From Rosie to Roomba: Changing Consumer Perceptions of Robots
Goal: In 2002, robotics manufacturer iRobot of Burlington, Mass. introduced the world’s first practical home robot, a Frisbee-shaped vacuum called the Roomba Robotic Floorvac. Though Roomba won broad media exposure, the press treated it as an interesting technology or a novelty rather than the useful, reliable household appliance it proved to be. The arrival of iRobot’s second-generation Roomba Discovery line in mid-2004 gave the company the opportunity to revisit the broad consumer market with a message of viability and reliability. In late 2003, iRobot asked A&R Edelman to orchestrate a PR campaign to launch its second-generation Roomba products and help change the mainstream perceptions of robots in the home.
Challenge: In addition to the usual challenges of a second-generation product introduction, the PR team was faced with a general public that associated the term “robotics” with the likes of Rosie on the Jetsons, R2D2 in Star Wars and The Terminator. While these captivating fictional robots entertained the world with their lifelike personalities, odd quirks and – often disastrously – wills of their own, they cast a shadow of doubt on the viability of real robots in the home.
Strategy: In addition to designing a vast mainstream media launch with press tours and demonstrations, the PR team sought to raise a new public conversation on robotics by “infiltrating” popular culture with new views about real-world robots. First stop: Hollywood. The agency seized on the fortuitous premiere of the Will Smith blockbuster film, “I, Robot” in summer 2004 and counseled the client to change the launch date to match the movie’s debut. Headline of the media alert: “Will the Real iRobot Please Stand Up?” Movie critics responded to A&R Edelman’s interview offers for iRobot executives to talk about the realities of robotics in the here and now.
The team then toured iRobot and Roomba through the top TV and film production studios to convince prop managers to feature the “new, cool, real robots” in their upcoming shows and films. A&R Edelman also proposed and orchestrated a major panel called “The Robot Next Door” at Wired Magazine’s NextFest conference, moderated by iRobot’s CEO and featuring several other companies with real-life practical robotics products.
For the primary product coverage, A&R Edelman targeted broad mainstream media and key vertical consumer markets. In addition to national newspaper, weekly magazine and broadcast outlets, A&R Edelman crafted messages for sub-categories of technology, home and garden, men’s, women’s, lifestyle, fashion, bridal and parenting outlets. The PR team also courted select business press to build credibility for the product message and position iRobot as the robotics market leader.
Results: Within days of launch, A&R Edelman had accomplished a coup for a privately held tech startup with a second-generation product: major stories in the top 20 national dailies, newsweeklies and short-lead consumer publications and an overall impression rate of 81 million consumers. A&R Edelman’s recommendation to capitalize on the “I, Robot” movie premiere led to 60% of the first week’s movie reviews including interviews with iRobot’s executives or containing mentions of the company and its product.
A&R Edelman’s proposed tour to prop managers paid off with no-cost iRobot product placements. On TV these included the last three shows of the hit comedy “Friends,” and upcoming “Queer Eye for the Straight Girl.” In film iRobot products were filmed for feature in the upcoming Brad Pitt movie, “Mr. And Mrs. Smith” and Ice Cube’s “XXX: State of the Union,” along with other major films yet unannounced.
“The Robot Next Door” panel at NexFest won coverage on the Today Show and CNN and several major daily newspapers. Also as a result, iRobot was selected to be part of a TV special on the Discovery Channel.
From the Wall Street Journal to Popular Science and the Today Show, coverage carried the message of the new robotics and of Roomba as a practical home appliance.