“We want to be acquired within a year.” That was the unique challenge presented to Rainier by Synad, a fabless semiconductor (WLAN SoC) company out of Reading, U.K.
Synad retained Rainier to break into the American market, aiming to secure credibility in the wireless design community, but also to create a perception of corporate value around Synad itself. The company’s innovative multi-band WiFi chipset had achieved some visibility in the U.K., but Synad felt that increased visibility in North America would hasten the company’s ultimate goal: to be acquired within one year.
Results: Sold
STMicroelectronics announced its acquisition of Synad just 12 months after Rainier launched the startup into the U.S. market. “Rainier played a leading role in building our profile as a leader in the wireless space,” said Synad’s Kevin Mapplebeck. The company’s VP of marketing and business development added, “We wouldn’t be able to achieve this sort of visibility without Rainier’s help.”
Tactics: Visibility through aggressive outreach
Rainier developed and executed an aggressive program of media and analyst outreach for Synad. At the outset, a briefing tour introduced Synad and the company’s chipset to U.S. editors and industry analysts, producing over 40 pieces of coverage in every relevant trade media outlet in the engineering, wireless and telecom space.
Capitalizing on the buzz around WiFi and WLAN, Rainier muscled the previously unknown Synad into articles side-by-side with established industry competitors including Broadcom, Texas Instruments, Intel, Agere, Marvell, Philips, IceFyre, Envara, Infineon, Intersil, and Atheros.
Rainier also placed contributed articles under the Synad byline to leverage the momentum of the initial launch and to associate the Synad brand with solving the need for a multi-band WiFi chip solution. Over a dozen contributed pieces appeared including articles in RTC, Portable Design, Wireless Systems Design, EE Times, ComputerWorld, and Electronic Product Design.
Rainier also created and managed speaking opportunities for Synad, targeting niche events such as WSD, NGN and CTIA. In one example, Synad spoke on a panel at the 802.11 Planet Conference, which gave the company an equal seat at the table with its direct competitors. Overall, the multi-faceted PR approach delivered the results Synad and Rainier set out to achieve, all in just 12 months.
