Escalators and elevators are two products largely taken for granted by the riding public. Similarly, prospective purchasers view competitive brands of elevators and escalators as parity products, differentiated only by price and service terms. CooperKatz helped Otis underscore its global leadership in both segments via two linked initiatives.

The first effort launched the Otis NextStep™ escalator, a breakthrough product that employs a technologically advanced Guarded™ step design. We distributed b-roll internationally that highlighted the Guarded step, created electronic press materials that enabled reporters everywhere to view the Guarded Step in motion and arranged for editors to visit the Otis test tower for a first hand experience.

The second effort commemorated Otis’ 150th anniversary. The centerpiece of the celebration was a re-enactment of Elisha Graves Otis’ historic demonstration of his ‘safety elevator.’

Together the two initiatives reinforced Otis as a reliable, enduring manufacturer of people-moving systems as well as a technological innovator and safety-minded market leader. To prospective customers, those combined characteristics represent compelling differentiators.

Results of the combined campaigns include major stories in the Associated Press, Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Seattle Times, Chicago Sun-Times, Financial Times, Berliner-Zeitung, Bangkok Post, Corriera Dela Sera, US News, USA Weekend, CBS, NBC, ABC, Fox, WB, CNN, PBS and Late Night with David Letterman, among many others.

The campaign’s crowning achievement was a page-one Wall Street Journal article that positioned Otis as the ‘jewel’ in United Technology Corporation’s portfolio of businesses.