The Search for a Cure: Tropian’s “Pioneer Syndrome” The Challenge: When Tropian launched its pioneering polar modulation technology over a decade ago, the company was ahead of its time. In 2003, Tropian called on the Bateman Group to re-launch the brand, introduce a new CEO and position its patented Polar Impact™ technology as the clear choice for wireless device innovators needing to address both established and emerging cellular standards. Challenged with a limited pipeline of company “news” events, the Bateman Group generated substantial coverage through a mixture of strategically timed press announcements and aggressive proactive pitch campaigns. The Strategy: Understanding the urgency of positioning Tropian’s leadership in polar modulation and its relevance to the wireless semiconductor marketplace, the Bateman Group drove a multi-faceted PR campaign that spanned wireless and semiconductor trade press, business media and industry and financial analysts. The Bateman Group capitalized on references garnered with top analysts and pundits at IDC, Gartner, In-Stat, iSuppli, Forward Concepts and Deutsche Bank Securities to secure standalone feature coverage in EE Times, RCR Wireless News, CommsDesign, EDN, Red Herring and Dow Jones Newswire. At the same time, the Bateman Group customized a “Story Engine” for Tropian designed to maximize coverage via trend-oriented Q&A’s with the company’s founder and CTO, Earl McCune, and ongoing byline article placement in top-tier trade outlets. The Bateman Group secured over a half-dozen contributed article placements in a three-month period, during which time the company had issued no news announcements. These placements included EE Times, CommsDesign, RF Globalnet, Electronic Products, Microwave Journal, Microwave Product Digest and Microwaves & RF. The Results: The Bateman Group generated a high volume of consistent feature coverage for Tropian within the wireless, electronics, business and semiconductor trade press. Viewed as the polar modulation leader in the press and regularly touted by financial and industry analysts as the dominant category player, the company received multiple acquisition offers for its intellectual property assets, which included over 75 patents. Tropian was acquired by Panasonic, the principal subsidiary of Matsushita Electric Industrial, in April of 2006.