Covidien: Collaboration Leads to Successful Media Relations Campaign

On June 19, 2008, Covidien launched its Unite to Treat Sleep Apnea program by announcing a partnership with Sleep Pointe. This campaign was aimed at educating, diagnosing and treating long-distance truck drivers with sleep apnea. Covidien needed a national campaign to reach both sleep publications and truck drivers and owner-operators. Morrissey & Company developed a four-city plan that would promote this program to key media markets. The cross-country approach included an initial launch at Covidien’s Boulder campus, trucking shows in Las Vegas and Dallas and a medical devices trade show in Atlanta.

As part of the initial Boulder launch, Morrissey & Company contracted Alfred Williams, a former NFL player and current Denver radio sportscaster, to act as spokesman. In that capacity, he went through an overnight sleep apnea test. The Unite to Treat Sleep Apnea program garnered significant interest among sleep and trucking publications, as well as in the mainstream media.

Results

Morrissey & Company secured placement in Commercial Carrier Journal, The Trucker, TruckNet, eTrucker, Big Rig Owner, Advance for Managers of Respiratory Care, Advance for Respiratory Care Practitioners, Respiratory Management, Sleep Diagnosis and Therapy, HME News, Respiratory Report, HomeCare Magazine, SLEEPzine, CPAPtalk.com and HelpMeToSleep.com. Coverage also appeared on all major network affiliates, “The Good Morning Boulder” show and the Overdrive Radio Network.