Covansys
Thought Leadership

Covansys Corporation (NASDAQ: CVNS), a global consulting and technology services company, began 2003 blessed with a strong foundation of satisfied clients but seeking growth beyond its base. With a very limited marketing budget, the company needed a compelling way to introduce itself to mid- and large-sized companies with global IT operations. It identified the Container Security Initiative (CSI) and the Sunrise Date as little known mandates that would require major IT infrastructure investment among enterprises with global supply chains. Covansys turned to Morrissey & Company to help it establish an early mover advantage in the little known field. The agency’s highly creative program included:

• Researching and compiling a comprehensive list of influencers, experts, media, and analysts who might be interested in the topic
• Creating the “CSI Institute,” a resource web site offering comprehensive information on IT implications of CSI and Sunrise Date through expert white papers and FAQs, relevant links, news coverage of related issues and direct access to a Covansys’ experts
• Scripting a series of executive webinars for various audiences
• Creating a quarterly, branded “CSI Institute” newsletter for a continuously updated mailing list
• And, briefing top industry analysts, including at AMR Research, Forrester/Giga, and Gartner

Media coverage of the effort during 2003 earned 44 media placements, including articles and cover stories in primary industry publications such as RFID Journal, Journal of Commerce, Managing Exports and eaiJournal. The coverage exposed more than 5 million supply chain executives to Covansys’ expertise and resulted in speaking engagements at supply chain conferences in the U.S. and Europe. Covansys received more than 1,000 inquiries, which yielded more than 300 qualified customer leads – many from Fortune 100 companies. The program also led to a partnership with IBM to conduct additional seminars on the topic in key U.S. markets.

Staples

Intelligent research always provides the best foundation for a successful PR program. With the Democratic National Convention coming to Boston in the summer of 2004, hundreds of businesses debated whether to seek the attention of the global audience attending and watching the event. The fact that the convention presented the first major American political event since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks made security arrangements a real concern. Staples, founder of the office supply superstore, turned to Morrissey & Company to determine how to use the convention to strengthen its relationships with educators, Hispanics and small businesses. The agency developed and executed an audience identification research program to:

• Identify representation of the three key audiences among those attending the convention
• Understand the size and mission of each of the key audience groups and why these organizations planned to attend
• Research all convention-related activities the audience groups were planning to attend or host
• And, provide a complete report of each audience category of interest, as well as the plans for each organization while they were in Boston and key contacts within audience segment.

While providing ideas for marketing activities and communications programs for Staples to consider, Morrissey & Company counseled the company to re-think whether any communications program could be effective during the convention. Staples decided not to go forward, saving tens of thousands of dollars.

Nike

Just eight weeks before the Boston Marathon descended on greater Boston in 2002, the Running Division of Nike, Inc., the world’s largest designer, marketer and distributor of authentic athletic footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories for sports and fitness, needed an aggressive guerilla broadcast, marketing and print campaign to highlight local runners and strengthen the company’s bonds with Boston’s strong running community. The company chose Morrissey & Company based on the firm’s deep knowledge of the market and event management experience. Faced with incredible competition from official Marathon sponsors, the agency developed and implemented a successful integrated communications plan that achieved each of Nike’s goals, including:

• Leveraging Nike’s strong professional relationships with previous Marathon winners and Nike-sponsored runners, Joan Benoit and Catherine Ndereba, running clinics were staged to connect with women runners.
• Creatively marketing Nike’s “Steps” campaign to highlight the variety of “steps” a runner must take to compete – on a variety of levels – on Marathon day.
• And, designing and distributing 30 highly memorable media kits for key reporters and editors in the city’s major broadcast and print outlets. The smartly packaged kit included original writing, creative and design content, including “How to Cheer,” “Choosing the Right Shoe,” and Elite Runner Bios, as well as Gait Analysis and Race Recovery tips.

Nike received positive coverage in numerous local, regional and national print media including The Boston Globe and Wall Street Journal, and secured broadcast coverage on Boston’s top TV stations including the NBC and CBS affiliates, New England Cable News and National Public Radio. Nike rehired Morrissey & Company for its 2003 and 2004 Boston Marathon activities.

Raytheon
Internal Communications

Even industry leaders face challenges in keeping up with communications and information technology trends. Raytheon, a global leader in defense and government electronics, takes pride in the intellectual capital of its employees and takes seriously the need to keep internal audiences connected with the company’s latest innovations. The Raytheon Learning Institutes is an organization within the company that manages and hosts the eLearning center for employee education and training – Raytheon’s own internal eLearning curriculum. By 2004, however, executives felt the site was not working at the level of quality maintained by the rest of Raytheon’s information systems.

Raytheon turned to Morrissey & Company to revamp the center to make it a more effective resource for employees seeking to build their professional skills and/or knowledge. The program included:

• A thorough analysis of the existing site, including navigation, design, traffic patterns, content priorities, current use by employees and desired impact
• Application of that analysis to a site redesign to make it more functional and intuitive for employees, as well as more visually appealing and easier to navigate
• And, a quality assurance analysis to ensure that the re-designed site stressed the value that RLI can offer the entire workforce.

Raytheon executives expressed high satisfaction with the finished product, which the company intends to roll out to its global workforce in 2005.

The Austrian Trade Commission

The Vienna Business Agency of Austria and The Austrian Trade Commission faced the daunting task of breaking into the tight-knit Boston business community as part of its effort to form U.S.-based business relationships in key markets. Morrissey & Company’s network of relationships within the city’s business, legal and academic communities made the agency a natural partner to assist in the effort. In just under four months, the firm developed, promoted and executed a high-profile networking event, “Doing Business in Austria.” The public relations and marketing program included:

• Using Morrissey & Company’s extensive business network to identify and attract key business decision-makers to the event to learn more about business opportunities in Austria
• Developing appropriate invitations, letters, and new website content
• Managing event sponsorships by the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council and by a leading Boston law firm, Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr.
• And, creating and managing a direct mail campaign, and a direct mail follow-up to key decision-makers and business leaders in Boston.

Awareness of Vienna and Austria increased dramatically in the Boston market, particularly within the biotech sectors, due to the higher than expected attendance at the “Doing Business in Austria” event. Within months, the Vienna Business Agency had begun discussions with Morrissey & Company to plan another Boston event and events in other key U.S. markets.

Raytheon
Event Materials

Raytheon, an industry leader in defense and government electronics, has long been an advocate of and devotee to the efficiency principals of Six Sigma. While its Six Sigma curriculum traditionally focused solely on Raytheon employees, the company decided in 2003 to expand its instruction to encourage adoption of Six Sigma principals by key stakeholders outside of Raytheon. Executives decided to launch this effort by hosting a conference to educate customers and suppliers on the value of the company’s innovative Six Sigma methodology.

Raytheon asked Morrissey & Company to develop brochures and conference materials that would not only maintain alignment with the company’s brand but also clearly communicate what can often be difficult and complex topics for audiences not familiar with Six Sigma theory and practice. Working closely with program managers under a tight delivery deadline, the agency compiled information on the goals of the new, expanded program; developed new visuals, content and tagline; and, composed, designed and produced an informational brochure and fact sheets on all aspects of the company’s Six Sigma program. The conference proved successful. Raytheon’s Six Sigma program has enjoyed steady enrollment growth.

Community Resources for Justice

Community Resources for Justice, Inc. has been committed to creating safer communities in New England for more than 125 years. But after several mergers and a name change, the organization suffered from a lack of awareness and a murky reputation among influencers in the community and state legislature. CRJ asked Morrissey & Company to help re-define its messaging and positioning, and to reinvigorate its visibility and thought leadership among key audiences. Morrissey & Company worked with CRJ to implement the program by:

• Conducting a small audience reputation audit and researching an updated influencer’s list
• Creating CRJ’s first “mission book” to synthesize and sharpen messaging about the organization’s services and value for internal and external audiences
• Increasing awareness of CRJ in various communities with media placements in key publications such as the Boston Globe and Boston Herald.
• Arranging briefings on CRJ’s legislative agenda with high-ranking local, regional and national government officials.
• And, establishing a “concerned citizens” panel to maintain CRJ’s contact within various audiences.

Morrissey & Company’s program revitalized CRJ’s voice in corrections and public safety discussions, and resulted in key print and broadcast media placements throughout New England.

Trigen

Trigen-Boston, a reliable source for steam cogeneration to approximately 235 commercial customers and nearly 1 million consumers, recognized their existing customers’ need for advanced cooling systems and their own need to diversify their product line. Trigen-Boston planned to launch a new product, and simultaneously use this launch to increase awareness of their brand, maintain brand consistency among their diverse product line, and increase their existing and new customer base. Morrissey & Company worked with Trigen-Boston to formulate a marketing communications program that included:

• Developing a straightforward name (“Trigen Cooling”) for their new advanced cooling products
• Designing a new logo that aligned with the company’s heating product logo.
• Building a unified collateral system which included a corporate brochure, kit folder and fact sheets to be used in a direct marketing campaign.
• And, executing a direct mail postcard program to enhance top-of-mind awareness among potential clients.

The integrated marketing campaign developed by Morrissey & Company communicated the key benefits of Trigen’s new product while maintaining its alignment with the company’s existing corporate brand and reputation in the market.