Company: UTC Aerospace Systems, Charlotte, NC
Entry Submitted By: UTC Aerospace Systems - Windsor Locks Site
Company Description: UTC Aerospace Systems is one of the world’s largest suppliers of technologically advanced aerospace and defense products. We design, manufacture and service systems and components and provide integrated solutions for commercial, regional, business and military aircraft, helicopters and other platforms. We are also a major supplier to international space programs.
Nomination Category: Corporate Communications, Investor Relations, & Public Relations Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Communications or PR Campaign of the Year - Multicultural

Nomination Title: UTC Aerospace Systems Singapore Airshow 2014 Year of the Horse Campaign

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:

For UTC Aerospace Systems the Singapore Airshow is the most important aerospace industry event in the Asia-Pacific region with an average of 40,000 trade professionals and visitors attending the biennial show. As a key hub of our company’s maintenance, repair and overhaul activities, making an impactful presentation of our company brand and capabilities in Singapore is of critical importance. This year the UTC Aerospace Systems Marketing Communications team deployed a culturally themed campaign for the Singapore Airshow.

Considering the Chinese heritage of the majority of the Singapore population (~75% ethnic Chinese), we chose to employ a Chinese New Year-themed marketing campaign for the show. Chinese New Year celebrations ended in Singapore the weekend prior to the start of the airshow. To coincide with this cultural celebration, we created a unique marketing campaign centered on the Year of the Horse.

Based on cultural research, a set of themed elements was designed and incorporated into our Singapore Airshow campaign materials. Utilizing calligraphy, the widely practiced and celebrated traditional Chinese art form, three main design elements were developed – the running horse graphic resembling spilled ink on paper, the Mandarin calligraphic character representing “horse,” and the colors associated with heroism, heaven and good fortune in Chinese culture – yellow, black and red, respectively.

Initial development of the campaign began in November 2013 about three and a half months before the airshow. The first design concepts were used for an e-invite sent to select airshow attendees inviting them to visit the UTC Aerospace Systems booth at the show. From the initial design, other marketing materials were developed to create an integrated show campaign.

For our poolside party customer event, the printed invitation with themed envelope and sealing sticker was sent to more than 700 customers, and the online RSVP site also featured the horse symbol and graphic. On the day of the event, guests were greeted with themed signage as they entered the venue. All our staff wore either a white, black or red shirt with the culturally-themed graphic on the chest.

At the airshow, the team wore custom lanyards and name badges with the campaign graphics, and Chinese New Year-themed lapel pins were distributed to visitors. The cultural theme was also carried over to the printed invitations for the company media briefing, and a variation of the campaign was designed for the menus in the airshow dining area. During the course of the airshow, over 120 high-level meetings and lunches were attended by more than 350 customers, bringing the marketing campaign to life in front of a key audience.

Overall our campaign material for the Singapore Airshow was very well received. Visitors and customers to our booth were asked the rate the effectiveness of our Chinese New Year-themed promotional items, and we received an overall satisfaction rating of 6.13 on a seven-point scale. But, the most memorable testament to the success of the campaign was when a large regional company asked to take remaining themed items back to their office to share with others. Additionally, many of the items continue to memorialize the campaign as extras continue to appear throughout the world.

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

UTC Aerospace Systems Marketing Communications team, part of the larger Communications function, is headed by Sherry Bergstrom. The team includes Eben Blanchard, Trade Show Manager; Joe Virtanen, Project Coordinator and Jayne Ruggiero, Design and Brand Specialist. The elements of the Singapore Airshow Chinese New Year-themed campaign were created by Jayne.

The goal of the trade show program is to capitalize on premier aerospace industry events to gain broad exposure of our products and services with customers, industry influencers and other show attendees. It also increases awareness and recognition of UTC Aerospace Systems brand, which was launched in 2012. The group coordinates trade shows around the world and develops graphics, advertising campaigns, multi-media and various other marketing materials that capture the overall personality of the company.