Technology
Case Study
ipix
Challenge
iPIX competes in the rapidly emerging “immersive imaging” market. iPIX images accelerate e-commerce transactions and website stickiness by providing rich, robust visual content solutions to businesses. The company’s solutions allow viewers to “step inside” an iPIX image, looking in any direction from left to right and floor to ceiling, and feel as if they are actually inside the picture. In an 18-month period, iPIX raised more than $110 million of capital, concluded a successful initial public offering and completed a merger with Bamboo.com of Palo Alto, California, boosting the firm’s presence in the virtual real estate tour market.
Plan
Our starting point for the PR strategy was to conduct a media competency survey to establish media knowledge and interest in iPIX’s technology and the Internet in general. Our thesis was that the complexity and originality of iPIX’s immersive photography could make a reporter apprehensive and thus decline an opportunity to write about our client. The survey also looked into the media’s experience with IPOs, as well as the business and regulatory issues surrounding public offerings.
A competitive analysis was conducted according to the following factors: products/services, primary initiatives, differences from iPIX, partners, clients, future goals and community relations programs. We used this data to provide a factual backgrounder to the media and to help them quickly get up to speed on this technology and on the immersive photography market.
Additionally, we conducted ongoing research throughout the program to measure attitudes and opinions about the company, its competitors and its markets. Weekly updates were prepared from a monitoring service we offer that keeps track of keyword matches on more than 63,000 Internet chat rooms. Corporate and personal websites and online zines were also observed with this technology, giving us daily feedback on what people were saying about our client. This weekly analysis became a tool for proactive responses to erroneous postings and an instant measurement of company news and stockholder morale. Gaining immediate feedback helped to shape key points and make adjustments as needed.
Media tours with key Internet and business media opened the doors for reporters to visit iPIX, talk directly with executives like the CEO and Chairman and the creator of the technology. Reporters were given demonstrations of the core products and previews of upcoming advancements.
Business leaders provided third party endorsements in the form of public support, including letters to the editors of key newspapers. As opinion leaders, they helped build public support to establish iPIX as a strong emerging company and a powerful economic force.
Impact
We generated a high volume of significant positive news coverage, including more than 150 radio placements, more than 50 television placements and more than 200 print placements, all within a seven-month window. Coverage placements ran the gamut from business and entertainment to lifestyle, technology and even letters to the editor and major features.