Vision - November/December 2008 - (Page 43)

CEAnewsline Marketing in Tough Times By Jim Harris s painful as they are, economic downturns spell opportunity for smart marketers. In these challenging times, marketing departments tend to revert to “tried and true” tactics. The truth, for those that are willing to admit it, is that what’s been spent in the past is often more tried than it is true. In tough times, it’s spending smarter that changes the game. Smarter spending, in a considered and integrated way, directly and measurably ties to sales. Whether it’s the key holiday selling season, Valentine’s Day, Dads and Grads, or back-to-school, the CE industry has learned that experiential selling—putting products into the hands of consumers—and providing a clear path to online or bricksand-mortar retailers are innovative and measurable ways to drive sales. A But even integrated experiential marketing can be inefficient if the experience is delivering consumers who either can’t purchase, won’t purchase, or in these times, want to purchase but may have lost their jobs. Success hinges on putting relevant messaging and experiences in the right environments and targeted to the right consumers. Office Media Network (OMN) recently executed a targeted integrated experiential program for a top smartphone brand. The program was comprised of on-site media to drive awareness of the brand, and events that put the latest devices into the hands of qualified buyers. The events featured brand ambassadors (for the smartphone and for its wireless carrier partners) to demonstrate and answer any questions, data capture of event attendees, and a comprehensive research component that measured the effects of the program on brand strength, brand awareness and propensity for consumers to buy the product. The program proved to have substantial impact and now is targeting more cities and more customers. This holiday season, CEA and the Wall Street Journal Office Network have combined marketing powers to present an integrated experiential marketing platform for CE members to promote their brands. Visit www.officemedia.com/CEA/HolidayGift Tour.html for more information, or contact Kirk Smallwood at 703-907-7606 or John Costello at 646-805-7961. • Jim Harris is CEO of Chicago-based Office Media Network (OMN), developer of The Wall Street Journal Office Network and can be reached at jharris@officemedia.com. Encourage Your Customers to Visit These Websites to Learn About Consumer Electronics Accessories www.ceaconnectionsguide.com The CEA Connections Guide is an interactive resource that helps consumers get products out of the box and into operation in a snap! The site provides easy-to-understand descriptions of connections for various CE devices and shows users where they’re located and how to optimize product performance. www.AntennaWeb.org AntennaWeb is an online mapping tool that helps consumers determine which outdoor antenna to purchase. Whether the antenna is for use with a home satellite system, highdefinition television (HDTV) or a traditional analog set, this site will show consumers what they need to know to buy the right antenna. www.DigitalTips.org DigitalTips is the place for consumers to learn about the latest technologies before they buy. The site offers interactive buying guides to help consumers learn about products and the best accessories to maximize satisfaction with their purchase. Consumers can also learn more about recycling their old electronics and the 2009 transition to digital television. http://www.officemedia.com/CEA/HolidayGiftTour.html http://www.officemedia.com/CEA/HolidayGiftTour.html http://www.ce.org http://www.ceaconnectionsguide.com http://www.AntennaWeb.org http://www.DigitalTips.org http://www.ce.org

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Vision - November/December 2008

Vision - November/December 2008 Contents Shapiro's Spectrum In this Issue The Economist C4 Trends Going Global Visionary CES Unveiled Eco-Intelligence Is Vital in a Sustainable Global Market XGP— A Game Changer Enhancing the Tech Experience High-Definition Decade Public-Private Partnerships CEA Newsline Tech Speak Tech Policy Eye on Business Market Insider Just the Stats

Vision - November/December 2008

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