Chitika: Launching an unknown company in
less than 30 days

"Within a period of few weeks together we managed to pull out an awesome product launch for eMiniMalls. We are continuing to see awesome results from PerkettPR's PR initiative. Thank you!" Venkat Kolluri, Co-founder and CEO, Chitika

Communications Challenge

Within three weeks of winning the Chitika account, PerkettPR needed to launch a new product and help make a huge tradeshow splash for this relatively unknown company. The short deadline was crucial, as Chitika planned to announce its new product at a major trade show for the advertising industry. PerkettPR's primary mission was to create clear messaging and compelling branding that would increase market visibility and brand recognition for Chitika and its first-of-its-kind eMiniMalls, an intelligent, interactive merchandising engine.

Attracting an audience of press and analysts to hear the message both during pre-briefings as well as at the trade show would prove to be a significant challenge since the new product was significantly different than any product in the market and the concern was that the target audiences would not clearly understand the concept of what Chitika had to offer: a combination of a Web banner ad, search engine and recommendation engine. PerkettPR literally needed to create the market and the product brand for Chitika within the three-week requirement.

Our Approach

PerkettPR quickly researched Chitika's product and value proposition and held a comprehensive planning and brainstorming session with the client. Because Chitika presented such a unique product, PerkettPR relied on industry contacts for feedback before formally presenting Chitika and its products to press and analysts. This helped PerkettPR assess Chitika's offering and craft the messaging for full effect. Tapping our relationships with analysts and journalists for feedback also helped PerkettPR advise Chitika on how to best capture the market's eye.

Our Influence

PerkettPR created a theme for the tradeshow, "Death to the Banner Ad," and helped design supporting materials such as t-shirts, tchokes and the booth design. We also incorporated this theme into our media and analyst outreach, creating a solid, enticing and complete marketing campaign.

We pitched the executives' background as a key element in securing briefings: establishing the Chitika team as the brain children behind the next generation of contextual online merchandising. PerkettPR successfully secured and staffed media interviews, created communication materials for the trade show, and obtained significant coverage in publications such as CNET, AdWeek, MediaWeek and BrandWeek along with a full feature-story in The New York Times that included a picture of the client. Overall, PerkettPR drove coverage in 21 articles in print publications, electronic newsletters and online media outlets.

The tradeshow was also a huge success - media and potential customers loved the branding and were driven to the booth and the web site by the teaser t-shirts and coupons PerkettPR created that tied into the theme of the host city, New Orleans. Meetings at the show filled the sales and partner pipeline for the company.