Case Study: Advertising Creative, Strategy, and Placement—A LandWarNet Success Story

The Market Challenge
Secure wireless tactical communications technologies are essential for government, particularly in the Department of Defense (DoD) where the warfighter’s ability to securely communicate in the field is often the advantage needed to achieve mission success and save lives.  With a strong base of DoD agency and service customers – including the National Guard, Marine Corps, Navy, and Army – Fortress maintains its visibility and brand awareness in the market through strategic public relations [link to Fortress PR case study] and marketing.  Fortress’ participation as an exhibitor at the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association’s (AFCEA) LandWarNet 2009 Conference provided a great opportunity to launch multiple new products with its target market and generate press coverage with attending media.  The challenge was to maximize Fortress’ participation at the event by ensuring that key defense leaders and decision-makers visited the Fortress booth to learn about the company and its new solutions.  That’s where a targeted advertising campaign came in…    

Speaking the Language of Government – the CWI Difference
Fortress’ decision to launch its new products against the backdrop of the 2009 AFCEA LandWarNet Conference – among the largest defense, communications, and IT events in the defense IT community – was a smart one.  AFCEA LandWarNet is routinely well-attended by senior leadership from Army, Joint, defense, and industry organizations – Fortress’ key business targets.  Companies exhibiting at the show must overcome one major obstacle:  competing with hundreds of defense and IT exhibitors vying for the same critical audience at the show.  Fortress teamed with CWI on a strategy to increase the exposure of the company’s brand and the launch of its new products, generate onsite buzz among event attendees, and drive traffic to its booth – print advertising. 

CWI recommended placing ads in publication issues scheduled for bonus distribution at AFCEA LandWarNet 2009, including Defense Systems, Military Information Technology, and SIGNAL.  The ads provided a “teaser” to promote the new products and invited AFCEA LandWarNet attendees to visit the Fortress booth at the event, where they could view/demo the physical products.  As part of the campaign, CWI:

• Identified the key publications scheduled to provide bonus distribution at the show
• Served as media buyer for Fortress, negotiating favorable advertising rates and placing media insertion orders with Defense Systems, Military Information Technology, and SIGNAL
• Developed and executed on a timeline for insertion orders and materials delivery
• Developed a creative concept targeted to event attendees
• Created artwork for the print ads that included a unique URL to track site visits
• Adapted the print ad concept for use as a pre-show promotional emailing

Key Results
Fortress’ ad campaign reinforced its public relations efforts and maximized its existing marketing investment for the event.  Key results included:

• Increased exposure to over 5,000 attendees from the defense IT community in three publications simultaneously
• Increased awareness of Fortress’ new products at the show and in the market
• Increased brand credibility
• Measurable leads tied to the unique URL link in the ad
• Measurable leads tied to booth traffic

Fortress has used the creative concept and artwork in additional advertising in this market.

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