intouch - showcase

To celebrate Samsung turning 21 in Australia, Weber Shandwick worked with events management company Australian Business Theatre to put together an exciting brand building and media cocktail event at Luxe Studios, East Sydney.

VIP guests and 60 key media influentials from a range of lifestyle, tech, trade and social publications attended. The entertainment was provided by Australian singer Natalie Bassingthwaighte and Weber Shandwick helped design interactive speeches for members of the Samsung HQ and Samsung Australia team.

Feedback from the media was hugely positive and journalists from across a broad range of publications praised the event as one of the best they had been to this year.

Microsoft’s largest annual conference in Southeast Asia, Tech.Ed 2008, opened its doors in Kuala Lumpur to 3,200 technopreneurs, IT administrators, software developers and software architects from 41 countries throughout the region.

Themed "be part of the experience,” this edition of Tech.Ed was designed to help developers build state-of-the art software solutions and help IT professionals develop more customised infrastructure environments. Running for the third consecutive year, Tech.Ed exemplifies Microsoft Corporation’s continued investment in Malaysia—growing the Malaysian software economy and driving human capital development.

To generate buzz and awareness among the IT professional and developer community, Weber Shandwick together with Microsoft conceptualised a range of PR-related activities designed to engage the media.

Our Malaysia team orchestrated a series of opportunities for the media, including pre-event press releases, interviews with key media titles including Malaysian’s public broadcast station, Radio Television Malaysia (RTM), and media relations at a forum specially designed for women in today’s ICT industry.

Weber Shandwick also successfully organised the official press conference. The event was a success, drawing 60 representatives from 32 publications, television and radio stations. Weber Shandwick collected over 110 stories that included favourable headlines like "Nurturing the growth of technology,” "Microsoft conference a meeting platform for IT professionals” and "Corridors of knowledge”.

This year’s GSMA Mobile Asia Congress 2008, one of the most prominent global telecommunication events, took place from 18-20 November 2008 in Macau. The event attracted mobile professionals and innovators from operators, value-added service providers and equipment and device manufacturers together from across Asia and around the world. This year’s event also drew 114 journalists and industry analysts from across the globe.

Weber Shandwick Hong Kong helped to maximise presence at the event for clients including Gigafone and Microsoft. The team secured a total of 22 interviews and achieved 15 pieces of coverage to date in a range of targets including global newswires, regional and international trade press and Hong Kong business press. This presented an excellent opportunity for clients to deliver key announcements and present business strategies in the region to media targets.

We put Gigafone, a newcomer to the Asian market, on centre stage by developing and producing collateral such as brochures, banners, press folders, biographies and press announcements. The team also counseled the client on interview techniques, messages to deliver, arranged and facilitated interviews and managed the Gigafone meeting room.

Weber Shandwick’s Hong Kong technology/telecommunications practice has a broad range of expertise in the telecommunications sector, from wholesale to cutting edge mobile solutions, with a strong track record of delivering advocacy, creativity and results for our clients.

To introduce the new BenQ Joybook Lite U101—BenQ’s very first netbook—the Weber Shandwick Taiwan team developed a PR guide and marketing video to support the launch campaign in Asia Pacific. The PR guide will be distributed to BenQ’s APAC marketing team for local execution, and the marketing video will be featured at Joybook Lite U101’s marketing events and uploaded to BenQ’s official website.

Weber Shandwick Taiwan was tasked with distinguishing the uniqueness of the Joybook Lite U101 from competitors’ netbooks, positioning it as the Net generation’s dream netbook equipped with the best-fit product specifications based on internet-surfing consumers’ needs.

The 33-page PR guide defines the communication theme and key messages, showcasing the Joybook Lite U101’s optimal specifications and design. Weber Shandwick also crafted the content of several attention-drawing events designed to echo the characteristics of this user-friendly and emotion-centric netbook. These programmes were strategically held in trendy and relaxing settings and executed in an interactive way that engaged the target audience.

Our Taiwan team also facilitated coalition marketing with a popular songwriter, bloggers and various TV programmes to further increase publicity for the Joybook Lite U101.

Finally, Weber Shandwick took responsibility for the production of a 150-second self-made comedic marketing video illustrating a young female professional’s daily lifestyle (with her beloved Joybook Lite U101). The brief, six-scene film fully demonstrated the Joybook Lite U101’s powerful features. Three Weber Shandwick team members even acted in this video!

With every residential development within sight of Kuala Lumpur’s landmark PETRONAS Twin Towers claiming exclusive views, how does one development that truly owns this unique selling propositions stand out?

The Binjai on The Park is Malaysia’s most exclusive and prestigious residence by virtue of its exclusive location within the coveted Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) precinct. It is the only development where each unit has unobstructed views of the PETRONAS Twin Towers and a 50-acre park plus a plethora of services, amenities and facilities, literally at its doorstep.

The targeted media campaign that reached out to the upper echelon of society needed to trigger a pulse to own the prized positioning. Weber Shandwick crystallised key messages that definitively demarcated The Binjai on The Park’s value propositions from the crowd, leveraging its coveted status as the only residential development in the prestigious KLCC precinct and guaranteed views of the iconic spiral towers.

Weber Shandwick’s regional campaign has now started with Singapore and Indonesia. In preparation for roadshows to other markets, media junkets have already been organised to prime the ground.

Weber Shandwick Shanghai assisted ExxonMobil roll out the "Mobil 1, the World’s Leading Synthetic Engine Oil” PR campaign during China Grand Prix Week.

Leveraging Mobil 1’s longstanding relationship with F1, the race week began with a press conference featuring Vodafone Mercedes McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton and Dr Tony Harlow, Mobil 1 Motorsport technical engineer. Hamilton and Harlow celebrated the opening of 800th Mobil 1 Car Care Outlet (CCO) in China while also expressing Mobil 1’s world leadership in the domain of synthetic engine oil.

During the race weekend, Weber Shandwick’s IPG sister company McCann Worldgroup assisted ExxonMobil host 300 hundred guests for a special F1 hospitality event. The event helped thank ExxonMobil’s customers and key media, providing an opportunity to further educate the attendees on the benefits of Mobil 1. Back on the track, ExxonMobil guests and media had a premium grandstand view to watch the team give another Mobil 1 winning performance. Select media were given an exclusive Mobil 1 pit tour.

Weber Shandwick secured massive media coverage for the Mobil 1 press conference in TV, print and online, including China’s national TV stations CCTV 5, CCTV 9 and ICS as well as ESPN Star TV. Nearly 100 media representatives from 70 outlets covered the event. Media EAV achieved US$653,810 as of 15 November 2008—more than six-time ROI.

Hong Kong’s healthcare team recently completed an exciting project for Pfizer in line with their erectile dysfunction product, Viagra. Through a unique, region-wide survey called the Asia Pacific Sexual Health and Overall Wellness survey (or AP SHOW survey), the team aimed to raise awareness of issues related to erection hardness, whilst also encouraging men to seek treatment for the condition.

The team worked with Pfizer’s regional office to develop a regional media launch kit to support markets in launching the AP SHOW survey results in-country. The team also supported Pfizer and Weber Shandwick colleagues in India in the launch of the AP SHOW survey results at a major international medical congress.

The AP SHOW survey, which included data from 3,957 men and women from 13 countries in Asia Pacific, revealed some hard-hitting facts about levels of sexual satisfaction. A major revelation was that 57% of men and 64% of women are not very satisfied with their sex lives! The survey also revealed that greater satisfaction with sex translates into greater satisfaction with life overall.

The AP SHOW survey illustrated that erection hardness is a fundamental component of sexual wellness; but for many people talking about erections and sexual health with their partners is avoided as it is considered too embarrassing. To help lighten the issue and therefore encourage people to be more comfortable talking about sexual health, the team took to the streets to ask what word people use for "erection” in their language. The team also asked people how they would start talking to their partners about a sexual problem.

The resulting vox pop sound bites illustrated a dynamic use of media, revealing the challenges—for partners, patients and healthcare professionals—of identifying the right way to communicate about sexual issues. The vox pop interviews will be used on social media sites and at specific events to encourage conversation around this sensitive subject.

Shifting from promoting safe sex to promoting better sex, Durex, the world’s No. 1 condom brand, appointed Weber Shandwick Shanghai to organise a sexy event to launch the Durex Play line to the Chinese media. In response, Weber Shandwick staged a sensual experience for more than 100 guests in September 2008.

First, Singaporean celebrity Leon Williams was invited to participate in the party together with key influencers, including the owner of a local Shanghai sex shop. The event combined Durex commercials, custom-designed cocktails for each Durex Play product and performing artists who spiced up the party.

In advance of the party, Weber Shandwick worked carefully with lifestyle and heath media to ensure they were comfortable with Durex’s messaging as the topic of sex is very bold for Chinese publications. Durex is the only brand to organise such a sex-themed launch event in China before, making it a true category innovator.

Media covered the event very positively. Six TV stations immediately broadcast party coverage. Features in both health and lifestyle publications focused on Durex’s leadership role as a sexual well-being expert.

Bringing a new face to the environmental mantra of "reduce, re-use and recycle”, premier shopping mall Pavilion Kuala Lumpur and the Weber Shandwick team launched Art with a Heart, a festival that used art as a form of expression to promote awareness of environmental conservation.

In collaboration with Malaysia’s leading English daily newspaper, The Star, and the National Art Gallery, Art with a Heart featured selected paintings and sculptures of established local artists who use recycled materials at the client’s retail mall, Pavilion KL. In addition, art displayed at the exhibition was put on sale to raise funds for organisations and societies that support conservation.

In conjunction with Art with a Heart, an open art competition is also being held to help raise the profile of artists in Malaysia and to further promote art and culture in the country.

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) launched its cervical cancer vaccine, Cervarix, in Taiwan in the second half of 2008. To tie in with consumers’ concern and feelings, Weber Shandwick advised GSK to use the Mandarin homophone of Cervarix, "Bao Bei”, to symbolise the product.

"Bao Bei” means "babe” in Mandarin Chinese; it also means "to cherish and take care of”—embodying the core spirit of Cervarix’ calling to mothers, the key decision makers in their daughter’s vaccination. To further raise awareness among the general public, actress and cervical-cancer survivor Fu-Juan, along with her daughter Ou-Yang Ni-Ni, were invited to be spokesperson-advocates for Cervarix.

On 12 August 2008, Weber Shandwick helped GSK to set up a launch press conference in which Fu-Juan’s decision to have Ni-Ni vaccinated reinforced the concept of "Bao Bei”, and the true story of Fu-Juan successfully attracted the media’s attention. The launch conference was followed by the event of Ou-Yang Ni-Ni’s onsite vaccination on 18 October 2008, which served to sustain awareness of the product and secure brand preference.

Additionally, our Taiwan team arranged an advertorial cooperation with Camelia, a major monthly magazine for women. The three issues from October to December interviewed three pairs of celebrity mothers and their teenage daughters. In these advertorials, the key message was the importance of early cervical cancer vaccination.

These strategic efforts raised public awareness of both Cervarix and GSK, generating a total of 98 clippings from all types of media including Camelia, which has a circulation of 45,000 per month. Cervarix (Bao Bei), now represents a guardian against cervical cancer and all mothers’ love for their daughters.

For the second year in a row, Weber Shandwick Malaysia worked with Baxter Healthcare to organise the Dreamcatcher Competition, an initiative aimed at inspiring patients on peritoneal dialysis to live their dreams.

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is a home-based treatment option offering kidney-failure patients greater mobility and freedom than clinic-based haemodialysis.

The Dreamcatcher Competition, which targeted kidney-failure patients across Malaysia, encourages patients to pursue their dreams and aspirations despite the burden of kidney failure, and to express how the greater freedom afforded by PD will play a major role in their ability to make their dreams a reality.

Over 70 entries representing patients from all walks of life were received over the three month competition period. Three winners were selected, representing the best entry from each of the three age categories.

In the 18-years-and-under category, Nur Sabriena Bt Zulkipli, 18, from Johor walked away as the winner with her dream to become a professional hairdresser and makeup artist. Twenty-eight year old Khadijah Bt Mustafa won the 19-39 years category with her plan to enroll in a sewing course in hopes to become a seamstress. Lastly, Tan Yak Chi’s dream to set up a recreational club for PD patients was recognised as the best entry in the 40-years-and-above category.

This November, Habitat for Humanity Australia undertook an extraordinary project. The organisation sought to build a house for a family in need in just 12 days!

The Bidwill Blitz Build attracted hundreds of volunteers and the support of key corporate sponsors, including LJ Hooker and QBE LMI, that picked up their tools to help Habitat for Humanity Australia’s partner family achieve their dream of home ownership.

Weber Shandwick Sydney conducted months of planning and media outreach to lifestyle publications, trade magazines, broadcast and print media and engaged the support of the National Rugby League team, the Wests Tigers, to generate excitement.

The campaign helped position Habitat for Humanity Australia’s unique housing model as an innovative and practical solution to the current housing affordability crisis, with the New South Wales housing minister promising on national television to meet with the organisation to discuss how they can work together more closely.

Weber Shandwick Sydney achieved unprecedented results, with blanket coverage across all TV networks, key metropolitan newspapers, radio stations, lifestyle publications, trade magazines and sports media.

After three frenzied weeks of fundraisers including everything from a jumble sale to a raffle draw (the grand prize being a home-cooked meal prepared by managing director Baxter Jolly), a ragtag band of volunteers from Weber Shandwick Singapore made the short trip by ferry to the Indonesian island of Batam.

As part of Weber Shandwick Singapore’s annual commitment to contribute both monetary and human resources to Habitat for Humanity’s Singapore chapter, the approximately twenty volunteers helped in the construction of a septic tank among other glamorous exertions.

The group split into two teams and departed to their respective destinations to begin what would be an ironic reminder to renew gym memberships long forgotten. Many a volunteer was heard panting and wheezing his or her way through the sweltering heat of the day!

Commendably though, the teams bravely soldiered on to achieve their objectives and befriend many of the local children in the neighbourhood. As the day drew to a close, and the team departed, they left behind the sturdy foundations for two family homes, eager to return again the following year.