Case Study: Canterbury Scientific

Medical device company Canterbury Scientific was referred to Communicate IT to help them announce the opening of their new $1.2m Addington facility in February 2011. While the company had been quietly researching innovative control products for haemoglobin testing for over two decades, they were relatively unknown in the market – and the opening was the catalyst to change that.

Objectives: The initial concept was to generate some media coverage surrounding Canterbury Scientific’s new state-of-the-art research and development facility. Once we started exploring all of the possibilities though, the project expanded to include a full page advertorial in The Press as well as assisting with event collateral. After some tremendous success, we embarked on a further project to redevelop the company website, launch a newsletter and social media efforts, and help Canterbury Scientific to publicise their recognition in the Technology Investment Networks’ 2011 report on the top technology companies in the country.

Results: With the advertorial as well as articles appearing in The Press, the National Business Review, the New Zealand Herald, NZ Doctor, NZ Health & Hospital, and a spot on the Radio New Zealand programme “Our Changing World”, more and more people are hearing about Canterbury Scientific.

Strategy: Communicate IT conducted a thorough site visit and interviewed several leaders at Canterbury Scientific to fully understand the company, its products, history and its niche in the market. We then developed the content for the press materials and a series of in-depth articles and coordinated supporting content from Canterbury Scientific partners and suppliers.

Canterbury Scientific Founders and Board Members Prof. Robin Carrell, Dr. Maurice Owen and Mr. John Barr are thrilled with their PR results. CEO Dr. Neil Pattinson called the launch coverage an “excellent outcome” and indicated the results exceeded all of their expectations for the opening of the new facility. “We are very impressed with the professional approach of Communicate IT. They perfectly understood our needs and our objectives, delivered a comprehensive proposal, and more than delivered on their promises. It’s not easy to translate complex science and research into everyday language and make it compelling, but they have helped to successfully shape and broadcast the Canterbury Scientific story in a unique way.”

The company continues to receive significant media coverage:

NZ Herald:

National Business Review:

The Press: Scientific success in the blood
Sunday Star Times: High-tech sector beats the bank