Dyson

British appliance manufacturer Dyson hired CRT/tanaka to build brand awareness and support the U.S. launch of its DC07 line of bagless vacuums, including educating American consumers about the advantages of Dyson’s bagless system over that of “copycat” competitors. CRT/tanaka secured the trial of Dyson products by influentials like Ellen DeGeneres and Al Roker, who then served as brand ambassadors, and generated pre-launch buzz with high-profile product placement of the DC07 vacuums at New York Fashion Week and the Emmy Awards. In conjunction with Dyson’s U.S. launch, CRT/tanaka staged an event where media had the opportunity to tour the Dyson exhibition, test DC07 vacuums, interview company founder James Dyson and design customized DC07 products at computer stations.

With CRT/tanaka’s support, Dyson’s U.S. vacuum sales exceeded forecast by more than 160 percent during the product launch and the company owned the No. 1 position in its price category within two years. Media coverage highlights included NBC’s “Today Show,” Forbes, USA Today, Newsweek and The New York Times. The Dyson DC07 vacuum was also named Time Magazine’s “Product of the Year.”

LAUNCHING THE DYSON BRAND IN AMERICA

Challenge

Dyson, the top-selling vacuum in Western Europe, was an unknown entity in the United States. While Dyson invented bagless vacuum technology and was the first-to-market with bagless in 22 countries, the company arrived in the United States after the bagless vacuum category was already booming with “copycat” versions of Dyson’s patented technology. CRT/tanaka’s charge was to build awareness of this new brand and support the October 2002 launch of its line of DC07 vacuums in the United States. In addition to creating general awareness, CRT/tanaka had to educate consumers that their “copycat” bagless systems did not work because they rely on filters that clog and cause loss of suction over time. The charge was complicated by a lack of national retail distribution at the time of launch.

Solution

From the beginning, CRT/tanaka knew that the actual use of the product would help convert consumers to the brand. Therefore, the agency worked to ensure trial of Dyson products among influentials, so that they could serve as brand ambassadors. The agency also leveraged the entrepreneurial success story of James Dyson as a point of differentiation and distinction among corporate competitors.

CRT/tanaka secured high-profile media interviews with James Dyson two months prior to launch, including a consumer exclusive with The New York Times, a business exclusive with Forbes and a trade exclusive with HomeWorld Business. Resulting placements helped to generate an early “buzz” among key consumer, business and trade audiences.

At CRT/tanaka’s recommendation, Dyson negotiated a retailer exhibition at The Terence Conran Shop in New York City (known for design and its British namesake) a month prior to the national launch in order to secure prelaunch media coverage, which drove early awareness and trial of DC07 vacuums among influential NYC consumers. The agency also fed the pre-launch “word-of-mouth” frenzy about Dyson’s U.S. debut with high-profile product placement of Dyson DC07 vacuums at New York Fashion Week and the Emmy Awards.

CRT/tanaka staged a highly anticipated media launch event that attracted 65 targeted long- and short-lead media. Media toured the Dyson exhibition, tested the DC07 vacuums, interviewed James Dyson and “built” customized DC07 vacuums at computer stations. Dyson also hosted a cocktail reception to introduce James Dyson to U.S. design “influentials.”

Results

• Dyson vacuum sales in the United States exceeded forecast by more than 160 percent during the launch. From no market share in 2002, CRT/tanaka’s launch of Dyson vacuums helped the brand to own the No. 1 position in its price category within two years, available in more than 15,000 locations across the United States, including national dealers such as Best Buy, Sears, Target, Bed, Bath & Beyond and Amazon.com.
• Total publicity for 2002 through 2005 included 2,000 placements, more than 1.5 billion impressions, a $16.7 million ad equivalency and a PR value of more than $50 million. Media highlights included NBC’s “Today Show,” “Inside Edition,” Forbes, Time (“Product of the Year”), Newsweek, The New York Times, USA Today, Newsday, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, US Weekly, People Weekly, O: The Oprah Magazine, Elle, Town & Country, Parade, Metropolitan Home, Business 2.0, “Entertainment Tonight,” CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” CNN’s “Headline News” and many others.
• As a result of the celebrity product placement and product seeding campaign, high-profile influentials such as David Copperfield, Al Roker, Simon Doonan, Courteney Cox Arquette, Cynthia Nixon and Ellen DeGeneres raved about their Dyson vacuums.
• Dyson vacuums also entered into pop culture, as both the subject of a “Saturday Night Live” segment and on the cartoon pages of America’s daily newspapers.