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The Teaser: Alive and Well In Automotive Marketing
[The following is an article originally posted via my Examiner column on automotive marketing which can be found here: http://bit.ly/zFaQe]
It’s one of the oldest tricks in the book for launching a new, highly anticipated product, but it’s still alive and well in automotive marketing. Indeed, the slow tease has become a staple in the arsenal of an increasing number of automakers lately. Acura did it with the ZDX. Lotus did it with the Evora (Eagle). Tesla killed us with the Model S. Rolls Royce tortured the insanely rich with a little Ghost tease. And now Audi’s decided get in on the fun and tease us with a little peek at the potential redesign of their flagship, the A8. It’s the “it” thing right now, and I'm guessing it'll stay that way.
But why are so many automakers turning to the tease as they launch new products? Aside from the fact that it usually escalates the level of anticipation in the market, I think they’re realizing that when they release their products in small, vague doses they can take advantage of massive amounts of media coverage available via blogs and automotive news sites like Jalopnik, GoTryke, Autoweek, Autopia, Motortrend, etc. that are rabidly covering ALL of the developments in the automotive world. And those combined with conversation on Twitter, Facebook and all of the other social media tools, the word-of-mouth generated is immense.
I love this as a tactic for a product reveal. Especially when given a unique twist, like the Lotus Evora, where the automaker sent press outlets a series of images of the technologies and components that made the car innovative, rather than just images of the design itself (That's called sticking to the brand message). One thing I’m hoping to see is a teaser campaign that ties in better with interactive media. We’ve seen microsites that release the teaser images, but none that integrate in a meaningful way with a cohesive social media or guerilla marketing effort.
Interested in hearing more of our innovative thoughts on what the perfect automotive teaser campaign might look like? Contact me via our website - http://www.sutter-group.com - or send me an email: garret [at] sutter-group [dot] com.
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TSG Brings Bioscience Brand To Life
We’re happy to be finishing up a new integrated marketing communications exercise for ReGenX, a Washington, DC-based bioscience startup. ReGenX is a biologics company focused on the development of gene therapy as a platform for advancing human health. (Read more about biologics HERE)
The company produces a type of proprietary viral vector, which is a microscopic tool that molecular biologists use to transfer different kinds of genetic material into cells. This transfer allows for advances in biotherapeautics, drug discovery, vaccines, target identification and target validation. These are all REALLY important things for fighting disease.
Our goal for ReGenX was two-fold: First, we wanted to clearly establish ReGenX as a reputable player in the cellular biology space. We accomplished this by crafting a brand identity that established credibility and clearly spoke to the company’s purpose and service offerings, in addition to linking the company to technological developments from the University of Pennsylvania and a team of well-respected scientific advisors.
We also wanted to create a range of consistent, polished marketing materials that makes it easy for cellular biologists to understand ReGenX’s product offerings and provide a clear path to purchase. One of the key tools we created was http://www.regenxbio.com. Clean design, simple navigation and well-organized content converge to allow users to easily find their desired information and the integration of a NetSuite enabled form allows them to easily request a quote. 
We’re extremely proud of the work we’ve done for ReGenX and look forward to continuing to support them. Interested in finding out how we can help you craft a new brand from scratch or reenergize an existing brand? We’d love to talk.
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Sharpie A Backpack
Earlier this week I wrote about Sharpie’s newest campaign, “Sharpie Uncapped” and how they are taking the idea of aggregating content generated by users through social media and making it pay off. Today on Twitter I learned about another element in their integrated campaign that I also wanted to share.
Apparently they’ve partnered with Office Depot, a huge supplier of Sharpie product, to create “Project Backpack.” Through the site http://www.myprojectbackpack.com, users are encouraged to visit Office Depot to purchase the qualifying backpack and two free Sharpie pens and submit their custom backpack designs. It reminds me a little bit of Champion’s “Hoodie Remix” which I covered HERE. This is a brilliant effort by Sharpie to use integrated marketing to support their existing Sharpie Uncapped campaign (which is noted on the myprojectbackpack.com site). I imagine through Project Backpack they’ll receive tons of great submissions on sharpieuncapped.com.
Thanks, @sharpiesusan (another element in their integrated marketing arsenal)
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User Generated Content Is Beautiful
When done properly, marketing using user generated content can be effective at building a brand and beautiful all at the same time. Take for example the site created recently by the brand that essentially owns the permanent marker category, Sharpie. The “Sharpie Uncapped” site, which you can visit HERE is a site that allows users to register to share anything and everything Sharpie. Users can register to upload images directly to the site, or submit images through the web via popular social media platforms such as Flickr and Youtube.
It’s an amazing repository of inspiration and information about the many unique ways consumers are using Sharpie’s products. One look at some of the content on the site and it’s easy to see how the brand could develop an advertising campaign generated from the submissions on the site. It’s also a great way to encourage people to spread the Sharpie message via word-of-mouth marketing, as you can imagine the people who submit will be proud to have their work featured online.
While the visual appeal of the Sharpie site really helps to generate and sustain interest, there are many other categories where user generated content can and has worked: automotive, airlines, snack foods, shoe companies, car dealerships, restaurants, tourist attractions, and more. That said, it’s important not to simply give your customers the keys to the castle, so to speak. In order for a UGC effort to work, it’s key to engage in careful planning, think creatively and to know your audience (including having a healthy knowledge of what could go wrong). Need help? We’ve got that.
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The Simpler The Better
As communications designers, it’s our job to create materials that present information and messaging in the clearest and most compelling possible way. As such, we believe that there is such a thing as providing too much content, which can overwhelm your target audience. We’re advocates of simplicity and conciseness, which is why we wanted to share a link we found chronicling 40 examples of impressive websites where you never have to leave the homepage. Sometimes that’s all you need to communicate a message.
Here are some of our favorites:
See the full list HERE, and get inspired.
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