Establishing an "Unknown" Player
with the Trade Press

Mission: Three years ago, when ShapeTechnology started working with Axis Communications, a Swedish-owned manufacturer and marketer of network peripherals, the company wasn't on the radar screens of the reporters covering its product areas. Axis had just opened a U.S. marketing branch and was promoting and selling print servers. However within 18 months of beginning its relationship with ShapeTechnology, Axis expanded and applied its patented approach to attaching peripherals to networks to a wide range of product categories. ShapeTechnology was soon pursuing editorial coverage on behalf of Axis in the storage, digital camera, and scanner arenas — all markets in which the manufacturer was a total "unknown." ShapeTechnology helped Axis make its way into the hearts, minds, and stories of key reporters and editors in each of these technology arenas by developing and executing a comprehensive press relations program that was both strategic and tactical.

Pick a Target. Step one was to develop a hit list of editors and industry analysts that covered Axis' technology (print servers). ShapeTechnology then launched Axis into the U.S. press landscape via face-to-face meetings with all of the key reporters. As Axis expanded its product offerings into each of its new niche markets (storage, digital cameras, etc.), ShapeTechnology treated each product area as though a new client had started with the agency. Editorial lists were compiled and tailored to each product area and specific programs were developed and executed accordingly.

Becoming a Player. In tandem with national press tours and face-to-face editorial meetings, which launched Axis into each of its respective markets, ShapeTechnology put a number of ongoing press relations programs into action:

• Pursuing opportunities on the editorial calendars of all of Axis' top tier publications netted regular mentions in feature articles.
• A comprehensive program landed product reviews for ALL of Axis' offerings in the labs of the best technology publications, as well as some key niche market trade publications.
• A success story program found Axis users featured in several publication case studies.
• Through a contributed articles program, Axis scored by-lined articles in key magazines.
• Pursuing speaking opportunities put Axis at the podium of key conferences and trade shows.