Hewlett Packard
Company: Hewlett-Packard, Cupertino, CA
Entry Submitted By: A&R Edelman
Company Description: HP, the world’s largest technology company, simplifies the technology experience for consumers and businesses with a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure. More information about HP (NYSE: HPQ) is available at http://www.hp.com.
Nomination Category: Corporate Communications, Investor Relations, & Public Relations Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Communications or PR Campaign of the Year - For a For-profit Purpose
Nomination Title: HP, A New Runway Darling
Tell the story about this nominated campaign since January 1 2008 (up to 500 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:
When HP decided to introduce a first-of-its-kind designer notebook created in
partnership with fashion designer Vivienne Tam, the Edelman PR team stepped up
to the challenge and created a daring, couture-quality PR program that
established HP as a lifestyle brand and captured the attention of
design-conscious fashionistas.
Finding an authentic way to talk about the intersection of fashion, design and
technology to a broad audience and promote HP as a leader in design and style, a
position historically dominated by Apple, was our first challenge. We quickly
learned the nuances of the fashion world and established relationships with
fashion and lifestyle press, who would cover the product from a fashion and
design perspective.
With New York’s Fashion Week as our backdrop, we introduced HP to the fashion
world in September 2008 with the bright red, peony print design of the HP Mini
Vivienne Tam Special Edition — the first-ever notebook PC to walk down a fashion
runway. The ‘world’s first digital clutch’ resonated immediately with
fashionistas around the globe.
To reinforce HP’s position as a design leader, we executed the following tactics:
• Exclusive Story Outreach: By offering backstage interviews and studio visits,
we placed stories and broadcast segments in all targeted outlets during New York
Fashion Week.
• Cross-Agency Coordination: By leveraging Vivienne Tam’s existing relationships
with fashion media we were able to position the product as the must-have fashion
accessory.
• Online Grass-Roots Buzz: Engaged with top fashionistas and mommy bloggers to
build buzz for the product.
• Fashion Show/Preview Events: Secured attendance of fashion and tech
influencers for the design unveiling during New York Fashion Week. Featured the
product at events such as Pepcom in New York, CES in Las Vegas, Macy’s Flower
Show in New York, San Francisco and Chicago, and the Teen Vogue Haute Spot in
New Jersey. The HP Mini Vivienne Tam Edition drew crowds at each event with
press taking photos and footage of the notebook.
• Press Tours: Coordinated press tour in New York with lifestyle and fashion
publications to build new relationships and put the HP Mini Vivienne Tam Edition
on their radar for editorial.
• Targeted Reviews: Implemented high-level “style and look” reviews program to
maintain the image of a fashion accessory. We declined requests for reviews in
IT trade publications where the product would not be featured as a fashion
accessory.
The HP Mini Vivienne Tam Edition’s walk down the runway helped HP penetrate an
untapped market and forever blend the line between technology and fashion.
• More than 1,000 fashion influencers attended the Vivienne Tam Fashion Show,
including 150 U.S. and international press
• The show resulted in more than 300 print, online and broadcast stories,
including three national broadcast hits on CNBC Closing Bell, FOX Business Happy
Hour and CNN Money.
• Since the show, the product has received more than 900 hits including coverage
in top-tier business, fashion, and lifestyle publications such as Women’s Wear
Daily, Real Simple, Life & Style, BusinessWeek and The New York Times.
List hyperlinks to any online news stories, press releases, or other documents that support the claims made in the section above. IMPORTANT: Begin each link with http://, and enclose each link in square brackets; for example, [http://www.youraddress.com]:
Design Unveiling Press Release:
• HP Partners with World-renowned Fashion Designer Vivienne Tam:
http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/newsroom/press/2008/080909xa.html
HP Mini Vivienne Tam Web site:
• Tech-Chic: http://www.tech-chic.com
Partial List of Coverage:
• Allure, "Vivienne Tam’s Netbook: Style and Substance,” By Erin Flaherty, March
25, 2009
http://www.allure.com/beauty/blogs/reporter/2009/03/vivienne-tams-netbook-style-an.html
• BusinessWeek, “Hewlett Packard’s Sneak Peek at Fashion Week,” By Reena Jana,
September 9, 2008
http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/next/archives/2008/09/hewlett-packard.html
o BusinessWeek, “IN: Inside Innovation - The Innovation Short List,” By Reena
Jana, December 1, 2008
http://images.businessweek.com/ss/08/11/1120_inshort/6.htm
• Chicago Tribune, "The Digital Clutch,” By Wendy Donahue, March 15, 2009
• CNBC Closing Bell (Broadcast, Closing Bell with Satjiv Chahil (HP) and
Vivienne Tam, September 10, 2008
• CNN Money (Broadcast), "The Laptop Gets Sexy,” September 12, 2008
• Elle Decor (Print Only), "Better Off Red,” By Helen Yun, January/February 2009
• FHM, "The Holiday Gift Guide – HP Mini PCs,” December 9, 2008
http://www.fhmonline.com/site/content/article.aspx?ID=37267
• Fox Business Happy Hour (Broadcast),"Tech Meets Style,” September 13, 2008
• Huffington Post, “Fashion Road Test: Chic Laptops,” April 29, 2009
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/zandile-blay/fashion-road-test-chic-la_b_192462.html
• Life & Style (Print Only), "The hottest gifts at every price,” December 10, 2008
• MarketWatch, "Gorgeous isn’t everything – but it helps,” By Therese Poletti,
February 3, 2009
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/h-ps-stylish-netbook-appeals-women/story.aspx?guid={CD274E5A-AFDC-43B6-B058-CB1246891E90}&dist=msr_1
• Parents (Print Only), "Goody Bag: Better Than Chocolate,” February 2009
• Popular Science, "Valentine’s Gift Guide for Your Geek Chic Girlfriend,”
February 4, 2009
http://www.popsci.com/gear-amp-gadgets/gallery/2009-02/valentine%E2%80%99s-gift-guide-your-geek-chic-girlfriend
• Rachel Ray (Broadcast), "Stuff I Got for Christmas,” January 20, 2009
• Real Simple, "Tech Meets Fashion: The HP Mini Vivienne Tam Digital Clutch,” By
Julee Wilson, January 23, 2009
http://simplystated.realsimple.com/beauty/2009/01/tech-meets-fash.html
• Reuters, "Vivienne Tam Turns HP Laptops into Digital Handbags,” By Jan
Paschal, September 9, 2008
http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssTechMediaTelecomNews/idUSN0934953620080910
• San Francisco Chronicle, "Practical and pretty presents,” By Sylvia Rubin,
December 14, 2008
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/12/12/LVBN14N3L8.DTL
• San Jose Mercury News, "Fashion Week gets hip to high tech,” By Donna Kato,
September 11, 2008
o San Jose Mercury News, "HP’s expanded mini-laptop lineup to take wider aim,”
October 29, 2008
• Star Magazine (Print Only), "2008 Holiday Gift Guide,” December 15, 2008
• Teen Vogue, "Top 10 Gadgets for the Holidays,” By Truc Nguyen, December 3, 2008
http://www.teenvogue.com/style/2008/12/top-10-gadgets-for-the-holidays?slide=10
• The New York Times, "A Trim Little Laptop That’s Garden Party Chic,” By Azadeh
Ensha, December 10, 2008
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/11/technology/personaltech/11tam.html?_r=3&ref=personaltech
• Traditional Home (Print Only), "Vivienne Tam Computer as Fashion Accessory,”
By Laura Heller, March 2009
• Travel & Leisure (Print Only), "Computers to Carry-on,” December 8, 2008
• Vanity Fair, "Tech Toys for Under Your Tree,” By Hamish Robertson, December 9,
2008
http://www.vanityfair.com/online/style/2008/12/tech-toys-for-under-your-tree.html
• Wall Street Journal, "Worth It? Pink Gadgets for Women,” By Mary Pilon,
February 3, 2009
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123324550043929033.html
Provide a brief (up to 100 words) biography about the leader(s) of the team that carried out this campaign:
To manage this campaign, Edelman assembled a team of professionals with
expertise in consumer media, lifestyle press, fashion and social media. This
first-of-its-kind launch required a team with a mix of personalities and
experience that would put forward daring ideas and execute engagement programs
across all mediums. Providing strategic counsel and account leadership were
Natalia Sandin and Kristine Boyden. Katie Scrivano, Shannon Chiger, Steve
Biondolillo, Eric Shoemaker, Marjaneh Ravai and Britta Thym led the account’s
broadcast and consumer outreach while Rebecca Boston led the social media efforts.