Changing Market Perceptions to Create a #1 Position

This company provided network switching semiconductors and needed to change negative perceptions about its core technology being a legacy solution. It also needed to establish its own market identity separate from its parent company. We established the company had two primary PR and marketing objectives: educate the market on buying their solution versus building it in-house but, first reposition the legacy technology they were using as thee innovative solution for network switching semiconductors.

To shift the perception of their technology being a legacy (TCAM) solution not fit for what the market needed, Emissary first embarked on developing appropriate messaging to create a positive market position. With the messaging complete, a media and analyst campaign was then necessary to begin the process of repositioning the technology.

On-Going Efforts

Continual PR efforts were a must to change negative perceptions about the company’s choice of using legacy technology to tackle a next generation network routing problem.

Consistent market messaging was targeted at technology and business publications and so, the PR program sought wide media coverage to educate the market on the company’s product advantages, changing perceptions that the legacy technology was not ideal to instead be viewed as the most ideal.

This involved a couple of media / analyst tours, news releases on new products to drive home the message and continued media and analyst relations whereby the company’s products were regularly featured.

Results

The results were strong. The company was routinely featured in various publications such as EE Times; EBN; Electronic News; ECN; Light Reading; the Wall Street Journal; Red Herring and many more.

Strong analyst references came from tier one firms such as Current Analysis; Linley Group; and Sterling Research. In the end, several stories ran noting the company as the market leader and ultimately the company was acquired for $225M. It was the largest acquisition the acquiring company had ever made.

Go to case study 4.