Sound Strategies Drive Oxmoor's Marketing Effort

Overview

Oxmoor Corporation is a world-leading, commercial sound engineering firm. In 2002, the company introduced its first consumer product, ZON (pronounced "zone") Audio, a 100% digital, distributed-audio system for the home. Since that time Cookerly Public Relations has spearheaded a campaign to support marketing of ZON products to retailers and end-users.

Objectives

Cookerly Public Relations was charged in the initial stages of the relationship with developing and executing a public relations campaign to support the launch of ZON Audio and drive demand for the product. In subsequent years, the agency was tasked with maintaining a communications program that would help sustain and increase ZON Audio sales.

Strategy and Tactics

The Cookerly team developed a strategy that focused on one-on-one meetings with reporters and industry analysts. Prime targets included the most widely read trade publications, specifically those written for high tech sound system dealers and installers. To maximize budget, the agency used industry trade shows where Oxmoor exhibited ZON Audio as a platform to secure meetings. Trade shows included CES (Consumer Electronics Show) CEDIA (The Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association) and EH (Electronic House) Expo East and EH Expo West. The agency also entered ZON Audio into prestigious award competitions that, if won, would create a higher profile and increased demand.

Results

At the trade shows, Oxmoor's ZON Audio team met with more than 150 editors and writers from every influential custom electronics publication. The agency generated in excess of 100 articles - almost all of which included product photos - including more than a dozen in CE Pro, the "bible" of the electronic house industry.

Cookerly also secured opportunities for Oxmoor's senior management team to make presentations before industry analysts. These presentations and product demonstrations result ed in favorable comments about ZON Audio in research reports issued by the custom electronics industry's most respected observers. Oxmoor won the highest honor handed out in its industry when CE Pro named the company as its "Innovator of the Year" in 2004. Oxmoor bested a formidable field of competition that numbered more than 100 including Microsoft, Sony and others. In addition, ZON Audio was honored as an Electronic House 2006 "Product of the Year". Over four years, customer demand consistently exceeded inventory credited, in part, by the company to the exposure achieved in the most relevant media.

In the first three months, three local Atlanta television affiliates featured ON THE SPOT, as well as the front page of the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Coverage extended to Boston and Los Angeles broadcast stories, and a front page business section story in The Baltimore Sun that made its way into more than 20 additional markets. An Associated Press story was picked up by more than 250 print and online media outlets across the U.S. and abroad.

Most importantly, media coverage generated sales for VeriFone, with the signing of Ray’s Restaurant Group in Atlanta directly attributed to media coverage of ON THE SPOT.