Unleashing the PUMA Phone

Sagem Wireless turned to AxiCom to launch the PUMA Phone – a mobile phone from the sports lifestyle brand PUMA.

The Challenge

Competing against mobile phone vendors with massive launch budgets and in a market dominated by hype around Android devices and the iPhone, the AxiCom team knew it needed to take a creative, nimble and proactive approach to building the buzz ahead of the launch.

AxiCom had to create a story that communicated just why the PUMA Phone wasn’t “like all those other phones”.

The Strategy

A thorough media audit at the start of the programme confirmed that Sagem Wireless was seen as a faded star of the mobile phone industry, while branded handsets had a poor reputation. To create the right environment for the launch, AxiCom focused on redefining both Sagem Wireless and branded handsets, creating a new category of connected lifestyle devices.

Extensive analyst briefings on the Sagem Wireless strategy set the foundations, while pre-briefings with key influencer bloggers and media on the PUMA Phone framed the debate for the upcoming launch and created a growing sense of anticipation.

To generate initial buzz, a short video of the device which gave a sneak preview of the PUMA Phone’s solar panel was leaked via Twitter, generating speculation and online buzz ahead of the device being revealed at Mobile World Congress later that month.

At Mobile World Congress, a press conference with executives from PUMA and Sagem Wireless was used as the formal platform for the launch, seeing journalists blogging live from the event as details were revealed. Briefings and device demos were also held on the Sagem Wireless booth with media from across Europe, generating significant online, print and broadcast coverage.

To maintain momentum between the ‘reveal’ and full consumer launch, AxiCom staged a blogger event where key influencers were for the first time able to handle the device and experience the PUMA personality that is deep in the DNA of the device.

At launch, AxiCom co-ordinated local launch activities across Europe, working in close partnership with PUMA and its own agency network, together with a sustained product review programme to really drive home the PUMA Phone story.

The Result

Despite the sense of buzz created by the PR campaign ahead of Mobile World Congress, the PUMA Phone ‘reveal’ still did not disappoint. Extensive – and universally positive – coverage transformed Sagem Wireless from a faded star to the company behind one of the top four “winners” of the show. By the end of Mobile World Congress, Sagem Wireless had already received direct approaches from other global lifestyle brands with a view to starting discussions about creating their own connected lifestyle devices.

Mobile World Congress press conference attended by 65 international media
Broadcast coverage on BBC News and BBC World, Germany’s N24, CNBC Italy and Reuters TV
National newspaper coverage in Daily Telegraph, Sunday Times, The Independent, The Sun, La Tribune, Il Sole 24 Ore
Internet TV coverage reaching over 7 million unique visitors
One article alone on Mashable ( 12.5 million unique visitors) generated over 770 Tweets
‘Opportunity To See’ score of 400 million globally

Quotes

“I am still amazed at our collective success this week at MWC. Results like this come from effective planning, hard work, and superb execution. Your effort and results are appreciated.”
Jérôme Nadel, Executive Vice President, Marketing & User Experience, Sagem Wireless