Project Showcase
New Client Facility - Media, advertising, event organization, and execution
SAFC Hitech provides a unique chemistry service translating application understanding into performance materials worldwide. Focused on providing custom manufacturing and associated services to high technology and performance materials industries, including the silicon semiconductor, compound semiconductor, high-brightness LED (HBLED), and performance materials industries, amongst others.
In December 2010, SAFC Hitech commissioned work on a new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility located in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The new 270,000 square foot facility officially opened at a celebratory event attended by senior Sigma-Aldrich, SAFC, and SAFC Hitech executives, local businesses, and political VIPs.
This campaign showcased events management, media relations, digital advertising, social media, and outdoor advertising coordinated across the brand.
Scope of work: Strategy and messaging development, communications, media relations, creative, advertising, social media, events management, research, and analysis.
Key results:
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A highly successful event that exceeded all client objectives.
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20 media in attendance, including 13 editors from key trade publications.
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95 items of coverage spanning Taiwan, China, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Japan. Almost two-thirds of the coverage was secured in semiconductor and LED trade outlets, with the remaining percentage coming from outlets covering business, finance, and chemicals.
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Increase in traffic to corporate blog site of almost 80%
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Increase of 185.29% in reach for client Facebook page.
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Twitter - 66 ‘tweets’ about the Kaohsiung opening, pushed out to nearly 74,000 followers.
SAFC Hitech was a subsidiary of Sigma-Aldrich and provides a unique chemistry service translating application understanding into performance materials worldwide. Through collaborative partnerships and an integrated approach from research and development, process development, and scale-up to commercial manufacturing, SAFC Hitech invests globally in innovation and manufacturing, enabling current and future technology needs.
Focused on providing custom manufacturing and associated services to high technology and performance materials industries, including the silicon semiconductor, compound semiconductor, high-brightness LED (HBLED), and performance materials industries, amongst others, SAFC Hitech has over 200 chemical R&D and manufacturing experts dedicated to ensuring that high-purity materials meet the quality and service standards demanded by these rapidly evolving markets.
Investment in Asia
In December 2010, SAFC Hitech commissioned work on a new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility located in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The new 270,000 square foot facility officially opened March 15 2012 at a celebratory event attended by senior Sigma-Aldrich, SAFC, and SAFC Hitech executives, local businesses, and political VIPs.
The new facility provides significant capacity increases for the high-volume manufacturing of high-quality TMG, TEG, and TMI precursors for HBLED applications, in addition to producing ALD and CVD precursors for the silicon semiconductor market and offering regional transfilling capability and technical service and support.
From a top-level strategic standpoint, the opening of the new Kaohsiung facility reinforced Taiwan as a vital regional hub from which to leverage SAFC Hitech’s existing proprietary knowledge and capabilities as a leading provider of ultra-high purity metalorganic and silicon precursors for thin film deposition production processes. The opening of the new facility followed a March 2010 production expansion for TMG at SAFC Hitech’s Bromborough, UK manufacturing site.
Following three months of planning, from concept to execution, the opening event took place on Thursday, March 15. Approximately 180 guests attended including Kaohsiung City Mayor, Miss Chiu Chen, as well as officials from the Ministry of Finance (Kaohsiung Customs Office), the Southern Taiwan Science Park Administration, the American Institute in Taiwan, Kaohsiung City Government, and the Industrial Development Bureau (Ministry of Economic Affairs). Twenty members of the local and trade media were also in attendance to cover the event. The executive team representing Sigma-Aldrich were Rakesh Sachdev, Gilles Cottier, Philip Rose, Eric Green, and Gordon Shyu.
Preparatory work
Discussions began with the SAFC Hitech team in mid-November, 2011. A strategic plan of action was put in place to encompass the organization and execution of the event and coordinate activities across multiple time zones and disciplines, including events management, media relations, advertising, social media, and logistics.
Advertising
The opening of the new facility was supported by strategic online and outdoor advertising designed to take advantage of high digital and foot traffic, and drive visitors to information available via the SAFC hi social media and publishing hub.
Digital advertising
Key trade publications serving the Taiwan semiconductor and microelectronics sectors were researched and a recommendation made to sponsor a lead banner advertisement on the Technology section of leading technology website Digitimes, which receives between 450,000 and 500,000 unique visitors per month.
A web banner was created as an extension of previous branding work carried out in 2011. The banner, which went live on the morning of March 15 to coincide with the opening ceremony, had a live link to a specific page on SAFC hi (the client's blog and social media hub) that featured an editorial piece about the new facility, complete with photography and the news release in both Traditional and Simplified Chinese.
Web banner
Outdoor advertising
In tandem with online advertising, a giant banner was designed and advertising space secured in a prime location at the Hsinchu railway station, which sees monthly traffic of around 600,000 people, for the month of March. The banner had a call to action as well as some brief information regarding the new facility.
"Dedicated to Asia, committed to Taiwan, we are delighted to announce the completion of our new 270,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Kaohsiung.
Offering significant capacity for manufacturing high-quality precursors for the HBLED and silicon semiconductor markets, our comprehensive product range and novel delivery systems optimized for performance and cost of ownership reflect our 30 years of expertise and innovation.
Focused on improving efficiency and reducing energy costs through technology and design advances, we are passionate about customer intimacy and collaborations that deliver process improvements that meet and exceed customer needs, now and in the future.
For more information, log on starting March 15 at http://www.safchi.com/kaohsiung_facility/"
A number of customers commented that they had seen and noted the railway station banner, and were impressed. From an awareness standpoint, that initiative was a success and should be considered for future deployment in high footfall areas.
Social Media
An important element of the launch of the new facility was SAFC Hitech’s social media channels. To supplement all of the other activities being undertaken around the event, Twitter, Facebook, and SAFC hi (www.safchi.com) were used to leverage and add value to the new facility story.
Prior to the launch, a holding page was created on SAFC hi in both Traditional Chinese and English informing people that a big announcement was coming March 15 and to make sure to visit the site then. We also seeded the announcement on SAFC Hitech’s Facebook page and Twitter feed.
Event Materials
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Prior to the event, a number of support materials were created to announce the news, as well as ensure that messaging was on point and consistent and that the executive team taking part in the event were all fully briefed and prepared.
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News Release – A news release was drafted and translated into Traditional and Simplified Chinese for local markets.
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Speeches - Drafted speeches for Senior Executives for the opening ceremony.
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Q&A - To prepare the executive team for the media sessions scheduled during the opening event, a Q&A document was prepared designed to address any potential subjects or questions that could come up, to ensure consistency of message across the team.
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Media Briefing Book - In addition, a Media Briefing Book was created for the executive team that included event details along with background information regarding the attending editors and their publications.
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Presentation – The site manager created a short presentation for the event, which we reviewed and edited.
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Executive Biographies – These were drafted and/or updated in advance of the event.
Media Logistics
In terms of media logistics a handpicked selection of news and trade media to the opening event. The official invitation was issued and responses were logged. Ten key news and trade editors attended, including Digitimes, Economic Daily, Compotech Asia, EE Times Taiwan, MicroElectronics magazine, Nikkei Electronics Asia, Solid State Technology Taiwan, and LED inside.
In addition, a selection of local media contacts attended on the day, taking the overall total to 20. Travel was arranged in conjunction with the client, via rail and buses to the client site.
The Main Event
Around 180 guests attended the Kaohsiung opening, which included our friends from the media and research communities. Those in attendance at the event reported that it was a great success. The speeches by the company executive team were well received, and the press briefing session was also very positive and well attended.
Coordination across various media platforms was a big feature of this Kaohsiung opening event; as the event started, the news release announcing the opening of the new facility crossed the newswire and was also issued directly to around 100 publications across North America, Europe, and Asia. At the same time, an extensive editorial piece posted on SAFC hi went ‘live’ at 10 am local Taiwanese time as the opening ceremony started, supported by Twitter and Facebook posts on both the SAFC Hitech and agency channels, to drive traffic to the site.
Media Results and Analysis
As detailed above, 20 editorial and research contacts attended the opening event, 13 of which were from key business and trade journals invited and managed.
‘Traditional’ Media
The results in terms of media coverage were excellent, with 95 items of coverage spanning Taiwan, China, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Japan. Almost two-thirds of the coverage was secured in semiconductor and LED trade outlets, with the remaining percentage coming from outlets covering business, finance, and chemicals.
North America
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EE Times
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Solid State Technology/ElectroIQ
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Chemical Week
Asia
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Component Times
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Compotech Asia
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Compound Semiconductor China
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DigiTimes
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EAW
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EDN China
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EEPW
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EE Times China
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EE Times Taiwan
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EE World
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Electronic Design China
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LED Inside
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LED Times
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Micro Electronics
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Opto China
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Solid State Technology China
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Solid State Technology Taiwan
Europe
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Semiconductor Today
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Cleanroom Technology
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Speciality Chemicals
Social Media
In terms of social media, we saw significant traction across SAFC hi, Twitter, and Facebook which were utilized effectively to promote the Kaohsiung opening. As outlined earlier, specific tactics to drive traffic to information on the SAFC hi portal was included in digital and outdoor advertising, social media platforms, and in the news release itself. The results of these efforts were as follows:
SAFC hi – In the period from February 19 to March 20, traffic increased to the site by almost 80%, with an increase in page views of just under 85%. Almost 80% of traffic was from new visitors, with the majority of those visiting the information regarding the new facility in Kaohsiung. Key metrics for SAFC hi include:
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295 visits (+78.79% compared to the previous month).
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524 page views (+84.51% compared to the previous month).
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78.98% are new visits (+6.82% compared to the previous month).
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Digitimes.com.tw sent the most traffic to the site.
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Social Media platforms were among those sending the most traffic, with Facebook sending 111% more traffic compared to the previous month.
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The page about the new facility was viewed 143 times in just one week, making it the most visited page of the site this month.
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Search engines sent 46.44% of total traffic.
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Referring sites sent 33.90% of total traffic.
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Direct traffic sent 19.66% of total traffic.
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Google sent 119 visits, representing 86.86% of search engine traffic.
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Returning traffic to the site represented 62 visits (21% of total traffic).
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The US sent the most traffic with 108 visits (+47.94%). Taiwan comes in second position with 59 visits, representing a 1,150% increase compared to the previous month.
SAFC Hitech Facebook page - In the week up to March 17, 2012, we saw an increase of 185.29% in reach, that is, unique people who have read content on SAFC Hitech’s Facebook page, and a 250% increase in people talking about this on Facebook (that is, those who have created a story, liked, shared, tagged or commented) on the SAFC Hitech page.
Twitter - The news around the event was also pushed out via Twitter (both SAFC Hitech’s Twitter feed and agency feed). Between March 14 and March 21, there were 66 ‘tweets’ about the Kaohsiung opening, pushed out to nearly 74,000 followers. Those tweeting about SAFC Hitech included editors, publications, and news outlets spanning the USA, Europe, and in the Asia Pacific, China, Singapore, Japan, and Australia.
Summary
In closing, the opening event was a great success across the board, from the event itself to the media exposure gained. The feedback from the editorial community in Taiwan was very positive. A common theme in talking to editors post-event was that the semiconductor and electronics publications in Taiwan haven't had many opportunities to interview CEOs from the leading chemical or materials companies, so they really appreciated SAFC Hitech providing this opportunity. Also, they felt they were treated with the utmost courtesy, respect, and professionalism by the Sigma-Aldrich and SAFC Hitech staff, throughout their attendance at the event. The overriding takeaway from the event for many of the editors was that the presence of these executives, the quality of the event, and the impressive new facility clearly demonstrate that SAFC Hitech highly values the Taiwan market.
