The Ask

Physical security has a reputation for being a serious matter - after all, it’s the most essential firewall for guaranteeing the safety of billions of people around the world. Whether it be an international airport, a school, a sports stadium, an office building, or the countless other settings where security technology is implemented, there’s an inherent pressure for organizations to maintain the safety of guests, travelers and assets in today’s era of ever-evolving threats.

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No company is more keenly attuned to this than Garrett Metal Detectors, the Texas-based manufacturer of metal detection products that has established itself as perhaps the most trusted name in walk-through and hand-held metal detection security over the last four decades.

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Despite its status as a category leader with a rich legacy and made-in-America roots, Garrett approached Cliffhanger with a desire to breathe fresh life into its product portfolio – specifically, for its brand-new hand-held metal detector, Garrett Guide, the successor to its bestselling Super Scanner V product, which is the most widely-used hand-held metal detector in the world.

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Cliffhanger jumped at the opportunity to support this iconic brand, and the agency shaped and deployed a multifaceted public relations program that bolstered awareness for Garrett in both key business sectors as well as amongst the general public – establishing Garrett as the leading voice in physical security technology, highlighted by debut of Guide.

The Challenge 

While there’s a modest but dedicated universe of journalists and media publications devoted to covering the latest news in security technology, Garrett had larger aspirations for a PR program with Cliffhanger. Many brands across B2B industries have a “comfort zone” of media where they are conditioned to existing but struggle to expand from. While maintaining those relationships is crucial for brands, it can also hamstring their ability to branch out and reach new audiences.

With this in mind, Cliffhanger’s primary objective for Garrett was to develop a PR strategy that would deliver a holistic mix of media coverage for not only Guide, but the Garrett brand, incorporating a versatile array of new and previously-untraversed media verticals and publications without neglecting the company’s bread-and-butter of the security industry.

Our core challenges included:

•       Re-establishing Garrett’s value proposition amongst an increasingly competitive landscape, including newcomers with dubious technology claims

•       Introducing Garrett to business and trade audiences that may not necessarily be compelled to cover physical security technology products

•       Capitalizing on opportunities for Garrett to contribute its expertise to relevant stories in the national media landscape

•       Generating original, unique and thought-provoking story narratives to engage with media outside of the security technology bubble

•       Showcasing our agency’s ability to deliver tangible, published results in a tight timeframe for Garrett’s most highly-anticipated product launch in years

Research & Insights to Inform the PR Strategy

Messaging Hierarchy

•       As an initial first step to familiarize Garrett with Cliffhanger’s approach as well as for the agency to immerse itself in Garrett’s unique value proposition and advantages, the agency developed a messaging matrix and hierarchy to establish a mutual understanding of how Cliffhanger would engage with media. The hierarchy included custom message tactics for each of Garrett’s featured products and offerings under the purview of the partnership, as well as broader brand-focused messaging for thought leadership.

Assessing Opportunities for Growth

•       Cliffhanger also preemptively researched and analyzed opportunities for Garrett to obtain coverage in media verticals and specific outlets where the brand had never been featured before. By vetting both the industries at large as well as competitor coverage, Cliffhanger was able to hit the ground running and display its value to the client in short order.

Leaning on Content Creation

•       Cliffhanger recognized that the program would not be successful on a long term, sustainable level if the agency solely relied on product launch outreach and coverage. The agency developed a multifaceted strategy that was deployed in phases, with the product-specific outreach serving as the tip of the spear. As these relationships were established, new doors were opened for content contribution opportunities such as byline articles and interviews, which the agency proactively sought out and developed over the ensuing months. Additionally, Cliffhanger implemented an aggressive strategy of news monitoring and newsjacking for relevant expert commentary opportunities based on trending security-related news in both the regional and national spotlight.

Execution

Cliffhanger developed a set of measurable objectives and internal benchmarks to ensure that Garrett not only saw an initial spike in media coverage in the immediate wake of Guide’s launch, but also a sustained new threshold of media interest and engagement in the months to follow. To accomplish this, Cliffhanger implemented the following:

•       Initial product-focused launch outreach tailored to a widespread swath of industry-specific publications.

•       Engage with international publications that reflect the key customer audiences being prioritized by Garrett’s sales team, reflecting the brand’s status as the go-to metal detector solution at iconic landmarks and destinations across the globe.

•       Proactive identification of contributed content opportunities such as byline articles, virtual Q&A’s and interviews to position Garrett’s leadership as expert voices within the sector, supplementally positioning Garrett’s product portfolio organically in these conversations.

•       Opportunistic identification of timely and relevant stories in the trending news cycle with a natural connection to the topic of security, positioning Garrett’s executives as readily-available leaders who can lend expert commentary to the subject from the perspective of a legacy brand entrenched in the industry.

•       Spearhead exploratory topics uncommon to the traditional security space, such as the potential proliferation of AI technology in walkthrough metal detection, to pique ongoing interest amongst media friendlies.

Launch Results + Continued Success

Over the course of the partnership to-date, Cliffhanger delivered the below results, showcasing the agency’s success in not only delivering the initial “boom” of a product launch, but the sustained momentum across a variety of opportunities and disciplines that Garrett coveted. Initially contracted for a 6-month project, Cliffhanger’s performance has led to Garrett’s desire to continue its partnership with Cliffhanger in the year ahead, with the agency expected to support multiple upcoming product launches and announcements in the year ahead.

•       250+ Million Cumulative Organic Impressions

•       30 Placements and 1.6 Million Impressions specifically for Garrett Guide

•       76 Total Published Media Placements

•       23 International Placements

•       12 Interviews + Byline Articles Completed

•       4 In-Person Meetings Coordinated

•       4 Product Launches Supported

•       7 Print Magazine Features Published

•       Garrett Guide Selected as Winner in 2025 Security Today “New Product Of The Year” Awards

•       Garrett Guide Selected as Winner in 2025 SecurityInfoWatch “Reader’s Choice” Awards

•       Key Media Wins: The New York Times, Military Times, SlashGear, Travel and Tour World, OFFICER Magazine,Corrections1, Unite.AI, Stadium Tech Report, Campus Safety Magazine, Athletic Business, Correctional News