Shifting Conversations

Aruba, an HP Enterprise company known as an expert in networking technology, needed to extend the conversation beyond IT managers with a more business-focused perspective. Doing so would capture the attention — and therefore the support — of the C-suite, giving IT managers the backing they needed to establish smarter networks that would allow employees to securely exchange information, wherever they are. But broadening the conversation was just the beginning.

Keep it moving

After conducting extensive research worldwide, Aruba’s communications team unveiled a key behavior that ultimately laid the foundation for its progressive campaign: peoples’ desire to stay mobile. Because the global workforce is always on the go, they’re constantly sending confidential information from mobile devices such as smartphones and laptops. Thus began Aruba’s #GenMobile campaign: the beginning of a three-part (and running) launch that shifted the conversation from tech talk to a business-centric dialogue.

Roll it out

Phase one was focused on building awareness around how employees were working online when outside the office, and the sacrifices they were willing to make in order to maintain the convenience of working while on the go. For example, research revealed that the majority of employees would take a 10% pay cut in exchange for the ability to work from home just one day a week.

Phase two presented another reality: employees weren’t following best practices when sending sensitive information from their mobile devices. In response, employers often restrict online access, blocking sites and preventing staff from logging on when away from the office. But that makes for a very poor employee experience. Aruba offered an alternative: keep the information flowing and simply monitor traffic through a secure network.

Businesses that choose option two see a high return on their investment with a more productive, loyal and motivated workforce than those that restrict access. That was the message delivered in phase three. When you keep your employees happy, your company thrives. And with the help of the Economist Intelligence Unit and its PR team, Aruba had a comprehensive report to prove it.

Making the right moves really pays off

Equipped with a new brand voice and an integrated campaign driven by an informative and compelling narrative, Aruba quickly made a name for itself in the tech world. So much so that even after being acquired by HPE, it continues to invest additional resources into the ongoing development of its powerful narrative.

To date, the campaign has earned Aruba over 320 press clippings worldwide. That, combined with a 5-minute interview with CNBC Europe, successfully reached a captivated audience of well over 120 million people. According to Nielsen, that’s a higher viewership than the number of people in the U.S. tuning in to watch the super bowl in any given year — EVER!

And from a business perspective, Aruba saw impressive results, too, generating 6,000 new sales leads, 260 of which were qualified with a potential value of $9,500,000. Ninety of these (so far) have generated a total of $1.8 million in additional revenue. And, for every $1 spent, the return on investment has equaled $11 in confirmed sales. How’s that for keeping things moving?