Global entertainment leader, Activision, appoints Pulse Communications

Pulse Communications has boosted its youth and entertainment portfolio with its appointment by Activision, the world’s leading interactive entertainment and video games publisher.

The agency will work closely with Activision and its partner agencies to create a strategic and creative communications plan, incorporating all elements of traditional media plus social media stakeholder engagement, ambassador programmes and high-profile experiential activations.

Pulse won the Activision account in a competitive pitch and will work in tandem with Activision’s in-house PR and marketing team across the Activision portfolio including games releases, downloadable content and new entertainment IPs.

Activision Senior Vice President, Ben Graetz, said: “We are thrilled to be working with an agency of Pulse’s calibre and know they will be a great partner in what will be one of the biggest years ever for our fans and for Activision.”

The first campaign for Pulse will be the launch of the innovative new kid’s property, Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure. This will be followed closely by the launch of Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3, which is widely expected to be the biggest entertainment product of the year.

The win further boosts the youth and entertainment portfolio at Pulse, which includes leading brands such as Twentieth Century Fox, Hot Wheels, LG, Monster High and Disney and adds to a string of recent business wins including Kimberley-Clark, Mattel, and Carnival Cruise Lines Australia.

Pulse Communications Managing Director, Matt Buchanan, said: “Gaming now dominates the entertainment industry and Activision is the best in class, so this is definitely an exciting win for Pulse.

“As the company who launched Xbox in Australia, we have the perfect skill set to hit the ground running and plenty of keen gamers among the team, raring to get started. With properties such as Call of Duty, the most successful entertainment property in history, Activision is an amazing addition to our youth and entertainment portfolio.”

Pulse Communications is part of Ogilvy PR, the largest and most awarded public relations agency in Australia. Ogilvy PR Australia is a joint venture between Ogilvy PR Worldwide and STW Group, Australia’s leading marketing content and communications services group.

Ends.

For more information contact:

Rebecca Tilly

STW Group

Ph: +61 410 501 043

Hot Wheels™: Small cars with a big history

From humble beginnings, to becoming the world’s biggest car manufacturer, Hot Wheels continues to be a hit for Aussie car lovers of all ages in 2011.

With more than four billion model cars sold since 1968, Hot Wheels is one of the world’s most enduring motor vehicle manufacturers. Starting with a range of just 16 cars, the Mattel Hot Wheels brand now boasts a an awesome range of over 1000 models, with an estimated 41 million adults loving and ‘driving’ Hot Wheels all over the world. In 2011, consumer public relations agency Pulse Communications, has been tasked with reigniting the passion and creating great experiences for ‘vehicle loving boys of all ages’.

To kick the year off, in January and February 2011 Hot Wheels^™ gave motorists in the key markets of Sydney and Melbourne, a blast from the past, transforming Shell service stations into fully serviced pit stops and offering fuel at the price it was in 1968, an amazing, 10c/L, the year the toy brand began manufacturing. The Fuel Your Passion public relations campaign aimed to draw on the spirit of 1968, by offering Aussies the chance to remember the ‘good old days’ when fuel was cheap and many of today’s classic cars were born.

The events held between 12-2pm at key Coles Express service stations attracted over 1200 customers and generated news coverage reaching 13,897,428 eyeballs nationwide.

To maintain this momentum, Hot Wheels introduced 3D projection to Australia for the first time when the dynamic speed racing battle lit up Sydney’s Customs House on the evening of March 10. Brought to life by international digital production agency Muse, the projection featured footage of the world’s fastest toy vehicles, shattering the building’s facade and racing into a fantasy world. Hot Wheels® fans, young and old, gathered to watch the debut live on March 10 as the iconic Twin Mill crossed the finish line and Sydney’s most historic buildings was left in a virtual pile of rubble.  Since then, almost 200,000 Aussies have clicked through to get in on the action. Check it out below!

And some fun fast facts about Hot Wheels:

• The highest price ever paid for a single Hot Wheels car is approximately $72,000, for a pink 1969 1:64-scale Volkswagen Beach Bomb, in 2000
• Placed front-to-rear, all Hot Wheels vehicles produced in the last 40 years would circle the Earth more than four times
• Some of the largest Hot Wheels collections are valued at more than $1,000,000
• To commemorate Hot Wheels 40th anniversary and the production of the four billionth Hot Wheels car, celebrity jeweller Jason of Beverly Hills created a one-of-a-kind, 1:64-scale jewel-encrusted Hot Wheels valued at $140,000

Lex Deasley to speak at Mumbrella 360 conference

Pulse Communications Creative Director, Lex Deasley, will be speaking at the upcoming Mumbrella 360 conference. The topic for discussion is ‘The six things that are wrong with PR and how to fix them’. The conference will be held on June 7 at the Hilton Hotel in Sydney.

Take a look at the line up and register to attend the conference here.

Pulse wins Carnival Cruise Lines

Agency to launch world’s largest cruise company to the Australian market

Sydney, May 2, 2011: Leading consumer agency, Pulse Communications, part of Ogilvy PR Australia, has won the PR business for the world’s largest cruise company following a four-way competitive pitch.

Pulse will begin work immediately for Carnival Cruise Lines to launch the successful travel company to both Australian consumers and the travel industry.  It will execute a series of campaigns, through both traditional and social media, to attract cruise enthusiasts and new customers to the brand, building up to the first ‘sail’ from Sydney in October 2012.

Pulse Managing Director, Matt Buchanan said the campaign was particularly significant as it will be the first time the cruise company has permanently deployed a ship outside the United States.

“This is an incredibly successful and exciting brand to launch to the Australian market, and with cruising on the increase in Australia we anticipate there will be significant interest in Carnival Cruise Lines expansion,” he said.

Carnival Cruise Lines Director, Jennifer Vandekreeke said she was impressed by Pulse’s ability and track record in delivering engaging and successful campaigns and the team’s strong social media experience.

“Our move to the Australian market is a major step for Carnival Cruise Lines, and one that we’re very excited about.  I’ve only been in Australia for a few months but already, I see a lot of similarities between the authenticity and playfulness of the Carnival Cruise Lines brand and Australians’ outlook on life. We’re looking forward to working with the team at Pulse to leverage these synergies,” she said.

Buchanan said the appointment was another example of Pulse’s strong brand building expertise combined with deep travel sector expertise and adds to the agency’s travel and tourism work with The Malaysia Trade Commission, Tourism Australia and Tourism NSW.

Pulse Communications is part of Ogilvy PR Australia, a joint venture between Ogilvy PR Worldwide and STW Group, Australia’s leading marketing content and communications services group.

Ends.

For more information contact:

Rebecca Tilly

STW Group

Ph: +61 410 501 043

Puma and Pulse Communications invites you to meet someone fit at the Puma Love Run

Puma staged its first-ever ‘Love Run’ on the 2011 Valentine’s Day weekend, which saw almost 1500 Melbournians take to the streets in search of a Valentine’s date.

Consumer public relations agency Pulse Communications, in an integrated plan with Badjar Ogilvy Melbourne urged Melbournites to pull more than a muscle and snag themselves a date with the fun run which was followed by a love-inspired after party featuring Nova’s Jody Mcleod and hit international act, Miami Horror. The campaign, which used the strap line ‘Meet someone fit’ was created as a fun event for people who love staying fit and the challenge of exercise but are not necessarily elite runners. Bringing runners together in a social sense was key and attracted a great crowd with people connecting in a fun fitness inspired way. As part of the Love Run, participants wore different colour tees indicating if they were single or if ‘hooked up’. Runners could undertake a 4.5km ‘cheeky quicky’ run, or a longer 6.5km event.

Ambassadors Chris Judd of the Carlton Football Club and Nova DJ Ash Williams were engaged to spread the love with the event securing coverage in the Herald Sun, MX, MTR, News.com.au, B&T, FHM and News.com.au and reaching over 33 million people Australia wide

The goal for 2012 is to spread the love nationally with more love run events popping up over the nation next year and bringing more lovers together.

For more information and images, please contact Alice Coulthard at Pulse Communications 03 9684 6332 alice@pulsecom.com.au

Puma www.puma.com.au

Ogilvy PR’s NextGenLeaders 2011

On Thursday 24^th March, Ogilvy Public Relations launched its 2011 leadership program, NextGenLeaders – Creating Giants. This is the third year we have run NGL, a 12 month program designed to train and develop 30 of our future leaders across all of the Ogilvy PR businesses.

This year’s theme of ‘Creating Giants’ grew from the ‘David Ogilvy Giants’ which focuses on exhibiting and living the characteristics that David Ogilvy looked for. We have built the program around three pillars – The Craft, The People and The Performance.

Matt Buchanan, Managing Director of Pulse Communications is the new champion of the program, taking over from Kieran Moore who has led NGL for the last two years.

Matt said: “Our Next Generation Leaders program is testament of our investment in rising and senior talent. This year’s program will provide participants with the best industry training to enhance and improve both technical and behavioural communication skills as well as training in Ogilvy tools, products and services. It’s also a great networking opportunity for participants to work with other like minded people from across our different businesses.”

Starting 2011 by ‘Shopping with a Conscience’

Issues: One of Australia’s favourite charities, The Salvation Army, relies heavily on funding from its Salvos Stores across the country. However, recent research showed a decline in foot traffic into local Salvos Stores. Reasons include a lack of awareness about Salvos Stores locations, low awareness about items for purchase, and no understanding of the importance of Salvos Stores in the local community.

Insight: Salvos Stores are full of great bargains and unique, one-off items. In addition, each time Australians shop at their local Salvos Store they’re helping the environment (by buying recycled goods) and their local community (as 100% of all proceeds from purchases made at local Salvos Stores go back to The Salvation Army to help the local community). Consumer public relations agency, Pulse Communications, knew that these key factors needed to be communicated to Australia, as it would encourage people to revisit their local Salvos Store.

Strategy: Pulse partnered with Salvos Stores as a pro bono client and created the first ever ‘Shopping with a Conscience’ month, to launch during the ‘New Years Resolution’ period to encourage Aussies to “shop local and discover local” at their local Salvos Store. To coincide with the public relations campaign, Salvos Stores launched its online store – the first charity online shopping site of its kind in the country. The online shopping story was our lead angle at launch, supported by the start of ‘Shopping with a Conscience’ month.

Challenges: The week before launch, the state of Queensland experienced its worst flooding on record. This caused loss of life, wide spread devastation and severe damage to Salvos Stores in the area. The Salvation Army was heavily involved in the relief efforts, and it was therefore important we addressed this issue in a sensitive way without compromising the ‘Shopping with a Conscience’ campaign. Therefore our messaging was: Given the recent flood disaster, it’s more important than ever that Australians ‘shop with a conscience’ this month to help us help flood affected areas and victims.

Activities: To strengthen the online message and provide a cost efficient way for the charity to communicate its announcement, Pulse conducted the press conference via an online presentation program webex, which received wide praise from the client and media. To complement the webex, Pulse held a vision call at a local Salvos Store which helped generate TV coverage. Pulse also conducted an extensive ambassador engagement program of behalf of the charity, which secured key Australian identities including two TV presenters, a fashion designer, a local mayor and a famous photographer to use for media outreach and consumer engagement in-store.

Results: Pulse generated 104 pieces of coverage (more than double the agreed KPIs) in the first week alone. Coverage highlights include Channel 9 News, Channel 7’sToday Tonight and a half page feature in one of Australia’s largest newspapers, the Daily Telegraph. The public relations campaign has allowed Salvos Stores to connect with over 10 million Australians (nearly half the population) and generated an equivalent of $263,231 worth of advertising value for the worthy cause.

Launching Australia’s first Rainforest Alliance Tea by Lipton

Brief: Assist in launching Lipton Black Tea sourced from Rainforest Alliance Certified™ farms – a first for the Australian tea industry.

Challenge: Prior to the tea’s launch, Australians had a limited understanding and awareness of the Rainforest Alliance Certification™. Pulse needed to manage media skepticism and claims of “green washing” which was an issue high on the media agenda.

Insight: Australians want to make a positive contribution to sustainability and make their world a better place but any actions they undertake need to be manageable and accessible.

Creative Idea: Give Australians tips to make better, sustainable choices at home.

Campaign:  Ogilvy PR’s consumer public relations agency, Pulse Communications, released the “Sustainable Australia?” report, a 12 month study which delved into Australians attitudes and perceptions of sustainability, with support from the Rainforest Alliance.

Pulse briefed 20 key NGO and influencers in the field of sustainability on the new research and certification process. Following this, a press conference featuring key Unilever and Rainforest Alliance spokespeople was held to engage news, environment and marketing media.

Pulse invited two journalists from Notebook and the Sydney Morning Herald to visit the Lipton’s first certified tea plantation in Kericho, Kenya.

To increase longevity of the story as a new angle in phase two of the public relations campaign Pulse focused on one of the key findings from the “Sustainable Australia?” report which revealed Australians are confused about sustainability and how to take action. In order to overcome this, Pulse gave Australians the tools to act sustainably by engaging key women’s/sustainability bloggers by getting sustainability expert Katie Patrick to develop the Lipton “Make a Better Choice” pack which will included top tips for Australians to act sustainability in the home.

Outcome:

• Over 13 million people have been reached through consumer and trade media coverage including key pieces in mx, Sydney Morning Herald, metro radio 2UE and a five-page feature in Notebook
• Pulse successfully managed to overcome any “green washing” claims and negotiated two positive stories with Julian Lee, Marketing Editor of the SMH, including a key news piece in the front section of the paper
• Twenty NGOs and key influencers were engaged on the certification process and the launch announcement received wide support
• 50 pieces of consumer and trade media coverage has been secured including key pieces in metro newspapers
• Every piece of media coverage secured featured at least one key message and over 85 per cent of coverage featured two key messages around Lipton’s commitment to sourcing tea with the Rainforest Alliance
• Over 7,000 Australians engaged in the blogger micro-contest therefore becoming involved in the sustainability concept, and Lipton’s partnership with the Rainforest Alliance

Plan International: Because I am a Girl Campaign

Challenge: To assist community development NGO ; Plan International Australia in launching its third annual report; Because I am a Girl: The State of the World’s Girls 2009 and raise the profile of Plan International in Australia with maximum media, corporate and consumer support.

Insight: Women make 81 percent of the charitable decisions in the home however women want an emotional connection with the charity they support.

Idea: To differentiate Plan’s Because I am a Girl campaign from any other NGO campaign, Ogilvy PR’s consumer public relations agency, Pulse Communications, coined the term ‘the gender-rational poverty cycle’.  A two- phased call to action was designed to demonstrate how breaking this cycle in developing countries by investing in girls would ultimately benefit everyone – men, women, boys and girls.

Influence:

• Pulse secured 66 pieces of  coverage including SBS TV, National 9 News, ABC Radio National , The Australian, AFR and Nova 96.9 FM
• Key features appeared in long-lead lifestyle media: Notebook, Marie Claire and Vogue
• The campaign was commended in the 2010 PRIA State Awards, Community Relations category

Pulse lures youth marketing expert to Australian shores

Award-winning consumer agency Pulse Communications has hired another leading consultant from the UK, with experiential and youth marketing expert Lex Deasley joining the company this month as Practice Director.

With more than 15 years’ experience in lifestyle brand PR, Deasley most recently worked at Red Bull as Senior Communications Manager, National Campaigns & Culture, where he was responsible for the promotion of the brand through properties such as Music Academy, X-Fighters, Air Race & BC One.

He has also worked at recognised integrated agency Exposure in London, where he was responsible for its highly-visible sports and entertainment division consulting to brands such as Nike, Levi’s, Rizla, Umbro and Triumph motorcycles.

The senior hire follows a spate of new business wins and continued client growth for Pulse, and will see Deasley head up the highly successful CUB account and focus on new business.  He will also drive the development of a new youth and sports offering within the organisation.

Deasley joins Matt Buchanan at the agency, who returned back to Sydney to take up the position of Managing Director at Pulse in September this year after a 12-year stint in the UK.

Buchanan said Deasley had unique experience in youth marketing, sport and creating “talkability for brands”.

“Lex has worked on some highly successful, creative and innovative campaigns where he has helped generate positive word of mouth in a challenging space,” he said.

“His work with brands like Red Bull, Nike and Umbro has been outstanding, and will be a key factor in the future direction of the business.  We’re excited to have him on board.”

Pulse was awarded the Best New Consultancy in 2004 (Asia Pacific PR Awards), Campaign of the Year (2008 Asia Pacific PR Awards), and has gone on to win over 50 Australian and global awards including the top honour for all WPP-owned PR agencies worldwide.

Pulse is part of Ogilvy PR Australia, a joint venture between Ogilvy PR Worldwide and STW Group, Australia’s leading marketing content and communications services group.

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