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Client: Telesat Canada, High Speed Internet
Sector: Information and communications technologies |
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| Challenge |
| Telesat Canada, a pioneer in satellite operations and
systems management, was set to launch a new business-to-business satellite-based
high-speed Internet service (HSi), within a market that has several Internet
services. Argyle was challenged with securing media attention for the service
and differentiating it, so it would not be seen as just another high-speed
Internet service. |
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| Strategy |
| Argyle conducted research to understand issues related
to Internet access for small and medium-sized businesses and the types
of businesses that would benefit from this technology. Since Telesat’s
satellite-based Internet service is accessible anywhere in Canada or the
United States, especially areas currently underserved by high-speed Internet
services, it would have tremendous benefits for small and medium-sized
businesses in remote and rural locations.
Differentiating the HSi service and identifying the value proposition
for businesses and industries through concise messages would be a key
component of the strategy.
Argyle developed a media relations strategy that leveraged Telesat’s
powerful brand and its market leader status in the telecommunications
and broadcast industry. Argyle’s communications attracted attention
by positioning this as a story of a market leader in one technology sector
moving aggressively into another.
Argyle segmented media audiences by industry and multiple story angles
were developed. The advantages of Telesat’s HSi were positioned
to journalists who cover sectors that would be benefit from this service,
including healthcare, legal, agriculture and training industries. |
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| Tactics |
| Argyle implemented several tactics including developing
key messages that would provide clear and consistent information about
the benefits of HSi and assist our spokespeople in media interviews. The
media was provided with unique story angles, including exploring ways to
overcome the digital divide and leveraging the Net to gain a competitive
business advantage that incorporated social and business issues, going
beyond describing the service. Argyle identified interview opportunities
for our key spokespeople in our targeted industries and also developed
customized news releases that detailed the value proposition for each industry. |
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| Results |
| The Telesat HSi campaign reached an audience of more than
2.6 million Canadians, with
85 per cent of stories going beyond mere information and reflecting our
key messages. Argyle secured at least one prominent story in trade media
covering each target sector.
There was also a strong correlation between media coverage and a significant
increase in enquiries about the service and prospective leads, as well
as correlation between media coverage and the increase in web site
visitors.
In April 2003, the Canadian Public Relations Society recognized Argyle
Rowland with an ACE award for the Telesat high-speed Internet media
campaign. |
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