High Score: Drive customer demand

About This Project

Key themes

• Using an aggressive launch PR strategy to skyrocket 2 apps to the top of the charts and gain mainstream attention
• Focusing on getting positive press coverage from general, influential technology writers
• Securing coverage on enthusiast trade publications (fitness, science, gaming)

Problem

• A younger, independent app developer sought to make a splash in a crowded App Store environment that was dominated by major publishers
• Both of the developer’s apps were paid and social networking-themed, which required an immediate “bump” in users to allow it to thrive
• A smaller team, previously unknown in the app ecosystem and unfamiliar with marketing processes had limited internal resources to support a launch
  

Solution

• Create a full marketing launch plan with timeline, outlining required assets and core deadlines to meet a “go live” date for each app
• Build a strong reviewer system that balanced securing reviews with high-value press outlets with less read, but highly influential enthusiast press
• Counter the allure of larger publishers by letting press hear from the voices behind the technology
• Organize an in-person demo day that gave a small, but highly influential group of writers access to the apps and technology team

Results

• Both apps landed in the Top 25 listing of the Apple App Store post launch, with the first app peaking at the #5 spot in its product category. These apps sat alongside and ahead of apps from large, billion dollar brands
• Downloads were exclusively driven by PR output–no paid advertising campaigns were used
• Significant brand awareness lead the developer to become the “voice” to balance presence from larger developers. Press outlets continue to turn to this developer for ongoing commentary and perspective