Strategic marketing campaign led to the growth and scaling of Red Hat resulting in its acquisition by IBM for $34bn.
Strategic marketing campaign led to the growth and scaling of Red Hat resulting in its acquisition by IBM for $34bn.
TOPLINE ACCOMPLISHMENTS
A highly integrated media and PR partnership yields top-tier industry awards in honor of creative and business excellence, establishing Mphasis as a digital transformation and experience leader.
CLIENT BACKGROUND
U.S. based Red Hat—a company that delivers open-source solutions to enterprise clients—first approached Gutenberg in 2016, seeking to establish itself as an industry leader, with a focus on growth in India. In addition to business expansion efforts, Red Hat wanted help with media relations and strategic branding from people with the insight to navigate the intricacies of Indian digital tech, and the experience to know how best to connect with potential clients and investors in the region.
GUTENBERG STRATEGY
Given the ever-evolving nature of open-source solutions, Gutenberg understood immediately that media outreach and education had to be priority for Red Hat. To properly introduce Red Hat to Indian news outlets, Gutenberg focused on three things: increasing PR, garnering and highlighting awards, and hosting speaking opportunities. Gutenberg secured executive interviews, planned media roundtables, and fostered Red Hat brand ambassadors and enthusiasts. By leveraging an existing community of open-source contributors, both in India and abroad, Gutenberg positioned Red Hat as a thought leader and industry innovator.
Challenge #1: Expanding business to India
Gutenberg solution: Red Hat enjoyed a well-established reputation for excellence among Linux users. In 2016, there was a rising demand for Linux in India. Gutenberg put two and two together and recognized the opportunity for Red Hat to gain a foothold in Indian tech markets. But to transition the brand from popular Linux outfit to open-source industry leader required more than parlaying consumer interest beyond Linux, to the wider suite of Red Hat services and software solutions; it meant developing a comprehensive media and branding strategy that resonated with potential clientele in India.
Challenge #2: Increasing and enhancing brand presence
Gutenberg solution: A key insight in how to differentiate Red Hat from its competitors lay in the unique feature of open source, namely, its community-powered approach to delivering and continually improving upon software solutions. Gutenberg tapped the strength of Red Hat’s open-source contributors, who became informal brand advocates, championing the company’s expertise and leadership in its field to local media and tech experts alike. This built brand awareness organically—and with the kind of authenticity traditional media campaigns can’t buy.
Challenge #3: Improving employer branding to attract talent
Gutenberg solution: Increased media attention amplified and humanized the brand, and Red Hat wanted to market directly to universities. To further these efforts, Gutenberg identified a burgeoning Red Hat community in India—tech experts who came in at the ground floor of development in the region—and nurtured them into informal brand spokespeople. This supportive band of loyalists helped spread the word about Red Hat, connecting fellow industry insiders and recent college grads with employment opportunities and fast-tracking the recruitment process.
RESULTS
Together Red Hat and Gutenberg give compelling evidence to the credo that word of mouth is the best form of advertising. Through a marketing campaign defined by brand loyalty, Gutenberg helped Red Hat parlay grassroots interest as a niche digital services provider into an overall reputation for excellence in the tech sector. Its brand signal boosted, Red Hat eventually caught the attention of IBM, which led to a high-profile acquisition in 2018. In the first year after joining forces with IBM, the company enjoyed a transformation in size and scale, with fiscal revenue up 15% to $3.4bn, and continued increase in revenue streams like software and subscription services.
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