GOALS

Promote the RG31 armored vehicle to the Romanian audiences

Enhance the client reputation in Romania as a leading producer of land equipment

Improve  relationship with the Romanian media

Maximize positive coverage for the RG 31 vehicle

Improve understanding of the breath and depth of BAE Systems capabilities ; demonstrate that  BAE Systems is much more that ship building and maintenance

Support RG 31 export campaign to Romania

Cover green areas in BAE Systems’ media map, using automotive / technology journalists

STRATEGY

Take advantage of the unusual appearance of an armored vehicle in the automotive media

Approach automotive journalists that were not previously influenced by negative news about the company

Underline the client’s full breadth of capabilities

Create a sustained publicity campaign to raise profile of BAE Systems and its global capabilities

Actively involve the specialists from the producer’s unit in South Africa

Focus the messages on the technical information about the vehicle, instead of usual defense selling messages

TACTICS / ACTIVITIES

Prepare information about RG 31 for the Romanian media

Organize a media event for the vehicle presentation, targeted to the automotive media (guest management, transportation to the location, assistance and moderation on the spot)

Organize a lunch with friendly journalists from the defense area and some of the automotive journalists that participated at the presentation event

Follow-up with all the journalists invited, with additional information, photos and interviews

TARGET MEDIA:

Defense journalists from TV stations, nation-wide dailies and specialized media

Automotive TV journalists and producers

TIMING

6 of October

VENUE

“Mihai Bravu” facilities, near Bucharest + “Jaristea” restaurant

RESULTS

The vehicle was featured by 4 (four) national TV stations and by 2 of the most influential national newspapers. The event was reflected by all major  media groups in Romania

RealitateaTV  - The most important news TV station (previously red in the client’s media map), has broadcast the news during the evening of the same day.

Transcript Quote: “RG-31 – an armoured vehicle produced by BAE in South Africa and used in nine countries. Over 1,200 such carriers are fully operational within the army of many powerful countries. The vehicle can carry up to eight infantrymen; it can be fitted with a gyro-stabilized turret and can cope with the explosion of hand-made bombs.”

PRO TV  - (MediaPro Group - CME) – best TV station / the best rated auto show in Romania, ProMotor, broadcast during the week-end. The text was positive and presented all vehicle features

TVR 1 (the National TV station, with the largest territorial coverage) has aired the news about RG31 during the evening Sport news (prime time). The text was positive and had no reminders of BAE Systems other businesses in Romania.

PrimaTV (SBS Broadcasting Group): the vehicle was presented during the “Autoforum” show, by the same team that has produced the news for TVR 1.

“Financiarul” – ranked as the second financial daily, part of the  “Intact” media group.

Author: Costel Stroescu

Extensive article (1 full page) positive tone, quote and photo of the BAE Systems

Country Manager, photo of the vehicle

“Adevarul” – influential daily newspaper,

Author Mihai Diac,

Neutral tone, photo of the vehicle

Other coverage:

Blogs, Twitter and online versions of the TV’s and newspapers.

HIGHLIGHTS

On the background of a worldwide  communication crisis of the customer, AMI Communications has organized the first event for BAE Systems in Romania that had only positive and neutral coverage results, with no mentions or reminders about the previous negative situation.

The agency team had an innovative approach for the communication in the industry by involving automotive media into a defense communication campaign.

The coverage was made mostly of TV reports and shows, with a very high public impact

With an investment of less that 1000 Euro, the client messages  eventually reached  over 1.4 million people, resulting in a huge ROI.