COPLINK Case Study

COPLINK, a division of Knowledge Computing Corporation, is a Tucson, Arizona start-up and the result of collaboration between the University of Arizona Artificial Intelligence lab and the Tucson Police Department. The product provides police officers with a lightning-fast means to collect and analyze crime-related data from widely differing sources, including stand-alone databases and information banks in other government offices and jurisdictions.

Being a start-up, the company needed to create a product brand and presence in the law enforcement marketplace. COPLINK partnered with Bromberg Consulting to create and manage a comprehensive marketing communications launch. The product launch included the development of brand strategy, identity and tagline, website, business system, marketing materials, trade show presence, an interactive CD demo, and public relations strategy and implementation.

Brand Strategy
The brand strategy process included an in-depth assessment of the technology, competitors, sales process, target audience, company vision and values. In addition, the process helped the leadership team identify the product’s brand personality, brand attributes and characteristics. The adopted brand strategy positioned the product directly to the target market, enabling brand building at the product level. As a result, all of the marketing communications were focused on the product messages.

Product Tagline
To build on the brand strategy, the selected tagline focuses on the product functionality and benefits: Connect. Search. Solve.

Visual Identity Development – Logo
By leveraging the brand strategy and product positioning an identity was designed that communicates directly to the target audience, and represents the information sharing aspect of the technology.

Marketing Materials
To ensure maximum flexibility and cost efficiency, a pocket folder with interchangeable inserts was created for trade show, public relations and general sales purposes.

Trade Show Presence
COPLINK was launched at the International Association of Chiefs of Police with over 16,000 police chiefs, worldwide in attendance. To gain maximum attention on the show floor it was imperative that we developed a theme that was unique and meaningful to the attendees – our solution was to play off the idea that police officers wear shiny black shoes. In the booth was a shoeshine professional providing complimentary shoe shines while watching a product demo, and promotional items included a can of high-quality shoe-polish with customized COPLINK labels, polish cloths with the logo silk screened on them and product literature.

Interactive CD Product Demo
COPLINK is an easy-to-use, web-enabled crime solving tool. The interactive CD was produced to enable the perspective customer to obtain preliminary information about the company and product. The CD includes video clips from key executives, animated technology overview and active software demo.

Public Relations Strategy Development and Implementation
To support the COPLINK launch, a comprehensive public relations plan was developed and implemented.