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Channel V Media Named Gold Stevie Award Winner in 2018 American Business Awards

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Channel V Media – B2B Campaign

Gold Stevie Award Winner 2018, Click to Enter The 2019 American Business Awards

Company: Channel V Media
Company Description: CVM is a PR agency that works with innovative and disruptive companies in the technology, business, media and advertising spaces. Whether they’re just getting started or are well-established brands, CVM helps them break into new markets, stake their claim in emerging industries, stand out in crowded conversations, and reinvigorate enthusiasm for offerings that have been on the market for years.
Nomination Category: Corporate Communications, Investor Relations, & Public Relations Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Communications or PR Campaign of the Year – Marketing – Business-to-Business

Nomination Title: Channel V Media Carves Out a Market for AI in Business

Tell the story about this nominated campaign since January 1 2017 (up to 650 words). Focus on specific accomplishments, and relate these accomplishments to past performance or industry norms.

When Albert Technologies came to Channel V Media (CVM), the Israeli artificial intelligence company had raised $42M on the London Stock Exchange and sought to extend its presence into the U.S.

There were only a few problems with their plan: 1) They were a known quantity in Israel but no one had heard about them in the U.S. 2) Companies like Salesforce and Oracle were rumored to be introducing artificial intelligence solutions with the potential to overshadow Albert’s news. 3) The company’s CEO was dead-set on getting Albert to market first, ahead of these large competitors. 4) Albert wasn’t just an unfamiliar technology, “he” was an unknown brand. And 5) the media and public didn’t know much about artificial intelligence—and what they did know was very much shaped by popular culture depictions of machines taking over the world.

From August to December 2016, Channel V Media led and executed the strategy that not only got Albert to market before anyone else, but allowed them to use their spotlight to begin defining the AI message for all companies who would enter the space to come.

In 2017, the public relations strategy transformed from introducing an AI to an industry that wasn’t quite ready for it to driving demand and adoption for a product that was still much perceived as a risky, unknown and scary.

CVM developed a four-tier strategy: educate the industry, secure market validation, make Albert one of the most highly visible AI platforms in the world, and transcend the marketing conversation to gain broader relevance among established business technologies.

From the offset, brands and agencies feared that AI would take their jobs, and actively opposed emerging AI technologies. In order to educate these prospective users on what AI is and how it could be applied to marketing and advertising, CVM began creating opportunities for journalist and analysts–and by association, their readers–to see Albert at work. CVM set up product demos with national news and trade outlets, securing briefings with outlets such as the New York Times, CNBC, Harvard Business Review, TechCrunch, Adweek, AdExchanger, Marketing Land, digiday, DMN, eMarketer and many others.

To expand Albert’s relevance beyond marketing, CVM devised a strategy to associate Albert with two other game-changing AI powerhouses: IBM’s Watson and Salesforce’s Einstein. Because IBM and Salesforce were known quantities and media were now able to connect Albert to other mainstream applications of AI, the media floodgates opened and Albert quickly became vital to the AI conversation with a total of 142 media placements in 2017 alone. Albert is now one of the most highly covered and visible autonomous technologies on the planet.

Next, CVM diversified Albert’s message to transcend the marketing function and instead focus on the many industries it serves: retail, automotive, home goods, and telecommunications.

As a direct result of CVM’s work to validate Albert in the market by offering insight into its work with major U.S. and global brands, Albert’s inbound business leads have skyrocketed. Just one article about Albert’s work with Harley-Davidson published in Harvard Business Review produced over 2,000 leads, while a single article about Albert’s work with retailer Cosabella in Campaign Magazine brought in 500 leads. A strategically placed article in Furniture Today led to a partnership between Albert and Kohl’s. Several other big name brands have come inbound as well, including Nestle, Gallery Furniture, Natori, Dole, US Wellness Meats and many more. Albert now relies 100% on CVM’s work with its small marketing team to generate the entirety of its leads.

In bullet-list form, briefly summarize up to ten (10) of the chief features and results of this nominated PR program since the beginning of 2017 (up to 150 words).

CVM secured 142 high-value media placements for Albert in 2017 alone; 229 since its 2016 launch.
Albert’s ability to rely on CVM’s PR efforts to generate inbound leads has resulted in a 40% cost savings, as well as sales growth.
Albert was named one of Gartner’s four “Cool Vendors” in 2017 and is considered “one of the most vocal companies in the AI marketing space” by the analyst firm.
CVM secured 22 high profile awards for Albert in 2017, including “Market Disruptor” by Masters of Marketing, and “AI Application of the Year” by The Global Annual Achievement Awards for AI.
CVM created such high demand for Albert that it was able to double its minimum price and focus on the enterprise market.
Albert’s CEO is a regular contributor to VentureBeat, Forbes, AdExchanger, and CMO.com, and is a regular speaker at industry events.

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About Channel V Media

Welcome to Channel V Media (CVM). We’re an award-winning PR and communications agency, founded in 2008.

We build market momentum for Fortune 500 and emerging companies, advising and executing on Communications Strategy, PR strategy, and digital marketing. We specialize in breaking clients into new markets and categories, rising to the top of crowded conversations, and reinvigorating enthusiasm for long-standing companies as they compete in new areas.

CVM builds awareness for companies and their products, develops C-suite leaders into industry visionaries, positions clients to be among the most vocal in high-value conversations, and drives inbound leads.

Some of our clients include Sopra Banking Software, GFT, Penn Mutual, IBM, Bluecore, Grapeshot + Oracle, Fortune & Frame, and others.