Case Studies

• B3 Communications developed brand awareness for Cognitiative, a management and marketing strategies consulting firm, and positioned the company’s founder and CEO as a driving force and expert in the industry.

The Challenge

When B3 Communications began working with Cognitiative, the agency was brought in as a partner to build awareness for Cognitiative and position the company’s founder and CEO, Laurie Windham, as a force and expert in the consulting industry. Cognitiative’s clients included some of the most respected names in technology and e-business. The B3 team was challenged to boost the company’s client base by building brand awareness. In addition B3 Communications was tasked with promoting both the company’s e-business research and Windham’s first book, Dead Ahead: The Web Dilemma and the New Rules of Business (Allworth Press, September 1999).

The B3 Communications Solution

B3 Communications initially worked to raise Cognitiative’s visibility with the business press, leveraging both Windham’s first book and the company’s recurring research.

When Windham was ready to release her second book, The Soul of the New Consumer: The Attitudes, Behaviors and Preferences of E-Customers (Allworth Press, September 2000), the business press were much more accessible and interested. Windham re-examined her role in the company and decided to optimize the opportunity created by the Internet to be an industry expert; B3 Communications was ready and able to shift strategies. The team consequently shifted its focus away from building Cognitiative into a consulting powerhouse to promoting Windham as a thought leader and industry expert.

To position Windham as an expert on e-business, the B3 team leveraged a completely different approach than traditional PR methodology. Since the goal was no longer highlighting Cognitiative as a company, creating a new space or establishing leadership in the market, B3 Communications shifted from a "news driven" to a "personality driven" approach. The team’s efforts ultimately benefited Cognitiative as a company and allowed Windham to shift emphasis to accommodate her own career goals.

Results

B3 Communications executed a PR strategy that leveraged strong relationships with the business press to significantly raise visibility and brand awareness of Laurie Windham and Cognitiative. The B3 team’s media savvy and agility drove the business media to value Windham as a trusted resource, resulting in frequent requests for her comment on e-business trend stories.

The team’s efforts led not only to Windham being a resource for the press, but the combined efforts of book writing, working for prestigious clients, years of experience and PR positioned her to be a successful professional speaker and columnist. Windham is a featured keynote speaker at top conferences and tradeshows around the world. The PR strategy successfully evolved to focus on Windham as an individual, positioning her as a driving force and expert in the industry.