VERTIS - Business-to-Business Brand-Building Campaign

Vertis, a leading advertising and marketing solutions entity, emerged in January 2002 through a series of major acquisitions in a variety of vertical categories. Though the company was very large, the Vertis brand didn't have any equity within its trade industry or these vertical markets. Therefore, Formula was challenged with turning the company into a market leader and building a significant profile for each of these acquired groups as Vertis-branded "business units".

Challenges:

• Capture the attention of business trade media in key service areas, including advertising, direct marketing, printing, media, imaging and technology
• Create awareness of an unknown brand in vertical markets with virtually no advertising support
• Promote Vertis' wide range of services - from consumer and media research, media planning and placement, creative services and digital media production to ad insert programs, direct marketing programs, newspaper products and interactive marketing - to the various vertical markets that could utilize them
• Create value and positioning for Vertis Customer Focus, annual surveys tracking direct marketing trends and consumer behavior across a variety of retail settingsl

Strategy:

• Educate media about the company's service offering and establish a name for Vertis by launching a press kit mailing and aggressive media relations program targeted at advertising and marketing trade media and appropriate media within target vertical markets
• Utilize knowledgeable executives to position Vertis as an industry leader by offering them as expert resources for trade media, submitting them for speaking engagements at trade shows, and drafting bylined articles in their names
• Leverage Vertis' Customer Focus research by promoting findings to vertical industries that it impacts, including Internet, automotive, home electronics, insurance, finance, nonprofit, fragrance, pharmaceutical, furniture and home improvement

Results:

• Helped to brand Vertis in direct and vertical trade media outlets, thereby enabling the company to connect with current and prospective customers
• Secured approximately 200 placements, resulting in more than 23 million gross impressions, in such influential publications as AdWeek, MediaWeek, American Demographics, DM News and Direct
• Positioned the company as experts through interviews, bylined articles and speaking engagements at key trade shows, including DMA, PLMA and RAMA
• Established value and media anticipation for Vertis Customer Focus surveys, resulting in extensive coverage in targeted vertical trade media

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