EXi Telecoms

EXi Telecoms provided outsourced management & installation services for the telecoms industry. Marketing Projects was contacted initially for a press announcement. Services provided extended to public relations, crisis management, events, collaterals and included a new global website, its specification and management. Its eventual PR strategy required publicising contract wins, office launches, training scheme initiatives, award wins and crisis management, plus management at events such as the TMA exhibition in Brighton.

Results

The Fast Track 100 company won a Queen’s Award and over 11 industry awards during its work with Marketing Projects and its growth from £26 million to £86 million, with 1100 people servicing 50 countries world-wide.

Crisis Skills

Sir Ken Jackson, union leader, broke an embargo on Radio 4’s Today programme on a story to be announced in an 11am. press conference at the DTI headquarters. The story concerned a scheme EXi telecoms were helping the DTI with to retrain steel workers in telecoms. He got the figures wrong. He should have said 3,000 jobs across the industry, not 3,000 jobs at EXi telecoms. Another union leader disparaged the figures in a politically motivated (but correct) way and the press were wrong-footed.

The UK’s press elite camped outside our hotel and jammed our mobiles. By 11am. at the DTI we had 40 journalists, 10 TV crews and 2 satellite stations waiting for the announcements by Steven Byers, Sir Ken, Teresa Gorman & EXi telecoms. This was when Andrew Marr (BBC political correspondent at the time) tried “Do you not know who I am?” to ensure coverage on the 1 o’clock news because Marketing Projects had given the first interview for EXi telecoms to Sky News. (They both did interviews to camera live, to suit, as the interviewee rotated between crews.)

It calmed down & the coverage resumed ‘on message’.

TESTIMONIAL

“Marketing Projects has been working with EXi telecoms since 1997 when they were asked to work on press relations for EXi telecoms. They also helped with our early brochures and adverts and our presence at the TMA exhibition in Brighton. I joined EXi telecoms in 2000 and Marketing Projects has continued press and public relations work for us, also assisting us as an external consultant for the new global web site launched during 2000.

We have found their advice and services to be invaluable, using their copywriting skills to help win over 12 awards during 2001/2 and their web site for enhanced contact with the media. We have
relied on their skills to keep us both in and out of the media which they have achieved well. Memorable occasions included high profile contract wins, world-wide office launches, training
scheme initiatives and award wins.

We look forward to future business together and to hearing about their plans for growth.”

Commercial Director, EXi telecoms