Time-sensitive Li-ion launch in China successfully implemented for Boston Power

Background
Boston-Power, Inc. (BPI) is an award-winning provider of next-generation lithium-ion battery technology, designed to fuel a wide range of applications from Notebook computers to Plug-In Hybrid and Battery Electric Vehicles.

Task

  • Establish and build BPI’s media profile in Greater China.
  • Raise awareness of BPI’s business, technology and product offerings
  • Position BPI as a ‘next-generation technology leader’ in the region.
  • Position BPI’s CEO as a thought/industry leader in the battery space and on green energy issues.
  • Build a strong platform leading up to the launch of BPI’s initial product offering, the ‘Sonata’ product line.

Approach

Note: BPI had taken part in PR activities in the U.S. but had not done so in Greater China. The company was mostly unknown in both the China electronics media and market. At that time, Sonata was not ready to go to market. Techworks Asia called upon its vast experience of the China media/market to offer BPI strategic and tactical advice, and assisted BPI in developing a programme to achieve its PR objectives.

  • This included the fundamental task of developing the key messages to be communicated during the programme.
  • To introduce BPI to the media and establish a base level of media coverage and provide a lead-in to a forthcoming media event, Techworks drafted and issued an initial ‘flurry’ of newsworthy press releases specifically tailored to be relevant to the China market.
  • The next step was to arrange for BPI’s CEO, Dr. Christina Lampe-Önnerud, to meet the key technology media in the region face to face. Christina joined a ‘US Clean Energy Trade Mission’ to China. Techworks Asia identified this event as an ideal platform to build a media briefing around, and arranged for the key industry media to meet Christina for the first time in Beijing to hear the BPI story.
  • Techworks also arranged three key one-on-one interviews for Christina in Taipei, expanding BPI’s geographic outreach and increasing the level of in-depth coverage.
  • Following the success of the first media event, an opportunity arose for Christina to return to Beijing when she was invited to join the Swedish government’s Sino-Swedish Symposium on Environmental Technology and Sustainable Development. This provided a good context for Christina to underline BPI’s green credentials and further enhance her industry/thought leadership position. At around the same time, BPI had been awarded an eco-label certificate from the China Environmental Certification Institution (CEC). To leverage the impact of this visit and to highlight the certification, Techworks arranged a press briefing in Beijing, this time targeting some business titles and dailies as well as the technology publications.

Results

  • During the PR programme, Techworks issued nine local-language press releases for BPI in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and in English to relevant key titles across Asia. More than 180 press clippings were generated and BPI news appeared in top-tier publications such as Newsweek Chinese, CompoTech China / Asia, GEC, EEPW, ECN China, EETimes China / Taiwan, Electronic Products China, Micro-Electronics China / Taiwan, Electronic Techniques, and EDN China / Asia.
  • Interviews with Dr. Lampe-Önnerud were published in: Newsweek Chinese, China Daily, and eeWorld.
  • The launch of the programme in January coincided with the BPI website receiving a record number of hits: in the two months prior to the launch, the website received 7030 and 7443 hits respectively, while in January the number spiked to 16888.