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Situation Analysis

In the spring of 2004, ARM announced two new processor technologies, OptimoDE and MPCore. OptimoDE is a technology for automatically generating signal-processing cores the company calls Data Engines, for accelerating in hardware-specific signal-processing functions. MPCore is an ARM11-class multiprocessor that can be configured to contain between one and four processors delivering up to 2600 Dhrystone MIPS of performance, with a unified operating system view of key functionality.

Both products were designed to provide semiconductor designers and OEMs with the features and system support needed for advanced consumer electronics products—a market with a significant role in the economy of many countries. To build awareness within this lucrative audience, Text 100 recommended a unified consumer-electronics theme for both product launches, with messaging that would appeal to editors and analysts whose knowledge ranged from the deeply technical to the most basic understanding of electronics, such as why the consumer likes multiple applications running on the same device or why longer battery life is desirable.

ARM chose to announce these products at the Embedded Processor Forum (EPF) in Santa Clara, California, on May 17, 2004. Text 100 recommended that ARM also use the Embedded Systems Conference in San Francisco, which opened on March 29, 2004, to pre-brief editors and analysts on the announcements, under embargo.

Text 100 also recommended pre-briefing editors of long-lead publications in advance of the announcements, allowing time for articles to appear with the launches. Editors and analysts who would not be attending either conference were to be briefed out of five Text 100 offices: San Francisco, London, Paris, Tokyo and Beijing. This plan ensured that by the day of the announcements at EPF, almost all of ARM’s targeted audience would have been briefed, leaving the ARM presenters free to give more in-depth technical demonstrations or follow-up interviews to the editors and analysts in attendance.

Execution

The campaign strategy centered on leveraging the opportunity presented by the product launches to combine distinct product messages into a single, stronger theme that demonstrated ARM’s commitment to delivering technology that directly addressed the needs of semiconductor designers and OEMs in the consumer electronics market.

In preparation for the global launches, Text 100 San Francisco assisted ARM in developing a set of supporting collateral that was then translated for various geographies by the Text 100 offices in London, Paris, Tokyo and Beijing. The consumer electronics focus of the announcements provided an opportunity to up-level ARM’s story for publications that don’t usually cover microprocessors. Therefore, it was necessary for the collateral to begin with a discussion of the market for advanced consumer devices, cover the demands that this market placed on OEMs and semiconductor manufacturers and work its way down to the technology behind the ARM products.

Evaluation

The Text 100 and ARM PR team evaluated the success of the launches on the following criteria: quality and quantity of coverage, direct feedback or commentary from influencers and international reach. The launch was a success on all fronts. Globally, 121 editors and analysts were briefed, resulting in 94 pieces of coverage, including 24 feature articles. The consumer electronics message came through clearly in the coverage. ARM gained the attention of over 40 editors and analysts who had never covered the company before and who continue to be briefed on ARM news, including some who cover only consumer devices. The quality and quantity of coverage was consistent in all international target markets.