The challenge
To keep the interest of the media towards products distributed by Sony Hungary and maintain the trust of consumers, using only classical PR tools on a competitive market, in the shadow of international news, questioning Sony’s stability as a company.
The Hungarian management declined to react on international news, while competitors’ communication started to be increasingly fierce. A significant cut in the PR budget also made it more challenging to uphold the reputation of the company and the demand for its products.
Project data
- Industry: consumer electronics
- Client: Sony Hungary
- Category: reputation management, PR
- Year: 2012-2014
- Professional award: Hungarian PR Association (MPRSZ) Sándor Imre PR-award
The results
- 99 press releases -1316 media appearances
- 167 reports from press events
- 230 product tests - 204 articles
- 141 PlayStation newsletters - 222 media appearances
- Traveling exhibition - 50 000 visitors, 100+ media appearances
The solution
We ensured the flow of information with localized press releases about new Sony products and PlayStation games. In addition to central press releases, we focused on getting the word out about the news and activities of the local company, as well as targeting media outlets that are not technology centred with diverse press materials. In order to have quality information for press releases, we often participated in omnibus researches, representative to the Hungarian population or internet users.
When organizing press events, we always strived to create a program that is unique and informative at the same time. This is why we chose the newly opened Budapest Music Center as a location to introduce a notebook series with exceptional audio qualities, or the TV studio of a popular celebrity transformation show (Sztárban sztár) to showcase products that could be turned from a notebook into a tablet with one simple move. At smaller workshops, we offered the most optimal setting for testing the products, accompanied by exciting culinary experiences. Our agency organized the launch event of PlayStation4 without a budget: the location and technical equipment were provided by Sony’s commercial partner, while celebrities (rappers Majka and Curtis, actor Győző Szabó, show host Levente Harsányi) agreed to participate in exchange for a PlayStation device.
We targeted different audiences with product tests: those who are interested in technical specifications through IT magazines, and the average consumer through lifestyle magazines and newspapers.
Pure PR
To reach younger audiences, we organized a SWPA traveling exhibition, a project that was realized twice. The exhibition showcased winning photos of the world-renowned Sony World Photography Award in popular ruin pubs of Budapest. The pictures stayed a month at each location and were seen by tens of thousands of young people.
Press event with a fashion show
We introduced the 2012 spring-summer Sony VAIO notebooks and the first Sony Ultrabook with a fashion show. Models were wearing the new collections of designers Kata Szegedi and Dani Benus as they walked in front of the journalists, while a host was speaking about the notebooks they were holding in their hands.