Bell Helicopter
In 2004, Bell Helicopter responded to an Army RFP to provide a new Attack and Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH) by offering a redesign of its existing 204 Helicopter frame. The Bell ARH proposal was essentially at parity with the competition and congressional lobbying influence was essentially identical so Bell was looking for a way to tip the scales in their favor. Though, the final decision would be made by Generals and select members of congress, our research told us that these groups could both be heavily influenced by the flyers themselves. So we set out to generate excitement among the prospective ARH pilots at select army bases in the US and abroad.
We created an integrated campaign with ads specifically placed around the primary ARH bases. We used these ads as teasers, driving pilots around the bases to visit a microsite. Keying into the aggressive, competitive nature of the pilots, we positioned the Bell ARH not as a refurbished Bell 407, but rather as the ultimate, "Hunter/Killer/Survivor."
The message resonated. The pilots downloaded the screen savers and posters we imbedded. They printed up the Bell ARH spec sheets and became a powerful lobbying force with their commanding officers. Bell won the $2.2 billion contract.
