Leading energy information provider celebrates 100th anniversary with new branding and marketing campaign
Platts chooses diesel-powered advertising vehicle to kick off campaign in London
New York, NY - February 17, 2009
In this day of social networking, text messaging and Twitter, some smart companies still choose traditional means to get their message out. Platts, the world's leading energy information provider, is one. The New York-based McGraw-Hill subsidiary is kicking off a major global branding campaign using a well-established and particularly apt outdoor advertising vehicle -- London's black cabs. The campaign's launch is timed to coincide with Platts' 100th anniversary and International Petroleum Week, an annual event which brings the world's top oil companies and traders to London.
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"Since Platts' business is all about energy information, the black cabs are a perfect promotional fit for our new branding campaign," said Mark McCary, senior director of global marketing for Platts. "Besides being fueled by a commodity at the heart of our business, these taxis will be positioned in the areas of London where hundreds of our clients and prospects gather for IP Week. With our new anniversary logo and slogan splashed across both sides of 60 cabs, we can run a highly visible campaign that reminds our target audience, and tells Londoners at-large, about our leadership role in the energy industry."
Platts' taxi advertising push reflects a key theme of its branding campaign -- "If you're there, we're there." This theme plays out on two levels, Mark said. "First," he explained, "it underscores Platts' long history of chronicling the industry. From the early days of Standard Oil to the rise of OPEC to today's focus on renewable energy, we've continually expanded our coverage into new geographic and commodities markets, giving our customers the information they need to succeed wherever they are doing business."
What's more, as John Barker, president of Barker/DZP, Platts' new advertising agency, noted, the "if you're there, we're there" theme helps to define the scope of Platts' marketing campaign. "Platts is running a highly targeted campaign, tying its promotional efforts to major industry events and placing ads in select industry trades and on financial web sites accessed by its customers and prospects," he said.
For example, at this year's International Petroleum Week, as in past years, Platts will be a sponsor and host a forum. Platts' high visibility will be reinforced not only by its taxi advertising, but also by wrap-around ads on copies of the Financial Times distributed in the hotels where IP Week participants will be staying and by a new brochure and video commercial that will debut at its forum. In addition, the first in a series of new ads -- one focused on oil -- will appear as a two-page spread in the February issue of Energy Risk magazine, a U.K. based publication with global industry readership.
Subsequently, Platts will unveil new print advertisements highlighting other commodities its covers -- petrochemicals, electricity, natural gas, metals and renewables -- and introduce new online ads on Bloomberg.com, Reuters.com, BBC.com and other financial and energy web sites. It will take its taxi advertising push to San Antonio, Texas, in March in time for two major National Petrochemical & Refiners Association conferences, and also launch other high-profile promotional efforts at top industry events throughout the year.
Another central theme of Platts' new branding campaign is the slogan "the world's leading energy information provider," which highlights the leadership role the company plays and will continue to play in the industry. "In every element of our communications, we are emphasizing how our expertise, industry interactions, and reputation for credibility have made us an industry leader, and how the knowledge and insights we have gained over the past 100 years enable us to be forward-thinking in the future," said Mark.
Platts' leadership role in the energy information dates back to 1909 when Warren Platt founded a magazine to provide a voice for America's independent oilmen, and to 1923, when he launched a daily newsletter devoted exclusively to reporting crude oil and refined products prices. Today, Platts publishes more than 60 publications and more than 8,500 daily price assessments that are widely used as benchmarks in both physical and futures markets.
Platts' campaign, which continues through 2010, also includes a highly targeted, e-mail "thought leadership" program which segments conference participants and web site visitors by function and commodity, and automatically sends them articles, reports and other "solution papers" targeted to their specific interests.
Barker/DZP (www.barkerdzp.com), a New York-based integrated branding, interactive and advertising agency, worked with Platts to develop branding strategy, messaging and advertising creative. Founded in 2003, Barker/DZP is one of the fastest growing independents in the east and was named one of the Hot 100 fastest growing new small businesses in America by Entrepreneur magazine in 2005.
Taxi Promotions (www.taxipromotions.com), a specialist U.K. advertising firm, adapted the Barker/DZP-designed logo and artwork for display on London's iconic black cabs.