Integrated Marketing Communications Case Study

Case study:
FORD NO BOUNDARIES MOUNT EVERESTEXPEDITION

The opportunity

Fords No Boundaries slogan celebrates those who overcome lifes obstacles and turnno into yes. With its innovative media relations support of Team No Boundaries:Everest Expedition 2002, Hill & Knowlton showed that there are no boundaries interms of ability to generate brand-building media coverage. To personify its No Boundaries spirit, Ford Motor Company brought together ateam of five American women, all amateur mountain climbers prepared to stare deathin the face and make a life-long dream a reality scaling the worlds tallest peak:Mt Everest. Ford provided the financial support and resources to make this expeditiona reality, and Hill & Knowlton stepped forward to ensure that the eyes of thenation were following this incredible group of women, attempting to be the first-everall-female climbing team to reach Everests summit.
The strategic approach

Realizing the expedition provided a very compelling story and running drama, includingteam members who were mothers and grandmothers, ranging in age from thirty-fiveto fifty-eight who collectively had conquered physical challenges posed by cancer, heartdisease, and diabetes among others, H & K cast a wide net for coverage includinggeneral interest, sports, lifestyle, and medical media outlets.The objectives of H & K were to: Generate national and regional media coverage of the entire expedition fromlaunch to summit.
SCENE SETTING: THEORY AND PRACTICE

Overcome geographic challenges posed by Mt Everest to bring the Team NoBoundaries story to homes across America.

Create a strong association between Fords No Boundaries philosophy, theFord Expedition, and the incredible efforts of the team among the generalpublic through in-depth national and regional media coverage.

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The work

The programme was launched at the New York Auto Show, with all five members ofthe team free-falling from the rafters of the Javitz Convention Center around Fordsnew Expedition to thunderous applause from everyone gathered.Following a successful launch event, a Today Show appearance, and a nationalsatellite media tour, the H & K team faced the greatest logistical challenge of their Collective careers. With overwhelming media interest, how were they going to keepfeeding the media monster and interested public with updates on the Team NoBoundaries climb? In its common applications, satellite technology provides public relations professionalsa means of conveniently spoon-feeding news to the media and bridginggeographic gaps from city to city. But when the hostile front lines of a Middle Easternmilitary conflict or the unforgiving terrain of Mt Everest are brought into living roomsacross America, the value of satellite technology is aweinspiring.In order to accomplish such vast impact and reach, H & Ks plan called for: Utilization of high-tech TH2 portable satellite equipment in order to providelive interviews from Mt Everest. TH2 portable satellite transmission units were secured in order to transmit live audio and visual signals from Everestfor the purpose of live interviews with US broadcast outlets (these are thesame units used by media in order to transmit live correspondence fromremote and often hostile terrain such as the front lines of military zones in theMiddle East). A streamlined process of capturing and transporting footage and sound bytesfrom the mountain to the USA.

1 2Use of satellite-fed VNRs as the primary means of generating consistent

Coverage of the expeditions various stages.A system was developed and implemented by which weekly digital video footagewas shot by team members and guides while climbing the mountain, transported downthe mountain on yaks (thats correct . . . yaks) by Nepalese Sherpas (mountain men)to a DHL facility near base camp, and shipped to a satellite broadcast Centre in NewYork City. With equipment and personnel in place, H & K maintained aggressive media pitchingthroughout the expedition to national and regional media outlets, offering live interviews Via satellite with team members from base camp. Most notably, NBCs today
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Show and CNN were secured in advance of the expedition to provide exclusive weeklycoverage throughout the duration of the climb.H & K worked with broadcast centre staff editing weekly footage into four- to sixminuteVNRs that were distributed to media around the country via satellite. Satellitemedia advisories were issued and aggressive follow-up efforts were made in advanceof each satellite feed to encourage pick-up and coverage. In addition to these efforts to generate coverage during the actual climb, H & Kscheduled and managed Team No Boundaries media tours in New York City bothprior to and immediately following the expedition.
The impact

Weekly VNRs served as the leading vehicle for regular coverage, generatingmore than 400 media hits during the 6-week expedition. In addition, theVNRs were picked up on CNNs international feed each week, extending thestorys impact to countries around the world. The VNRs averaged more than 80 broadcast hits from each satellite feed.

Regular national coverage throughout the climb from The Today Show andCNN.
SCENE SETTING: THEORY AND PRACTICE

National broadcast hits including NBCs Today Show, CNN Live, CNNHeadline News, CNN Sunday, ABCs World News Tonight, The Tonight Show,Inside Edition, National Geographic, ABCs World News Weekend and GoodMorning America, and on CNBC and Oxygen Network.

Secured national magazine exclusive feature with Oprah Magazine. In a yearthat saw a record number of climbers (both individual and group) reach thesummit of Mt Everest, only Team No Boundaries garnered consistent nationalcoverage and recognition, despite coming up 300 feet short. Overall campaign generated more than 330 million media impressions equal tonearly $6 million in advertising value. Wire story from Associated Press resulted in print coverage across the nationregarding the expeditions launch.

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All resulting coverage included Fords No Boundaries slogan, Fordssponsorship, the Ford Expedition or testimonials from team membersregarding the No Boundaries philosophy.

Instructions: 1. Analyze the case thoroughly and submit your point of view of IMC in written form. 2. Make use of the online resources to support your point of view. 3. The case study is an individual task and needs to be submitted on the next working day and is a part of CAP evaluation. 4. Use A4 sheets and limit the pages to three and six sides. It is a hand written assignment.
5. The

Questions: 1. Find out about the Mount Everest Expedition & analyze how Ford was successful with this campaign in communicating the message and used the media effectively? 2. What are the different types of Media Ford Used to communicate its Message? 3. How Ford Company developed a media plan for this campaign? 4. How is the effectiveness of media of this campaign is measured?
2.

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