Communications as Ikor

완벽한 PR 프로그램 샘플-루슨트편  < ?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

 

Lucent Technologies라는 회사를 들어보셨을 껍니다. 제가 학교다닐때 저희 과에는 이 루슨트의 인하우스 녀석들이 바글바글 했습니다. 그때는 AT&T에서 분사된 직후라서 서로서로 혹 벤쳐라도 되는냥 의기양양했습니다. 전에도 말씀드렸지만, 저의 브랜드 매니지먼트 수업을 지도하신 분은 루슨트 본사의 “Coffee Cup(루슨트의 로고를 그렇게 부르지요)” 브랜드 매니져였습니다. 그는 그 커피컵을 그렇게 사랑하실 수 없었습니다. 그리고 제 주변에 있는 루슨트족들은 (거의 여름에는 커피컵 티를 입고들 다녔지요..) 열정적이고 개념들이 잘 형성되어있어서 한국녀석인 저는 낯선 회사명에도 불구하고 금방 이 회사는 되겠다는 느낌을 받았었습니다.

 

그때당시에는 지금 HP의 CEO가 된 피오리나 아주머니가 부사장으로 맹렬을 떨치던 때지요.. 수업시간 중간에 피오리나 이야기를 하는 그 부하(?) 여자 직원들 옆에 앉아 그녀에 대한 뒷이야기를 훔쳐들은 적도 있습니다..

 

또한 호프만 선생(커피컵 브랜드 매니져)이 각자 구해오라고 명령한 루슨트 로고 매뉴얼을 외국인인 저는 구할수가 없어서 이메일을 해서 구한다고 한게 이메일이 그만 루슨트 사장님에게 직접 가버려서, 그 다음날 호프만 선생이 사장님이 직접 건네주었다며 제게 그 매뉴얼을 수업시간에 쥐어주며 이렇게 물었습니다. (웃으며..)”너 혹시 누구에게 이메일을 한지 아니??”

 

아무튼 루슨트는 제게 인연도 크고 인상도 큰 기업입니다. 오늘은 이 루슨트의 완전히 “완벽한!” PR 프로그램을 소개해 드립니다. 우리나라 홍보 관련 대학원들에는 “국제홍보”라는 학과명들이 많은데 이런 학문을 전공하신 분들께는 참 좋은 사례가 될것입니다. 또한 국내의 외국기업 전문 PR에이젼시들에게는 교과서 같은 프로그램이 될것입니다.

 

일단 기획 및 실행상에서 Research->Planning-> Execution -> Evaluation이 정확하게 되어있습니다.(확인해 보시지요) 그리고 프로그램의 핵심인 목표설정에 있어서 사후 정확한 측정이 가능한 목표이며 그 달성을 위한 프로그램의 기간이 깨끗히 명시되어 있습니다.(보세요) 또한 프로그램 실행후 목표와 결과를 정확히 비교하여 그 성취 여부와 크기를 확실히 보여줍니다.(진짜 확인해보세요)…또 실행에 있어서 너무나도 다양한 다각적 접근을 통합적 기반에서 시행했습니다.

 

이 기획 및 프로그램 실행은 거의 100점짜리입니다. 진짜입니다. 제가 작년

연말 밤 늦게까지 수일에 거쳐 26개정도의 국내 모 PR프로그램들을 분석 평가하는 프로젝트를 해보고 느낀 건데 이 루슨트의 플랜은 최고입니다.

   

기업의 개념있는 인하우스 인력들과 전문적인 에이젼시 인력들의 합작품이여서 더욱 부러운 프로그램입니다………

그럼 먼저 홍보….

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Lucent Branding Success in Latin America – An Integrated Approach

Lucent Technologies

SILVER ANVIL AWARDS ’99 – Category 10, Global Communications

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OVERVIEW

 

Lucent Technologies was born of the trivestiture of AT&T announced in 1995. In 1996, the name of the new systems and technology company was announced and the company, Lucent Technologies, had its initial public offering (IPO) in April of 1996. In Latin America, where even AT&T was a newcomer and had low brand awareness, the creation and launch of Lucent was met with some confusion among target audiences – was Lucent a subsidiary of AT&T or an independent company? Where did Bell Labs, Lucent’s R&D division, fit in? Also impacting awareness of the Lucent brand was the multiplicity of business units of this large communications networking company. By the end of 1997, some audiences knew Lucent as a network systems provider, others as a provider of equipment for the business enterprise, and yet others as a consumer phones manufacturer. Although Lucent had made significant progress since 1996 in getting its brand known in the US, it was clear that awareness of the Lucent brand among target audiences in Latin America was still quite low at the end of 1997. In a concerted effort to integrate all external communication initiatives to significantly impact brand awareness, the Lucent public relations and marketing teams for the Latin America region decided to form a Regional Brand Council and similar councils in Brazil and Mexico. These would later be extended to other countries in the region. Following is an outline of how this effort managed to bring about an increase in the Lucent brand awareness in Mexico and Brazil to levels nearing or equal to those of Lucent brand awareness in the United States. The challenge was to sharply raise brand awareness within a limited budget that was a fraction of what our major competitors were investing in advertising and public relations.

 

RESEARCH

 

Various forms of research, both formal and informal, were conducted to identify the problem in 1997. First, it was clear from informal surveys of the sales and customer teams that they were encountering significant challenges in the marketplace as a result of low recognition of Lucent’s name and scope of business. Additionally, analysis of media coverage demonstrated that Lucent was still often identified as a subsidiary of AT&T and not as an independent company. Bell Labs also was identified as a separate entity, often with greater recognition than Lucent, and not as the research and development division of the company. A review of business unit customer communication efforts also revealed that different business units were trying to brand themselves as independent units, rather than maintaining the corporate identity.

 

Formal research: Lucent participated in an omnibus study in Mexico in July of 1997 that showed a low of 10 percent for unaided brand awareness of the company name, and only 42 percent of aided awareness. A primary research study commissioned by Lucent in May of 1998, showed little increase among the business enterprise segment: 12 percent for unaided brand awareness and 57 percent for aided awareness. In Brazil, a primary research study commissioned by Lucent in November 1997 demonstrated that among the telecommunications service provider segment, only 12 percent mentioned the name Lucent when asked about telecom equipment providers, while 82 percent recognized the name when mentioned. Among business enterprise executives, the results were lower: 10 percent unaided awareness and 38 percent aided awareness of Lucent. Research conducted at the end of 1998 showed a dramatic improvement.

 

PLANNING

 

In the Fall of 1997, Lucent’s marketing teams identified the urgent need to rapidly raise Lucent’s brand awareness in our two top markets in Latin America: Brazil and Mexico. In response to this urgent need, Lucent’s public relations team decided to form a Regional Brand Council and implement the same concept in Brazil and Mexico as the trial markets. These markets were selected because they are the largest revenue markets for Lucent in the region. The primary objective for the Brand Councils was to provide leadership across all business units to guide and integrate all communications and branding efforts in accordance to the Lucent global brand position.

 

It was also decided to make the Brand Council responsible for integrating all communications for maximum impact and results, as well as to resolve cross-business unit conflicts. The Regional Public Relations Vice President would serve as Chair of the Regional Brand Council, and the Public Relations Director in each market would lead the country Brand Council.

 

Membership in the Brand Councils included all business unit leaders and marketing directors, the public relations staff (media relations, events manager, and employee information), the corporate advertising team, public affairs/government relations, and human resources managers.

 

Objectives: (1) Raise brand awareness in Latin America to U.S. levels in 1997 by the end of the year 2000 by integrating all communication efforts. (2) Secure the active participation and cooperation of all business units to present one Lucent brand to the market.

 

STRONG Strategies: Brand Councils would be responsible for developing a plan of action that would include institutional advertising efforts, aggressive media relations, special events and trade shows, executive speaking engagements, customer events, consultants/analysts program, internal communications, employment advertising and philanthropy efforts.

 

EXECUTION

 

While this summary cannot include all initiatives undertaken, following is an outline of key efforts:

 

Brand Councils: The brand councils began monthly meetings in January of 1998 to make joint decisions on all communication initiative, thus leveraging and integrating the resources of all business units. Meetings last 3-4 hours depending on the order of business. Participation increased steadily throughout the year and the CALA Brand Council is now seen as a model for the rest of the company.

 

Media Relations: An aggressive media relations effort increased the quantity and quality of coverage significantly. A Global Media Event at corporate headquarters in New Jersey, attended by five key reporters from each target country, generated prominent features in top media. Media coverage doubled in Mexico and Brazil from levels at the beginning of the year.

 

Trade Shows/Events: Lucent participated in major trade shows such as ExpoComm. in Mexico and Brazil, and Telexpo in Brazil, with keynote speaking positions featuring a corporate executive and prime booth location. A survey of visitors to the Lucent booth at ExpoComm Brazil showed that 79 percent of those interviewed said they were more likely to do business with Lucent after visiting the show. In ExpoComm Mexico, Lucent won the first prize for the best booth. Messages for booth sinage, speeches, advertising and media relations were integrated by the Brand Council. In Mexico, an impressive Bell Labs Seminar was held in October of 1998.

 

Advertising: An institutional brand advertising campaign was implemented in Mexico and Brazil, with the “Credentials” campaign as the centerpiece. This campaign was fully managed by the Brand Council, and all business unit and employment recruitment ads also were integrated through the brand council.

 

Consultants/analysts: Quarterly meetings and technology presentations were launched in Mexico and Brazil for this important audience.

 

Internal communications: A CALA (Caribbean and Latin America) website was launched to present new information almost daily to region employees. Town Meetings were held in Mexico and Brazil with the regional President and CEO, as well as corporate executives such as COO or Group Presidents.

 

Philanthropy: An annual Day of Caring program was instituted in each country to encourage employees to volunteer for a specific cause. In Mexico, employees planted trees to rebuild a popular forest (“Desierto de los Leones”) recently devastated by fire and provided an outing for children from a nearby orphanage. In Brazil, employees from six different cities helped eight institutions – from orphanages and inner city schools to an association for the elderly blind.

 

EVALUATION

 

Brazil – Unaided brand awareness among service providers almost tripled in Brazil from 12 percent in Nov. 1997 to 34 percent in Nov. 1998; aided awareness grew from 82 to 95 percent (which is almost universal awareness). In the business enterprise segment it doubled from 10 to 22 percent unaided awareness, and aided awareness increased from 38 to 71 percent.

 

Mexico – Among service providers, unaided awareness levels reached a high of 69 percent and aided awareness was 95 percent in Nov. 1998. Unaided awareness in the business enterprise jumped from 12 to 23 percent, and total awareness in this segment increased from 57 to 79 percent. By comparison, US levels of awareness in 1997 were 38 percent unaided and 96 percent aided among service providers and 34 percent unaided and 89 percent aided among large enterprises. These results were noteworthy considering they were accomplished with limited budget resources and are largely attributed to the efforts of the Brand Councils to integrate all external communication efforts.