| Integration: Multiple channels sell new HPS image |
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Situation
As the office equipment business moved from simply selling copiers to marketing
imaging systems, HPS Office Systems, a 67-year-old Indiana office equipment
company, had evolved from a speeds-and-feeds background to a true business
and office solutions company. To survive, it had become important for
HPS to leverage its knowledge and its time, as well as sell equipment.
| Company management saw the need to partner with an integrated marketing company to create a new brand and a positioning statement that would reflect its emerging position as a solutions provider. MillerWhite, through its Unlocking the Power of Your Pledge® formula, worked with HPS to create a new company pledge, based on the results of consumer research – “HPS Office Systems - Valued Solutions, Responsive Service.” To implement this pledge, the entire culture of HPS had to change to one of a solutions provider. |  |
Problem
Implementing its new pledge and branding became crucial to the growth
of HPS. Externally, the company needed to differentiate itself as a
business solutions provider in the marketplace, a company that is able
to identify the client’s needs and recommend the best solutions.
Solution |
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has for its clients and its understanding of their business, but also the expertise it has in providing solutions that increase sales, improve profitability and make their operations more efficient. The campaign used the sincere faces of HPS employees speaking directly to clients and potential clients. Television commercials were developed that positioned HPS as a solutions provider that can relate directly to the needs of its clients and respond with valued solutions. A radio spot complemented the television commercials. A direct mail campaign and print ads that tied into the television commercials offered an on-line incentive designed to collect the eMail addresses of current and potential clients. The direct mail pieces went to prospective clients in all markets, and the print ads ran in Indianapolis. The eDatabase will be used for future promotions and to send out the company’s eNewsletter, which is designed around solution stories. The on-line promotion involved a survey conducted to gather information about current and potential clients and to demonstrate that HPS is dedicated to client service. The incentive to answer the survey was eligibility to win $500.00. |
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Results
Internal branding efforts, including Message Action Guidelines based
on the new pledge, have helped to create a common brand culture in
which HPS employees
believe and understand that they are the brand by providing valued
solutions and responsive service to their clients. This culture change
supports the
external efforts – the television, radio, direct mail and print ads,
as well as the on-line survey – that have worked together to solidify HPS’s
new brand image and increase equipment sales.