Q Free Case Study
Challenge:
Q-Free is Europe’s leading supplier of electronic toll collection (ETC) systems, with customers across the world including in Norway, Australia, Portugal, Italy, Chile, France and the UK. One of its latest installations is a congestion charging system in Stockholm, Sweden, and the company is bidding for the next stage of development of the congestion charging project in London
K+R was introduced to Q-Free by its ECCO network partner in Norway and was initially appointed for a three-month communications campaign in the UK. The ICT division was tasked with developing a media relations programme to raise awareness of Q-Free and its technology, aimed at local government executives and CIOs, to run alongside a lobbying and public awareness campaign
Q-Free had won a major contract to implement its Smart card technology in Turin, Italy, to ease congestion levels during the 2006 Winter Olympic Games. Although the contract was for an Italian city, it was important to highlight the potential to the UK media. K+R’s task was to position Q-Free as a leading European transport charging company among trade, technical and national UK media. Turin was identified as a “blueprint” for the London Olympic Games in 2012 and as a technology solution that could be applied to the London congestion charging zone
Strategy:
K+R’s strategy was to focus on the human cost of traffic congestion. It examined the environmental issues of congestion as well as the health problems that affect drivers caught up in traffic jams throughout the UK. Q-Free was positioned as a socially responsible market leader in tackling issues around congestion charging and creating “traffic-jam free” environments
Tactics:
K+R raised Q-Free’s UK profile with a targeted media relations programme. The agency organised a media tour in December, ahead of the Winter Olympic Games, for a select number of UK journalists with the aim of showcasing the technology designed to ease congestion in Turin. It then ran another event in Turin during the Winter Olympic Games when the system was fully operational and journalists could see the benefits for themselves, with a combination of national and trade media. This was backed up with a number of placed by-lined articles and opinion pieces to maximise the publicity surrounding the Winter Olympic Games and position Q-Free as thought-leaders.
K+R promoted Q-Free’s involvement in transforming Turin into a free flowing city, reducing pollution by 90%, and giving users the flexibility to use the Smart card for additional public services and to gain access to the Winter Olympic Games’ sites
Results:
The hard-hitting communications campaign resulted in extensive press coverage throughout the transport trade press including dedicated pieces in Transport Times, Transport Technology International, World Highways, ITS International and Auto Express. An exclusive full-page feature also appeared in The Times. All coverage positioned Q-Free as an innovative transport charging company, with an important presence in today’s traffic climate. These results were made all the more impressive due to the fact that this was the first time Q-Free had formally engaged the UK media.
K+R also arranged a number of media interviews to promote a wider understanding of the company to the editors of Q-Free’s tier-one media titles. These briefings have led to longer-term relationships with the company.
After a successful three-month communications programme, K+R was awarded a retainer contract to provide Q-Free with media relations support as well as assist in its lobbying and public awareness campaigns on a permanent basis
