Section One: Overview
In 2001, the Kurz company (a well known German-based paper security products company) approached the Boston Intelligence Group (B.I.G. Inc.), seeking strategic advice on ways to launch a U.S. marketing campaign to help strengthen their domestic brand awareness and product marketing capabilities.

At issue for Kurz was to find a consulting firm that could not only meet these needs, but to also create and manage a virtual project manager that would allow global team members from different branch offices to share information and communicate as the projects moved forward - including offices in Germany and the United Kingdom.

Improved brand awareness and web presence, Kurz surmised, would ultimately lead to improved corporate and product awareness in the U.S. coupled with increased sales and marketing results.

Section Two: Strategy
After meeting with representatives from Kurz and speaking with public relations counsel for the company, B.I.G. developed a four-tiered plan designed to meet Kurz's needs. The plan included the immediate design and integration of a virtual project manager as well as the outlining of a marketing web site plan for their largest U.S. affiliate based in Raleigh, North Carolina.

B.I.G.'s approach included coordinating efforts with existing public relations counsel.

Section Three: Tactics
By employing tools from our Interactive Business Communications suite of services, we first designed and launched a web site that allowed Kurz team members to actively participate on three project platforms: North Carolina Grassroots Lobbying; Web Site Development, and; National Lobbying Efforts.

Secondly, we designed and created (with input from Kurz's public relations counsel getpress.com) a fully functional marketing web site for use in brand development in the U.S. Not only does this site support Kurz's brand building efforts, it also serves as a link to Kurz's other affiliate sites including corporate headquarters in Germany. Most importantly, it provides domestic press with the ability to glean information about Kurz's products and services on a U.S. hosted server.

Additionally, we've helped contribute to the development of both the local and national grassroots and lobbying strategies for Kurz as their marketing and public information campaigns move forward.

Section Four: Results
The project is ongoing, but initial results have been very positive. To date,

B.I.G. has created and/or managed:

• Fully cross-functional project manager, created in a virtual environment with tiered security access and log in clearance by team tasking.
• Marketing web site built as an extension of the Kurz USA affiliate site, providing product information, grassroots action center and links to other Kurz web sites (for both internal and external audiences).
• Log in areas for management teams to monitor and assess effectiveness of campaign as it progresses.

B.I.G.'s work is ongoing, but to date the results have been positive and the client has been pleased with overall project progress.