King Research may not ring a bell, but one of its products certainly does. Found on barbershop and hair salon countertops across the nation, Barbicide® — the blue disinfecting liquid in which combs and scissors are immersed — is immediately recognizable.

In celebration of its 50th anniversary, King Research hired us to position it as the leader in the field. We met the challenge head-on: we worked with the president of the company, the son of the founder, to develop a series of memorable soundbites, perfect a factory tour and create a series of clever media angles. Media coverage included: a 90-second story on Charles Kuralt's last American Moment program, which played on 100 television stations countrywide; a Sunday New York Times' Metro Section front page article with 3 to 4 photos depending on which issue it appeared; articles or mentions in Wall Street Journal Business Briefs, Crain's New York Small Business Strategies front page and Men's Journal; coverage on CBS Sunday News, Bloomberg Television, WCBS radio and affliates and CNN's Financial News; mention in Jane Applegate's syndicated column and in her 201 Great Ideas vest pocket book; and appeared in various local media, as well as in trade publications. The Barbicide® Disinfecting Jar and related Barbicide® products are now housed in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History.