new technology could make the first real life 'bionic man' possible. ... Austin, the
Six Million Dollar Man, as someone the public could relate too, as he.
The Return of the Bionic Man MGB Public Relations Category 11 – Best Use of Media Relations Background Since its foundation in 2007, XGEN – an amalgamation of the UK's top micromachining organisations – has established an international reputation for technical innovation and expertise. Solving complex applications problems has been a strength within each of XGEN's three centres and pulling these skills, experiences, know-how and technology together has made XGEN a force to contend with on the international stage. LML, Microbridge and metaFAB are the three Wales-based companies working together under this one umbrella. However, despite the consortium’s obvious world-class technical expertise in the micromachining and nanotechnogy space, there has been a genuine lack of media presence, which has halted the progress of the organisation in generating new business leads and new investment opportunities. XGEN has enormous commercial potential in areas as diverse as medicine and healthcare, aerospace and telecommunications and it was about time the right communication channels to get this message across were explored. With this in mind, MGB was approached by XGEN to undertake a one-off project at the end of 2008 to raise the profile of the XGEN consortium in the trade and consumer media.
Strategy Following various meetings with the three companies under the XGEN umbrella, MGB identified the work being carried out by Microbridge Services as carrying the most ‘newsworthy’ value. Microbridge had developed a technology using micro needles that would tackle one of the major challenges facing the medical industry - control over artificial limbs in severely disabled spinal injury patients or loss-of-limb patients via direct readings of the brain. The first problem MGB had to overcome was developing a story that was very scientific and technical in its nature into something that would capture the imagination of the public, whilst still retaining its trade appeal. To do this, MGB undertook the following actions:
Through careful research and consultancy with Doctor Robert Hoyle at Microbridge, MGB instantly hooked on to the angle that the development of this new technology could make the first real life ‘bionic man’ possible. It was agreed with the team at Microbridge and the XGEN consortium that this would be the selling point of the story.
After a creative brainstorming session, MGB pinpointed cult 60’s TV figure Steve Austin, the Six Million Dollar Man, as someone the public could relate too, as he was re-known for having bionic limbs. MGB wanted to build the campaign around this concept.
The story of the world’s first ‘bionic man’ was to be MGB’s hero message for XGEN.
Implementation The campaign had all the right ingredients for MGB to be creative and go beyond using the traditional press release selling-in vehicles. Photography: MGB sourced photography of Steve Austin to accompany the press release on the re-birth of the Six Million Dollar Man. MGB also sourced scientific photography from Microbridge for the trade specific press. Journalist teaser: In advance of the press release being distributed to the relevant target media, MGB sent out a journalists teaser of the first series of the Six Million Dollar Man on DVD. This was included with a preview note saying: “COMING SOON…THE RETURN OF THE BIONIC MAN…RELEASED ON 18 NOVEMBER” Factsheet: MGB created a ‘Top 10’ factsheet on the developments of the Bionic Man through history, which was picked up by the Welsh national paper, Western Mail and by Radio 4, who ran a feature on the Bionic Man, which included an interview with Microbridge’s Dr Robert Hoyle. Audio mail shot: MGB edited the six-minute opening credits to the television series into an audio electronic file and issued this to the media via email with the release and pictures attached. The audio clip sent to the national journalists included the lines: “STEVE AUSTIN, ASTRONAUT. A MAN BARELY ALIVE... GENTLEMEN, WE CAN REBUILD HIM! WE HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO BUILD THE FIRST BIONIC MAN. STEVE AUSTIN WILL BE THAT MAN!” Social networking sites: MGB used social networking sites to publicise the story. By getting in touch with facebook creators of the ‘Steve Austin and Six Million Dollar Man’ fan pages, MGB was able to post the press releases up on the sites, which had the opportunity to be read by thousands each day.
Facility trade trips: To target the trade audience, which included the micromachining, nanotechnology and science press, MGB organised facility trip visits to the Microbridge laboratories. A number of key journalists including those from Nanotechnology Today, Advances Magazine, the New Scientist and the science correspondent of the Daily Telegraph attended the trips. MGB tailored the press release accordingly for the trade press, who would have a greater understanding of the scientific technology used by Microbridge.
Result By delving deep into the innovation and world-class expertise that is present at XGEN, MGB has managed to create a news story which has not only captured the imagination of the world because of its links to the 60’s television hit series, the Six Million Dollar Man, but
also has a serious message underpinning it; that scientists have come up with a technological breakthrough that could solve one of the major challenges facing the medical industry today. MGB has achieved 45 pieces of coverage for XGEN and Microbridge with the national and international press, hitting trade and consumer titles, including a page two piece in the Daily Telegraph and page three of the Western Mail. The story was also featured on BBC Radio 4, BBC TV, BBC Radio Wales, ITV, S4C and local independent radio stations as well as websites and newswires across the world, creating a genuine stir of excitement around the re-birth of the Six Million Dollar Man and the real possibility of the first Bionic Man. The coverage exceeded expectations with 45 pieces appearing in some of the most well respected national and international publications,. Following the positive publicity, Microbridge Services and XGEN has been inundated with new business leads and new investment opportunities. Doctor Robert Hoyle of Microbridge has also been invited to guest speak on this new technology breakthrough at key national and international conferences in the nanotechnology, micromachining and science space. Along with this, Mircrobridge has been approached by number of people who have suffered loss of limbs and spinal injuries in the hope that XGEN can help them in the not so distant future. For Microbridge and XGEN this was the key purpose of the campaign.
