Red Hat

Opening the open source

PRAM helps Red Hat handle complex PR issues and also provides most of the marketing activities for the open software giant. This has resulted in increased awareness for open source technology and the Red Hat brand.

Description of the problem

PRAM was asked to help Red Hat educate Czech and Slovak companies about open source technology and build trust in the Red Hat brand. We decided to leverage collaboration with local universities and the Red Hat development centre in Brno.

Solution

We wanted to give people a personal experience by developing a technology-business conference and regular open source labs. This gave IT professionals from Czech and Slovak companies the opportunity to get acquainted with open source technology for free The annual conference, the Red Hat Forum, is now recognized as the most prestigious event in the world of Czech and Slovak open source. The conference is sponsored by global technology labels and attracts IT professionals from all over the Czech Republic and Slovakia. We have sustained interest in open source by sending regular mailing campaigns that demonstrate solutions to challenging business problems.. We maximize the value of this content by using it in traditional media relations.

Results

The six Red Hat Architects seminars host around 600 participants per year. The international conference: The Red Hat Forum 2016 attracted an audience of 400 technology professionals. We are also inspiring 7000 active contacts through our mailing campaigns. A mini-survey which focused on the awareness of open source technologies was distributed at all Red Hat's events in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The results from 700 responses showed a growing awareness of not only open source technology and its benefits, but also Red Hat products. A survey, in autumn 2016, about open source technology secured responses from 334 IT managers and CxOs in Czech and Slovak companies. It showed increased confidence in open source technology and increased brand awareness for Red Hat.

Results in points:

• Participants in professional seminars and hands-on labs: 600
• The Annual Red Hat Forum 2016: 400 delegates and 10 technological partners
• SK multidisciplinary mini survey focused on the perception of open source technology in the Czech Republic and Slovakia: 700 respondents per year
• 2016 open source perception survey : 334 respondents from Czech and Slovak companies
• Active contacts for mailing campaigns: 7000