CATEGORY 14:
25
Best channel marketing initiative
WINNER: Microsoft
AGENCY: REBEL VIRALS CAMPAIGN: ‘CAMP NETWORK’
M
icrosoft has a 36,000-strong relevance to the target market, something
partner base, made up of resellers, that would turn it from a campaign into a
consultants and technical experts topic of conversation.
working for companies of varying sizes – Because the aim was to appeal to
from one man bands to global enterprises. partners most likely to engage in web 2.0
It had just revamped its Partner activity, it decided to produce a viral
Community – a social space for partners to campaign – a video teaser alluding to the
discuss projects, make new contacts and benefits of the Partner Community. The
support each other – and needed a main campaign creative was a YouTube
campaign that would cut through cluttered hosted video driving to the Partner
inboxes and drum up interest in the Community site.
network, increasing sign-ups and enticing Set on the fictitious ‘Camp network’, the
inactive users back to the site. It had an video spoofed networking and team
ambitious target to increase membership building exercises, a send-up of over-used overtly look like marketing, whilst the copy
numbers by 100 per cent. acronyms, buzz phrases and cajoling only outlined the benefits of the community,
Shouting about revenue opportunities attitudes. The mix of partner ‘in-jokes’ saw thereby not spoiling the campaign’s tease.
wasn’t going to work – Microsoft research it go viral almost immediately. The end The viral was the only promotional
had already suggested that many partners frame brought the creative back to the activity for the new Partner Community, yet
were overwhelmed by communications merits of the Partner Community with the accounted for between 80 and 90 per cent
about new resources and offers and could line ‘Stop. There’s a better way to network. of site traffic since its revamp. It attracted
be cynical about claimed benefits. The Join now for networking without wellies.’ over 15,000 new site visitors and
campaign needed a social or cultural Microsoft got the ball rolling fast with a accounted for more than 1310 new site
three-phase seeding programme, which registrations – hitting the 100 per cent
consisted of directly contacting relevant increase objective.
popular bloggers, organically seeding to IT- The site also received many positive
channel influencers with activity on social responses from bloggers, who praised the
networks and forums, and producing a viral as an innovative piece of work for
personalised email from Microsoft’s both Microsoft and the B2B marketing
channel marketing manager to the entire industry in general. Its launch generated
partner database. trade press coverage in the likes of
To ensure the email didn’t go unnoticed, Campaign and B2B Marketing magazine.
the tone was kept lighthearted and chatty,
opted for plain text, ensuring that it did not
RUNNER UP: Fujitsu Siemens Computers
AGENCY: CREATIVE DIRECTION CONSULTANTS CAMPAIGN: ‘TALKING LEADS’
F
ujitsu Siemens Computers (FSC) is an given campaign toolkits – including sales
IT infrastructure provider, cheat-sheets – they could take to their
manufacturing products and delivering reseller accounts. Resellers were engaged
managed services to companies across through a desk-drop piece delivered by
Europe. their account manager, then email
It developed a channel marketing communications that directed them to a
campaign which included three specifics: to registration site. To reach a broader
highlight the benefits of its products over audience, an integrated campaign included
the competition; to encourage resellers to bi-weekly insertions in press publications, a
include FSC products in the bid process; DM campaign, an email campaign to the
and to gain information on the pricing and existing database and a campaign website.
sales model of competitors. Resellers were rewarded with retail
The creative strategy for the campaign vouchers if they supplied a competitor
evolved as ‘Talking leads’, with the similar to the Levono logo. Collateral read quote, submitted a win/ loss report or won
rationale centered on the ‘talk’ element “No love? Clearly you need a more a piece of business for FSC.
evoking a dialogue, and the ‘leads’ being passionate partner.” A subsequent pilot was More than 75 channel partners
the incentivised part. launched attacking Acer with the anagram participated in the programme, amounting
A pilot programme, centered on a single “No care?” Following both pilots, the to nearly £12 million worth of sales
competitor attack on rival Lenovo, was run. programme was rolled out fully. opportunities. The sales win rate doubled
An anagram of Lenovo was treated in a font FSC partner account managers were from 10 to 20 per cent.
B2B Marketing Awards 2009 - www.b2bmarketingawards.co.uk
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40