build long-term positive relationships
with the trade and technical press |
| • |
Take on the press office function for the company, establishing
PR processes and managing global news pipelines |
| • |
Arrange round table events and buddy lunch programme
to reinforce technology leadership and maintain regular
contact with all key contacts |
| Results and Evaluation
One Year Campaign |
| • |
During the initial year of engagement period
Wildfire re-built bridges with all the key industry press
and positioned Marconi as a company with leading technology |
| • |
147 pieces of positive press coverage |
| • |
In June 2005, Wildfire implemented a crisis management
plan to deal with the Marconi’s exclusion from the
BT21 CN. Wildfire arranged eight one to one between Marconi’s
CTO and key trade and technical press. This resulted in
no negative press coverage in trade and technical press. |
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