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AMD Community Relations Campaign

Gold Stevie Award Winner 2012, Click to Enter The 2014 American Business Awards

Company: AMD, Austin, TX
Company Description: AMD (NYSE: AMD) designs and integrates technology that powers millions of intelligent devices, including personal computers, tablets, game consoles and cloud servers that define the new era of surround computing. AMD solutions enable people everywhere to realize the full potential of their favorite devices and applications to push the boundaries of what is possible. For more information, visit www
Nomination Category: Corporate Communications, Investor Relations, & Public Relations Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Communications or PR Campaign of the Year - Community Relations

Nomination Title: AMD Returns: The Launch of the GPU14 Graphics Card Family

Tell the story about this nominated campaign since January 1 2013 (up to 525 words). Focus on specific accomplishments, and relate these accomplishments to past performance or industry norms. Be sure to mention obstacles overcome, innovations or discoveries made, and outcomes: TEXT REDACTED FOR PUBLICATION

XBUSINESS NEED/OPPORTUNITY

Over a difficult three-year period, AMD plummeted to just 23% market share for its enthusiast class graphics cards. To reignite customer passion around AMD graphics technology, AMD sought to execute the most successful and widely talked about processor launch in semiconductor industry history, one that would revitalize and grow AMD’s online community, energize its customer base, drive product awareness and accelerateAMD’s business like never before.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

AMD set aggressive goals and target metrics for the GPU14 launch campaign.

1. Grow AMD brand advocates to 1000 members in 20 countries.

2. Drive 500 unique press articles globally by Q4 2013 that position AMD as an industry leader in the component PC space

3. Double social mentions volume from 5,000 to 10,000 mentions daily

4. Increase social sentiment from 20% positive to 30% positive

5. Drive 500 million total media impressions worldwide.

6. Double sales of ‘enthusiast class’ graphics cards by end of Q4

Leading into the preview event, AMD rolled out a month-long digital campaign, “Join the AMD Red Team”, to identify, re-energize and recruit the most loyal fans of AMD graphics cards, and who were directed to “tune in” to AMD’s live technology preview, spread the word and join the conversation.

The GPU14 webcast was live from Oahu, Hawaii, with a live, ‘in house’ audience of 120 of the most influential global technology press. AMD staged a compelling content-rich showcase designed to excite core audiences by showcasing AMD’s latest innovations and technologies, previewing eagerly-anticipated game titles powered by its technology, and positioning AMD as the innovation leader.

Separately, AMD engineering leaders took press on field trips while in Hawaii, discussing thermal management issues against the backdrop of Diamondhead Crater, an extinct volcano, and hosting a major celebration of the Radeon-accelerated Battlefield 4 game partnership aboard the nearby USS Missouri.

Press were encouraged to live-blog AMD’s announcements and live-tweet their reactions on Twitter, using #GPU14, to keep their large online communities glued to their PCs. An interactive tab was created for AMD Gaming’s Facebook page where fans could view the event webcast, interact with the community and with AMD and other fans who were tuned in.

Following the live event, AMD executed an extensive worldwide product sampling program with the launch of each graphics card in the series, ten in all.

MEASUREMENT AND EVALUATION

1. The global coverage of the GPU14 campaign delivered over 1300 articles and 1 billion impressions by October 9th,and over 2000 media articles and over 1.5 billion impressions total.

2. During AMD’s live technology preview, almost 120,000 people (the equivalent of two-filled Superbowl stadiums) viewed at least part of the livecast, and #GPU14 trended nationally.

3. #GPU14 generated more daily social mentions (22,000) than Time Magazine’s Person of the Year

4. The ‘Red Team’ online registration grew to 15,000 members (15X target), with members from 127 countries (more than 6X target), and positive social sentiment reached an all-time high of 46%

5. In Q4, AMD’s enthusiast graphics card sales more than doubled Y/Y and Q/Q by both revenue and unit volume.

Upload a collection of supporting files and web addresses to our server to provide more background information to the judges. You may upload any number of attachments and URLs through the "Add Attachments, Videos, or Links to This Entry" link above. (Do NOT list your URLs below.)

 

Provide a brief (up to 125 words) biography about the leader(s) of the team that carried out this campaign:

Chris Hook is Director of Global Public Relations, AMD. Before joining AMD, Hook oversaw corporate communications ATI Technologies GmbH, based in Munich, Germany. Hook has over 20 years of experience directing innovative global marketing, PR, and social media campaigns for a variety of technology companies, consumer brands, government leaders and non-profit organizations. Hook possesses a BA from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, and a post-graduate certificate in corporate communications from Humber College in Toronto, Ontario.