After the Launch: Sustaining Coverage in Year Two

For a large retail technology company, members of our team helped launch its easy-to-use handheld scanner, describing it as bringing the future of shopping to customers by eliminating long checkout lines. Customers ring up purchases as they shop and pay at express checkout lines.

We had successfully launched the product, securing 200 clips in major media across the country, including USA Today, The Wall Street, CNN and others.

The challenge

• Maintain visibility in year two despite:
  • No “news.”
  • Lack of significant U.S. installed base: only three U.S. stores vs. 150 European stores.
  • Retail reporters more interested in e-commerce than retail technology.

The opportunity

• Generate “buzz” by securing a feature article in a high visibility publication.
• Leverage feature to secure additional coverage.

We decided to develop long-term relationships with key retail reporters, including Jennifer Steinhauer at The New York Times, by keeping her informed of new developments, offering her creative story angles, and being responsive to her deadline.

The results

Two New York Times articles in March and April including a product profile in a special retailing issue of The New York Times Magazine. Both articles included key messages about the product and client. We leveraged the Times articles to generate interest from all major network news: “World News Tonight” (ABC), “48 Hours” (CBS) and “Dateline” (NBC). We secured coverage in “World News Tonight” and “Dateline.”

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