Merck KGaA (“Merck”) is a world leading science and technology company in healthcare, life science and related performance materials. In 2015, Merck kicked off the first ever global research on curiosity in the workplace, the first step made by the company to unlock the power of curiosity. It was also a critical move for Merck in establishing its brand image as a world leading technology enterprise and innovator.
In 2016, Merck took its Curiosity Initiative to China. As Merck’s public relations consultant in the Asia Pacific region, SPRG was able to localize the “curiosity concept” for easy grasp by the Chinese people and executed a series of publicity activities including online communications, celebrity/option leader outreach, online ads, high-level content marketing and media events.
Planning & Execution
SPRG invited Professor Wei Kunlin, a renowned scholar from the School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences at Peking University, who is also a TV celebrity and social media heavy-weight with a following of 3.6 million fans on Weibo, to represent China on the Merck’s Global Curiosity Council. SPRG also engaged 10 other experts in healthcare and innovation who are also active on the social media to maximize the public impact of the initiative.
Starting in Sept 2016, online ads were launched by SPRG on major online media outlets and websites. In terms of content, SPRG prepared and published articles that discuss forward-looking views and ideas in relation to healthcare, life science and related performance materials on Curiosity Initiative’s major communication platform – the “Curiosity Hub”.
The SPRG team also proposed to produce a video to help localize the curiosity concept and have it shown on Asia’s longest outdoor screen at The Place, Beijing’s iconic shopping & lifestyle area, so that locals would be able to “see” and appreciate the Merck brand and also understand the purpose of the Curiosity Initiative. In Nov 2016, the findings of The State of Curiosity Report 2016 were revealed at a press conference in Beijing, which attracted the attendance of 54 media.
Effectiveness / Results
The Curiosity Initiative activities in China were tremendously successful, including 85,006,185 Ad impression, 63,445,321 numbers of view, PR value achieved RMB$5,270,700 and 265,000 press conference online viewer.