Product Launches

Micro Solutions' RoadStor

Gateway's Handbook

Zenith Data Systems' CruisePAD

Product Publicity

Life Fitness' Lifecycle Exercise Bike

Crisis Communications

Zenith Data Systems

Start-Up Companies

Mediaphile AV Technologies

Distributed Bits










Case Study:
Product Launch

The Company: Micro Solutions

The Product: RoadStor

The Challenge:
What combines a CD burner, digital photo viewer and DVD/MP3 player all in one? It's the RoadStor, an innovative product that allows users to view and burn CDs of digital photos without a computer from Micro Solutions, Inc., a small, privately held maker of computer peripherals. Micro Solutions was going to launch this unique consumer technology product in October 2003. When the company first informed Gibson Communications about the RoadStor in the middle of September 2003, the challenges for this product launch became apparent immediately:
  • The RoadStor wouldn't ship until the end of October at the earliest, so evaluation units for editors to use, review and write about would not be available to send until then (editors only want production units to review);
  • Micro Solutions wanted press coverage prior to Christmas to help generate holiday sales; and
  • The entire PR budget was $15,000.
The Strategy:
The $15,000 budget ruled out big-ticket PR tactics, such as video news releases, celebrity spokespersons and media tours, so Gibson Communications decided upon a highly customized approach to launch the RoadStor focusing on:
  • Large-circulation and syndicated newspaper columnists;
  • Large-circulation weekly and bi-weekly publications (monthly publications were already closed);
  • Short-lead holiday gift guides in large markets (holiday gift guides in monthly publications had closed months before);
  • Web sites; and
  • Broadcast outlets.
After developing a limited list of editors and publications to target in these editorial segments, Gibson Communications customized all news releases and media pitches for each one, increasing the likelihood editors would write a news story or take an evaluation unit to review and/or include in their holiday gift guides.

The Results:
Pre-Christmas coverage of the RoadStor far exceeded expectations:
  • Total print impressions were almost 14 million;
  • Syndicated newspaper coverage included Gannett News Service, Walter Mossberg of The Wall Street Journal and James Coates of the Chicago Tribune;
  • The RoadStor was included in holiday gift guides in The New York Times, New York Post, New York Magazine and Boston Herald;
  • Large-circulation weekly or biweekly publication coverage included PC Magazine (circ: 1,326,353), OnSat (circ: 472,468) and E-Gear (circ: 125,000);
  • Online stories (excluding stories reproduced from print publications) exceeded 30; and
  • Broadcast coverage included 26 radio placements through AP Radio.
In addition, the project came in on budget.

This product launch earned Gibson Communications three prestigious PR awards: A 2004 Silver Trumpet from the Publicity Club of Chicago; a 2004 Platinum Winner award from the MarCom Creative Awards; and a 2004 Award of Distinction from The Communicator Awards.