Crafting a Mainstream Identity for Video Management Technology
Milestone Systems, part of the Canon Group and a global leader in video management services (VMS), sought to increase its visibility and relevance in the region. Despite its international standing, the brand had limited presence in both mainstream and technology media, and the VMS category itself remained largely underrepresented outside specialist circles.
Matrix PR was tasked with addressing a dual challenge. The first was to introduce Milestone Systems as a credible, authoritative brand within regional media. The second was to elevate understanding of video management services as a category, positioning it as a critical enabler across security, infrastructure, and enterprise environments.
To achieve this, Matrix PR applied a structured, agile approach rooted in SCRUM methodology. This allowed for rapid testing of narratives, continuous refinement of messaging, and disciplined execution across media channels. The focus was on carving out a clear identity for Milestone Systems while simultaneously popularizing the VMS conversation within mainstream media.
Make VMS a recognizable and relevant topic within mainstream media.
Position Milestone Systems as a leader in VMS technology across both mainstream and technology publications.
Encourage broader media conversations around diversity and the role of women in technology.
Milestone Systems faced minimal visibility within mainstream media across the region. Video management services remained largely unknown outside specialist circles, leaving the category absent from broader technology and business conversations.
Media, potential partners, and end customers had low awareness of both the VMS category and Milestone Systems itself. This made it challenging to establish relevance or secure meaningful coverage without first educating the market.
Matrix PR needed to introduce an unfamiliar category, elevate brand recognition, and do so with disciplined prioritization.
Audit of mainstream and technology media confirmed VMS were rarely referenced and poorly understood.
A media dipstick with select tier-one outlets showed limited awareness of VMS as a defined category.
Follow-up discussions with editors and a review of editorial calendars identified opportunities to introduce the category organically. Themes such as industry expos, enterprise technology adoption, and women in technology emerged.
These insights were supported by analysis of IDC research on the VMS sector, including its applications and cross-industry impact.
Matrix PR built the campaign around a flexible, research-led framework designed to introduce both the brand and the category to a largely unfamiliar market. With no finalized regional communications plan in place, the strategy was intentionally agile, allowing narratives to be tested, refined, and scaled using SCRUM methodology.
Apply an agile, SCRUM-led communications approach to build the regional narrative iteratively.
Introduce VMS through practical, real-world applications across multiple industries.
Position Milestone Systems as a technology leader within the Middle East mainstream and tech media.
Advance media conversations around women in technology as part of broader industry progress.
Set realistic first-year visibility benchmarks focused on category education rather than brand promotion.
An agile SCRUM framework allowed Matrix PR to test, refine, and scale messaging as market understanding evolved.
Establishing clarity around the VMS category created the foundation for long-term brand authority.
Phased content releases aligned momentum with available resources while sustaining media interest.
* Built sustained visibility through editorial calendars aligned to topics relevant to Milestone Systems and the regional market.
* Developed and positioned at least four female spokespeople, each featured multiple times across mainstream and technology media.
* Embedded the brand into regional conversations by aligning thought leadership with local priorities and trends, including sustainability initiatives, innovation milestones, and long-term regional visions.
* Generated original insights through Town Halls and the Experience Center, shaping narratives around diversity in technology, cross-industry applications, and event-led engagement.
* Partnered with International Data Corporation (IDC) to develop region-specific research on the VMS industry, providing credible data and statistics to support factual, news-driven storytelling.
* Strengthened Milestone’s regional digital presence by embedding backlinks across digital content, driving sustained traffic to the regional website.
* Expanded the reach of the annual MIPS Virtual Event by repositioning it for a broader regional audience.
* Shifted PR focus toward driving registrations and participation, significantly extending visibility beyond the event’s traditional in-person attendance levels.
Video management services became a recognized and recurring topic within mainstream media. VMS shifted from a niche technical concept to an industry category referenced in tier-one business and news coverage, including Gulf News, Al Bayan, and Al Ittihad, establishing relevance beyond specialist technology circles.
Matrix PR built one of the largest networks of female technology spokespeople for a single organization, using this platform to lead credible discussions on ethics, leadership, and inclusion. This angle differentiated Milestone Systems while aligning the brand with meaningful industry progress.
The IDC report and MIPS outputs addressed a clear media gap by providing region-specific insight into the VMS market. These assets gave journalists credible data and context, enabling more informed reporting and deeper, fact-based storytelling.
Over a six-month period, Matrix PR secured 318 media clippings. 13% of coverage appeared in tech and security media, while 87% came from mainstream outlets through a pull-led strategy. The campaign achieved a potential reach of more than 59.2 million impressions, including 12 dedicated “Women in Tech” features, 106 key message placements, and 94 references related to video and video technology.
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