V-Moda

Music lifestyle brand V-Moda launched its high-quality earphones for MP3 players in spring 2006. Though media coverage was generally positive, it was not consistent or aggressively pursued. Therefore, the company retained Formula to generate broad-reaching consumer exposure for the brand as well as its fashion-forward product line.

Challenges:

• V-Moda requested prominent media coverage in long-lead holiday gift guides; however, due to timing many deadlines in key magazines had already passed
• Position V-Moda as the leader in stylish, technologically advanced earphones (Bass Fréq, Remix and Vibe product lines) in an already saturated marketplace
• V-Moda’s major competitors were well-known, established brands with products perceived as high quality among influential media and consumers l

Strategy:

• Target holiday gift guides in prominent short-lead media including major newspapers, national television news programs, syndicates and Internet media
• Establish relationships with influential bloggers
• Pitch national long-lead magazines including men’s, women’s, teen and others for coverage in January/February issues in order to sustain the momentum after the holiday buying season

Results:

• Formula secured holiday gift-related coverage on TV programs including “Good Morning America,” “The Megan Mullally Show” and nationally syndicated “Kurt the Cyber Guy”; print placements in the Wall Street Journal, San Francisco Chronicle, Seattle Times and Chicago Tribune; national magazine placements in Lucky, PC World, Playlist and Macworld; and on highly regarded consumer electronics Web sites including Yahoo! Tech, iLounge, CNet, IGN, PopGadget and ZDNet, among numerous others
• Overall, approximately 250 placements were secured in the span of five months, generating more than 225 million audience impressions
• The advertising equivalency for the editorial coverage secured totaled nearly $600,000. This translates to a 24-1 ratio of dollars spent to value received

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