RepairPal PlanetEye VideoEgg 1800FREE411 Newsgator Spock Sharpcast Retrevo eSnips Teleo Xitel Dragon

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Campaign
B2B Online Video Launch as Category was Gaining Momentum; Business Strategy Change, Market Education; Mainstream Media Buzz, B2B Education to Content Providers & Creators through Strategic Online Outlets, Blogs & Social Networks

We launched VideoEgg (now, SayMedia) following an early stage investment but before their Series A round with August Capital.

Following an early stage splash at one of the top conferences in the industry, we centered our efforts on an education campaign around online video. Because online video was and remains such a crowded space and there were numerous start-ups at the time offering one ‘free’ online video solution after another, it was confusing who did what and what the value add was and why.

Because the industry itself was also early, vendors were still testing business models and assessing whether those business models would bypass the consumer altogether, get traction from small content providers and bloggers or hit the big boys out of the gate. After all, the large traditional TV networks were also looking for compelling online strategies and partners to move them into the new “always online” world.

Some solutions targeted individual A-list bloggers, others went after media companies, while others were attempting to take a bite out of YouTube user base. We worked with them through a strategy change, which moved from a free model for bloggers to a service that connects brands to consumers with video and rich media. Their mission: to redefine brand advertising in a new media environment.

Education, messaging, positioning, events, speaking engagements, a high profile press bash in San Francisco, and massive outreach to vertical press, trades, consumer press, business and broadcast media, advertising rags and blogs, vloggers and podcasters were all part of our communications campaign.

Media Buzz is a Sample, not an Exhaustive List

[/column] [column width=”24%” padding=”0″] “In the world of PR, Blodgett is no less than a force of nature. She knows everyone, and everyone knows her. If you’re a newcomer to the technology scene or have to work with it, they’ll make sure you get off the ground with tenacity and hit all the right people at the right time.”
– Kevin Sladek, Co-Founder, VideoEgg, Now SayMedia

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RepairPal    PlanetEye    VideoEgg    1800FREE411    Newsgator    Spock    Sharpcast    Retrevo    eSnips    Teleo    Xitel    Dragon

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Campaign
Define New Industry; Up Against Large Industry that Hasn’t Moved in Decades; Opening up Proprietary Content to Consumers for First Time; Massive Consumer Outreach On & Offline

RepairPal had a unique proposition at launch. What Kelley Blue Book does for buying cars, RepairPal does for fixing them. Given that the proprietary information was not previously available, the campaign was an intensive education one that involved beating the pavement again and again with key influencers in the auto space, as well as any avenue that would reach consumers who wanted an honest deal.

Because the target audience was so broad, the range couldn’t have been more diverse. From Consumer Reports, Readers Digest, Good Housekeeping, O’ Magazine, Maxim, Popular Science, Daily Candy and Martha Stewart to auto magazines, fashion, women’s, aging, baby boomer and lifestyle blogs, we went exploring.

We garnered interest from radio and TV as well as their online equivalents and hit the major personal finance and business press and bloggers to educate, entice and tell their story in an irresistible way, something we ace again and again.

We proposed contests, widgets, a creative mailer and an on-the-ground consumer awareness campaign through independent auto mechanics as well as a series of humorous viral videos.

The Result: through concerted efforts beyond our launch strategy, our campaign not only increased traffic to their site, but that traffic was sustainable traffic. Growth accelerated interest from strategic partners and helped management pitch their story with more credibility to investors and other niche players they had to win over early on.

Media Buzz is a Sample, not an Exhaustive List

[/column] [column width=”24%” padding=”0″] “Blodgett is simply the best communications expert I’ve ever known – she has a nose for opportunities that can’t be beat.”
– David Sturtz, CEO, RepairPal, former hedge fund analyst Volpe Brown Whelan & Co.

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RepairPal    PlanetEye    VideoEgg    1800FREE411    Newsgator    Spock    Sharpcast    Retrevo    eSnips    Teleo    Xitel    Dragon

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Campaign
Joint Launch with Microsoft: the Travel Industry Meets Social Media & Online Communities

We jumped on board prior to PlanetEye’s launch of a Microsoft-backed online travel planning service. Free to consumers, PlanetEye’s objective is to make it easy to find the best places around the world to stay, eat and experience – all based on travel preferences and interests.

Our goal was to drive traffic to the site, build up credibility so industry players would sign on (content providers and distribution channel partners), and create brand recognition so that travelers, photographers and writers would start to use the service and contribute to the site.

It was a push/pull campaign that included B2B efforts to drive partnerships and gain credibility in conjunction with a mass consumer media effort to generate awareness about a new way to experience travel. We lined up over forty in-person and phone briefings with key influencers who covered travel, lifestyle, food and wine, niche restaurants, weddings and events, spas and cruises, hospitality, as well as general consumer and media targets.

The market range was broad and international, including consumer outlets such as Martha Stewart, Modern Bride, Good Housekeeping and iVillage to major business press on and offline, broadcast TV and photography and travel rags and blogs to the early adopter Web 2.0 bloggers and influencers. A social media campaign was an integrated part of our strategy as was leveraging relationships with Canadian and Seattle influencers and ‘geek’ press to drive reviews of the site after PlanetEye went live.

Media Buzz is a Sample, not an Exhaustive List

[/column] [column width=”24%” padding=”0″] “Blodgett and her team got us in front of all the right influencers nationwide across all mediums in an organized efficient manner allowing us to be significantly recognized and honored in our industry. I wouldn’t even consider taking my business elsewhere.”
-Butch Langlois, former President & CEO, Planeteye Inc.

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RepairPal    PlanetEye    VideoEgg    1800FREE411    Newsgator    Spock    Sharpcast    Retrevo    eSnips    Teleo    Xitel    Dragon

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Campaign
Tease Campaign Followed by a Viral Campaign; Traditional Media Pushing Controversial Buttons Around Privacy on the Web and the Importance of Vertical Search Beyond Google

We worked with Spock on a three-tier campaign that focused on vertical search, privacy and advertisers. By developing an integrated social media and viral communications program that educated the market about vertical search, we were able to kick start relationships with key industry influencers early on. Our strategy included advertisers who want to reach people in specific niche categories.

The campaign included an executive media push, positioning Spock executives as thought leaders on privacy and how it impacts business and society as a whole. We hit broadcast TV and business media on and offline.

Because Spock’s search engine focuses entirely on people, privacy and security alarm bells rang early on. Instead of playing to or avoiding media and consumer fear, we educated people how to start managing their online reputations. We successfully managed a controversial article with Time Magazine and negative online chatter over Internet safety, particularly as it pertained to children.

In addition to a strategy that focused on thought leadership and attracting potential advertisers, our goal was to get more users to the site. Prior to its initial launch, we did a teaser campaign and secured on-stage demos at high profile industry shows.

We created a program for vertical market industries around events and holidays such as politics, entertainment, sports and celebrities. Part of the strategy was not just to generate buzz about the site but solicit help from users to enhance content on the site and encourage others to participate. This included online games, widgets and contests to engage users and spiral user growth. PR Week wrote about the campaign.

Media Buzz is a Sample, not an Exhaustive List

[/column] [column width=”24%” padding=”0″] “Blodgett’s zest for Spock led her to go out on a limb for a product that was still a work in progress. They also engaged directly with people and taught us why it’s important to be out there, and to be honest, and communicative about what’s happening in the company.”
–Jay Bhatti, Co-Founder, Spock, now Intelius

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RepairPal    PlanetEye    VideoEgg    1800FREE411    Newsgator    Spock    Sharpcast    Retrevo    eSnips    Teleo    Xitel    Dragon

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Campaign
Massive Mainstream Media Exposure & Thought Leadership for CEO Nationwide; Combined with B2B Education to Potential Advertisers in Each Regional Market

Immediately Following Launch, User Base was at 10K – PR Push Led to More Than 5 Million Users within 6 Months

We launched Jingle Networks’ 1-800-FREE411 service, the first free national directory service, starting with a national education campaign that targeted both consumers and potential advertisers in each regional market.

Our strategy included a heavy focus on broadcast media – both TV and radio, as well as large online media outlets and blogs. Tyra Banks even mentioned the service on her show. We hit podcasts, vlogs, strategic newspapers, and advertising rags since it was as important to have consumers use the service as it was to get advertisers on board.

Working in conjunction with advertising partners to pitch local angles in regional markets, we nailed a feature in an Atlanta consumer magazine and network TV interviews with the CEO in markets such as Boston, Los Angeles, Providence, Dallas, New York, San Francisco and others. We generated a feature in Fast Company Magazine within a six month period following their launch as well as developed thought leadership for the CEO around strategically placed speaking panels.

The Result: more users, increased credibility, new partners and a brand that was becoming recognized around the country, an important qualifier for advertisers who want to spend their money strategically.

Media Buzz is a Sample, not an Exhaustive List

[/column] [column width=”24%” padding=”0″] “When we launched 1-800-FREE411, Blodgett and team obtained the best possible media coverage and buzz for us. We were featured simultaneously in WSJ, USA Today and the NY Times. No one does it better”
– Scott Kliger, former CEO and Co-Founder of Jingle Networks (800-FREE-411)

“Blodgett coupled a deep understanding of our product and audience with her powerful media network. The result was explosive consumer adoption. She’s ethical, smart, creative and tireless. They were a perfect match to meet our company’s objectives and take 800FREE411 to a mainstream market with great success.”
– Tom Latinovich, Co-Founder, Jingle Networks (800-FREE-411)

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Connections: Influencers & Strategic Partners
[column width=”13%” padding=”0%”]  [/column] [column width=”57%” padding=”0%”] We can make strategic introductions and organize, manage and lead trips or events with major brands looking to get their name in front of key influencers.

A strategic marketing and branding partner doesn’t just think about the right press connections or creating a blog or website – the real asset is in the combination of your core story, your so-called Magic Sauce which includes your internal team. We help you leverage those resources – from the talent and history, to the magic behind your story, to the product UI and unique benefits your product or service provides to customers.

Whether it’s emerging technologies, Web 2.0, travel, services for seniors, teens or boomers, fashion, food and wine, retail or green tech, we can make compelling connections and help you create a program that is magical, creative and innovative in the U.S. or abroad.

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Design & Video
[column width=”13%” padding=”0%”]  [/column] [column width=”57%” padding=”0%”] If you and your team need a site or blog design or lift, we can help. We collaborate with designers, developers and advisors, whether you need to build from scratch or simply need a facelift and rebrand design. We team up with reliable resources who can handle everything from the technical implementation to the creative layout.

Remember that blogs create a platform for community discussions to happen across the board: with your customers, partners, employees, investors, and your competitors. Really great design attracts rather than hinders, clarifies rather than confuses and engages rather than dictates. It’s an important part of your message.

We also utilize online video when and where it makes sense. There are products and services that cry out for a visual story and doing it on a website or blog sometimes isn’t enough.

We work with you to determine the best medium – whether it’s your blog, Facebook, another popular social networking site, YouTube or countless other video platforms on the web. Timing is also key – when to release what and to who? What story do we tell using video versus Twitter and every other medium at our fingertips? Video is a great way to share your Magic Sauce with the world.

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Social Influencer Messaging
[column width=”13%” padding=”0%”]  [/column] [column width=”57%” padding=”0%”] Even if you have talked to plenty of high profile executives and media influencers in your lifetime, everyone can benefit from media coaching and training. As more and more traditional media outlets decline, new influencers and communities will take their place. They already have. Looking and sounding compelling to your audience will never be obsolete.

It’s hard to react on the fly when tough questions are thrown your way, often ones you least expect. We’ll work with you so you can present yourself in a way that gets noticed: authentic, articulate, factual, strategic, edgy, forward thinking and consistent.

You need to own what you project and project what you own. Remember that people’s first impressions may be all they have, so learn how to powerfully deliver your magic sauce and do it again and again.

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Launches
[column width=”13%” padding=”0%”]  [/column] [column width=”57%” padding=”0%”] Product rollouts are an important and integral part of every communications program. When you see a successful launch, know that more often than not, there’s magic behind it and a lot of hard work.

In a world that may have more online influencers than stores, it’s hard to stand out from the clutter and more importantly, stay there. While getting a one-hit wonder can work with a smart “purple cow” approach, we help you develop a launch strategy that helps pave the way for sustainable success in the market.

We handle the strategy and execution before, during and after the launch including an event or launch party if that’s the right fit for your launch. When relevant, we also develop and manage the reviews and awards.

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Events
[column width=”13%” padding=”0%”]  [/column] [column width=”57%” padding=”0%”] Whether it’s thought leadership, a launch, brand awareness, gathering strategic partners and investors together or VIP networking, we can create an event or help you leverage an existing one.

“On-the-ground” is where the best connections are made, so we work closely to ensure you have the best executives armed with the right messages, tools and protocols at these events. We work the room, make the introductions and help you develop relationships that last a lifetime.

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