Category: Work

Work

Koppers CEO Communications

Post author By oystercreative
Post date January 3, 2023

KOPPERS

Internal Communications

Koppers is a leading provider of wood- and carbon-based technologies, products, chemicals, and services that strengthen our global infrastructure.

PROBLEM

Koppers CEO Leroy Ball needed to communicate with his global employee base during the COVID-19 pandemic. Full stop.

APPROACH

Leroy’s blue collar workers were not married to their laptop or email. So, we had to get beyond traditional internal communications.

We implemented a video-first executive communications plan that allowed Leroy to engage directly with his entire workforce, and keep them informed, on social media.

Leroy’s company-wide messages were released bi-weekly and geotargeted to reach employees at specific plant locations — a Facebook ad strategy that ensured his message reached frontline employees.

RESULTS

What started as COVID-19 updates, strategically evolved into what is now an ongoing, monthly series called “The 412” — four things to know, one thing to think about and two things to look forward to. (Can you tell they’re based in Pittsburgh?).

Over the course of two years, we successfully published hundreds of videos from CEO Leroy Ball, recorded from his very own phone and #selfiestick to reach thousands of employees.

Leroy’s videos have even featured spin-off interviews with employees, outtakes, a selfie spoof (or two), and ongoing internal communication initiatives that highlight why Koppers is a great place to work.

Work

Pittsburgh Robotics Network

Post author By oystercreative
Post date January 3, 2023

Pittsburgh Robotics Network

Public Relations

The Pittsburgh Robotics Network (PRN) represents the companies and leaders who make up the Pittsburgh robotics ecosystem, which is anchored by Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) and driven by 100+ robotics organizations, including the worldwide leaders in autonomous vehicle development.

CHALLENGE

City of Bridges, City of Champions, City of “Eds and Meds” and… the Robotics Capital of the World???

PRN needed to show the world that Pittsburgh should be known for robotics and artificial intelligence.

APPROACH

A “meeting of the minds” an event with major industry players and organizational members to launch PRN as an integral part of the tech industry, and to announce its 2021-30 strategic vision for the future. All we had to do? Tell their story and get people to listen. (Simple! Just nuts and bolts, right?!)

To top it off, we strategically chose to host the event at Over Eden’s Rooftop Lounge at the TRYP Pittsburgh hotel for a view of Lawrenceville’s Robotics Row.

RESULTS

Even in the midst of the pandemic, the event had 100+ attendees. We secured media placements with top local (even made a few front pages! Woo!) and key trade outlets:

KDKA-TV
WTAE-TV
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
NextPittsburgh
Pittsburgh Business Times
Patch
Robotics World
Robotics 24/7
Smart Industry
Technical.ly
@SmartIndustyUS

Work

Seiso

Post author By oystercreative
Post date December 28, 2022

Seiso

Reach A State of InfoSec Zen

True peace of mind comes from information secured by a real business partner with personalized consulting and solutions.

This allows your business to thrive.

With Seiso, you’ll find confidence in secure business.

CHALLENGE

Ever struggle with the constant fear of having your or your company’s data compromised? Wouldn’t it be nice if there was an organization that reduced some of those “freak out moments?”

There is. And it’s called Seiso. But no one knew that before last year.

Approach

For Seiso, a Pittsburgh start-up that needed to highlight its unique impact on business and IT leaders, we went beyond branding.

We got these information security professionals comfortable talking about what they do and why they do it. An established digital presence with social media and email campaigns, a white paper written by the founders, greater participation in industry events and speaking engagements… you name it.

Results

Now, Pittsburgh knows Seiso. We successfully positioned the brand as the less stressful, more personalized approach to information security. And now?

Named the Pittsburgh Tech Council 2021 Innovator of the Year, Start Up.
Ranked #13 in the 2022 Pittsburgh Business Book of List for Cybersecurity Firms
Interviewed on Going Deep and The Leadership Cafe podcast episodes
Featured in Pittsburgh Business Times Leadership Trust
Launched an entire Workshop dedicated to the branding and personalized experience of Seiso to generate interest from new prospects

Seiso – pronounced “/SĒ SŌ/” is a Japanese term originating from the 5S methodology that enforces clean workspaces, safety, structure, and the ability to easily spot when something is out of place.

But the influence from Japanese culture goes even further back. Centuries, in fact.

Seiso’s approach can be seen in the way of the Samurai. The Samurai are often thought of as the world’s oldest, most dynamic warriors.

But they were so much more. Artists, poets, guides, counselors, philosophers, protectors – and only when all those tactics failed – warriors.

Seiso takes the same approach to business. We take on every role to prevent conflict or issue. We use each and every one of our skills to build and protect our clients’ businesses.

This tried and tested approach to business is more relevant than ever as we help you navigate the ever-changing world of information security systems by changing the way you envision and approach your business processes.

And we communicate easy-to-understand solutions that help you rest easy knowing we are on watch with a centuries – tested approach to tomorrow’s challenges.

Brand Cyber Security Awareness Month Speed vs. Security Haikus

QUOTES:

MOMENTS OF ZEN:

Work

Koppers Sustainability

Post author By oystercreative
Post date December 28, 2022

KOPPERS

Sustainability Initiative

Koppers is a leading provider of wood- and carbon-based technologies, products, chemicals and services that strengthen our global infrastructure.

CHALLENGE

People. Planet. Performance. These aren’t just another slew of corporate principles. They are the core values of Koppers new Sustainability Plan, and they needed to be introduced to Koppers employees in an easily-digestible and highly-memorable format.

SOLUTION

What did we do? An explainer video with stereotypical buzzwords and “commitments? Nah. Instead, we took this project to another level — literally.

We created a vintage video game.

Our character, the Koppers K, is the protagonist. He strategically hops, skips and jumps to level-up his Sustainability “game,” while unveiling the key components of Koppers Sustainability Plan with a distinct look, feel and aesthetic for each value.

RESULTS

Talk about leveling up… The video aired at an all-employee meeting where Koppers team members from around the globe watched the Koppers K come to life — making way for the launch of an entire Sustainability brand.

Work

Greater Pittsbugrh Arts Council – Restart the Arts

Post author By oystercreative
Post date December 27, 2022

Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council

Restart the Arts

The Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council (GPAC) is the region’s primary arts service organization. It provides financial, professional and political support to artists and nonprofit organizations in 10 counties within Western Pennsylvania.

CHALLENGE

Intermission is over. The curtain has been lifted. After a two-year pause from laughter, drama, and inspiration, GPAC was ready to welcome patrons back to its venues. It was time for the resurgence of the Pittsburgh arts scene.

APPROACH

The Restart the Arts campaign was an 8-week public service initiative with 19 event activations; 22 artist performances, including on-air with Pittsburgh Today Live; collaboration with influencers Keep Pittsburgh Dope and Toddling Traveller; sponsorships by UPMC, Highmark and Giant Eagle GetGo; a traveling “Artsmobile” bringing performing artists all over the city; and a mix of PR, social and digital media, traditional advertising, digital, and radio/streaming.

RESULTS

One truck breakdown (no, really) and 358,304,894 (ok, we’re exaggerating, a little) ice cream cones later, we successfully helped GPAC Restart the Arts with our guerrilla-style, experiential marketing approach and robust events calendar:

12 media placements with more than 10 million impressions
400%+ increase in website traffic — we even temporarily crashed the site
Artsmobile event coverage from five social media influencers in Pittsburgh

Public Relations

WQED

100.7 Star

Articles

Social Carousel Ads

Social Media

Work

Best Buddies

Post author By Laura Shirley
Post date April 29, 2020

BEST BUDDIES

The perfect pairing.

Best Buddies pairs individuals with intellectual disabilities with friends for all kinds of fun.

CHALLENGE

Best Buddies was launching a new event in Pittsburgh – Tastebuds. The event pairs top chefs with a buddy from Best Buddies to be their sous chef for the evening.

Great story, but it needed someone to tell the public about it.

SOLUTION

We made Tastebuds the top annual culinary event for both chefs and foodies (yea, we hate that word, too).

Our media relations and social media strategy helped position the event as a “can’t miss” night.

RESULTS

Four straight years of a sold out event
Raised more than $300,000
More than 50 media placements and 25 million media impressions
A waiting list of chefs who want to participate each year

Anthony Bourdain

The late chef and food-personality Anthony Bourdain visited Pittsburgh to film an episode of his CNN show “Parts Unknown.”

Since several Tastebuds’ chefs were featured in the episode, we worked with CNN and Bourdain’s production company to host a special fundraiser screening of the show’s premiere.

One of our team members even appeared in the episode. He shared a meal and whiskey with Anthony Bourdain (COUGH, BRAG, COUGH).

Work

Aaron Kleiber

Post author By oystercreative
Post date March 6, 2020

AARON KLEIBER

Grown @%$ dad.

Comedian Aaron Kleiber has toured throughout the country with top comics like Bob Saget and Harland Williams. But when it came time for Aaron to shoot his upcoming live comedy special, there was only one place that felt right – his hometown of Pittsburgh.

CHALLENGE

From open mics to hosting weekly comedy events, Pittsburghers get the chance to see him perform live almost every week. Which means that those same comedy fans were less likely to pay a premium price to see a performer that they usually saw for free.

SOLUTION

We developed a plan to tell the story of a national comic making it big without leaving his hometown.

RESULTS

15 media placements
Reached an estimated 5.4 million people
Special now available on Amazon Prime Video
Aaron has become a weekly co-host on TWO of the local morning shows we placed him on for the first time

Work

Highmark

Post author By oystercreative
Post date March 6, 2020

Highmark

VITAL

VITAL is a company within Highmark that helps new innovations achieve widespread health plan purchase, hopefully saving them from the potential decades long wait between FDA approval and healthcare plan purchase.

CHALLENGE

The big problem? How do you explain that mission – as big and as far reaching as it is – in human terms that innovators, the media and even the general public can understand?

SOLUTION

That’s where we came in. We started with interview sessions, meeting everyone from the VITAL team to doctors that had worked with them and healthcare innovators that they’d helped. Then, we created brand platforms and talking points for both innovators and the media.

We launched a fully integrated campaign with multiple print, trade show, digital and PR elements to bring even more doctors and innovators on board.

RESULTS

A campaign touting the disruptive possibility of the VITAL process.

The portfolio folder was created to help the sales team talk through the difference in their process while being able to customize the solutions that are most relevant to their audience with slip sheets in the back.

Work

Friends of the Riverfront

Post author By oystercreative
Post date March 6, 2020

Friends of the Riverfront

Connect to something greater.

Since 1991, Friends of the Riverfront has worked to protect and restore the riverfront in the Pittsburgh region through trail development and stewardship after decades of legacy pollution.

CHALLENGE

Friends of the Riverfront was facing a bigger challenge than just a dated logo and the need for fresh marketing materials.

The organization was leading a revitalization of the region’s riverfront trails, but was struggling with how to communicate about their work and mission.

RESULTS

Our Deep Dive Session with staff, board and key stakeholders revealed that the organization was much more than just advocates.

They were working to connect people to the environment, healthier lifestyles, their communities and economic development.

QUOTE

“The message ‘Connect to Something Greater’ is vital to everything we do as an organization. It helps communicate and direct our mission to protect and develop our trail system.”

– Kelsey Ripper, Executive Director

Our trails are more than just the 25 miles of path that run alongside the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio Rivers.

They’re a connection from home to workplace. They bring you closer to nature. And maybe yourself. They connect communities and all of us to a better place. And a better quality of life. They bring us to a common ground.

But they need someone to protect them. To beautify them. To help them grow to their full potential. That’s why we’re here. To be their advocate. Their protector. Their activist. Their friend.

That might mean bringing together businesses and governmental leaders. Communicating about a downed tree or washed out pathway. Or simply rolling up our sleeves and getting our hands dirty.

Why do we do it all? Simple. To connect. And because every time someone hits our trails, they get the opportunity to connect to something greater.

Tags non-profit

Work

Erie Apparel

Post author By oystercreative
Post date March 6, 2020

ERIE APPAREL

814 Day

Erie Apparel is an Erie-based company that creates high-quality, custom t-shirts and apparel for Erieites near and far. They put the 814 on the map with quality designs and craftsmanship and ship 814 pride across the country, but their hearts are docked right next to Lake Erie so they can pour everything they can back into the community.

CHALLENGE

One of the brand’s most popular items is their shirt with a simple “814” across the chest, representing the local area code.

With Erie Apparel’s mantra, “It’s Okay to Love Erie,” the brand wanted to create a day that was all about celebrating the great things about the region.

What better day to celebrate than August 14 (8/14)?

SOLUTION

No one doubted Erie Apparel’s love of all things local, but they wanted to make it official. We worked to have August 14 declared “814 Day” with an official proclamation from the Mayor of Erie. Once we had the proclamation in hand, we decided to make sure every Erieite was in the spirit.

The goal for the campaign was very simple: to show our love for Erie — and hope the city would visit the store.

Results

The largest non-Black Friday sales day in company history

Six media placements and more than 1.1 million media impresssions

Visits from the Mayor and County Executives

An official Mayoral proclamation of “814 Day”

Media Placements

To give our newest Erieites a sense of hometown pride, Erie Apparel gave an 814 onesie to every baby born at Magee-Womens, UPMC Hamot the week of August 14. By outfitting these newborns in 814 gear, we were able to build on the legacy of Erie’s proud citizens who contribute to its big, fun, loving community.