Mass media launch of world’s most advanced bionic leg – Ottobock Healthcare

The first UK patient received a new prosthetic leg system ‘Genium’ and benefits of mobility and lifestyle communicated to broadcast and national media.

Media Safari’s Med-tech PR team coordinated the launch of the world’s most advanced bionic prosthetic leg system from mobility experts Ottobock Healthcare. The Genium is the first in a new generation of intelligent, microprocessor-controlled leg prostheses that will redefine quality of life for lower limb amputees delivering the closest walking pattern to a natural gait of any prostheses available today.

Campaign objectives

To announce the first UK patient and to gain national print / broadcast coverage
To encourage news media to attend the launch to interview the patient and Ottobock Healthcare spokespeople
To demonstrate the key benefits of the new innovation including the ability to climb stairs leg-over-leg, walk backwards and stand on inclinations for long periods

Launch strategy
The launch event involved the first UK patient to receive a Genium leg system at a prosthetics clinic in Surrey. During the day the first UK patient demonstrated a range of movements that have never before been possible in prosthetics to broadcast and national media. National photo desks captured the images. Ottobock Healthcare technicians and a clinical prosthetist were also on hand to take questions and provide media interviews. The tactics included:

Media invitation – an invitation issued to national news, photo desks and reporters at key disability press. This was followed up with a highly proactive media sell-in in advance of the event to encourage attendance and coverage
The event – An event was coordinated at a prosthetics clinic where the media could hold interviews with the patient, his prosthetist and Ottobock technicians
Photo Call – Early in the day, Media Safari staged a photo call to capture the Genium leg in action and issued resulting images to all national picture desks
Press release – A press release announcing the launch was issued under embargo the day before to all national, broadcast and trade media
PR Newswire – On the morning of the launch, the press release was issued by PR Newswire to all tech and health news desks to increase Opportunities To See (OTS)
Social media – Social media channels including Twitter and Facebook provided a live feed of activities and images from the day

Results!

60 pieces of coverage in national print, broadcast and regional titles within 48 hours
A total of 87 pieces of coverage in all in national print and broadcast media, trade, regional and consumer press with a total maximum reach of 53.7m and an advertising equivalent value (AEV) of £373,000
Five press photographers, three broadcasters and two print journalists attended the event
Six national print titles including The Daily Mail, Metro, The Daily Telegraph, The Daily Express and The Sun included the story
25 regional titles included the news such as BBC South, BBC London, ITV London Tonight, ITV Anglia and the London Evening Standard
Online news coverage spanned the globe from Ireland to as far away as New Zealand

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Mass media launch of world’s most advanced bionic leg – Ottobock Healthcare

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