The information stored in our cookies does not directly identify you, but it can give you a more personalized web experience. Because we respect your right to privacy, you can choose not to allow some types of cookies. However, blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer.
Three-wheeled Belgian e-step Taito S1
Micro mobility’s popularity has been increasing for years. The e-step plays an undeniable role in that rise, but it is often labeled as rather unsafe due to the number of e-step-related-accidents that go up each year. As the Ghentian start-up TAITO wanted to launch its e-step Taito S1 – with a focus on safety and supply chain sustainability, they contacted Walkie Talkie for a corporate press approach.
This led to some challenges. How to create a story about a general public launch by a brand that broadly first communicated about its existence and prototype launch just one year earlier? How to portray ‘another’ e-step, shortly after the news that Paris will ban all e-step sharing options as of September 2023? And how to control the timings and messages of the story, with a third party – their distribution partner Bike Republic – in the loop?
safe and ecological solution for urban micro mobility
Our team addressed these topics by focusing on – besides safety and sustainability – the new elements of this launch (the availability to the general public, the fact that the product is final, and the collaboration with Bike Republic). We also highlighted the local factor as three Ghentian youngsters came up with the idea and constructed the e-step from scratch themselves. Our team also proactively contacted Bike Republic about the timings, content and way of working. Last but not least: we pitched an interview with the founder(s) and/or an e-step test to a hand-picked group of journalists that could tailor the news by focusing on separate angles.
The results? Twenty qualitative clippings. Including six one-on-one interviews of which two news reports by AVS and Kanaal Z, a radio convo via Business AM and three e-step tests. But most importantly: together, we raised awareness among Belgian consumers about the Taito S1, a local e-step that enables you to ride around fearlessly and comfortably in urban environments.
- Establishing TAITO as a thought-leader with a product with an, until now, rather general negative public image
- Developing and creating PR hooks around a grosely already covered story
- Copywriting & editing of press releases
- Guiding media interviews
- Convincing specialized mobility and tech press to do a product test
- Coordinating timings and controlling messages of an embargoed story with a third party