Fleishman-Hillard

Paris

Case Studies

Launch of Ariel Style in France

In 2002, Fleishman-Hillard supported Procter & Gamble in launching Ariel Style brand in France. The main benefits of the new brand under the Ariel umbrella are fabric care and anti-aging (shape and colour) effects. The campaign aimed at positioning the new brand as a breakthrough innovation for Ariel and installing the brand in the fashion milieu. The agency's strategy relied heavily on consumer and trade media relations, as well as high-visibility partnerships and events.

From 2002 to 2004, the campaign was punctuated by three major initiatives:

A press conference launch in the trendy Colette boutique, with the participation of Jean-Jacques Picart, previous director of communications for Christian Lacroix and a fashion consultant, and fashion designer Corinne Cobson. Creative media tools based on fashion style were developed to convey the messages.
Organization of a partnership with Corinne Cobson to design a dress to put on the Ariel Style bottle and to present the "collectible" bottle to fashion editors and VIPs at her fashion show.
Media relations support for the brand partnership with four major ready-to-wear brands (Dim, 1.2.3, Les 3 Suisses, and Morgan) with the development of a unique media kit and the organisation of a media tour.

The campaign generated excellent results, especially with regard to media coverage, which amounted to more than 16 million in circulation. One hundred dedicated articles were published — half of them with illustrations and a few cover pages — in key women's magazines, national dailies and all fashion and distribution trade publications. The brand-positioning was clearly identified and conveyed through media coverage despite the challenging exercise of convincing fashion editors to write about detergent. Ariel Style's turnover was positively influenced by the campaign and exceeded the first-year objectives.

Creative Labs, the worldwide leader in digital entertainment products for the personal computer and the Internet

Challenges:

Create and/or strengthen relationship with core target press
Broaden media outreach

Objectives:

Maximize press coverage in consumer and lifestyle publications
Surf the MP3 trend
Demonstrate end-user benefits

Actions in 2004:

Two open press days
Two press tours for lifestyle and IT press
One press conference
Three placements of products in French movies broadcast on the main national TV channels (TF1 and Canal+)

Results in 2004:

42.5 percent-plus increase in press coverage in 2004 vs. 2003
Coverage obtained in main IT, consumer and lifestyle publications
About 130 journalists participated in the two open press days

Mundipharma PR and PA campaign in France

In 2004, FH France entered the fourth year of its communications program for pharmaceutical company Mundipharma (Purdue Pharma Group), a key player in the field of pain management. The scope of work carried out for Mundipharma by Fleishman-Hillard in France includes a wide range of PR and PA activities.

Background:

Since 2001, Fleishman-Hillard France has been counseling Mundipharma on corporate issues (launch of the pharmaceutical company in France, product launch, crisis preparedness program, etc.). Year 2003 was marked by a very successful event for the launch and publication of the first pan-European study on pain. Besides the ongoing press office activities, adaptation of communications tools and training of key spokespeople, this year's program is specifically focused on public affairs (development of a detailed mapping database, meeting with MPs, organization of one-on-ones, development of specific tools) in order to generate interest and support from influencers.

Activities:

The crisis preparedness program implemented for Mundipharma included the development of key messages, ready to issue position papers and releases, development and regular update of Q & As, organisation of media training sessions, and organisation of crisis simulation exercises for the executive committee.

For the launch and implementation of an educational and awareness campaign around pain management in Europe and France — FH France solicited a European survey on pain — and then analysized and the presented the survey to key audiences including:

The medical trades
The medical and consumer media during two press conferences in the prestigious "Maison de la Recherche Médicale" in Paris

Activities handled by FH France for the publication of the Pain in Europe survey results included:

Content development: development of presentation, development of the press kit, development of the key messages and Q & As.
Training of spokespeople (Mundipharma executives and leading medical expert in the field of pain management)
Coordination with the scientific and medical experts
Logistical organisation of the media conferences
Media relations

Outcome:

In France, the Pain in Europe press conferences generated outstanding quantitative and qualitative media coverage:

TV broadcast:

Estimated share of voice: 28,709,600
Total time of TV broadcast: 16 minutes, 53 seconds
Nine TV broadcast on five different TV channels, including six broadcasts in the main television 1 p.m. and evening news, on the three main national channels

Radio broadcast:

Estimated share of voice: 10,021,500
Total time of radio broadcast: 49 minutes, 05 seconds
13 radio broadcasts on five different radio stations

Five news wires (AFP-APM/Reuters)

Print media:

20 articles in 19 publications
OTS (occasions to see): 18,316,800
Total share of voice: 56.9 million

Stakeholder Perception Audits — development of a proven methodology to facilitate executive management decision-making

Context:

To further its development, a global leading retail company was keen to understand major current and upcoming market trends of the French retail sector.

Strategy:

Fleishman-Hillard Paris proposed and conducted research that would build on an in-depth audit designed to understand the position and expectations of two main publics, consumers and opinion leaders, of the French retail sector, which are both complementary and key to this client.

Activities:

FH Paris developed and implemented a two-pronged study aimed at:

Consumers

On the basis of a platform study developed by a specialist research institute, FH Paris identified and highlighted how consumers judge and perceive the reputation of the main retail brands and which new services they would like in the future.

Opinion Leaders

Thanks to its exclusive proven methodology, FH Paris organized one-to-one interviews with about 50 opinion leaders of the French retail sector (Professional Federations executives, ministerial Cabinet members, MPs, Unionists, NGOs). The information collected led to a detailed analysis, from which Fleishman-Hillard extracted and identified the French market's deep trends and foreseeable evolution, as well as key players' top-line concerns.

Outcome:

On the basis of the study that FH Paris conducted and of its recommendations, our client was able to offer insight into both market trends and the position of key decision-makers and influencers on the French retail market before building and developing its own corporate strategy for the French market.