Since its inception, ISM has been extremely active in the consumer electronics and software industries. Our role has ranged from agency of record (with our partner e2amp) to lead agency in major campaigns to launch new products. Some of the examples include:
JVC – ISM’s work began with JVC, 12 days after the company opened its doors. With the sponsorship of Crosby, Stills and Nash in 1990, not only did it begin JVC’s long tradition of use pop culture to promote its brand’s it began a process of integrated campaigns. Each of the music, action sports, fashion and lifestyle campaigns that ISM created and implemented for 22 years included print, in-store collateral, sales contests, radio promotions and frequently value-added promotions and sweepstakes as incentives to purchase. ISM launched a full-range of product categories for JVC including television, mobile products, camcorders, video and dvd players and recorders, DVHS, audio products and more. Providing support for the annual CES show and regional sales meeting, including creating live concerts with artists like The GoGos, Megadeth, Third Eye Blind, Tantric. A key role of ISM was to create strategic alliances for different product categories with well-known personalities such as producer Jerry Bruckheimer, music artists Nicki Sixx, Warren G, action sports heros like Shawn Palmer, brands like Urban Decay and many more, resulting in JVC winning awards from companies like Best Buy for their marketing programs.
Sony – ISM’s role with Sony started in a similar way when the company was asked to support the sponsorship of the Genesis tour. One week before the start of the tour, Mickey Schulhof announced Sony Synergy, requiring Sony to only work with other Sony companies. This gave ISM a week to replace all of the Sony product in promotions for Genesis (an Atlantic artist) with signed guitars, drumheads and keyboards. This started a long strategic association with Sony. As with JVC, we built integrated campaigns to launch products such as Mini Disc, Maximum Television, DSS (DirecTV), General Audio and other product lines. These campaigns typically involved print, in-store collateral and incentives and sales contests and in some cases extensive event programs (as with the launch of DSS and the tie in with the NFL and weekly at stadium events). Strategic alliances were created; ISM played the role of mediator with Sony Music and Sony Pictures building relationship with music and television personalities (such as Fran Drescher of the Nanny) and creating a weekly radio program, Live from the Pit with Global Satellite Radio.
Sony Japan – the team from Sony came to Robb Report to launch its $50K Ultra-short throw 4K projector to the U.S. market. Anderson acted as the personal consultant to the team, building the strategy, strategic relationships with interior designers, luxury furniture locations and industry events. An integrated marketing and promotion strategy was developed and implemented that included a launch event, print and digital media, a content spotlight, email programs to both industry and consumer audiences and special hosted events in New York and Los Angeles.
Samsung Electronics – ISM worked with Samsung at the point that it was transitioning from primarily and OEM company in the United States to a retail firm focusing on digital products. Our integrated marketing focused on MP3 players, their unique combination VCR and DVD player, the first HD TVs and included print, retail based events in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Seattle and Miami, national in-store collateral and value added incentive programs for consumers.
KLH – moving from large audio speakers to small desk top speakers (Sound Bites), the company wanted to test the degree to which key consumer electronics retail locations were knowledgeable about the product and was actually selling it rather than directing customers to other brands. ISM put together a national mystery shopper program to report on the results by retailer and market.
Hewlett-Packard – as the company wanted to expand out of computers, Anderson was part of a special team that was created to developed a unique living room experience with a walled-garden entertainment system that would provide unique music and video content to owners of the system. The Anderson’s responsibility was to work with record companies on a worldwide basis to get a cost-effective relationship for content that could become part of the owner’s library. A $.99 download model was developed (prior to iTunes) at a time when competitive companies were more expensive and required tethering so that when membership ended the music would disappear. Just prior to launch HP purchased Compaq and placed the project on hold.
Ontario Systems – one of the major developers of collection software, Ontario Systems wanted to reach a broader B2B audience. ISM and e2amp created a range of materials and provided unique celebrities for their trade show appearances that were related to collections – Vincent Pastore, the actor who played, Big Pussy on the Sopranos and Apollo Robbins, a sleight of hand expert who was the technical advisor the Leverage, the Timothy Hutton series.
Vidiom Systems – A software development company responsible for middleware development for the cable industry to allow interactive TV through set-top boxes, designing systems for Comcast, Charter, Time Warner and other key players in the industry. ISM helped play a key role in the development of the strategy to buy back the company from ADB, and to transition its assets into enableTV. Our role in included strategy development, corporate identity creation, research and complete branding of the new company as well as assisting in fundraising.
LG Electronics – Robb Report approached LG with a unique combination of media to promote its HD and OLED televisions, which included a content spotlight, digital media, print advertising and trade show support. The strategy and creative process was managed by Anderson and ISM’s creative team. The program also involved creating and implementing a special consumer survey on awareness and reactions to LG’s and competitor’s products and technology.