Educating the market through end user case studies

The Client

Axis Communications is the world’s market leading vendor of network cameras with 47 per cent market share in the EMEA region according to industry analyst house IMS Research.

Axis has succeeded in dominating this market through a progressive focus on network video which has made the company an expert in technology subjects like image processing, compression and bandwidth management. It designs its own chips for image processing and has a fuller network camera product suite than any of its competitors. It sells entirely through its global network of partners and works with more than 270 Application Developer Partners to help accelerate adoption of IP-Surveillance technology.

The Brief

Axis Communications tasked Agility PR with driving up its presence across three key audiences- security and facilities managers, IT managers and the channel community of systems integrators and resellers.

Implementation

Agility PR worked alongside then UK managing director to search out proof points which would illustrate the benefits of IP-Surveillance over pure CCTV technology. A series of by-lined articles were placed in security management and security installer media to dispel IP-Surveillance myths being put out through the specialist media about IP-Surveillance and to better position the technology generally.

To strengthen the argument for IP-Surveillance Agility PR worked alongside Axis to create a number of case studies illustrating successful use of IP-Surveillance in different markets.

A notable success was our writing and promotion of a case study based on Newport City Council’s use of Axis technology to digitise images coming from the CCTV cameras in a total of 27 schools in the area and then transfer them via the internet into a centralised location. This enabled cost effective and proactive 24 hour monitoring of these sites which itself enabled massive reductions in vandalism and graffiti on these sites. Savings in terms of broken glass replacements, cleaning up of graffiti and litter collection amounted to over £75,000 in the first year across all participating schools.

This case study generated placements in key specialist titles such as CCTVision, Security Management Today and Professional Security and led to industry award submissions, award wins and speaking opportunities. Coverage spilled over from specialist security to IT trade, vertical trade and even channel media. This case study was then turned into an eight page brochure which is still used today to promote the case for IP-Surveillance for cost effective remote monitoring. Agility PR ramped up case study production developing a further five case studies subsequently.

Results

Agility PR was able to push up coverage to an average of 12 pieces of coverage per month and also broaden it beyond pure security/CCTV trade media within this initial period through this benefit-driven campaign. This success of this strand of the campaign has led to Axis promoting case study production in all countries it operates in and engaging us to provide best practice guidance on how to create and publicise these stories effectively.