Compass Intelligence is a leading high-tech and telecom market analytics and consulting firm. Long considered a thought-leader in many tech industry segments, including wireless and small businesses, the firm wanted to establish the same reputation for itself in the burgeoning field of machine-to-machine or “M2M” communications.

Backed by ample research, powerful insight and a newly expanded cadre of world-class analysts that cover the M2M space, Compass wanted to launch an industry portal that would become the “go to” destination for all things M2M.

But they faced two challenges.  First was developing a name and brand for the venture.  The market, while still in it’s infancy, was already dominated by a series of sites named M2M World, M2M News, ConnectWorld Magazine, etc.  The second challenge was building a site that could launch with enough freshly updated and valuable content to keep visitors coming back, and provide a platform on which to build the reputation.

Idea-ware started by helping Compass develop a unique name and logo for the venture.  Since the M2M space is really about technology that goes beyond networking people to networking devices, we wanted to play off the concept of “any to any” networking (networking any device to another).  Unfortunately, that was already in use as a name and URL.  But as a play on words, we came up with “NE2NE”, found the domain unregistered and reserved it.  We then developed a logo and color scheme to go with it.  Compass even came up with a concept behind the “NE” designation, which would stand for “Networked Everything.”

After developing the identity, we turned our attention to building a news aggregation site using the Hive-fire’s Curata content curation tool.   We worked with Compass to research and refine a list of keywords and news sources, and launched the site on a sub domain (http://news.ne2ne.com) as it will be just one part of the overall portal. In the coming months Compass plans to add new modules to the overall site including a vendor/company profiling and ranking tool (Who’s Who in M2M), individual users profiles and networking tools (B2B Social Networking for M2M), and complimentary market analysis and research.

But within just a few short weeks, the site has already caught the attention of industry experts and other news sites.  One has even asked if they can import a feed of NE2NE’s news stream.  Compass Intelligence has also started collecting valuable subscribers for it’s daily NE2NE newsletter.

According to Compass Intelligence founder Stephanie Atkinson, “Idea-ware was instrumental in helping us go from an  ‘ambitious idea’ to ‘reality’ in just a few short weeks.”

Voxel dot Net is a complex hosting, managed services and cloud computing company located in NYC and has operated since 1999.  This past January, Raul Martynek, became CEO and helped the firm conduct its first ever capital raise.  As a former CEO of Eureka Networks and successful venture investor, Raul was well aware of the power - and the hype - surrounding all things “cloud”.

But one of the first things Raul realized when he got to Voxel was that they had something very different going on - something most hosting companies did not have - a deep, deep software development background, a rich heritage of open source and tech-agnotic development, and a compulsion to automate everything in the hosting and managed services realm with software.  The founders had previously developed a popular OSS/BSS software platform and Voxel owned their own global IP network and CDN which - as a former telecom executive - Raul immediately recognized the power of having.

The combination of these elements allowed Voxel to do some very unique things.  Like offer Universal Transfer - a bandwidth pricing scheme that treats bandwidth as simply another fluid infrastructure component that can flow freely from virtual server to physical server to CDN. No other provider does it this simply and logically.  Voxel also allows customers to spin up, image and pay for dedicated physical servers on a per hour basis - just like everyone does with virtual servers.  Whether its bandwidth, CDN, physical or virtual servers Voxel views them all as agnostic infrastructure components that should operate in a fluid, software-defined and automated fashion.  Implied in all this is a sense that cloud isn’t the be-all-end-all - it’s just one piece of the puzzle and the goal is to make ALL the infrastructure elements work in a cloud-like fashion.

Raul recognized the unique capabilities & philosophy at Voxel - but he also recognized the company had little brand recognition and certainly nothing that captured this unique story or created any meaningful separation from other cloud providers. So he called Idea-ware.

We conducted our Brand-ware brand discovery process and delivered a full brand architecture under the theme of “infrastructure fabric”  The idea is that “fabric” is a better metaphor than “cloud” for the qualities you want in your internet infrastructure:

- An infrastructure fabric stretches and flexes as your business does
- It protects and covers you from external conditions like competitive pressures
- It can absorb technology changes
- It’s made up of equal strands (network, CDN, VM, servers, etc) that are woven together to create something that has agile reflexes…

In other words - Voxel is an “Infrastructure that Always Fits”.  And this became the new tagline and brand story. We were even able to adapt their existing logo and reinterpret that as a fabric-like element.

The first piece we created was this new company brochure that captures the story of Voxel as a provider of infrastructure fabric.  It was introduced at the CloudExpo show in NYC June to great feedback.  The new brand is helping Voxel create greater awareness, promote a differentiated and valued add story and create more effective marketing programs.

“Idea-ware helped us get to the heart of what makes Voxel unique,” said Raul.  “The Voxel story can now be delivered quickly, intelligently and fluidly in 30 seconds, it’s memorable, and it’s different from literally everyone else in this crowded market which is so critical to getting noticed.  I’ve seen first-hand at trade shows, prospect appointments and other venues how people immediately respond to it when their eyes glaze over at every other provider’s same old ‘cloud’ story. We couldn’t be happier with Idea-ware’s work.”

Just another example of how Idea-ware builds powerful brands for telecom/tech firms looking to create meaningful grooves of separation from competitors.

Back in June I had the pleasure of joining my good friend Thomas Eaton of KGH Partners for an experiential marketing event like no other: the Porsche World Roadshow.  Each summer in locations around the country Porsche invites sportscar enthusiasts  - or anyone who signs up on their website - an opportunity to test drive the entire fleet of Porsche  But this is no ordinary test drive. This is on the track - at 125Mph!

Ours took place at the Monticello Motor Club in Monticello NY.  We arrived to find the entire course taken over by Porsche with air conditioned tents, lots of cars on display and lots of friendly staff to answer questions.  We then sat through a short introductory slideshow - not a sales pitch - but a briefing on what to expect from the next 3 hours and some instruction on how drive the course without crashing and burning.

Then they split our 40+ person group into two teams: one team to take 911’s out on a long track and one team to take Boxters and  Caymens out on a shorter track.  After an hour or so we’d switch.  Thomas and I joined the 911 group and after getting helmets on and listening to one more briefing we hopped into one of six 911’s and began following an instructor around the track.  We hit 125 on one straightaway, finished the lap, switched positions in the pits and did it again - six more times - until we’d both had a chance to drive each car. The 911’s accelerate from 60-125mph at an unbelievable pace, but even more impressive is how fast they go from 125 to 40mph as you slam into the corners. Unreal… You can see some video here:

Over on the short track we did another 3 or 4 runs in the Caymans and Boxeters with an instructor learning how to break into and accelerate out of each curve between narrow sets of cones. At every step the staff made you feel special and more importantly instilled an appreciation for their product - all without a sense of being “sold”.  Suffice to say if I was in a looking to buy a sports car Porsche would  be on my short list.

They did share my contact info with the local dealer who I received an email from but no hard sell.  And afterward we were able to download a professional photographers photos off the website which made for a nice personal touch.  Most impressive is how they do this for ~ 200 people a day for 3 days at each venue.  It was the ultimate experiential marketing event and if you get a chance I highly recommend checking it out.

/JPL

Idea-ware is pleased to unveil it’s latest luxury consumer website creation: GoClear.com

Founded by Alan Gottlieb, MD, GoClear develops and markets a special formula of acne medication that is sold in high-end retail outlets such as Sephora. GoClear is the only acne medication line that has been specifically formulated to work with all skin types and pigments making it especially attractive across multicultural markets.

Alan first approached us in 2010 with the idea for a site that would highlight this multicultural approach almost bringing to mind the Benetton advertisements of the 1980s. But he also wanted an extremely rich and engaging interface - something unique that would help him tell the GoClear story in a captivating and engaging manner.

Over several months Idea-ware helped Alan refine his messaging architecture into three concise areas: Be Simple, Be Healthy and Be Confident - all of which spoke to the benefits of his product line. Then we set about designing a unique interface to that information.

We leveraged custom photography featuring multiracial models to convey the “one formula for all skin types” message behind GoClear. And we developed several wire frames and design approaches eventually settling on one where the images and text of the site would sit behind a semi-translucent navigation panel (the “clear” in GoClear). Clicking on menus within the panel would “slide” the content around behind it. Some pages would also feature pop up windows so that users could dig deeper for information (e.g. FAQs) without leaving a critical page.

In order to maximize the experience for younger generation end users we wanted to the entire site needed to operate on both Macs and PCs as well as mobile devices like iPhones and iPads. To achieve this we coded the site using HTML5 throughout. The end result is not only beautiful and different - it’s also highly functional. Viewable on literally any device with the same experience, the site even supports iOS multi-touch gestures such as two finger scrolling on the pop up pages. And with an embedded CMS-based blog and news tool GoClear’s staff can easily post and update company information and begin building a powerful social media following.

Check it out for yourself at http://www.goclear.com and see another great example of how Idea-ware synthesizes powerful messaging and unique interface design to help a new brand stand out in a crowded market.

Working with companies of all sizes and all markets - from bleeding edge technology to women’s fashion - you start to see certain patterns in how business leaders think about and approach branding.  In my case, I’ve always felt there is a very natural tendency for a business leader to present the identity of their business in terms of WHAT their business does.

We even do this in our personal lives.  Think about the last cocktail party you were at.  When meeting someone new the first question is almost inevitably “What do you do for a living”?  We’re conditioned to filter and categorize people by WHAT they do, and it’s no surprise we apply the same approach to introducing a business.  “I’m a lawyer”.  or “I build websites.”  It’s is a completely natural thing - I know how to categorize you now.  It’s just terribly ineffective from a branding standpoint - I’m not likely to remember much else about you.

Not only does focusing on the WHAT just drop you into the mill of categorization with everyone else - but it oftentimes paints you into a corner - especially if you operate in a crowded, commodity market.  Take technology for instance.  All technology companies are essentially working with the same components - so to focus on them leaves no room for differentiation.

A better approach is to focus on WHY you do something. Because WHY is inspiring and leads people and prospects to connect on an emotional level.  It’s also more memorable and transferable to other product and service areas.  So for instance, if you are Apple the core of your identity is thinking differently and challenging assumptions to make the world a better place.  You just happen to do that by making computers.  That identity however, also allowed them to enter new markets such as MP3 players and Phones far more effectively than Dell and other competitors who are still just seen as computer companies.

Now imagine yourself at that cocktail party talking to that lawyer:

You:  “What do you do for a living?”
Lawyer: “I use words, logic and persuasion to remedy people from injustice and create more equality in the world.”

That’s likely to lead to a more memorable conversation.

For a great read on this whole approach check out Simon Sinek’s book Start With Why Or for an even briefer intro check out his incredibly captivating TED conference presentation. And start asking yourself WHY.

/JPL

Based on the success and feedback we received on the websites we launched in January for Passaconaway Country Club and its sister course Hidden Creek Country Club, we have decided to formally launch iwGolf a division of Idea-ware LLC devoted to bringing our brand of marketing advocacy to the game we love.  iwGolf has just one goal: to give every golf club a simple, beautiful, functional website and marketing platform that the club staff can maintain themselves and which attract players and bring them back again and again.

We believe that a club website should be as captivating as its course- and most simply aren’t. We believe the technology already exists to let every course promote itself professionally - and yet most spend a fortune to let others do it for them.  We believe golf is ultimately a social game and that the club experience should transcend cart path and carry over to social networking  paths we all tread each day.  Form.  Function.  Friends.  That’s what an iwGolf site delivers.

And hopefully a lot of free rounds for me and George!

Download the brochure to learn more.  And if your local golf course’s site is lamer than a second mulligan on a par 3 - then tell them to call us.

~ JPL

Recently we were invited to begin working with a company that designs and markets protective cases for consumer electronic devices.  They showed us a homemade video series that their partner manufacturer was doing to promote the incredible protective nature of their iPad and Laptop cases.  In one video they drop a 12lb bowling ball on the iPad in its case.  In another they drop an iPad in its case out of a plane from 500 feet.  In both instances the devices emerge unscathed.   A truly high-impact use of video and one we suspect has a good chance of going viral.  You can view them both below.

iPad dropped from Airplane

Bowling Ball Dropped On iPad

This got us asking a lot of questions about what qualities make a video go viral?  So I hit up the Visible Measures list of each weeks top 10 viral videos which is a great resource for keeping tabs on what videos really take off virally each week.  My take away is this:  In order for a video to go viral in needs to exhibit one or more of the following qualities:

• Humor - Probably the number one factor - if it’s funny people will forward it
• Shock Factor - something that people can’t take their eyes off - which is where the above iPad videos could get some traction.
• Sex - Not literally, but something suggestive like this SmartWater video starring Jennifer Aniston that had the the  joke title “Jennifer Aniston Sex Tape”
• Organic - something that is staged is less likely to go viral I think that something catching people in real life.
• Timeliness - A video that captures a relevant topic in the news will obviously get a bump from that news coverage - this T-Mobile video spoofing the recent royal wedding is currently number one on Visible Measure and it’s no surprise why.
• Luck - let’s not forget the biggest factor of all - remember you can’t MAKE any video go viral - only the public can.

One thing remains true however…there’s is probablyno faster or cost effective way to achieve awareness for your product than a video that achieves that special status.

~JPL

As you have probably read here we’ve been fans of Hive-Fire and it’s Curata content aggregation tool.  In January 2010 we approached our longtime client USAN with the idea of deploying a thought leadership portal to elevate their profile as a leader in the hosted contact center technologies industry.  For over 25 years USAN has been developing hosted carrier-grade call center technologies before anyone even called it a “cloud” service. From interactive voice response (IVR) and speech recognition to automated call distribution (ACD), dashboards and call center integration USAN has been simplifying the infrastructure behind enterprise contact centers so that enterprise IT staff can focus more on delivering the best possible customer contact experience.  So as the founding fathers of the industry so to speak, USAN was the perfect partner to launch a thought-leadership portal on the industry.

Using Hive-Fire’s Curata tool we developed a site called Hosted Contact Center News.  Using a set of sophisticated keyword search filters the site aggregates and distills the best 30-50 articles per day related to hosted contact center technologies from thousands of external news sources such as newswires, websites, RSS feeds, and industry blogs.  From that list of 30-50 articles Idea-ware curates the most relevant 3-5 articles and a short synopsis (and link to the original article) is automatically published to the site.  An artificial intelligence module “learns” the content of each article and automatically sorts it into the proper category.  Once published the site also distributes each article to a set of social media channels including LinkedIn,  Facebook and Twitter pages that Idea-ware helped set up.  The site is now serving as USAN’s blog platform allowing it to mix original content as well as curated 3rd party content from partners.

The site contain several hundred articles now all easily indexed by topic, and seen by hundreds of people on Twitter, LinkedIn and the site itself each day.  Visitors also have the option of subscribing to a simple daily newsletter that brings it straight to their in box making this a powerful tool for establishing USAN as the industry thought leader and “go to” information source cloud.

If you’re interested in building a thought-leadership program for your business give us a call today.

~ JPL

I wish I could say this was truly original Marketing Advocacy work by Idea-ware - but alas - I just got lucky one day on the streets of Manhattan and ended up getting into the popular Discovery Channel game show cab! If you have never seen CashCab check it out. If you have, you will likely enjoy our little ride. I know we did!

~ JPL

We’re big fans of the game of golf.   George plays in several leagues and I’ve recently started taking my 7 year old to the range to learn to play so I will have a caddie…uh, I mean playing partner…in a few years.

Every time we looked around for a course to play we were struck by how poor the websites are that these clubs build.  For starters, the course itself is the main attraction - the core of any club’s brand so to speak - and it rarely gets the large format photographic treatment it deserves - or the smart hole-by-hole commentary avid players want.  Second - we’ve always believed golf is a game of social interaction - so why don’t golf courses put social media to better use to drive engagement between players themselves and the course.  And third, when we dug a little deeper we found the underlying technology in a lot of golf course sites was antiquated and expensive requiring long-term support contracts that just don’t make sense with today’s easy, do-it-yourself CMS-based world.

Back in late 2010 we decided to change that.  We approached Passaconway Country Club and it’s sister course Hidden Creek both in souther New Hampshire.  We developed a simple package for each course that included custom photography of each hole and the facilities, a beautiful and highly functional design that highlighted the course itself, a simple but effecive integration of social media and e-mail marketing tools like Facebook calendars for club events, and a hosted CMS through which the club’s staff could maintain the site themselves.

For less than what each course was spending for hosting and maintenance of the sites each year we were able to deliver a site that not only looked better but actually att

racted users through search engines, increased awareness of club events and built a closer knit community of players.  The Facebook page alone gets 100’s of impressions per day and the club’s own PGA Professional Joe Healy recently told us “People come in all the time now and tell us how much they love the site and what a better impression of the course it delivers.”

~JPL