CLIENT:
Sonitrol

SERVICES:
Publicity and News Media Relations, Special events, Community Relations

BACKGROUND:
Sonitrol is among the top 10 commercial security providers in North America, providing
businesses with a full complement of integrated security services including its leading product,
impact-activated audio intrusion detection. The company approached us as it prepared for
an accelerated growth effort.

CHALLENGE:
Create broad awareness of Sonitrol and its differentiating verified audio response capabilities
as the company expanded through acquisitions and focused sales activities in vertical segments.

RESULTS:
Sonitrol, which provides complete security systems for school districts nationwide, offers a “free school” incentive as part of its sales arsenal and had created a related program called the Alliance for Education. We recommended combining and enhancing these initiatives under a program we called Sonitrol Safe Schools to gain non-paid media exposure and increased access to school and city officials.

Through local contacts, Sonitrol would offer to equip a city school that had been plagued by vandalism with free audio-verified response service for a school year. In addition, the program would include a free information campaign, created by M. NICHOLS, on how schools and parents can work together to maximize school security.

The campaign would be introduced with a press conference that includes local police, school and other city officials. The program was designed to open the door for discussions on the merits of implementing Sonitrol’s unique technology throughout the school district. And, the media exposure in one district helps to pave the way for gaining entrée to other school districts.

Working with contacts in the Fort Worth area, the first school was identified to participate in the Safe Schools program. A press conference announcing the initiative was held at the Maude I. Logan Elementary School in January 2006, attended by school board, police and Sonitrol officials. The press conference gained television coverage from all four TV network affiliates. Today, Sonitrol is one of the largest providers of security systems to schools in the U.S., serving more than 12,000 schools.