The most dangerous place on Earth. Launch of MSA Safety Works

Mine Safety Appliances (MSA)
together with the Ketchum agency
Silver Anvil Award for 2000.

Overview

Mine Safety Appliances (MSA), a manufacturer of mine safety equipment, has dominated the industrial safety market for more than 80 years. Recognising that the rapid growth of the domestic consumer market had created a new $30 billion market for safety equipment, MSA launched MSA Safety Works, a line of consumer products (eye protection, dust respirators, hearing protection, and helmets). Ketchum, a Pittsburgh-based PR agency, was engaged to manage the promotion of these products on a very limited budget, with no advertising support. Ketchum was faced with two challenges: creating a distinctive brand identity and convincing consumers to use home safety products.

Research.

Primary research. After conducting five years of market research, MSA identified a group of safety product buyers in need of effective merchandising and packaging. Safety products were not properly positioned as complementary products, such as paints or mechanised tools.
Secondary research. Ketchum conducted a survey to determine the habits of DIY security buyers. The results showed that consumers need to be educated about DIY safety products. According to the National Safety Council, more than a quarter of injuries that lead to a doctor's office occur at home. This statistic further highlighted the fact that buyers are unaware of the need for safety equipment, even though the number of DIYers is growing.

Planning

Objectives: 1) to create relationships with retailers; 2) to increase the number of retail outlets carrying the MSA Safety Works product line; 3) to convince retail managers of the great potential of this product group; 4) to create a national brand exhibition.
Target audiences: 1) managers of retail sales of household appliances; 2) "do-it-yourselfers".

Strategy.

Creating a product category by educating potential customers on how to use safety equipment.
Redefine the category using a standard marketing classification.
Use of statistical data to attract media attention.
Training and informing editors to ensure positive coverage of MSA's activities.
Budget: costs for launching the production - USD 16.6 thousand and PR services - USD 18.4 thousand; costs for customer relations - USD 64.5 thousand and PR services - USD 106.5 thousand.

Tactics.

Gaining the attention of the main consumer. Growth in the number of retail outlets selling the MSA Safety Works product line.
Growth in direct sales in the stores of Notre Dame Depot, a national leader in home improvement retail.
Information in the media on the territory covered by Note Depot stores.

Implementation

Industrial production tactics
Videos that briefly introduce the brand. To introduce the MSA Safety Works brand to potential retail partners, Ketchum produced a three-minute video that briefly describes the product line to showcase new retail prospects.
Attractive mailing. Ketchum conducted a series of engaging mailings aimed at attracting the attention of media editors. The correspondence was a five-piece wooden mosaic sent to editors in succession over the course of a week. To create a sense of surprise, the reason for the mailing was not revealed to the recipients until they received the last piece of the puzzle. The final mailing contained the official announcement of the product launch and an invitation to a special media meeting.
Media coverage: Local media were invited to the MSA laboratory building for a forum to present information on products and new developments in the field of security products. Representatives of MSA management held seminars on security products, hosted tour guests and participated in interviews.
Challenges. Unfortunately, the media event took place the morning after a tornado struck Pittsburgh and ripped through neighbouring states. Incredibly, alongside the day's tornado-focused coverage, MSA Safety Works still received positive feedback in the local media.

Release tactics for buyers
National media relations campaign. Distribution of a toolkit and souvenir sunglasses.
Challenges. Getting coverage on radio and television was a challenge, as the budget did not allow Ketchum to invite famous personalities. To solve this problem, Ketchum used the Travelling Beetle.
In June 1999. MSA launched its "Travelling Beetle" (a Volkswagen Beetle), which was designed as a giant safety helmet on wheels. The vehicle provided point-of-sale support and media coverage, travelling to Note Depot stores across the country to distribute information and product samples. The "Travelling Beetle" also explored new retail opportunities for MSA Safety Works products by visiting stores that were not part of the campaign.
The client cut the budget by 15%, which prevented Ketchum from conducting a field test of the tour's effectiveness. To ensure the task was completed flawlessly, the agency maintained constant contact with the Travelling Beetle drivers by phone and email.

Evaluation

The following objectives were achieved as a result of the PR campaign.
Task 1. Build relationships with the core group of the retail system.
The attention of the Note Depot was won. When a customer notice for the release appeared in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in June 1998, it caught the eye of local Noté Depot executives, who contacted MSA to learn more about the new product line. During the first phone call, a formal meeting was set up with Noté Depot and MSA, resulting in the creation of the first major big box customer group.
Task 2. Increase in retail sales of the MSA Safety Works product line.
The number of retail outlets exceeded initial expectations by more than 50%. Initially, MSA promised to place the product in only 100 Note Depot stores in 1999. However, the success of the campaign aroused great interest among store managers and encouraged them to include more than 50 additional stores in the programme. In addition, several Canadian Notre Dame stores began to carry MSA Safety Works, which was an unexpected success for the brand.
Task 3. Winning over potential target groups.
Sales increased by 2500% in less than one year. In 1998, sales of MSA Safety Works products in Notre Dame stores totalled about $200,000, and in 1999 they increased to about $5 million. In December 1999, Notre Dame named MSA Safety Works as its "Partner of the Year".
Task 4. Creating a national presentation of the product with fixed costs.
More than 31 million media mentions. Ketchum focused its media relations efforts on the Note Depot's markets, including Philadelphia, Miami, Dallas, Arizona, Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Detroit, which received more than 31 million media mentions.