Hansgrohe

Background In its 107-year history, the Hansgrohe company, headquartered in Schiltach/Black Forest, has acquired a reputation within the sanitary industry as a leading innovator in technology and design. With its showers, fixtures and shower systems, Hansgrohe creates the original products that make the bathroom more functional, more comfortable and more beautiful. The Hansgrohe Group currently has a global workforce of about 3,200 employees, with nearly two-thirds of them working in Germany. The Company, which takes tough action against product piracy and intellectual property theft, manufactures its products in six German plants, in France, the Netherlands, in the U.S. and in China. In 2009, Hansgrohe AG announced the merger with its South African distributor, Personalised Bathrooms which was started by the Mederer family in Hansgrohe South Africa became the 29th subsidiary of this global brand.

To continue to increase awareness of the Hansgrohe brand to consumers and trade, beyond product placement and advertising,through credible third party endorsement comprising of editorial. Grow awareness to trade and consumers alike, that after sales service is key to the success of the Hansgrohe brand in South Africa – this is their USP – retailers and end-users can trust in the brand and its service ethos – competitive advantage equates to unmatched service. Position the brand as an eco-enabler. To grow awareness of Hansgrohe’s CSI involvement – SA Lifesaving and Reach for a Dream. To position Hansgrohe, through lobbying activity as the voice for the call to action for anti- scalding legislation in South Africa. Strategically position Hansgrohe and its ranges as: –Complete innovative technology, function and design –The advanced innovator in kitchen and bathroom fittings –As aspirational products indicative of style –Increasing value of your home What is the aim of the PR campaign?

The Approach Total Media have successfully employed a multi-level media relations approach to securing and building reputation capital for this international brand. Through a mix of product placement, product updates, competitions and reader give-aways, profiling of key stakeholders and more, we have been able to sustain our media coverage for these exciting products. Furthermore, we capitlaised on the recent trip to South Africa of the acclaimed Milan based designer, Patricia Urquiola and created an exclusive launch event around the release of her new bathroom designs for Hansgrohe. Over 200 key architects, designers and media attended the evening and the resulting sales have proven the value of well planned events. Additionally, we have assisted Hansgrohe with trade roadhsows, inviting trade and décor media to a review of new products, ensuring that they get the correct information and high res images way ahead of the curve.

Furthermore, Total Media have assisted Hansgrohe in South Africa to expand on its original sponsorship of SA Lifesaving by creating a stand alone event on the lifesaving calendar. The Hansgrohe Masters of Water Lifesaving event is a three leg series that seeks to improve the standard of competition in this volunteer sport, aiding our international competitors to be able to compete at a global level and obtain first three placements. The series also allows for crucial recruitment drives for this under funded and under-appreciated sport and entrenches the Masters of Water, Hansgrohe with Lifesaving and precious water usage. For these events, we send out diary listings in advance to encourage participation, invite media to attend, participate and review – with great success - and arrange interviews in print and on radio and television for the stakeholders and participants and over time, we will certainly grow this into a much anticipated event. –Total Media have also developed a key critical “green” campaign for Hansgrohe, the only product in SA to be fully Greenstar compliant ant, which will be launched towards the end of 2009.

Outcomes - Media Relations Results For the original 8 month period in 2008, Total Media secured over R2 million in coverage. The 2009 campaign to date, has far surpassed this amount and further has assisted in maintaining sales in a severely stressed economy, as Total Media has been instrumental in developing key partnerships and relationships with many more specifiers and through the recent development of a low cost water saving showerhead, we are able to break into new markets for this client.