A story that generates results.

HEWLETT PACKARD / HP 95LX PALMTOP PC

HP was introducing the first hand held PC with wireless capability from Motorola, but the press were having a hard time imagining what “wireless” communication was. (This was back in 1990, and wireless computing was truly ahead of its time – a completely new technology with no existing metaphor.)

THE STORY:

I positioned it as “Dick Tracy’s Two-Way Wrist Computer.” HP’s engineers were horrified by my oversimplification, but it captured the imagination of the visually-oriented TV press.

RESULT:

The product introduction was the lead science story on NBC Nightly News -- and achieved more broadcast press coverage than the introduction of Microsoft Windows 3.0.

CYBERMEDIA, INC. (NASDAQ:CYBR - ACQUIRED BY NETWORK ASSOCIATES)

The CEO lugged a 50-pound box of articles on a luggage cart all over the world during the company’s IPO road how. (He’s a strong man, but we really did get that much press coverage.) Of course investors noticed how much attention the company was getting. It was right there in that big box.

RESULT:

The IPO was oversold and went out above the original price. It was named “IPO” of the year by Red Herring magazine. The press coverage included a double page story with color photo of the management team in Forbes magazine. Today, he probably lugs his wallet around on that cart too.

RADIUS, INC. / VIDEO VISION STUDIO

Radius, best known at the time for computer monitors, was introducing a new technology – Video Vision, the first personal computer-based video editing system. At the time, video editing systems cost more than $50,000, yet Video Vision cost only $2,000 – so the press were skeptical.

THE STORY:

I positioned it for the future in a keynote speech for the CEO that predicted Video Vision would be a technology that would one day make it possible for anyone to self-publish a movie, just as the Laserwriter printer brought the power of a printing press to the masses.

RESULTS:

The press immediately embraced Video Vision as the industry standard. Today, independent filmmaking has revolutionized Hollywood and video editing is literally child’s play.

DUNLAP & COMPANY ADVERTISING / ROYAL ROBBINS OUTDOORSWEAR CAMPAIGN

The original VP Marketing at Victoria’s Secret started her own ad agency. She asked me to give her “only” four stories in the publications that her clients read.

THE STORY:

We highlighted her ad campaign for Royal Robbins Outdoorswear – which uniquely featured nature photography by a famous photographer David Muench – something that had never appeared in a fashion campaign before.

RESULTS:

We got articles in all four within one month -- including Ad Week, Communication Arts and Ad Age. It was a surgically targeted hit that dramatically changed the image of her business from a small shop to a major player.