DiFlexx Launch Media Coverage Recap

April 21, 2015

DiFlexx Launch Media Coverage Recap

In 2013 trials, dicamba controlled 97 percent of broadleaf weeds in corn. On
Feb. 12, Bayer CropScience announced the registration of DiFlexx. DiFlexx
manages more than 100 annual and perennial weeds, including those resistant
to glyphosate-, PPO- and ALS-based herbicides. As the next innovation in crop
safeners, the highly effective CSI Safener in DiFlexx enables corn plants to
better withstand herbicide applications, which can lead to increased root growth
and plant health.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
With the news that DiFlexx was pending approval by the EPA and would be
available in limited quantities for the 2015 season, Rhea + Kaiser worked in
three phases to communicate the news, including pre-launch, launch and
tradeshow communications. The team identified targeted media for pre-launch
and launch efforts based on media tier and core geography. Personal email and
phone outreach was conducted for pre-launch and launch announcements.
These efforts produced excellent coverage results, including:
Pre-Launch Coverage
- Pre-Launch: Release covered by 52 outlets, 13.46% of which are Tier 1
or Tier 2 media
- Pre-Launch Circulation: 539,230 readers
Launch Coverage
- Launch: Release covered by 52 outlets, 32.5% of which are Tier 1 or Tier 2 media
- Launch Circulation: 994,585 readers
Radio Coverage
- Pre-Launch: 4 DiFlexx radio interviews conducted
AgriTalk, Hoosier Ag Today, KMZU, and RFD Illinois Radio Network
conducted DiFlexx pre-launch interviews at the Farm Progress Show,
3 of which are Tier 1 media outlets
- Launch: 6 DiFlexx radio interviews conducted
Stations that conducted radio interviews include KDHL, KRVN, WIBW, WJBC,
the Red River Farm Network and American Ag Network, 3 of which are Tier 1
media outlets and 3 of which are Tier 2 media outlets
Media-Covered Corn Acreage
- The DiFlexx pre-launch and launch release covered 90.5 million corn acres
Tradeshow Coverage
- 9 outlets conducted interviews with DiFlexx Product Manager Christoph
Breitenstroeter, U.S. Corn Marketing Manager Jody Wynia, and Strategic
Business Lead Al Luke during the Ag Issues Forum and Commodity Classic,
5 of which rank as Tier 1 or Tier 2 media outlets.

SALES MATERIALS
The launch team developed materials to support the sales effort, including:
2015 DiFlexx Print Ad
2015 DiFlexx Storyboard
2015 DiFlexx Storyboard (iPad Version)
2015 DiFlexx Product Bulletin
2015 DiFlexx Product Bulletin (iPad Version)
2015 DiFlexx Product Information Sheet
2015 DiFlexx Talking Points
2015 DiFlexx Brand PPT
FARM PROGRESS SHOW
Held in Boone, Iowa, during the last week of August, the Farm Progress Show
was a timely chance to engage with media regarding the calculated EPA
approval of DiFlexx herbicide. Interviews were arranged to generate media
and grower excitement alike, and coverage included publicity from the following
outlets:
John Herath AgriTalk
Rich Keller Ag Professional
Cindy Zimmerman Ag Wired
Janet Adkison RFD-TV News
Rita Frazer RFD Illinois Radio Network
Jenny Butterfield KMZU
Cayla McLeland Hoosier Ag Today

AG ISSUES FORUM & COMMODITY CLASSIC

The 10th annual Ag Issues Forum and Commodity Classic during the final week
of February in Phoenix was the ideal opportunity to target key corn media outlets
and share the news of DiFlexx registration. The team set up several one-on-one
media interviews to promote the introduction of DiFlexx into the marketplace.
Interviews included:
Willie Vogt Farm Progress
Kurt Lawton Corn & Soybean Digest
George Hubka MG News
Rich Keller Ag Professional
Kyle Bauer KFRM
Rusty Halvorson American Ag Network
Don Wick Red River Farm Network
Terry Loomis Ag News 890
Greg Akagi WIBW Radio

Launch Release:
https://www.bayercropscience.us/news/press-releases/2015/021215-bayercropscience-receives-diflexx-registration
The pre-launch and launch media efforts have garnered the following coverage
to-date:

Bayer CropScience Plans 2015 DiFlexx Release

Bayer CropScience Plans 2015 Release of New Corn Herbicide DiFlexx

PRE-LAUNCH & LAUNCH MEDIA OUTREACH
DiFlexx communications included pre-launch and registration releases as media
outreach tools. The pre-launch release introduced the anticipation of DiFlexx to
target media in August. Further outreach was conducted with the official EPA
registration announcement in February.
Pre-Launch Release:
https://www.bayercropscience.us/news/press-releases/2014/082614-bayercropscience-2015-planned-release-of-new-corn-herbicide-diflexx

New Products for 2015: Companies offer new ways to help protect your crop

Bayer CropScience Receives EPA Registration for DiFlexx Herbicide

Industry News Late Summer 2014

Bayer CropScience Receives Registration for Corn Herbicide DiFlexx

Wednesday, September 3, Ag News

DiFlexx Provides Growers an Ideal Combination of Herbicide

Bayer Receives EPA Approval on DiFlexx Herbicide

New Broadleaf Corn Herbicide Introduced

ADDITIONAL PRE-LAUNCH COVERAGE

Agri Marketing
AgriTalk
AgFax.com
Ag News Wire
Ag Professional
Alabama Media Group
- Birmingham News
- Huntsville Times
- Press-Register
Growing America
- Growing Alabama, Growing Arizona, Growing California, Growing Colorado,
Growing Florida, Growing Idaho, Growing Indiana, Growing Iowa, Growing
Kansas, Growing Kentucky, Growing Louisiana, Growing Michigan, Growing
Minnesota, Growing Mississippi, Growing Missouri, Growing Montana, Growing
Nebraska, Growing New Mexico, Growing New York, Growing North Carolina,
Growing North Dakota, Growing Ohio, Growing Oklahoma, Growing Oregon,
Growing Pennsylvania, Growing South Carolina, Growing South Dakota,
Growing Tennessee, Growing Texas, Growing Virginia, Growing Washington,
Growing Wisconsin

 Hoosier Ag Today
Iowa State University
KMZU
No-Till Farmer
Potato Grower
PR Newswire Distribution
RFD-TV News
RFD-TV Radio
Seed Today
SpinnerAg
ADDITIONAL REGISTRATION COVERAGE
Agri Marketing
Ag Professional
AgWired
Farms.com
Farm Industry News
Farm Progress:
- American Agriculturalist, Dakota Farmer, Indiana Prairie Farmer, Kansas
Farmer, Michigan Farmer, Missouri Ruralist, Nebraska Farmer, Ohio Farmer, The
Farmer, Wallaces Farmer, Western Farmer-Stockman, Wisconsin Agriculturalist
Farm Chemicals International
Growing America:
- Growing Alabama, Growing Florida, Growing Georgia, Growing Illinois,
Growing Indiana, Growing Iowa, Growing Kansas, Growing Kentucky,
Growing Louisiana, Growing Minnesota, Growing Mississippi, Growing Missouri,
Growing Nebraska, Growing New Mexico, Growing North Carolina, Growing
North Dakota, Growing Ohio, Growing Oklahoma, Growing Pennsylvania,
Growing South Carolina, Growing South Dakota, Growing Tennessee, Growing
Texas, Growing Virginia
Growing Magazine
Memphis Sun Times
Seed Today

TWITTER COVERAGE
Twitter efforts yielded tweets from Bayer CropScience, as well as third party
outlets. The Bayer CropScience DiFlexx tweets reached 382,569 Twitter users.
Here is a sample of the Twitter coverage:

Feb. 1 - Apr. 10 DiFlexx Mentions on Tweeter:

70

= 382,569
@Bayer4CropsUS
= 86%
Mentions
of DiFlexx

10 Original Tweets + 20 Retweets

Twitter Users
Reached

of total
reach

Top Tweet on Feb. 20

5 Retweets
3 Favorites
About 24.6K
impressions