Five Years with CDC Software!

The Challenge
CDC Software's primary challenge was an aggressive acquisition strategy, which sometimes caused confusion in the market as to the direction of the company and prompted questions on the respective product lines. The company looked to Articulate Communications to help promote the newly acquired companies, wrapping each into the overall corporate strategy, in order to become a vertical market leader across the enterprise.

Articulate PR Strategy
Through a media-focused campaign, Articulate worked with CDC Software to promote each of the respective acquisitions and formally communicate how each fit into the company's growth strategy and product lines.

The CDC Software PR campaign comprised the following components:

  • Announcements Established a healthy mix of press releases that provided a platform to communicate how every acquired company fit into the company's strategy along with 'success releases' to validate each. Additionally, as an industry-specific provider, all key themes led back to CDC Software's focus on industry-specific technology, as well as a commitment to customer needs.
  • Editorial Flooded industry, trade and vertical media with news, customer case studies and proactive trend pitches to promote cost-effective enterprise solutions for businesses.
  • Thought Leadership Focused on generating awareness of CDC Software's new management, via acquisitions, by securing coverage in technology trades and verticals across food/beverage, chemicals, financial services, homebuilding, consumer products and manufacturing industries. This was essential to creating a cohesive management team that fit under the CDC Software umbrella. This was done through executive bylined articles, industry awards and select speaking engagements.
The Results
Articulate helped CDC Software advance in the enterprise software market and fully leverage each of the respective acquisitions to showcase the company's forward-thinking growth strategy while still reinforcing its commitment to customers.

  • Secured press hits in vertical, technology trade and business press, including 122 feature articles:
    • Top vertical and supply chain/manufacturing coverage secured: Managing Automation, Manufacturing Business Technology, Supply & Demand Chain Executive, Food Manufacturing, Food Logistics, CRM Magazine, Securities Industry News, Builder Magazine, Food Quality and APICS
    • Top IT and business press briefings: Investor's Business Daily, BusinessWeek, Reuters, Fortune Small Business and IndustryWeek
  • Prominent award accolades:
    • Manufacturing Business Technology, "Global 100"
    • Consumer Goods Technology, "SMB Fast Track"
    • InfoWorld, "InfoWorld 100"
    • Supply & Demand Chain Executive, "Executive 100" Software Magazine, "Software 500"
  • Highly successful bylined article program executed on behalf of CDC Software:
    • Food Quality: Series of seven industry-focused articles
    • IndustryWeek: Two industry- and market-focused articles
    • Supply & Demand Chain Executive: Two in-depth articles
    • Consumer Goods Technology: Two "Vantage Point" columns
    • CRM Advocate: Series of three vertically-specialized articles