Saint-Gobain NorPro introduced its revolutionary Denstone® deltaP® product to the refining, petrochemical and gas processing industries nearly a decade ago. While Denstone deltaP offers several advantages over traditional spherical support media products, the product was not understood in the market. Saint-Gobain NorPro had tried print advertising that focused on the product’s performance qualities, but the ad didn’t get the complete message across to readers.

Saint-Gobain NorPro turned to The Design Edge to create a new ad for the industry’s leading print publication, Hydrocarbon Processing. The goal was to raise awareness of the product and educate readers about its primary benefits. The Denstone name has strong brand recognition after 70 years in the market, with its spherical support media used in refineries around the world to support and maintain catalysts in place as reactions happen.

With Denstone deltaP, Saint-Gobain reimagined how support media could boost reactor performance, which led to the development of the industry’s first shaped, non-spherical support media. Denstone deltaP was designed from the ground up to provide additional value over traditional spheres in fixed bed catalyst applications. Support media—whether spherical or shaped—is used to hold up the catalyst. It is inert and does not participate in the reactions, but it must withstand elevated temperatures and thermal shock inherent during the chemical reaction process.

The Objective
The unique shape of Denstone deltaP offers the benefit of a decrease in the total support media volume needed in the reactor, allowing for more catalyst volume and improved performance. Simply put, Denstone deltaP is the most efficient and cost-effective support media—and the print ad needed to convey just that. The team at The Design Edge worked with the Saint-Gobain NorPro marketing team to distill the product’s key messages and understand the marketplace. The Design Edge then got to work targeting a creative approach to reach the intended audience with impactful images and the right messaging. “We provided The Design Edge with product and industry background information. Based on project meetings we had and their expertise, they were able to boil it down into a concise ad that really grabs attention and drives home the message that our support media product is truly different,” said Bill Chalgren, Product Manager Process Ceramics Americas at Saint-Gobain NorPro.

The Results
When the ad ran in the April issue of Hydrocarbon Processing, it hit the target with readers, receiving extremely positive feedback in a follow-up AdEffect™ ad measurement study conducted by SIGNET RESEARCH, INC. Readers gave the ad high marks for both message effectiveness and creative effectiveness.

With an overall AdEffect™ score of 69, the Saint-Gobain NorPro ad scored the highest among chemicals/catalysts advertisers, where the average AdEffect™ score was 65. Reader feedback showed the message of enhanced performance was able to stand out in a publication filled with many other advertising messages. “Our tagline for Denstone deltaP is ‘Reshaping how you think about support media.’ The Design Edge is helping us reshape how the market sees this breakthrough product,” said Chalgren.

To stand apart from the competition, add the Design Edge to your team.