Event management, PR & direct marketing results in successful construction plant launch

Aim

Launch exciting new range of backhoe loaders

Background

FERMEC is respected for producing backhoe loaders which are arguably among the best in the world. FERMEC wanted to launch its new 700/800/900 Series backhoe loaders to an international audience and Metropolis 2 was involved from the start, including discussions on choice of venue, timings and, most importantly, the target markets to be invited to the event. This was critical, given that some world markets were ready for the product whereas awareness of the new product in other markets may have impacted on the dealer pipeline.

Brief

Metropolis 2 was to produce press packs for the launch event in several languages, invite key international media to attend the event, and arrange specific briefings and follow-up activity. It was also to work on a direct marketing campaign to inform existing and prospective customers in the UK about the new products.

Strategy

Metropolis 2 worked with the FERMEC marketing team on theme and appropriate location. One of the key features of the new 700/800/900 Series backhoe loaders was the ease of access to the engine for swift servicing. The new machines offered this and many other time-saving features, allowing the operator to complete activities more swiftly than in competitor brand machines. It was therefore decided to host a launch themed around time.

Campaign

The time strategy was developed, giving rise to the Backhoe Loader Grand Prix, in which the new FERMEC machines were pitted against competitor brand machines over a series of activities, e.g. servicing and digging with the backhoe. Building upon this concept, Oulton Park Race Circuit in Tarporley, Cheshire was the launch venue, and a multi-language video of the Backhoe Loader Grand Prix was produced for inclusion with the dealer and media packs.

Metropolis 2 worked with the business directors to identify from which countries the media should be invited. It was decided to focus upon France, Germany, Austria, Scandinavia, Italy and the UK. Inspirational invitations were issued and the responses were fed into the media database.

The marketing team booked a number of hotels and rooms were allocated so that media and dealers from respective countries were together in the same hotels. Metropolis 2 produced the media packs - including high quality photography of the products, technical sheets and the video - in the relevant languages, and the packs were then inserted in FERMEC branded briefcases along with FERMEC branded clocks to reinforce the theme of time. The launch of the new 700/800/900 Series backhoe loaders was timed to be shortly before SED (Site Equipment Demonstration) the UK's biggest construction exhibition.

Metropolis 2 issued a mailshot to several thousand prospects identified upon FERMEC's database, highlighting the time-saving and performance features and benefits of the new backhoe loaders and inviting the targets to come to FERMEC's stand at SED and try the machines for themselves. Each respondee received a FERMEC branded travel clock and was entered into a prizedraw with the chance to win a Tag Heuer watch, RRP £1000.

Results

Media from the target countries flocked to the launch event. The simultaneous translators had to be on top form to deal with the sparkling presentations delivered in the morning by the most senior of the FERMEC directors and their managers and the question and answer sessions which followed. The media and dealers were treated to demonstrations of the new backhoe loaders after lunch and the dealers then went into product meetings while the media had another briefing with subsequent hard-hitting question and answer session. This was followed by the chance to return to hotels before being collected and taken back to Oulton Park for a gala dinner where Metropolis 2 personnel entertained the media while the FERMEC team entertained the dealers.

Some of the media visited FERMEC's plant for exclusives, e.g. the performance of the FERMEC 860 backoe loader undergoing an independent test was the lead article in the year's plant hire feature run by Construction News. Within days there was positive comment in the international press. Meanwhile, responses to the 'There's never been a better time to buy FERMEC' mailshot flooded in, and a high number of visitors came to the FERMEC stand at SED to try out the new machines. Orders were placed for the products during the course of the launch event and the FERMEC 860 and both the FERMEC 960 and 965 were the subject of particularly high media praise.