On a global front, the General Data Privacy Regulation (GDPR) applies to any company in the world that processes EU citizens’ data. Locally in South Africa, the Protection of Personal Information (POPI) Act was anticipated to be fully implemented by 2018, and there was considerable media coverage on this Act.

In order to cut through this noise in 2017, H+K SA wanted to create a way to get media to talk about the importance of understanding the compliancy issues involved with the new legislation and bring in our client, NetApp, as experts on this issue. H+K needed to come up with a media event idea with a difference, while also targeting NetApp’s specific audiences, who are top tier technology decision makers within businesses.

Ten members of the media (over 83% of those invited) attended our Escape Room media event, which was an ideal number due to the intimacy of the event. Upon arrival on the day, attendees were asked to read an opinion editorial relating to NetApp’s stance on data sovereignty and the upcoming data compliancy legislation. They needed to familiarise themselves with this information to get through the Escape Room.

The journalists were then locked in their respective rooms and given one hour to escape by solving as many clues as possible. In situations where the clue was near impossible to solve, the media were asked to answer a specific question on NetApp to get to the next clue.

The Result? H+K managed to break through the noise around data sovereignty, and secure seven pieces of top tier coverage, including business media, for NetApp. Because the event was experiential and novel, we also ensured that media would remember it – and the information about NetApp – for a long time afterwards. We were also informed by the NetApp Communications Team that the event had helped build brand credibility for Morne Bekker, Country Manager at NetApp, during meetings with customers who had read the coverage that was generated.