Cases

How can a Korean-based electronics company known for low cost home appliances become a leader in the global electronics industry?

In 1999, Korean-based LG Electronics, best known for low-cost home appliances like air conditioners and refrigerators, launched its first foray into the U.S. consumer electronics market by purchasing Zenith Corporation. Four years later, LG embarked upon a campaign to reposition itself as one of the world's top consumer electronics companies and selected Ogilvy PR to launch the LG brand in the United States. The campaign would result in the unveiling of the world's most technologically advanced interactive LED billboard in the heart of Times Square.

By studying the competitive set, consumers, and buying habits of the audience for LG's products, we identified key media targets for LG's message that would enable LG to break through the clutter of electronics advertising and introduce itself to consumers.

Our solution: a "Pucker Up New York" campaign, encouraging New Yorkers to interact with the LG brand by kissing live on the Time Square billboard. We advertised "Pucker Up New York" with radio spots and street marketing, and ran a concurrent radio media tour featuring new LG products and brand messages. Strategic media placements about the world's first 76-inch plasma display panel added heat to the campaign. We planned an evening reception in Times Square for key electronics industry influencers, city officials and media and on the Monday before the event, we offered consumers a sneak peak of the gala on CBS's The Early Show.

Our campaign helped LG premiere in the U.S. with a huge splash. The national radio media tour yielded more than 25 hits in major markets and approximately 200 city and industry influencers, including the Deputy Mayor of New York City, attended the Times Square event. 100 media outlets were in attendance as well, including The New York Times, Forbes, NBC's Today Show, CBS' This Morning, Maxim, Popular Science, New York Magazine, Rolling Stone, US Weekly, TWICE, CE Online, Sound & Vision, MTV, and many others. A Reuters exclusive generated worldwide coverage, and morning after coverage included a USA Today feature with a photograph of one of LG's 76-inch plasma display panels. To date, more than 100 stories about LG's Times Square debut have appeared in print, broadcast, and online outlets, generating LG the equivalent of over $3.2 million in advertising.