CHALLENGE:

Hearing implant manufacturer MED-EL recently became the first and only company to receive FDA clearance for their cochlear implant to treat single-sided deafness.

APPROACH:

• MED-EL needed to move quickly to take advantage of this industry first
• Rebecca immediately reached out to the lead investigator at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill to identify potential clinical trial participants, and worked with MED-EL to source and develop materials to support a national media campaign
• Foundational work such as clinical trial center relationship-building, advocacy community connections and material preparation were essential components to being able to mobilize quickly and to the overall success of the campaign

SOLUTION:

• Media trained MED-EL CEO and internal research lead
• Worked with lead clinical trial site to identify several participants willing to participate in media outreach
• Coordinated outreach with UNC investigators and their internal PR department
• Conducted media training for two adult and one parent/child clinical trial participants
• Wrote, distributed press release nationally
• Sourced and secured b-roll animation from international headquarters to support pitch efforts
• Pitched story to media locally and nationally
• Connected with national hearing loss organizations and influencers to leverage media coverage and further awareness

RESULTS:

• Arranged 10 interviews with CEO, MED-EL lead researcher, UNC lead researchers and clinical trial participants with local media and top-tier medical trades
• Local NBC interview coordinated with clinical trial participant was syndicated nationally, furthering coverage
• Secured 25+ original articles in top-tier consumer, hearing loss and med-tech trade outlets
• BusinessWire release generated 17,000+ views and 11,000+ multi-media views
• Earned media was shared as social content as leading hearing loss advocacy organizations and influencers helped spread the word to their targeted constituents, including: American Cochlear Implant Alliance, American Hearing Research Foundation, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, AG Bell, Hands & Voices, Hearing Health Foundation and Hearing Loss Association of America

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