TRADEONE CREATIVE SERVICES SOLVES ACCOUNT PLANNING PUZZLE FOR TECHNOLOGY MANUFACTURER

Situation
A multi-billion dollar global supplier of products that help drive the information technology revolution, selling through OEM in some of the most highly competitive markets in the world faced a crisis in marketing to its largest retailers. The competition had successfully ‘bought’ position at most of the leading retailers so our client’s growth and share of voice in the retail channel stalled. At the same time, the client was preparing an offensive with the buyers of major OEM equipment makers and US technology retailers to attempt to turn the table on the competition with several retailers at once.

Action
This client asked TradeOne to research the current state of technology marketing at mass retailers and deliver a new positioning for the client to introduce at its meeting in five weeks. Our study was to include Best Buy, Radio Shack, Circuit City, Fry’s, Office Depot, Office Max, Staples, CompUSA, RCS, Electronics Boutique, Wal-Mart, Kmart and Target. The TradeOne team traveled to Southern California, Dallas/Fort Worth and New York Metro areas. The team reviewed each store model to photograph the merchandising currently in place and understand the limits of what was available.

The team compiled its research in week two and reported to the client that the industry had invested all merchandising efforts in competitive product specifications ("feeds & speeds"). The strategy team reported an opportunity to leap frog the competition by positioning their product as a complement to everyday life situations. The creative team then developed positioning statements and creative executions for client approval.

Next, we returned to the field to validate the new positioning with consumer-interviews while the creative team ‘tweaked’ the merchandisers for presentation. The final presentation included large format brand flags and ceiling-danglers, computer screen savers, and screen-appliquéd in-use photography. Specification information was relegated to shelf-strips. All the creative work featured models portraying real life applications of the client’s product.

Results
The meeting went exceptionally well with secondary meeting set with Radio shack, Office Depot and Circuit City. The ideas presented were hailed as fresh. More importantly, the client renewed their status as a technology leader for the large retail channel.

The client contact said, "TradeOne really understands retail advertising and merchandising creativity - they meet my needs whether it’s a new campaign or a presentation to management."