Mobile World Congress (MWC) brings together the biggest, the best, and the brightest in a four-day telecoms extravaganza.
It’s a hotbed of opportunities for those that are able to position themselves above the noise. And for companies that can support their teams with the right media attention and third-party validation in advance, it’s often a show full of meetings with influencers, customers, and prospects.
But therein lies the problem.
As the event has grown, so has the level of competition. Standing out from the crowd and getting face time with the media and analysts that matter has become all the more difficult as a result – not only at the show, but before it starts too.
Marketing opportunities, PR challenges, and the competition
To help put the incredibly high level of competition into perspective:
- 108,000 people flocked to Barcelona for MWC last year.
- The list of companies due to attend in 2018 has already ticked over 2,300 and will grow before the show starts.
All those players will be vying for their share of attention in the run up to MWC, which is difficult in itself.
They’ll also be looking to secure face-to-face media and analyst briefings while out in Barcelona, hoping to get in front of them and capitalise on the run of editorial coverage in the months that follow. It’s an important step for sustaining the marketing value associated with such a considerable investment into a single industry event.
Yet, as the graph below shows, that’s an even bigger mountain to climb:
Supercharging PR support around MWC
MWC success is open to everyone, not just the bigger names. That said, if you’re a challenger brand, you’ll need to implement a carefully crafted communications approach in order to deliver the right results.
Taking the above into consideration, a structured MWC PR campaign should include the following elements:
1. Messaging: Getting the right message and communications strategy in place takes time, but it’ll be essential to elevate your brand above the noise around the show. Although media diaries won’t start to fill until mid-January, analysts will typically be booking appointments from December. The MWC PR process therefore needs to start this side of Christmas – and the sooner the better.
2. Data: Use a data-led approach to identify where the biggest opportunities exist for your business when using PR for help drive the sales funnel. Inject this into your PR plan and ensure you’re on trend with this year’s key themes. This is our bread and butter, so get in touch if you’d like a hand.
3. Engagement: Ramp up targeted media outreach as the campaign kicks off. It’s important to have briefings on the ground, but getting the right kind of coverage before the show starts is also key. Targeted media hits in the right places, secured in December or January, will help your sales team to create a much healthier pipeline for MWC.
4. Pull through: Incorporate news announcements and cornerstone content pieces into the MWC PR plan. Have you got a big news item or a customer-led data research project planned for the week of the show? Put it out before doors open on the first day. Use it to inform your messaging for the event, and supplement it with additional information and comment in the months after MWC to help get best bang for your buck.
Ultimately, MWC success looks different for every exhibitor. We believe the PR approach to MWC should be bespoke too. Schedule a free PR consultation with us if this sounds like what you’re looking for.