COMPANY: Aetrex Worldwide
TIMEFRAME: May 2005 - ongoing
Since 1946, Aetrex Worldwide of Teaneck, N.J., has been a market leader in pedorthics, defined as "the design, manufacture, modification and fit of shoes and foot
orthoses to alleviate problems caused by disease, congenital condition, overuse or injury."
While the company does a lot of outreach work, most of its PR efforts have been aimed at the insider crowd. Its Pedorthic Newswire, for instance, provides medical and
business news to those in the industry, including events, hot topics and a community forum. "We really pride ourselves on education and training," says Donille Perrone. director
of marketing. In keeping with that spirit, the company's move toward the consumer side has included the launch of "foot.com," a vast compendium of information related to foot
health.
When the company decided last year to approach the consumer market, its PR leadership knew a bold move would be needed to generate greater awareness and to elevate public
interest in such a specialized product. It began by changing its name from the more generic Apex Foot Health Industries and, for the first time, its PR strategy embraced a
celebrity spokesman. Former NFL quarterback Phil Simms signed on to help Aetrex land media coverage, while at the same time raising awareness of the company's technology.
"He truly represents our corporate values and our target market," says Perrone. "He was, in fact, a user of our products even before we came to him, so that was a real draw for
us."
But adding someone like Simms to the huddle wasn't easy. In choosing a spokesman to preach the pedorthics gospel, company executives looked for someone who would share their
dedication to the cause.
"We didn't want someone who would just slap a logo on their golf shirt. We wanted somebody who really wanted to be involved, someone who would go out there and talk about the
products from a position of actually knowing something about them," Perrone says.
To find such a person, the executives compiled a list of more than a dozen possible celebrities - people with high public visibly and some connection to the subject of foot
health. At a meeting that included Perrone and both the CEO and COO of Aetrex, the decision was made to tap Simms, a former Super Bowl MVP and a leading football analyst for
CBS. Besides being popular, well-liked and plagued by foot trouble, Simms also fell into the firm's target demographic on the retail side: Aging boomers who want to keep
active in spite of sagging arches.
And there was a twist in the hiring process. Besides the undisclosed sum Aetrex is paying for his multi-year contract, the company also had to pass Simms' own examination. Once
Aetrex contacted Simms' agent, "they came in they wanted to know all about Aetrex, to see who we are and what we are about. They wanted to be sure it would be a good fit for both
parties," Perrone says.
Having confirmed mutual affection, the two sides set to work making use of Simms' endorsement. The former quarterback appeared in May as the final act at the company's annual
sales meeting and, as they say, the crowd went wild.
With more than 60 people, including employees, reps and distributors in attendance, Simms spoke for more than an hour about his own experiences with the Aetrex product and how
it has helped him.
"It was a real inspirational speech about how much he really loves who we are," Perrone says. Simms next will appear in new marketing materials along with making trade-show
appearances, but the details are loose.
"He will be featured in many of our campaigns, highlighting our new shoes and new technologies," she says, "but we don't have any of that down in a formal way. We all want
there to be flexibility in terms of what we are willing to do and what he is willing to do."
As Aetrex and Simms take their first steps together, they are no doubt bolstered by the initial warm response their relationship has received.
In addition to such trades as Podiatry Management and Podiatry Today, Aetrex lately has earned ink in more general publications, including The Wall Street
Journal, New Jersey Business, Reader's Digest and Philadelphia's CBS affiliate KYW-TV.
Perrone believes this success is due in large measure not just to Simms' fame, but to that close fit of his character with that of the company.
Contact: Donille Perrone, 201.833.2700, [email protected]
The 'Soul' For A Shoe Company
How do you pick the right spokesman? Donille Perrone, director of marketing at Aetrex Worldwide, set these guidelines for herself as she tracked down the ideal celebrity to
tout her company's footwear.
- The topical type: As a footwear manufacturer, Aetrex wanted someone with a connection to fitness and sports. Relevance was a key criterion.
- Upwardly mobile: As a company looking to grow its market share and to expand into new areas, Aetrex sought an "emerging" star, a rising entity, someone whose public
appeal would likely grow as the company grows. - Squeaky clean: Aetrex has been around for 58 years with nary a hint of scandal. Perrone didn't want to risk that reputation on a down-at-the-heels spokesman with
scuffs. "We are a trustworthy, innovative, bright, forward-thinking organization," she says. "We wanted somebody who has great credibility and integrity."
Know The Score
Picking a celeb spokesman is easy, isn't it? Just go for the highest "Q score" - right? Well, not necessarily.
Developed in the 1960s by Marketing Evaluations Inc., the "Q Score" or "Q Rating" is supposed to indicate a celebrity's likability. A higher score equals greater curb appeal,
thus a higher marketing value.
But Q can't stand alone. It's good to be liked, and a nice suit helps, but some PR efforts demand more: a link to the product, for example, or a personal connection to the
cause.
Most important, a celebrity spokesman has to have credibility. O.J. Simpson promoting anything? Bad idea. On the other hand, take Sam Waterston of "Law & Order," who
portrays the staunchly upright, dead-honest and always reliable Jack McCoy. Get him speaking on behalf of investment house TD Waterhouse, and you've got gold.
If a spokesman can't speak with authority or be convincing in the role, all the Q in the world won't help.