McQ uses integrated marketing to put Peregrine Semiconductor on the world stage — after a decade waiting in the wings. Client Challenge: After 10 years of protracted R&D, San Diego-based Peregrine Semiconductor had succeeded in perfecting the world's first commercially viable "ultra-thin-silicon (UTSi) process on perfectly insulated sapphire." Yet until they convinced a skeptical telecom industry that they had succeeded where industry juggernauts like IBM had failed, they wouldn't get the opportunity to deploy it in its first commercial offering — high-speed communications ICs for wireless, wired and photonics networks. Peregrine management came to McQUERTER to help validate its technology, fostering its promise of cost-effectiveness and performance in next-gen networks — yet without the benefit of field-proven products or business validation. McQ Response: McQ marshalled an integrated Tiger Team to maximize interest and coverage for this "almost-ready-for-prime-time" story. After an initial perception audit of Peregrine's position in the industry, McQ launched a five-point communications plan: Vet the Peregrine organization. McQ first prepared a Media/Analyst Brief that established Peregrine's executive and engineering staffs as world-class. We knew we must establish strong corporate credentials before proving technology prowess. Legitimize the testing process. McQ described the exhaustive R&D and beta testing process that confirmed the performance and scalability of the UTSi approach. We turned the possible negative perception of a 10-year R&D cycle into a positive, championing the ethics of a company that refused to go to market until it was convinced it had attained a quantum leap in performance. Deploy proactive PR. McQ then launched a communications program to position Peregrine's UTSi as a "break-through" technology to industry editors, analysts, and trade association opinion leaders. Saturate the perceptual field. In cases where editorial coverage was not attainable, McQ's creative team developed a series of "advanced technology platform" display ads, using paid media to hammer home the superior attributes of the UTSi approach. Add the human dimension. McQ also created Speaker's Bureau, aggressively seeking speaking opportunities at trade shows, symposia, seminars and standards bodies. Recognizing that Peregrine management "showed well," McQ used these executives to legitimize the not-insignificant claims of the company. Results: Armed with little product validation and no reference accounts, the McQ team generated more than 130 editorial placements in key business, investor and trade publications in 2001. The communications program culminated in the technology being named in "Top Products of 2001" by Microwave and RF Magazine, and Cahners publishing group anointing the company as one of "50 Companies to Watch" — a spotlight shared with the likes of General Electric and Agere Systems. Within six months, Peregrine rose from relative obscurity to an industry darling showing up on "radar screens" from Silicon Valley to Singapore.