Winner: Ogilvy Public Relations - We-Vibe: Sexual Health Headlines the Consumer Electronics Show for the First Time
Each year, more than 120,000 people from around the globe come to Las Vegas, Nev., to attend the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Despite a 78-company waiting list, Ogilvy Public Relations was able to secure a last-minute spot for Standard Innovation, makers of the We-Vibe family of sexual health products, including the world’s first couples’ vibrator. While mainstream acceptance of sex is growing, the reality is the topic can be awkward with the wrong approach—and needless to say, vibrators are not the most common consumer electronics product.
In spite of these barriers, Ogilvy PR crafted a culturally relevant pitch of “Why We-Vibe?” to entice conference organizers. The agency argued that modern advancements had led to pin-thin phones, 3D TVs and hyper-realistic games, so why shouldn’t that same technology be harnessed to improve our sex lives—and relationships in the process. It worked. In total, Ogilvy PR secured three distinct, unpaid speaking opportunities for the client, including a main-stage keynote speech titled “Science Meets Sexuality.” Delivered by the company’s head of product development, a professional engineer who previously developed bomb suits for the military, the speech marked the first time a vibrator manufacturer was accepted to speak at CES.
Not only did Standard Innovation's participation attract media attention, it also led to a substantial spike in the company’s business. The agency also promoted We-Vibe's debut and secured more than 10 first-time interviews and networking meetings in publications and venues like The Wall Street Journal, CNN, AARP and Mashable. PCMag profiled the company’s team of professional engineers and industrial design experts in a piece titled, "How a Bomb Disposal Expert Is Building a Better Vibrator,” which was shared over 23,000 times.
Honorable Mentions:
- Diageo North America - Remarks to Responsible Retailing Forum
- Eastern Virginia Medical School
- Hill + Knowlton Strategies - Reputational Risk: What has Changed Since "Tylenol"?
- U.S. Postal Service - William H Johnson Forever Stamp