Situation
Raybestos Powertrain, Inc. is one of the largest distributors of transmission-related
friction products in the world. The company supplies OE-quality aftermarket products
to transmission rebuilders including bands, clutch plates, torque converter wafers
and Clutch-Pack® modules. Products distributed by Raybestos Powertrain are
developed by OE-manufacturer Raybestos Products Co. and other OE manufacturers.
In 2002, Raybestos Products Co. developed a revolutionary new clutch system for
automatic transmissions that solved a particularly difficult problem for transmission
rebuilders. Raybestos Powertrian made plans to offer the product to the industry
as the Z Pak™ Single-Sided Clutch System.
Problem
The decision to roll out a new product involves complex considerations that
range from how to present the product to how best to target and reach
potential customers.
Integrated
marketing firms like MillerWhite, LLC can help clients make
the best use of what is termed “channels of communication” to
accomplish a new-product roll-out. This includes using:
| |
• Public
relations to build your brand or product identity through
earned media, consumer relations and tradeshows. |
| |
• Advertising
strategically placed to sustain your brand and drive traffic
to your product. |
| |
• Interactive
media to cost-effectively push or pull your brand through
direct access to your audience. The Internet is perhaps
the most versatile channel to support the roll out, make
direct sales and much more. |
Solution
MillerWhite planned a campaign for Z Pak that began even before the product
was available, with an unveiling of the concept at industry trade shows.
This was followed by placement of stories and product information in
trade publications like Transmission Digest and GEARS Magazine. Full-page,
full-color ads were run in the same publications, whose readership is
directly involved in transmission rebuilds. Along with the ads, the product
was promoted online and in the company’s newsletter, which has
a mailing list of more than 18,000. Then, timed to hit just as the product
became available, a CD-Rom presentation was distributed in one of the
trade publications and inserted in the company’s new catalog.
Result
Even the early PR efforts had rebuilders asking for the product and by the
time it was available, demand was high.
