Winner: Kodak, Ketchum and Concentric Communications
Campaign: "Cutting the Cord - Kodak Leads the Wireless Photography Revolution"
Camera giant Kodak was taking a backseat to digital photography leaders Canon and Nikon, according to media headlines. But Kodak's communications team, with the help of Ketchum
Public Relations, became a force to be reckoned with.
To combat negative press, Kodak executives issued an announcement in 2003 that the company would refocus its business model on accelerated growth of digital products and
services. Piggybacking off that impetus for action, the combined Ketchum/Kodak PR team followed up with a brand equity survey in 2004 to understand the company's positioning
across categories and competitors. Then, in 2005, an aggressive global campaign trained the spotlight on the Kodak EasyShare-One (ESO), the first wireless digital camera (above
right).
Kodak's wireless product - which was originally slated to hit shelves in June 2005 - first had to run the gamut of pre-launch publicity, from trade shows to media events to
special advertising promotions, to whet consumers' appetites. While the buzz generated by these efforts was laudable, the Kodak One galleries provided a PR coup.
Timed to coincide with the camera's release into the marketplace - and the holiday shopping season - the team rented out hip spaces in New York and San Francisco and hosted a
month-long gallery event. The venues - decked out with flat-panel displays, mobile phones, online and in-store shopping terminals and images from Kodak's advertising campaigns -
hosted consumers and the media at events from music parties to press gatherings.
Taking the campaign global, the team created a Gallery photo blog to highlight the daily happenings. Podcasts of the workdshops extended the Gallery's reach around the world.
Thanks to a highly integrated, focused effort that spanned the globe, the campaign surpassed every goal. It captured the largest worldwide media/editorial share of voice in
2005 with 25 percent, beating competitors Canon and Nikon. Kodak also reestablished itself as an innovator, with 34 percent of the stories containing innovation messaging. In
addition, the company's U.S. market share strengthened from 21 to 25 percent, and digital sales represented 54 percent of the overall revenue - the first time in the company's
history that digital revenue surpassed traditional. The end result of the PR initiative was, well - picture-perfect.
Honorable Mentions
Know Sweat! Campaign: International Hyperhidrosis Society with the Chandler Chicco Agency Chandler Chicco teamed up with the International Hyperhidrosis Society (IHHS) to raise
awareness for hyperhidrosis, a disease characterized by excessive sweating that affects 3 percent of the U.S. population. An estimated 150 million people have been reached via
articles and television segments. The radio PSA generated 18 million impressions, and hits on the Web site, http://www.sweathelp.org, have
increased by 300 percent since the campaign began.
Yahoo! 10th Anniversary Campaign:Yahoo! Inc. To celebrate its 10th anniversary, Yahoo! decided to have an ice cream party. On March 2nd 2005 Yahoo! offered each of its visitors
a coupon good for one free scoop of ice cream. The event generated more than 500 billion media impressions and prompted more than 10,000 new users to create Yahoo! IDs. The
company also held separate events for employees and investors/clients that included a live performance by Sugar Ray and in excess of 1,000 pounds of birthday cake. The campaign
also took top honors in our Anniversary Event category.
GML Limited : APCO Worldwide To highlight the politically motivated mistreatment of YUKOS oil company's CEO, Mikhail B. Khodorkovsky, APCO Worldwide launched an aggressive
lobbying and governmental affairs campaign in the U.S. and Europe, using op-ed pieces, a press room at the Moscow trial, Internet education campaign and New York Times multimedia
program. Since then, Khodorkovsky and his partner have gained support from the U.S. Congress, and the initiative has spawned human rights Web sites and working groups.