Atria Networks, owner and operator of one of the largest fibre-optics networks in Ontario, has launched its first integrated B2B ad campaign to generate brand awareness.
Previous to this campaign the company had only supported its services through print advertising, said Andrea Martin, marketing and communications, Atria Networks.
However, Atria Networks has been involved in several acquisitions over the last couple of years, and therefore brand awareness is low in certain areas, she said.
But before taking a unified marketing approach, it was important to reorganize internally and align the brand, she said.
“We want to make the general population of businesses aware that Atria is here, this is what we do and become aware of our brand,” said Martin.
The effort from Waterloo, Ont.-based Copp Communications includes print, radio, outdoor and an unusual direct mail piece; a message in a corked bottle from Greg, an IT manager stranded on the “Island of Downtime” because a server failed due to copper connectivity. The piece directs recipients to IslandOfDowntime.com to help rescue Greg.
The print and outdoor components are geared towards building general awareness before the company sends out its direct mail piece, said Martin.
“We’re hoping that the success of the direct mail campaign will be increased if there is at least some awareness of who we are and what we’re doing,” she said.
The print and outdoor creative revolves around the evolution of data networks from the “age of copper” to the “age of light.”
The series of four print ads feature various objects made of copper wires and are running in Exchange Magazine, The Voice, BIZ, the Ottawa Business Journal, and Huronia Business Times.
One ad features a snail made out of copper wire and the headline, “A snail made out of copper. How appropriate.” The body copy suggests that businesses get up to speed with the Atria’s premium fibre-optic business Internet and network access solutions.
“It’s sort of a poke at copper, it’s lighthearted, but basically just speaking to the fact that copper has its limitations,” said Martin.
The billboards are running in Markham, Hamilton and Ottawa in addition to radio ads airing on Toronto’s 680 News and CHUM Radio in Ottawa.
The media buy was handled in-house, with Toronto’s The Communications Group Inc. managing the PR efforts.
