From 2014-2018, Swerve was tasked to promote VEX Robotics priority products, position HEXBUG as a top-of-mind provider of STEM toys for children and tell the corporate story through business media.
As part of an on-going integrated approach, Swerve conducted in-person deskside presentations to target media and launched a GTA media tour for CEO Tony Norman with top-tier business outlets including Bloomberg, BNN, and The Globe and Mail. We equally expand HEXBUG and VEX Robotics’ digital presence to include target influencers and Canadian YouTubers.
Combined, our efforts for the program generated 2,284+ stories and over 1.2 billion impressions with an average of 457 stories and over 241 cumulative million impressions per year.
In addition to the integrated PR program for VEX and Hexbug’s priority consumer products, Swerve was challenged with developing a strategic plan to amplify the growing popularity of the VEX Robotics educational program and its World Championship event in Canada and the U.S.
Swerve put in motion a PR strategy which included proactively pitching select Canadian media outlets in Ontario, B.C. and Alberta to promote the program at the elementary, secondary and post-secondary school levels. Looking ahead, this strategy can be executed in the U.S. market to deliver similar (or superior) results.
To profile target demographics, we selected VEX teams with female participants to draw attention to the “Girl-Powered” initiative - and booked TV, radio and print media interviews.
Our efforts resulted in 407 pre-tournament newspaper and TV interviews with VEX Robotics and Canadian VEX teams from 2015-2018 across priority markets (391 more than our outlined goal), generating 324+ million impressions with the overall cost-per-contact of $0.00006 CAD.
n 2017 and 2018, Swerve executed two U.S.-based Satellite Media Tours on the day of the VEX Robotics World Championship. Swerve pitched and booked live and pre-taped TV interviews with U.S. VEX Robotics and VEX I.Q. teams, and profiled R.E.C. CEO and Chairman of the Board Dan Mantz in each interview with the students.
The live-to-air and pre-taped U.S. Satellite Media Tour prompted 27 U.S. broadcast interviews in 2017 (seven more than our outlined goal) and 37 interviews in 2018 (17 more than pour outlined goal) - generating 35+ million impressions at an overall cost-per-contact of $0.002 CAD.
