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| Thought leadership on webershandwick.asia |
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Weber Shandwick’s Asia Pacific regional website, webershandwick.asia, features insightful essays and video interviews from our leaders.
Recently added is an article by Darren Burns, managing director, Weber Shandwick Shanghai and Guangzhou, titled, "Bringing the digital world in-line saves time”.
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"There seems to be a serious gap between the way executives think about their own company and how they form opinions on competitors—whatever the reason for this disconnect, it’s clear that online media (in all its forms) is a major source of influence on reputation. And it will only grow in importance.” [Read the full article here]
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Also on webershandwick.asia are a number of newly uploaded video interviews including Weber Shandwick Chairman Jack Leslie discussing the communication strategy of US president-elect Barack Obama and Anne Gabriel, managing director of Weber Shandwick Malaysia, introducing the office’s new healthcare newsletter, PULSE.
Visit webershandwick.asia for more interviews, articles and the latest Weber Shandwick news.
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| Darren Burns (right) discusses how reputations are managed online |
You can read the special feature by Darren Burns here |
Darren Burns, managing director of Weber Shandwick Shanghai and Guangzhou, recently joined a roundtable of prominent Asia Pacific communications professionals for Media magazine’s special supplement, "PR Communicated”.
"Everyone is talking about digital media … but still many companies are taking little action to manage actively their reputation,” writes Burns.
"Many large organisations in Asia are not even tracking online conversations or ‘buzz’ about their brands, products or services. It’s time we started to be serious about tracking our reputations online—especially in an area with the world’s largest online population and some would argue, most rigorous blogosphere (China, especially)."
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| Connie Wang, senior associate, Shanghai |
Name:
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Connie Wang
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Position:
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Senior associate
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Office:
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Weber Shandwick Shanghai
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Client:
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Nike
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The Brief:
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Tell the innovative story of Nike Shox Experience+ (a key product for Holiday 2008 in the running category), positioning the shoe as the ultimate urban running shoe. |
What made the pitch so interesting?
The product made history by combining the most cutting-edge cushioning technologies in Nike footwear, Shox and Max Air, to produce "Air Shox.” However, media initially misperceived the level innovation that went into the convergence of these technologies. Our challenge was to help media discover Nike’s novel and unique Air Shox system in order to generate innovation-focused coverage.
How did you pull off the plan?
We researched the legacy MaxAir and Shox systems to draw out what made the Air Shox new. The best of the two technologies really result in the ultimate urban running shoe. Shoe images were combined with visually impactful urban scenes as backgrounds to strengthen the positioning of the shoe across all media. We seeded the product sample among the most authentic sneaker magazines for product testing and even encouraged comparison with the product’s chief competitor.
How did you create the buzz?
We seeded the product innovation story among lifestyle media along with samples to sneaker media to facilitate product trials. And we pitched to media who would do running features, sure to capture the new shoe at its best angle.
What made the pitch succeed?
Weber Shandwick realised that the post-Olympics period provided an opportunity to communicate the Shox Experience+ shoe’s urban running advantage as the best and simplest way to infuse people’s passion for sports into reality.
What were the client's metrics on success?
To establish Shox Experience+ as the unopposed, undeniable, ultimate urban running shoe.
What were the results?
Popular sneaker magazine, Size, did a product test and generated six full pages on the shoe. The article’s all-around analysis on the shoe explained how the new technology reacts in various urban environments and provided a comprehensive comparison between the product and its chief competitor, demonstrating the shoe’s innovation. More than 40 such articles came out in related media, in which in-depth product stories successfully positioned the shoe as the ultimate urban running footwear.
Is there anything you could have done better?
We could have laced up in the Shox Experience+ earlier—it’s a great shoe!
Why was this a pitch to remember?
It’s all about correcting media’s misperception about innovation. We finally made them agree with us that this is an ultimate urban running shoe.
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