IBM is a leader of AI and blockchain-enabled solutions and consulting services for building intelligent, self-correcting supply chains to predict and mitigate disruptions and environmental impact.
After multiple high-profile divestures and acquisitions and an imminent CEO succession, IBM was thrust into the center of the world’s greatest challenge of our time: Sustaining the global supply chain during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The company found itself in a unique position of enabling innovative new fulfillment capabilities never before seen, while also creating the architecture and operation of the Covid vaccine distribution working with pharmaceutical industry leader, Pfizer. The complexity of developing the larger narrative and supporting storylines exceeded the knowledge and capacity of IBM’s corporate communications team from a supply chain expertise perspective, and our leadership team was called upon to provide strategic communications counsel to IBM’s corporate communications organization.
Our work encompassed IBM’s Sterling Supply Chain Solutions, AI and Sustainability Applications business unit, while supporting IBM’s corporate communications and executive leadership through a global rebrand initiative in the wake of an active CEO transition. Captivating content was the prescribed course of action. Our work spanned the creation of industry and solution narratives, brand messaging guides, buyer personas, PR content, blogs, customer videos and executive thought leadership supported thematic-driven, integrated content marketing and sales enablement at scale. This helped drive revenue and market share gains, while bolstering improved investor relations. Course of action and results:
- Fortified IBM’s luminary status during the pandemic showcasing how its supply chain solutions with embedded AI, blockchain, and IoT can increase business agility and resiliency for improved performance.
- Secured 400+% YoY growth in press coverage across key outlets within business, financial, consumer, industry, supply chain, channel and technology media.
- Attained business unit’s highest level of client engagement in success story campaigns and corporate marketing initiatives; produced keynote speaking opportunities at premier industry events including National Retail Federation (NRF) featuring Sally Beauty, REI, Carhartt, Pandora Jewelry, Party City and JOANN Stores.
AspenTech is a leading supplier of software that optimizes process manufacturing for the oil & gas, chemicals, engineering & construction, and pharmaceutical industries. Its roots span back to a joint MIT and US Department of Energy research project dedicated to finding alternative fuel sources.
After 25 years of organic as well as inorganic growth fueled by an aggressive series of acquisitions, AspenTech endured a number of would be “death knells” by most standards: The former chief executive was convicted of securities fraud. Its founder was charged with falsifying revenues, and was removed by the board as part of a comprehensive executive team restructuring. Multiple earnings restatements. Delisted from NASDAQ. Hyper-competitor propaganda. Eroded customer and employee confidence. Negative publicity was abound. Course of Action:
- Re-established a formal corporate communications function after it flat-lined due to corporate restructuring efforts.
- Constructed and guided a comprehensive crisis communications plan implementation. This included triaging immediate corporate image issues, while educating key audiences including trade and business press, financial and industry analysts, as well as customers and employees.
- Conducted intensive and regular media tours with key journalists and editors. Re-enforced thought leadership position through systematic byline article creation and placement in industry publications, as well as feature interviews.
- Simplified product messaging by architecting an umbrella framework to definitively articulate the brand purpose for a comprehensive software suite. This also included rationalizing the subcomponents for three separate business lines as part of a 200+ point product rollup.
Cynosure is one of the aesthetics industry’s first laser device manufacturers, possessing rich and innovative technologies. Despite that distinction its brand image not only lost esteem with target audiences, it wasn’t keeping up with newer competitors with less capable products though better go to market support including public relations. Course of Action:
- Developed PR strategy focused on creating pull demand with industry’s first direct-to-consumer campaign.
- Targeted traditional consumer outlets such as New Beauty Magazine, and broadcast outlets to generate broad brand awareness with coverage in leading outlets including E! TV, VH1, Montel Williams Show, and Access Hollywood.