Pitney Bowes, a 95-year-old company that's known for its mail and shipping services, today is launching a $20 million integrated campaign called "Craftsmen of Commerce," designed to change perceptions about the brand among C-suite executives.
The campaign includes three TV spots -- the company's first use of TV in more than 20 years -- created by Ogilvy New York. It also includes digital media, created by DigitasLBi, with brand strategy created by FutureBrand.
"We have money put into live TV because we have an awareness issue," said Bill Borrelle, senior VP-brand strategy and integrated marketing communications at Pitney Bowes. "The perception of Pitney Bowes lags the reality of the technology solutions we provide. TV is an effective medium for us to build awareness among b-to-b buyers who are clients or prospects."
TV ads are running on national sports and news networks, with more targeted buys running locally.
"The campaign addresses the complexity of commerce -- things like data privacy and international regulations and customs compliance -- all those issues our clients face," Mr. Borrelle said. "This is precisely why the world of commerce need craftsmen."
In a 60-second spot called "The Story of Commerce," the complexity of global commerce is illustrated through scenes ranging from the bustle of rush-hour traffic to the frustration of shipping orders being denied.
A voiceover says, "It's commerce -- a world filled with complexity to chaos. Get it right, you win. Get it wrong, you lose." The spot goes on to show how precision and accuracy can help businesses succeed.
"We launched a rebranding effort one year ago with a new strategy around accuracy and precision," Mr. Borrelle said. "We have a long heritage at Pitney Bowes in bringing accuracy and precision to the world of commerce. This campaign is an articulation of our brand strategy."
A 30-second spot, called "Hands" (below) shows hands performing various tasks, from building machines to typing on keyboards. A voiceover says, "These are the hands that drive commerce, that build business across borders, that feed need, want and desires … these are the hands of Pitney Bowes."
Another 30-second spot, called "Worried," shows how Pitney Bowes helps solve business challenges for customers, ranging from lost shipments to lost customers.
The campaign also includes an extensive digital effort with videos, social media, online ads and website content.
"We have had a 'maker' culture at Pitney Bowes, long before there was such a thing as a maker culture," Mr. Borrelle said. "Our pride, heritage and innovation over time will come to the surface in this campaign, juxtaposed against the world of commerce."
