Client
A leading dietary supplement development company, SAGA Sciences researches, creates and develops the world’s most potent and effective sports supplements. SAGA Sciences is the umbrella company for two major sport supplements brands, SD Pharmaceuticals and PharmaFreak, both of which have international distribution.
Client Objective
Peak has been working with SAGA Sciences since 2012 to raise brand awareness among its target audience in Canada.
Campaign
Peak created and executed a national media relations and digital campaign.
The tactics used included the following:
- Proactive media relations activity, including drafting and placing thought leadership articles
- An awards program to identify opportunities and compile entries
- A target blogger ambassador program that gave bloggers the opportunity to experience the products first-hand
- A content program to create engaging content for the brand’s followers
Key Results
In 2013 alone, the campaign achieved the following:
- 153 pieces of media coverage, an increase of 665 per cent from the previous year
- 32 bloggers conduct product reviews and engaged in social chatter about the brand
- Engagement increased and continues to increase among the client’s target audience base
Campaign
Peak worked on a monthly retainer with Pacific Blue Cross for four years.
An example of the work we did can be shown by Pacific Blue Cross’s launch of an innovative free online tool called the Pharmacy Compass. The tool helps consumers find better prices for their medications by comparing drug costs and dispensing fees at pharmacy locations across B.C.
The Pharmacy Compass also provides the generic equivalent to brand name drugs and the cost difference between them. Generic drugs listed with PharmaCare typically cost 35 per cent of brand-name drugs in B.C.
Key results
We felt the story hit a number of key news buttons – it was a new and innovative tool, the company was headquartered locally (Burnaby), and, most importantly, the Pharmacy Compass directly affected the wallets and health of people the media are trying to reach with their news.
The launch and media campaign were a runaway success. The story was front page headline news in the Vancouver Sun, it was a top story on Global BC, CTV Vancouver and Chek News on the Island. Pacific Blue Cross representative Leza Muir also did interviews on CFAX and Fairchild TV.
The media attention boosted traffic to Pacific Blue Cross’s website literally overnight. There were some 11,200 hits in the first 48 hours and more than 16,000 hits in the first week. The extensive preparation by Pacific Blue Cross and messaging also paid off – the organization was well prepared to respond to various inquiries about the new service from the media, its customers and the public.
Client Objective
Peak has had a successful and ongoing partnership with RAMMP Hospitality Brands for the past several years. Originally engaged to secure media coverage for RAMMP Hospitality in local and national business media, Peak continues to support the objectives of the management group through strategic media relations for RAMMP Hospitality brands, MR. MIKES and The Pantry.
Campaign
Peak has secured top tier media coverage for RAMMP Hospitality across Western Canada by leveraging its ambitious market growth plans and its impressive executive profiles. To build on this exposure, Peak focused its efforts on the MR. MIKES brand, showcasing its strong heritage and contribution to communities across B.C. and beyond.
More recently, Peak has supported RAMMP Hospitality in its efforts to launch multiple restaurants in Western Canada. In addition to local media outreach, Peak provided RAMMP Hospitality’s marketing team with a comprehensive package of customized template media materials for use in future launches.
Key Results
Overall, the ongoing campaigns have generated more than 25 business media hits including stories in the Financial Post, Vancouver Sun, Western Investor, Business in Vancouver and Global TV.
The Garage Sale Luxury Auction House specializes in auctioning luxury real estate in Canada. The company’s purpose is to provide a method for buying and selling high end real estate that serves buyers and sellers in a more efficient and streamlined way.
Client objective
The Garage Sale Luxury Auction House wanted to publicize its upcoming BC Cancer Foundation charity auction house: Madrona Grove.
Donated by Robert and Diane Conconi, Madrona Grove was a luxury oceanfront home on Pender Island, B.C. which was donated as a token of gratitude for the care Robert Conconi received while undergoing cancer treatment at the BC Cancer Agency.
The client sought publicity to increase registered bidders for the home’s auction.
Campaign
The campaign program was two-fold:
- Leverage Robert and Diane’s story for media exposure
- Coordinate a media fam which saw key outlets fly out to Pender Island to experience the house for themselves
Key results
The media fam was a success, filling the seaplane with six key media targets and generating enough quality media exposure to generate over 2,024 hits to their website the day after the tour; the highest website traffic the client has ever seen on one day.
Overall, the media coverage resulted in:
- A total of 49 media mentions on print, online, TV and radio
- A total of 17.5 million impressions
- 43 unique bidder leads directly referred through media exposure (or, an additional 28 per cent) for the auction
Madrona Grove sold for $725,000.
Client Objective
F-Pacific Optical Communications is the Canadian subsidiary of China Fiber Optic Network System Group Ltd. (CFONSG) – China’s largest manufacturer of fiber optic connectors. F-Pacific Optical operates the first zirconia ferrule blanks production line in North America. It is the only company that has this unique technique to manufacture these ferrule blanks, which are universally used in the expanding fibre optic market. Fibre optic technology allows for faster internet speeds than any other infrastructure and is being adopted by major telecommunications companies across Canada. Peak was engaged to announce the opening of F-Pacific’s North American head office in Vancouver with a news conference.
Campaign
Peak executed a two-month-long media relations campaign focusing on the opening of the company’s China Fibre Optic Network System Group North American Head Office – F–Pacific Optical Communication office in Vancouver to raise the profile and build reputation for F-Pacific in both Canada and China to create business and investment opportunities for the company and its products while attracting the most skilled employees available.
Peak targeted local news outlets, specifically business and Asian media. The outreach was also targeted at technology trade publications.
Peak worked closely with HQ Vancouver to manage the strategic logistics of hosting ministers from the federal and provincial level to take part as speakers at the news conference.
Peak was also engaged to media train the CEO and key spokesperson for F-Pacific.
Key Results
We achieved the following:
- 50+ pieces of earned and owned coverage in top tier local business media, Asian media and trade publications.
- Coverage included placement in The Vancouver Sun, Business in Vancouver, Global TV, Fairchild TV, OMNI, Sing Tao, Ming Pao, Tech Vibes, and Canadian Electronics.
- 47 million impressions achieved in total
The City of Trail had a long outdated image of being a dirty smelter town that couldn’t be further from the truth. Although Teck Resources lead and zinc smelter has operated in Trail for over a century, the company had spent a billion dollars making enormous improvements to air and water emissions. Trail is a beautiful southern B.C. city right on the Columbia River but it needed a new image.
Client objective
The City of Trail brought Peak on board to act as an extension of its communications function. The goal was to highlight the benefits of Trail for people looking to travel, move to the region permanently or do business in the city.
Campaign
Peak worked with the City of Trail for over a decade. Our scope of work ranged from issues management and public consultation to media relations and communications counsel.
At the heart of the PR program was the e-newsletter we created quarterly, which contained a number of local stories that had potential for national appeal. This e-newsletter was pitched to journalists, who then selected their favourite stories for publication. A selection of journalists came to know and expect this newsletter as a source of real-life stories.
Key results
Over a three year period, we secured 200+ articles online and traditional media hits for the City, promoting a variety of community and cultural stories. These stories highlighted the benefits of Trail as somewhere to live and work, and a city worth visiting as a tourist.
One story highlighting the inexpensive homes for sale overlooking the Columbia River resulted in a housing boom in Trail, new families moving into the City and business being started.
Client Objective
The BiBo reached out to Peak to assist with the launch of its weekend brunch menu after working with Peak to successfully launch the restaurant the previous year.
Campaign
Peak planned, managed and executed an exclusive launch event at the restaurant for select local media and influencers. Wanting to highlight the brand heritage and its authenticity, BiBo offered its VIP guests samples of unique Italian brunch dishes paired with its exclusive wine. The event provided the owners with an ideal opportunity to mingle with media while educating influencers on their carefully selected ingredients.
Key Results
- More than 35 media and influencers attended the event
- More than 20 positive coverage hits and reviews were secured, both online and offline
- An estimated PR value of over $132,000 for the campaign
- A total of more than 540,000 campaign media impressions
Client Objective
Avigilon designs and manufactures high-definition video surveillance solutions. In 2012, Avigilon was named the fastest growing technology company in Canada on the Deloitte Technology Fast 50 and Cantech’s TSX Tech Stock of the Year.
Peak was brought onboard in early 2012 to raise Avigilon’s brand awareness in the business communities across Canada.
Campaign
Peak developed a media relations campaign that showcased Avigilon’s superior surveillance solutions and products in tier-one Canadian business titles.
The campaign centered on news hijacking, which involved identifying stories or hot topics in the media that Avigilon could comment on. For example, the anniversary of the Vancouver riots or the surveillance needs of retailers in the run-up to Christmas. The news hijacking was complemented by a creative features schedule and sourcing and securing profile opportunities for executives.
Peak also worked with Avigilon to promote its core product announcements. The major launch of 2012 was a new surveillance software system called Avigilon Control Center (ACC) 5.0. To make this news mainstream, Peak tied the futuristic technology into the 10th anniversary of the Tom Cruise film ‘Minority Report,’ demonstrating how the technology featured in the film had now become a reality.
Key Results
In 12 months, Peak achieved the following:
- 54 pieces of coverage in top-tier Canadian business outlets
- 4 million impressions among key audiences
- Coverage equating to the Advertising Value Equivalent (AVE) of over $421,000
- Coverage in the Financial Post, Globe and Mail, Global TV and BNN
Client Objective
Locally owned and operated, Able Auctions conducts a variety of auction sales every week, offering office furniture and equipment, municipal surplus and specialty sales of everything from arcade games to sound studio equipment. Able Auctions has locations in Vancouver, Langley, Abbotsford, Nanaimo and Calgary. Peak has publicized a wide variety of auctions for Able annually since 2003. Peak creates media buzz and increases attendees at their auctions.
Campaign
Peak creates auction-specific media relations campaigns for Able Auctions to help increase brand awareness and bring more bidders to their auctions.
Peak targets print, blogs, T.V. news and radio.
To achieve coverage, Peak sets up a media preview prior to the auction and invites media to check out the lots ahead of the public previews.
Key Results
In 2014 alone, Peak worked six specialty auctions for Able. We achieved the following:
- Over 300 pieces of earned and owned coverage in top tier local publications – online, print, radio, and T.V.
- Over 81 million impressions
- Coverage included placement in The Globe and Mail, The Vancouver Sun, The Province, Sing Tao, Ming Pao, 24 Hours, Metro News, Global TV, CBC, CTV, and News 1130
Client Objective
Mission Public Schools, the school district in Mission managing K – 12, engaged Peak in 2009 to help manage its public reputation. Peak acted as the communications department for the school district to help develop the district’s reputation as a stable, well-run school district, during a time of challenging budget cutbacks, school closures, staff layoffs and the implementation of a controversial middle school program.
Campaign
Due to budget cuts, the school district had laid off unionized staff. In addition, the school district had sent 30 staff to a conference that would prepare it for the organization’s next step – embedding middle schools into high schools. The decision to send staff to the conference was criticized in light of the layoffs.
Peak trained spokespeople for Mission Public Schools, managed the issues around the conference and layoffs and celebrated the school district’s successes by garnering positive media coverage focusing on a number of positive education initiatives.
Key Results
- Thanks to the media preparation Peak provided, the school district was able to act on short notice to answer media questions about the conference and layoffs clearly and strongly, resulting in balanced news coverage on one day that was not followed up on by media
- Peak generated 17 pieces of media coverage that told positive stories about Mission Public Schools
