Gennum Corporation

nXZEN Launch

About Gennum Corporation: Gennum Corporation, established in 1973, designs, manufactures and markets industry-leading semiconductors and semiconductor-based products for the global video, audio and data communications markets.

Challenge: Prior to hiring Ricochet in 2005, Gennum launched its first consumer electronics product, the ZEN Bluetooth headset. However, with little brand recognition in the field and stiff competition from traditional power brands such as Nokia and Logitech, the technology received limited media attention and struggled to gain traction in the marketplace.

Strategy: To establish credibility with consumer electronics reporters, Ricochet launched the second generation of the product, the nXZEN Bluetooth headset via personal, face-to-face demonstrations for reporters, using these briefings as an opportunity to draw comparisons with the leading brands. Ricochet arranged briefings in New York and San Francisco with prominent journalists and bloggers from a variety of outlets including Rolling Stone, BusinessWeek, and Penthouse. We tailored our outreach and demonstrations to appeal to each writer’s individual style and their publication’s approach to covering technology.

Results: This focused campaign generated significant media exposure for the nXZEN and fostered valuable relationships between Gennum and the most influential journalists in its space. Within six months of its release, approximately 60 of the most respected news outlets in the nation reviewed or profiled the nXZEN including the New York Times, Wired, Popular Science and Engadget (and in some of the most-read blogs and online magazines). These stories drove sales of the nXZEN headset and helped Gennum establish itself as a major player in the consumer tech community.

*Gennum’s headset business is now owned by CellPoint Connect AB.