Challenge
Biotronik is a leading European manufacturer of medical products for heart and vascular intervention. With no presence in Canada, Biotronik wanted to launch its newest pacemaker to Canadian cardiac surgeons and grab market share. Cardiologists in the Canadian market had zero awareness of Biotronik and its line of heart electrotherapy products. The biggest challenge was to gain the attention of extremely busy cardiac surgeons who have little time for new product pitches.
Action
NextPhase produced an 18-month direct marketing campaign with a series of postcards that conveyed the company’s German origin – well known for their high quality. The postcards were humorous to differentiate Biotronik from its old-school competitors. The message was short and simple so the surgeons would read the postcards.
Results
The campaign far surpassed Biotronik’s expectations. Awareness went from zero to nearly 100% and sales reached $2.1 million in the first year in a very tight market. Said David MacQuarrie, Biotronik’s Vice President of Marketing, “NextPhase Strategy helped us analyze the situation and create a campaign that broke through all the clutter. Biotronik and its products won great acceptance in a short period of time – it was the most successful campaign that I’ve ever been involved in."
