Client: refurbed
Project timeline: 2024–ongoing
Europe’s leading marketplace for refurbished products, refurbed, launched its operations in Finland in autumn 2024. Kaskas serves as the company’s communications partner. We created a comprehensive PR plan for the launch, and during the collaboration refurbed has gained extensive visibility in Finland’s most prominent media outlets.
What is it about?
Founded in Austria, refurbed is Europe’s leading marketplace for refurbished products, offering consumers reliable and sustainable devices at up to 40% lower prices than new equivalents. The company’s business model is based on the circular economy, and its goal is to become the “Green Amazon” – providing a wide product selection ranging from consumer electronics to home appliances and sports equipment. Refurbished devices generate on average around 80% fewer carbon emissions and electronic waste compared to manufacturing new devices.
In 2024, refurbed decided to launch its operations in Finland. The company’s goal was to build strong brand awareness and position refurbished devices as an attractive and credible option for Finnish consumers. Kaskas acted as refurbed’s strategic communications partner during the launch and continues the collaboration as the company expands its presence in the Finnish market.
What do we do?
At the start of the collaboration, we familiarized ourselves with refurbed’s offering, brand, and PR activities in other markets. We also analyzed the competitive landscape and the public discussion around the category in Finland. Based on this, we developed key messages tailored to the Finnish operating environment and a media communications plan that addressed general, business, and technology media. Our goal was to secure visibility in major national media outlets as well as 5–7 articles in other publications.
We planned and organized a press event featuring refurbed co-founder Kilian Kaminski, Finnish board member Kim Väisänen from Evli Growth Partners, and Janek Ahlvik, CEO of refurbed’s local refurbishment partner Multicare. At the event, they briefed journalists on refurbed’s business and goals in the Finnish market. Additionally, we arranged pre-launch interviews with selected media outlets and distributed a press release to a wide media network.
Following the launch, we have continued proactive media relations by offering opinion pieces, press releases, story ideas, and interview pitches to various media, as well as supporting refurbed in challenging communications situations such as crisis communications. Among other things, we have helped refurbed publish new research on the environmental impact of electronics, build thought leadership for its founders in the Finnish media, and provide products to journalists for testing.
How did it go?
During the launch week, refurbed achieved significant media visibility in Finland, clearly exceeding the set targets. The company was featured in outlets such as Yle TV News, Talouselämä, Hufvudstadsbladet, and various technology media. The launch generated a total of 11 articles, as well as TV and radio coverage, reaching nearly 1.7 million people in Finland. It has been one of refurbed’s most successful market entries to date.
Through ongoing active media work, refurbed has since gained visibility in all major Finnish media outlets, including Yle, Helsingin Sanomat, Ilta-Sanomat, Iltalehti, MTV, Aamulehti, Turun Sanomat, Talouselämä, and Kauppalehti. The company has also reached television audiences, with its founders and representatives appearing in interviews on Yle and MTV news broadcasts and the morning show Huomenta Suomi.
Refurbed has also been featured in regional and local media, as well as in technology-focused publications such as Mikrobitti, Tekniikan Maailma, and Tekniikka & Talous. Since the beginning of the collaboration, the potential reach has been approximately 109 million.
“Working with Kaskas has been incredibly smooth, professional, and successful. We are extremely pleased with the results we’ve achieved in Finland and are excited about all the new stories we’ll get to tell in this fascinating market!”
– Sarah Christine Weyers, Global PR Lead, refurbed.
Kaskas continues as refurbed’s communications partner in Finland, helping the company build brand awareness and support a shift in Finnish consumer behavior toward more sustainable choices. To date, the company has sold over 50,000 products in Finland.
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